0184. John Meader (1812 – 1880)

John Meader, son of Elder Henry Meader (1789-1867) [0082] and Sally Young (1793-1880), was born May 21, 1812, probably in Gardiner, Kennebec, ME and died October 15, 1880 in Illinois, probably Chicago.

In his 21st year he went to sea, stopping at Madeira and the Cape Verde Islands, After his return he taught school, clerking during vacations, but within the first ten years after his marriage he turned to the dry goods and grocery business in a typical country store. Thereafter, for the rest of his life he was engaged in some mercantile pursuit until nine and a half months before his death, when he had to give up his business in Chicago and go to the home of his eldest daughter, Henrietta Rand. He was told he had a fatal disease, cancer of the stomach, and such was his distress that he was anxious for the end.

He met Joanna Elizabeth Chick at her home in Monmouth, Kennebec, ME, where her family had moved during her childhood. In 1838 he moved to Monmouth and remained there until the spring of 1853 when he returned to Gardiner. In the summer of 1853 he moved to Augusta. In 1862 he moved to Chicago.

He married:
1)     Joanna Elizabeth Chick on March 2, 1837. She was born February 18, 1813 and died June 7, 1851, presumably in Gardiner.
The children of John Meader and Joanna Chick were:
0316 i. Henrietta Victoria Meader, born November 21, 1837.
1675 ii. Laura Ann Meader, born June 17, 1839 and died in Jacksonville, Florida January 18, 1871.
iii. Arletta Flora Meader, born July 21, 1841 and died November 21, 1842.
0317 iv. Clara Letta Meader, born April 14, 1843 and died January 6, 1896.
0314 v. Ora Vesta Meader, born April 23, 1845.
vi. John Staples Meader, born June 7, 1847 and died September 26, 1847.
0319 vii. Mary Bates Meader, born November 17, 1848.
viii. John Arthur Meader, born April 4, 1851 and died August 21, 1851.
2)     Naomi Hovey Stevens on April 21, 1853. She was born January 12, 1820 and died May 7, 1887.
The children of John Meader and Naomi Stevens were:
0320 ix. Hattie Ellen Meader, born December 9, 1856.
1676 x. John Wilfred Meader, born October 10, 1858.