Alanson Smith Meader, son of Stephen Baggage Meader (1779-1855) [0132] and Mary Bailey (  –  ), was born December 28, 1816, probably in Ryegate, VT, and died July 30, 1895. On April 11, 1859 he married Dorcella Trasker [Volume II shows her name as Ida Tasker]. They had no children.

He early learned his father's trade as a tailor. He was educated in the common schools. Everett K. Hatch and J. W. Parsons were his teachers [The source may have meant Everett K. Heath [see 0245] and F. W. Pearson [see 0249]; manuscript copying is often difficult.]

At the age of 17 he purchased his time of his father and started in the tailoring business by himself. At 21 he built himself a home but, owing to a defect in the title and the villainy of another party, he lost the home. The result was many years' toil. He became discouraged, but he made an effort to replace his home. After more than fifty years at his chosen trade, and after repeated losses and discouragements, he died of paralysis.

He composed a short poem on his native land, of which the following is the first stanza:

     New England! fair and happy land,
          Again to thee I've come:
     Forever blessed by Pilgrim band,
          I hail thee as my own.