0002. John Meader (1660 - 1736) Gender: M
Born: 1660 in Oyster River, NH
Died: 1736 in Oyster River, NH
0002. John Meader (1660 - 1736)
John Meader, son of John Meader (c.1625-c.1715) [0001] and Abigail Tuttle (1628-1674), was probably born in 1660 [other sources give birth dates as early as 1654 and as late as 1667] at Oyster River, NH. That he died in 1736 is presumed from his will, signed November 2nd of that year. He was certainly a farmer, as was his father, and possibly a weaver as well. He occupied some of the paternal acres in Oyster River.
He was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery, now the oldest military company in America. This celebrated corps was formed in 1637 during the Pequot War and modeled after the plan of a similar group in London. Composed of only the best citizens, it was meant more for home defense and for the training of young soldiers than for active service. As it was the special bulwark of the State, great pains were taken to maintain a high standard of discipline. From this it would appear that John Meader [0002] was not a member of the Society of Friends.
He was first taxed in 1681. On February 20, 1690 he and Joseph his brother joined with others in a petition directed to the Massachusetts authorities requesting authority to muster and train soldiers of New Hampshire and asking that they be taken under the government and protection of Massachusetts. In 1695 he and his brothers Nathaniel [0004] and Joseph petitioned the General Court of New Hampshire asking that Oyster River be made a township, but this was again not accomplished.
John went to the Durham area in 1676, but he returned to Oyster River when he inherited the Meader lands there [probably about 1715, then]. These lands have been located, with some hesitation, about half a mile from Piscataqua Bridge on the west side of the river and on the southwest side of the old Turnpike road that leads to the bridge. The remains of the old house have been tentatively located on the summit of a hill, but a new house has been erected there. Southwest of the old house is an old burying ground that was included in the Meader lands.
On November 18, 1686 John Meader [0002] deeded to his eldest son Joseph [0005] all the plantations where he lived near the Oyster River and those bought of Valentine Hill, as well as twenty acres adjoining the plantation which were part of eighty acres granted to him by the town of Dover. In his will, John Meader [0002] gave his son Nicholas [0007] his teams, horses and harness only.
[Note: See the will of John Meader. It states, in part: "I do give unto my son Nicolous Meder my lumes and sleas and harness." According to Raymond F. Meader, this was weaving equipment, not horses.]
To his grandsons, John and Jeremiah Tibbetts, sons of his daughter Sarah [0009], he gave twenty shillings to be divided equally between them. To his daughter Elizabeth Hanson [0008] and Abigail Davis [0006] he bequeathed all his remaining movable estate. The will is signed and dated November 2, 1736.
The Reverend Hugh Adams baptized John Meader [0002], "aged brother of Joseph," on "Zif 23," or May 3, 1728.
He married:
1) Sarah Follett, probably in 1680. She was the daughter of Nicholas and Abigail Follett of Dover. Sarah Follett Meader was born in 1654 and died before 1725. Abigail Follett later married Richard Nason, but they had no children.
The Follett ancestors went from Normandy with William the Conqueror and were of baronial rank. Nicholas Follett, mariner, commander of the brigantine Friend's Endeavor, sailed between Portsmouth and the Barbados. Richard Nason, who married Nicholas Follett's widow, by will dated July 14, 1694 gave his wife all property by her former husband and gave legacies to the Follett children: Sarah Child, Mary Witham, Nicholas Follett and Sarah Follett Meader.
The children of John Meader and Sarah Follett were:
0005 i. Joseph Meader, born April 10, 1681 and died in 1759.
0006 ii. Abigail Meader, possibly a twin since she is recorded as also being born in 1681. She was alive in 1736.
0007 iii. Nicholas Meader, born about 1682/1683 and died in 1767.
0008 iv. Elizabeth Meader, born in 1684 and died in 1737.
0009 v. Sarah Meader, born about 1685 and died in 1725.
2) An Elizabeth Kirk (Widow Libby), born in 1667. They had no children. The church records of Oyster River Parish, Durham show "Rev. Hugh Adams baptized December 31, 1727 Elizabeth, wife of John Meader, 60 years old, sitting lame in her chair."
[Note: That this Elizabeth was in fact Elizabeth Kirk Libby, a widow, comes from Raymond F. Meader. The History of Durham also shows that Daniel Meader [0010] may have married an Elizabeth (Kirk) Libby, a widow, as his first wife.]
3) Widow Agnes Clark on April 5, 1735, widow of Samuel Clark of Portsmouth. She survived him and died in 1737. There were no children of this marriage.
On April 21, 1737 Agnes Clark Meader gave a quitclaim deed for forty pounds to Joseph Meader [5] of Nantucket, of all the possessions in Durham of her late husband. This was evidently to secure a full release of her right of dower, as she was not named in John Meader's [2] will.