Meeks family papers
Collection — Folder: S1928
Identifier: S1928
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of land grants (photocopies), indentures and warranty deeds of the Meeks family for property in Spencer County, Indiana (1809-1869); three Civil War letters sent to John Meeks from John Sibrel (near Corinth - May 27, 1862), Elijah Ray (Memphis - August 26, 1862), and William Welch (Memphis - September 9, 1862); the bylaws of the Benjamites - Company G, 4th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Indiana Legion (November 15, 1862); a letter and list concerning supplies lost by Indiana Legion at Panther Creek (March 1866); newspaper clippings regarding the placement of a historical marker on the site of the Indian atttack of the Meeks family (August 30, 1936) and the Panther Creek Battle ( September 1962); and other family correspondence and documents, many of which concern the Meeks family genealogy (1864-1974).
Dates
- 1819-1974
Creator
- Meeks, John, 1818-1903 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
The Meeks family were early settlers of Spencer County, Indiana. Athe Meeks (1793-1843) was born in South Carolina and was the son of Athe and Margaret (Snead) Meeks, Sr. He moved with his family to Kentucky in the late 1790s and then to Indiana Territory sometime before 1810, settling on the banks of Pigeon Creek in what is now Spencer County. According to family records, in April 1812 the elder Athe was killed on his front doorstep and Athe, Jr. was wounded in an attack by Shawnee Indians. Other sources date the "Meeks Tragedy" as taking place in May, 1811. Athe Jr. married Anna Vest and they had a number of children. Their son John was born on September 8, 1818. He married Mary Ann Esra (1831-1907) in December 1849 and they were the parents of eleven children. He served as captain of the Benjamites, Co. G, 4th Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the Indiana Legion during the American Civil War. He lived most of his life in Spencer County, but moved to neighboring Warrick County about twenty years before he died at the age of 85 on October 21, 1903. Anna Meeks (1868-1960), a daughter of John and Mary Ann, married Elmer H. Lawrence in 1902. Their son, Albert B. (1903-1995), was the author of several of the letters in this collection.
Sources:
Information found within collection.
"Captain John Meeks." Boonville Enquirer (Ind.), October 30, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com.
FindaGrave.com. "Athe 'Atha' Meeks Jr." Find a Grave Memorial No. 5073138. Accessed September 17, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5073138/athe-meeks.
History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana. Chicago: Goodspeed, Bros. and Company, 1885.
Meeks, Priddy. "Priddy Meek's Journal." Typescript. n.d. Genealogy Division, Indiana State Library.
Sources:
Information found within collection.
"Captain John Meeks." Boonville Enquirer (Ind.), October 30, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com.
FindaGrave.com. "Athe 'Atha' Meeks Jr." Find a Grave Memorial No. 5073138. Accessed September 17, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5073138/athe-meeks.
History of Warrick, Spencer and Perry Counties, Indiana. Chicago: Goodspeed, Bros. and Company, 1885.
Meeks, Priddy. "Priddy Meek's Journal." Typescript. n.d. Genealogy Division, Indiana State Library.
Extent
0.02 Cubic Feet (2 folders)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Belle Stewart in 1981/10.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2020/09/17 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2020/09/17 by Laura Eliason.
Creator
- Meeks, John, 1818-1903 (Person)
- Meeks, Athe, 1793-1843 (Person)
- Lawrence, Albert B., 1903-1995 (Person)
- Title
- Meeks family papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
