Thomas Meads

Bristol, Suffolk, England

Lancaster Co., VA

Death Notes

Before 6 Jun 1655 . d. December 6th, 1655.

General Notes

Son of Ambrose Meades.

Thomas settled in Isle of Wight County, and moved about 1650 to the north- east shore of the Rappahannock River (in present Richmond County). No supporting evidence has been found of the ancestry of Thomas in England, though many believe his ancestry lived in Suffolk County. "Within these three volumes are named more than 37,000 descendants of Thomas meador and their spouses, encompassing up to sixteen generations. Is this everyone descended from Thomas Meador? Certainly not ..."--Introduction (v.1, p. 1). Descendants and relatives lived in Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, California and elsewhere."

The last will and testament of Tho. Meads made the 5th day of March (54) Impnt. I do bequeath my body to the Earth & my soul to God that gave it. I do make my wife my sole & absolute Excr.

I do give to my wife & Daughter Mary this plantation that I now live upon and all the land on this side of the Creek, and the ad. plantation not to be my Daughters till after my wifes decease.

I do give to my tow sons, Tho & John Meads all the land that is on the west side of the Creek provided that they pay unto my two daughters Margaret & Joyce out of s. land two thousand pounds of tob. Cask at their day of marriage, and in case either of the [m] die that the sd. Tob. To belong to the survivor.

I do give unto my wife & sons & my Daughters above mentioned all my goods and chattels after my debts are paid and that they shall be equally divided amongst them.

I do give to my Daughter Ann all the cattle that belonged to her which is about five head of cattle, and likewise I do unto her one shilling in money. This is my last will and testament as witness my hand the day & year above written.

Thomas Mead
12 da. Juny 1655

Witness
Rawleigh Travers
Edward (his mark) Bradshaw
Phat 6 da Juny 1655.

GRANTEE Meads, Thomas. grantee. DATE 7 September 1654. Location: County location not given. Grantee(s): Meads, Thomas, and John Phillips. Description: 1000 acres on the south side of the Freshes of Rappa: River about 16 Miles above Nanzemum Towne. Source: Land Office Patents No. 3, 1652-1655, p. 376 (Reel 2). Part of the index to the recorded copies of patents for land issued by the Secretary of the Colony serving as the colonial Land Office. The collection is housed in the Archives at the Library of Virginia. The link for Library of Virginia is listed above.

Thomas born 1612 England married a Sarah

Children:
1. Thomas "Younger" MEADOR Jr. was born in abt 1620 and died in or about 1662.
2. John MEADES b: 1622
3. Mary MEADOR was born abt 1624 in VA, married Richard HOBBS. b: 1644 d: 1683
4. Margaret MEADOR was born abt 1625 in VA.
5. Joyce MEADOR was born abt 1626 in VA.
6. Anne MEADOR was born abt 1627 in VA.

Click here for details of Thomas' family with Sarah Wellstead