There are many genealogies for men named Isaac Meek who lived during the 1700’s in the area of S. W. Pennsylvania, the West Virginia panhandle and Ohio. The area was originally called Augusta Co., VA and Westmoreland Co., PA was claimed by both Virginia and the Proprietor of Pennsylvania. Many men are recorded in the records of both states
The area of S. W. Pennsylvania was Westmoreland Co., PA before 1781. By 1783 it included Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Greene Counties. The area known as Ohio Co., VA, including Brooks County, was located in a small area between Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is now the panhandle of West Virginia. Many of the families that were early settlers of SW Pennsylvania migrated the short distance to east central Ohio.
Following is a discussion of the various records concerning Isaac Meek. This information was taken from various abstracts of official records. Undocumented genealogies are not included. This author has not personally viewed any of the original documents.
Anne Arundel Co., MD
Isaac Meek was born 4 Mar 1710 in Anne Arundel Co., MD. He was baptized 24 Jun 1719 at St. Anne’s Parish. Parish records name his parents as Guy and Dorothy Meek. Deed Book R. B. #2 p182 dated 10 Mar 1847 indicate that he purchased 40 acres of land known as Ridgsby’s Beginning. He also purchased 50 acres known as Vernallas in 1745.
Deed Book B. B. #2 p113 dated 11 Jan 1757 indicates that Isaac sell all of his land to John Mercer. In April 1758 his wife Rachel gives up her right of Dower. This is the last record for Isaac and Rachel in Anne Arundel County. There is no evidence known to this author that would indicate who their children were.
Washington Co., PA
Isaac Meek was listed in the 1774 tax list of Tyrone TWP, Westmoreland Co., PA. It is assumed that he is at least 18 years old and born before 1756.
Isaac Meek was listed In the 1781 military records as being a lieutenant in the Virginia militia under Col. David Shepard where he fought the Indians between Ft. Pitt and Ft. Henry (Wheeling, West VA). Other records indicate his commission was dated 17 May 1778 and was sworn by Silas Hedges and John Wells.
Isaac Meek was listed in the 1783 in tax list for Bethlehem TWP, Washington Co., PA.
We cannot be sure that all of the references above are for the same man.
Isaac Meeks was listed in the 1810 census for Armwell TWP, Washington Co., PA born before 1765.
Isaac Meek was listed in the 1810 census for Morris TWP, Green Co., PA born between 1765 and
1784.
Isaac Meek was listed in the 1820 census of E. Bethlehem TWP, Washington Co., PA. He was born between 1775 and 1794.
Isaac Meek was listed in the 1830 census for E. Bethlehem TWP, Washington Co., PA. He was born between 1760 and 1770. The oldest female was born between 1780 and 1790.
These records do not allow for a determination of how many different men are involved. They do indicated that there was a least one older person born before 1765 and one younger person born after 1765. It is not possible to determine if the older Isaac Meek in the 1810 census is the same person that resided in Washington County in either 1774 or 1783.
Ohio Co., VA
(Includes Brookes County formed in 1797.)
Isaac Meek buys 50 acres on Buffalo Creek from Derrick Hoagland in 5 Jun 1775, Deed Book 1 p13 .
Isaac Meek was awarded a land grant in Ohio Co., VA on Buffaloe Creek on 10 Nov 1785. (Other references indicated he had cirtificate for 400 acres on the waters of Buffalo Creek to include the settlement in the year 1775.)
Isaac Meek sold land on Buffalo Creek to his daughter Elizabeth and husband, Beal Pumphrey 5 Dec 1798 .
Harrison Co., WV
(Formed in 1784.)
Harrison Co., WV Deed Book #3 p52 dated 1778 Land Grant for Isaac Meek for 360 acres on the waters of Lost Run.
Harrison Co., WV Deed Book 1 p330 dated 1790 between Isaac Meek and wife Rachel of the County of Harrison Co., WV first part and John Duvall sold 360 acres on Lost Run and Bankleg Run. (Note: There is an obvious error in this abstract because West Virginia was not created until 1865.)
Jefferson Co., OH
Isaac Meek purchased 680 acres in Jefferson Co., Ohio on 5 Dec 1798.
Early tax lists between 1806 and 1809 list an Isaac Meek in Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. Isaac Meek is listed in the 1810 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. However the data is not available.
From 1820 to 1840 two men named Isaac Meek are listed in the census for Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. The first was born between 1740 and 1750. The second was born between 1790 and 1794. The second person was listed in 1820 with a wife born between 1794 and 1804 and no children.
There was a younger third Isaac Meek in Smithfield TWP born about 1810. He is listed in the 1840 census with a wife born between 1810 and 1820 and four children under the age of 10. In 1850 This Isaac is residing without his family in the home of Richard Moore. In the immediate vicinity were William Meek born about 1808 and Jacob Meek born about 1810.
In near by Washington TWP, Tuscarawas County there was another man named Isaac Meek born in 1797 Virginia. Also listed was Jacob Meek born in 1794 Virginia. Also listed was Jacob Meek born about 1785 Ohio with wife Rachel.
Summary
Isaac Meek of Jefferson Co., OH was born 14 Jan 1746 according to family records. He married (1) Mary Robinson. He married (2) Rachel Hedges 31 Jan 1792. He died 12 Dec 1840. Census data supports his date of birth. While the family records indicated that he was born in Annapolis, MD it is not clear that this is a proven fact. Never-the-less Isaac Meek of Jefferson Co., OH and his family are well documented. The question is who was the father of Isaac Meek?
In his 1902 book H. B. Meek describes the children of Jacob Meek, son of Adam Meek. He provided little information about Isaac Meek except that he went to Ohio. Carleton Meek expanded on the work of H. B. Meek and concluded that this Isaac was the person born in 1746. Neither author provided any proof of their conclusions.
Joseph Meek and others including James W. Meek concluded that Isaac Meek born in 1746 was the son of Isaac Meek born 1710 in Anne Arundel Co., MD and the grandson of Guy Meek. Again, no one provided any proof and there are no records of who the children of Isaac Meeks born in 1710 were.
It is known that there were a number of men named Meek(s) who settled in SW Pennsylvania about 1770. Some if not all of these men were from Maryland and neighboring areas of Virginia. The area of SW Pennsylvania included that part of modern day West Virginia that is situated between Pennsylvania and Ohio. The area was also known as West Augusta Co., VA and later Ohio Co., VA. The area was claimed by both the proprietor of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Many Meek families are recorded in the records of both states.
The area was very primitive and the borders were not well defined. The inhabitance frequently organized to fight the Indians and on occasion moved to the safety of a fort in a different area. The militia would organize and advance to another area to address the threat. The militia operated in an area between Ft. Pitt, Ft. Red Stone and Ft. Henry.
The people and their records that we are discussing lived throughout SW Pennsylvania and Ohio Co., VA. Men named Isaac Meek can be seen in the records from modern day Westmoreland Co., PA, Washington Co., PA, Ohio Co., WV including Brooks Co., WV and finally Jefferson Co., OH and other areas of Eastern Ohio. The distance between the center of Washington Co., PA and Jefferson Co., OH is thirty miles with Brookes Co., WV in between. Thus we are talking about a group of people who lived in close proximity to each other and likely were acquainted with each other if not actually related.
The first record in SW Pennsylvania that mentions Isaac Meek is the 1774 tax list of Tyrone TWP, Westmoreland Co., PA. It is thought that this was the area of modern day Westmoreland County but could have been in modern day Washington County. There is no indication that this men remained in that area. However, it cannot be determined when he left the area. This Isaac Meek would have been born before 1756.
Isaac Meek purchased land on Buffalo Creek in 1775. In 1785 he receives a land grant that includes this land. A reasonable argument can be made that Isaac Meek of Jefferson Co., OH was the same person in Ohio/Brookes Co., VA. The man in Brooks County was associated with other men who had known connections to Isaac Meek of Jefferson County including Hoagland, Hedges and Pumphrey.
It is tempting to assume that the person in Westmoreland County in 1774 moved to Buffalo Creek a year later. However, there were continuing references to Isaac Meek in near by Washington County from 1771 on. In 1810 there were two men named Isaac Meek and one of them was born before 1765. He might have been old enough to be the person the 1774 tax records. The name Isaac Meek continues to appear in the 1820 and 1830 censuses. It appears that there was a totally separate family in Washington County with an older and younger man named Isaac.
It is reasonable to assume that the Isaac Meek in the 1774 tax records moved to either Washington County or Ohio Co., WV. There is no evidence that he remained in Westmoreland County. He could have been about the same age or older than that of Isaac Meek of Jefferson Co., OH. There are other possibilities that include Isaac dying or moving away.
The information about Isaac Meek being appointed a lieutenant and serving in the Virginia Militia is reported in both Pennsylvania and Virginia histories. Men from throughout SW Pennsylvania gathered at Ft. Pitt to form the army that marched to Ft. Henry. Since Virginia claimed most of SW Pennsylvania as well as Ohio County Lt. Isaac Meek could have been either the man in Washington County or the man in Ohio County.
A person named Isaac Meek purchased land in Harrison Co., WV in 1778. Harrison Co., WV was formed in 1784 from Monongalia, was South East of Ohio Co and at that time adjoined Ohio County. This area is not as close to Jefferson Co., OH as Washington Co., PA. However, it is not a great distance away. Isaac sold his land in 1790 and his wife’s name was Rachael. He was born before 1760. However, he could not be the Isaac Meek of Jefferson Co., OH because that person did not marry Rachel Hedges until 1792. Could this possibly be the Isaac Meek in the 1774 tax list or Isaac Meek born in 1710 Anne Arundel Co., MD?
Conclusions
There was a minimum of two men named Isaac Meek in SW Pennsylvania. It is possible that there was a third person in Harrison Co., WV. It is not possible to conclude that one of them was Isaac Meek born 1710 in Anne Arundel Co., MD. It is not possible to conclude that one of them was the father of one of the others. It is not possible to conclude who the parents of any of them were.
Many researchers including those who were descendants of Isaac Meek born in 1746 had some of the sources mentioned here. They also had family lore to guide them. Yet very little documentation has been provided to prove their claims. Even the bible records quoted as a source for Isaac’s place of birth was not a contemporaneous record. From the written histories it is not even clear that the bible mentioned a place of birth.
We know that some of the men in SW Pennsylvania were from Maryland including the area near Anne Arundel County. Isaac Meek born in 1746 may have been born in Anne Arundel County but this does not prove that he was the son of Isaac Meek born in 1710. However, this author believes that some or all of the men in SW Pennsylvania were connected to the Guy Meek line.
In the end, we need more information before we can prove any connections. What is clear is that there was at least one other person named Isaac Meek who may have been as old as or older than Isaac born in 1746. His sons may well account for some of the other men named Meek in SW Pennsylvania.
If you have any questions, E-mail Chris Meek.
The following information is based on census records alone. This author does not intend to imply any releationship bewteen these men.
A. Isaac Meek was born between 1740 and 1750 according to census records. He died before 1850. He is listed in the 1806-09 tax records of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. He is listed in the 1820 through 1840 censuses of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. His wife in the census records was born bewteen 1860 to 1870. She was alive in 1840. Due to his advanced age, it is not possible to determine from the census records how many children he had.
Traditional genealogies report that Isaac was born 14 Oct 1746 and died 12 Dec 1840 in Jefferson Co., OH.
B. Joshua Meek was born between 1770 and 1775 according to census records. He likely died before 1850, as there are no records of him after 1840. He is reported in the 1820-1840 censuses of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH. (Brooks Co. WV marriage records lists Joshua Meek and Elizabeth Hedges 2 Nov 1797.) His wife was born between 1770 and 1775 according to the 1820 and 1830 censuses. In the 1840 census the oldest female was born between 1790 and 1800. This indicates that Joshua's wife died before 1840. (Traditional genealogies indicate that Isaac had a son named Joshua born on 20 Mar 1773. He died on 4 Sep 1847.)
The older female in the 1840 census may have been a second wife, the oldest daughter born between 1794 and 1804 or the wife of an older son. In the 1840 census the oldest male child was born between 1810 and 1820. It seems unlikely that this was the husband of the oldest daughter. It may be the youngest son in the 1830 census born between 1815 and 1820. The 1840 census does record two males born between 1835 and 1840, which are not explained by previous census records. These boys could have been the children of Joshua's first wife, possible second wife or the oldest daughter. If they were the daughter's children, she was without a husband. It is possible that all of the children reported in the 1820 through 1840 censuses were the children of Joshua and his wife died in childbirth with her last child before 1840. There are, of course, other possibilities for the census records.
Tradition genealogies report that Joshua was born on 20 Mar 1773. He died on 4 Sep 1847. He married Elizabeth Hedges on 31 Oct 1797. She died on 2 Nov 1862 in Guernsey Co., OH.
a. Male born bewteen 1794 and 1804
b. Female born bewteen 1794 and 1804
c. Male born bewteen 1804 and 1810
d. Male born bewteen 1804 and 1810
e. Female born bewteen 1804 and 1810
f. Female born bewteen 1810 and 1815
g. Male born bewteen 1815 and 1820
h. Female born bewteen 1820 and 1825
i. Female born bewteen 1820 and 1825
j. Male born bewteen 1835 and 1840-possible grandchild
k. Male born bewteen 1835 and 1840-possible grandchild
C. Isaac Meek was born between 1790 and 1794. His wife was born between 1794 and 1804. They are reported in the 1820-1840 censuses of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH.
a. Female born bewteen 1820 and 1825
b. Female born bewteen 1825 and 1830
c. Female born bewteen 1825 and 1830
d. Male born bewteen 1825 and 1830
e. Male born bewteen 1830 and 1835
f. Male born bewteen 1835 and 1840
g. Male born bewteen 1835 and 1840
D. Daniel Meek was born between 1800 and 1810 according to the 1830 census. His wife was also born between 1800 and 1810. They are reported in the 1830 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co. OH with one male born between 1815 and 1820 and one female born between 1820 and 1825.
E. Isaac Meek was born about 1810 according to the 1850 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH where he was living alone with the family of Richard Moore. He was reported in the 1840 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co. OH. His wife was born between 1810 and 1820. They had one son born between 1835 and 1840. She died before 1850.
F. William Meek was born about 1808 according to the 1850 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH.
G. Jacob Meek was born about 1810 according to the 1850 census of Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH.
Census Records:
1810 Armwell TWP, Washington Co., PA Isaac Meeks page 62 2 0 1 0 1--1 1 1 0 1 Margaret Meeks page 66 0 1 0 0 0--1 1 0 1 0 1810 Morris TWP, Greene Co., PA Isaac Meek page 8 1 1 0 1 0--2 1 0 1 0 William Meek page 8 2 1 0 1 0--3 1 0 1 0 Elisha Meeks page 8 2 0 1 0 1--3 3 1 1 0 This person cintinues in subsequest census years 1810 Franklin TWP, Greene Co., PA Amos Meeks page 28 0 1 3 0 1--2 1 0 1 0 1820 E. Bethlehem TWP, Washington Co., PA Joseph Meek page 234 2 0 0 0 1 0--1 0 0 0 1 Samuel Meek page 234 1 1 0 0 1 1--1 0 1 1 0 George Meek page 236 2 0 0 1 0 1--1 0 1 0 0 William Meek page 236 2 0 0 0 0 1--0 0 1 0 0 Margaret Meek page 237 1 0 0 1 0 0--0 0 1 0 0 Isaac Meek page 245 1 1 0 0 1 0--1 1 0 1 0 1820 Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH Isaac Meek page 217 0 2 0 1 0 1--0 1 1 0 1 Isaac Meek Sn page 217 0 0 0 0 1 0--0 0 1 0 0 1820 Wayne TWP, Jefferson Co., OH Joshua Meek page 218 2 1 0 1 0 1--3 1 1 1 0 1830 E. Bethlehem TWP, Washington Co., PA Isaac Meek page 68 0 0 0 0 ? 0 1 0 1--0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Mathias Meek page 83 1830 Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH Joshua Meek page 137 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0--0 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 Isaac Meek Sn page 137 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1--0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 Daniel Meek page 138 0 0 1 0 1--0 1 0 0 1 Isaac Meeks page 138 1 0 0 0 0 1--2 1 0 0 1 1840 Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH Isaac Meek Jr page 115 2 1 0 0 0 0 1--0 0 1 2 0 1 Isaac Meek page 116 1 0 0 0 1--0 0 0 0 1 Joshua Meeks page 120 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1--0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Isaac Meek Sn page 120 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1--0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1850 Smithfield TWP, Jefferson Co., OH 2233 2337 Isaac Meeks age 40 M OH living with Richard Moore 2236 2340 Jacob Meek age 40 M OH Hannah age 39 F OH Joseph age 16 M OH Joshua age 12 M OH ? age 10 M OH Bascom age 7 M OH Enstus age 5 M OH Elizabeth age 1 F OH Sarah Duncan age 16 F OH 2238 2242 William Meek age 42 M OH Melinda age 26 F PA Adeline age 4 F OH Winfield age 1 M OH 1850 Warren TWP, Jefferson Co., OH 2603 2722 Garret Meek age 40 M VA Sphia age 23 F CN William age 2 M VA 1850 Washington TWP, Tuscarawas Co., OH 2375 2405 Isaac Meek age 53 M VA Mary age 45 F OH Love age 25 F OH Catherine age 23 M OH ?? age 20 M OH ?? age 14 M OH James age 11 M OH 2384 2414 Jacob Meek age 65 M OH Rachel age 68 F OH Isabella Andourage 21 F OH 2385 2415 David R. Meek age 27 M OH Hannah age 25 F OH Leonidas age 2 M OH 1850 Decatur TWP, Washigton Co., OH Jacob Meek age 56 M VA Margaret age 38 F NJ Rich age 15 M OH Sarah age 14 F OH Jacob age 13 M OH Catherine age 10 F OH David age 8 M OH Samuel age 7 M OH Josephine age 1 F OH