1. William Meeks was born about 1725. (source unknown) He resided in Surry Co., NC between 1777 and 1785. He died 1797 Greenville Co., SC.
He married Molly Nolan. (source unknown) This may be a mis-reading of Dr. Pridy Meek unpublished pages
The name William Meek(s) is found throughout the colonies. Most records do not identify the individual so care must be taken when assigning any record to an individual.
William Meeks is listed in the 1777 tax list of Surry Co., NC. In 1784 he own 100 acres on the Tarrarat River next to Charles and William Denny. In the 1785 Surry County Court Minutes William is exempted from poll taxes because of age or infirmity. (Source: Surry County, North Carolina Abstracts Deed Books A, B and C. Abstracted by Mrs. W. O. Absher and published by the Southern Historical Press 1981.)
William sold his farm in Surry County, NC, in 1785 and moved to Greenville to live with his son Athe.
Deed Book D p. 294
"Know all men by these presents that I, William Meeks, of the county of Greenville and state of South Carolina have constituted and appointed and by these presents do constitute, make and appoint my loving son, Athe Meeks, of Greenville County in the said state, my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and stead...to ask...and receive all such sums of money...etc. dated 27 September 1794." Signed William Meeks. (Deed Book D p. 294)Greenville County Court
“I, William Meeks Senior, of the State of South Carolina and Greenville County, for and in consideration of Athe Meeks my son taking charge of me and seporting and finding necessaries as I shall stand in need of during my natural life have granted, bargained and sold and by the presents do grant, bargain, sell and deliver unto the said Athe Meeks all and every of the following property viz …. A debt of twelve pounds in the hands of the said Athe Meeks, one cow yearling, seven barrels of corn together with all and every of my goods, and chattels and household furniture unto said Athe Meeks, 7 January, 1797.”
Y-DNA tests indicate that descendants of Athe, Priddy, Nacy and Littleton share a common Meeks ancestor. Y-DNA alone does not tell who the common ancestor was or when he lived. The source for his children is the unpublished pages of the Journal of Dr. Priddy Meeks. This source may not be correct in all facts. Athe is a proven son of William according to court records. Y-DNA does not exclude Priddy being a son but does indicated that Littleton and Nacy likely were not sons. There is reason to believe that Dr. Meeks may have known more about Priddy than he did about the others.
Note:
Historically the American progenitor of the children listed above has been recorded in genealogies as William Meeks born about 1725. His children were reportedly born in Virginia. However, this is not documented and William Meeks is first mentioned in the 1777 tax list of Surry Co., NC.
Various genealogies report that his father was also named William who came from England and he had a brother named John. The source for these items is Dr. Priddy Meeks, a son of Athe Meeks. He wrote;
"William Meeks came from England, he had two sons, John and William. They lived in Virginia. William Meeks married and had three sons, Priddy, Athe and Jesse. His wife died; he married again and had two sons, Middleton and Nacy. They lived in Georgia. My father had two sisters that I remember, Candice Williams and Susannah Mitchum. My father, Athe Meeks married Margaret Snead and had ten children."This was validated by Dalton Meeks, a great grandson of Dr. Meeks who wrote;
"This is from a loose sheet that appears to be cut from a book similar to his journal. It is in Priddy's own handwriting. A photocopy was obtained by Athe Meeks (b.1911) from a descendant of Priddy's oldest daughter Elizabeth Dalton."However, there is no documentation to support Dr. Priddy Meeks’ statement. He was 85 years old writing from memory about relative he had not seen since he was a child. He had Littleton’s name wrong. Littleton inherited land from John Meeks. Y-DNA indicates that it was unlikely that William was the father of Nacy and Littleton.
The statement by Dr. Meeks did not come from: “Journal of Priddy Meeks”
Utah Historical Quarterly, 1942 Vol 10, p145 by J. Cecil Alter, Ed.
They came from unpublished pages associated with the Journal.
Note:
1790 Greenville Co., SC
Athi Meeks 1-5-5
1790 Pendleton Co., SC
Littleton Meeks 1-2-1
The 1796-1796 tax list of Shelby Co., KY lists Priddy Meeks and John Meeks. In 1801 Suddeth, William and John Meeks were listed.
The 1810 census of Elizabethtown, Hardin Co., KY list Prudy Meeks over the age of 45. Also listed were William Meeks age 26-45 and Benjamin age 16-26.
1810 Hardin Co., KY.
Purdy Meeks 0-0-0-0-1//0-0-3-1-2
Wm Meeks 1-0-0-1-0//2-0-0-1
Benj Meeks 2-0-1-0-0//1-0-0-1
1820 Hart Co., KY
Pridy Meeks 0-0-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-0-1
1820 Warrick Co., IN
John Meeks 2-0-1-0-1-0//3-2-0-1-0-0-0
Benj Meeks 1-1-0-0-1-0//4-1-0-1-0-0
Charles Meeks 2-0-0-0-1-0//1-0-1-0-0-0
Prudy Meeks 2-0-0-1-0//2-0-2-1-0
Wm Meeks 1-2-0-0-1-0//2-0-0-1-0
1830 Luce TWP, Spencer Co., IN
John Meeks 0-0-0-2-0-0-1//0-1-3-0-0-1 age 40-50
Greenberry Meeks 1-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-1-1 age 20-30
Richard Meeks 0-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-0-1 age 20-30
Benjamin Meeks 1-0-0-1-0-0-1//1-0-2-1-1 age 40-50
Athe Meeks 0-2-2-1-0-1//2-0-1-0-0-2 age 30-40 s/o Atha b: 1750
Predy Meeks 1-0-2-0-0-1//0-1-1-0-0-1 age 30-40 s/o Atha b: 1750
1840 Spencer Co., IN
Benjamin Meeks age 50-60
John Meeks age 40-50
Athy Meeks age 20-30
William Goatley age 50-60
Green Meek age 30-40 w/male age 70-80
Charles Meeks age 50-60 page 7
David Meeks 30-40 page 41
Jesse Meeks 30-40 page 41
Richard Meeks 40-50 age 31
George Meeks no data page 31
William Meeks
William Meeks age 60-70 w/male age 20-30 s/o Priddy
M. J. Meeks age 20-30 (Mason J. Meeks) s/o William
Athy Meeks age 40-50 s/o Atha b: 1750
William Meeks age 20-30 s/o Atha b: 1793