Franklin M. Meek

Great Great Grandfather of James Garner


By Christopher A. Meek

1. Franklin M. Meek was born about 1822 in North Carolina according to the 1850 census of Walker Co., GA. He married Martha Ann Harwell. She was born about 1826 in Georgia. Her parents were Vines Harwell and Mary Lane. They were listed in the 1850 census of Mack Cour, Walker Co, GA as Franklin M. Meek age 27 NC whose occupation was farmer. Also listed was his wife Martha A. age 23 GA and their oldest son Thomas. They were listed in the 1860 census of Hamilton Co., TN as F. M. Meak age 38 NC whose occupation was Carpenter. Also listed was his wife Martha age 34 GA and five known children. They were listed in the 1870 census of Walker Co., GA. His occupation was carpenter. Also listed was Valentine Lane age 70 GA. Note: Walker Co., GA and Hamilton Co., TN adjoin each other. They were listed in the 1880 census of Logan Co., AR living next to son Thomas. Franklin was a carpenter by trade as were some of his sons and grandsons.

Disclaimer: This genealogy was prepared by the author using undocumented and/or unverified sources. Some facts presented here MAY NOT be correct. Never accept as factual any information you find in a library, the Internet or from other genealogist unless it is supported by documentation. Documentation DOES NOT include the undocumented genealogies of other people including those on this web site.

Franklin Meek can be identified in census records between 1850 and 1880 across three states due to the names and ages of family members. In the 1850 and 1860 censuses Franklin had a son named Thomas J. Meek born about 1844. In the 1870 census Thomas is listed separately in the same census district as Franklin with a wife, 2 children and a mother-in-law. This same family is listed in the 1880 census of Logan Co., AR living next door to Franklin Meek and his family. It is highly probable that Thomas J. Meek listed separately was the son of Franklin Meek. (See note for 1880 census.)

The 1870 and 1880 censuses list Mary Bailey as the mother-in-law of Thomas J. Meek. This is likely Delilah’s mother who married a Bailey. According to the 1880 census Thomas named a son Chas B. Meek age 1. This is likely the person whose draft registration gives his name as Charles Bailey Meek born 2 Sep 1878. His nearest relative is Abbie Meek at the same address. This corresponds to Chas Meek and wife Abbie in the 1910 census of Pottawatomie Co., OK. Living nearby is Thomas J. Meek age 66 residing with his daughter Agnes Rankin. Thomas had previously been listed in the 1900 census of the Indian Territory. Charles and Abby are also listed in the 1920 census of Pottawatomie Co., OK with the same daughter (Mildred) and son Charles.

Caution is advised when relying on census records alone as proof of a connection. However, this set of records provides a fairly compelling case for a connection between three generations of men named Meek who migrated from North Carolina to Georgia and eventually Oklahoma.

1850 Walker Co., GA (October 24th)
Franklin M. Meeks 27 (or 29) NC Farmer
Martha A. Meeks 23 GA
Thos J. Meeks 6 GA
Note: Neighbor named Vines Harwells

1860 Hamilton Co., TN (June 30th)
F. M. Meak 38 NC Carpenter (Mrak at Ancestry)
Martha 34 GA
Thomas J. 16 GA
Vines L. 7 GA (male-hard to read)
Richard 5 GA
Littleton 2 TN
James 8/12 TN

1870 Walker Co., GA (July 2nd)	(June 1st)
451-442				6-5
Meek Franklin M. 48 NC Carpen	Thomas J. Meek 26 GA (Farmer)
Martha A. 44 GA			Delilah 22 GA
Richard A. 15 GA			Susan E. 3 GA
Littleton L. 13 TN			Walter M. 2 GA
James M. 10 TN			Bailey, Mary 39 GA
Minnie 4 GA
Lane, Valentine 70 GA (Black)

1880 Boone TWP, Logan Co., AR (June 14th)
13-13				14-14
Franklin M. Meek 58 NC NC NC	Thomas J. Meek 86 GA GA NC Carpenter
Martha A. 54 GA			Delilah F. 32 GA GA GA (wife)
L. Lane 22 TN	Carpenter	Susan E. 13 GA (Dau)
James M. 20 TN			Walter M. 12 GA (Son)
Minnie 14 GA			Laura H. 9 GA (Dau)
				Therassa A. 6 AR (Dau)
				Mollie ? 3 AR (Dau)
				Charles B. 1 AR (Son)
				Bailey, Mary 44 NC (M-I-L)

The age for Thomas in the 1880 census is an apparent mistake. The number 8 in 86 is clearly written. To believe that this is an older person with the same name listed as head of household one would have to believe that the census taker recorded all the relationships incorrectly. One would also need to explain where Thomas J. Meek age 36 was when the census was taken. He was not dead because he appears in later census records. There is no other record of an older Thomas J. Meek living near Thomas age 36 at any time. It also could not be Delilah listed as head of household because Mary Bailey was her mother not her mother-in-law. One explanation for the error is that the census taker recorded the information on scrap paper and later transferred the information to the census form. In the process he misread the age of 36 as 86. To support this it is noticed that the places of birth for Thomas’ parents are transposed.

These records show that Thomas’s father was Franklin Meek born about 1821 TN, not Thomas Meek Sr. Posted genealogies on the Internet have failed to account for the discrepancies or to explain the presence of Franklin Meek everywhere that Thomas was recorded. Once Thomas has been identified in the 1870 census of Walker Co., GA one must explain the relationship between Thomas Meek and Franklin Meek.

From the 1900 census on Delilah is listed as Fannie. Delilah’s middle initial in the 1880 census was “F”. Delilah and Fannie have the same age and place of birth. In the 1910 census Thomas and Fannie both report being married once 46 years previously. That would have been in 1864 before their first known child.

1900 Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory (June 13th)
Thomas J. Meeks 56 Jan 1844 GA Farmer
Fannie Meeks 52 May 1848 GA
Laura Meeks 29 Aug 1871 GA
Agnes Meeks 19 Sep 1881 AR
Jennie M. Meeks 14 Nov 1885 AR
H. S. Junk 36 Feb 1864 OH S-I-L
Effie Junk 32 Sep 1867 GA

1910 Davis TWP, Pottawatomie Co., OK
 Blank 165 168
Agnes Rankin widow 29 AR
Louise Rankin 5 OK
Francis Rankin 5 OK
Charles F. Rankin 3 OK
Thomas J. Meek Father 66 GA GA GA m1 46
Fanny Meek Mother 62 GA GA GA m1 46

658 160 162 (May 4th)
Chas Meek 31 AR Butcher
Abby 26 TX m4 1-1
Mildred OK 3

1920 Pottawatomie Co., OK
412 85 108
Agnes Rankin Widow 40 AR
Francis Rankin 16 OK
Louise Rankin 15 OK
Charlies Rankin 12 OK
Tomas J. Meek Father 75 GA NC GA
Fannie Meek Mother 71 GA GA GA

320 72 92 (January 24th)
Charlie B Meek 41 AR GA GA Meat cutter
Abbie Meek 33 TX
Mildred Meek 12 OK
Charlies Meek 10 OK

1930 Pottawatomie Co., OK 
Agnes Rankin 50 OK widow
Louise Rankin 24 OK
Francis Rankin 24 OK
Fannie Meek 82 GA widow

1930 Cleveland Co., OK (April 15th)
Bumgarner, Weldon W. 28 M22 OK AR AR Occ: Driver
Mildred M. 23 M16 OK AR TX
Charles W. 5 OK
Jack E. 3 10/12 OK
James S. 1 11/12 OK

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