Franklin M. Meek 1823

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.

11. Thomas J. Meek was born 11 Jan 1844 in Georgia. He died 1 May 1926 in Pottawatomie Co., OK according to his tombstone. He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK. He married Delilah Bailey about 1864. She was born 20 May 1848 in Georgia according to her tombstone and census records. She died 19 Jul 1936 according to her tombstone. Her parents were William and Mary Bailey. They were listed in the 1870 census of Walker Co., GA. They were listed in the 1880 census of Boone TWP, Logan Co., AR. Residing with them in 1870 and 1880 was Mary Bailey listed as Mother-in-law. They were listed in the 1900 census of Indian Territory. They were listed in the 1910 to 1920 censuses of of Potamatomie Co., OK with daughter Agnes. From 1900 on his wife was listed as Fannie but this was probably Delilah's middle name. Fannie was listed as a widow in 1930 still living with Agnes in Norman, OK.

101. Susan Effie Meek was born Sep 1867 in Georgia. She married Harry S. Junk about 1885.They were listed in the 1900 census of Indian Territory living with her parents.
102. Walter M. Meek was born about 1868 in Georgia.
103. Laura H. Meek was born Aug 1871 in George. She is listed with her parents in the 1900 census.
104. Theressa A. Meek was born 7 Jun 1873 in Arkansas according to the Social Security Death Index. She died 5 Nov 1967. She married Dr. John H. Scott. They were listed in the 1910 through 1930 censuses of Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK. In 1920 they lived next to her brother, Charles. Her name was spelled Tressa in many records.
105. Mollie L. Meek was born about 1877 in Arkansaw. She married, divorced and died young. She had one son named Randall who was raised by her sister Teresa. Randall married a woman named Grace O'Connor. (Information from Mrs. C. Cole.)
106. Charles Bailey Meek was born 2 Sep 1878 in Arkansaw according to his draft registration. He died Jan 1922 in Pottawatomie Co., OK according to his tombstone. He married Abbie Lillian Womack about 1906. She was born 2 Mar 1885. She was the daughter of John David Womack and Minnie Glorietta Neher. Abbie was listed with her parents in the 1900 census of Milam Co., TX. Charles and Abbie were listed in the 1910 and 1920 censuses of Pottawatomie Co., OK. Abbie was listed as a widow in the 1930 census of Norman, OK.
- 201. Mildred Meek was born 16 Feb 1907 in Oklahoma. She died 17 Apr 1933 in Norman, OK according to family members. She married Weldon W. Bumgarner about 1921 in Norman, Cleveland, OK. He was born 13 Jan 1902 in Arkansas He was the son of William Wilson Bumgarner and Louella Briggs. Weldon died 15 Mar 1986 in Los Angeles Co., CA. They were listed in the 1930 census of Norman, OK.
  - 301. Charles W. Bumgarner was born about 1925 in Oklahoma.
  - 302. Jack Edward Bumgarner was born 13 Sep 1926 in Oklahoma. He died Nov 2011.
  - 303. James Scott Bumgarner was born 7 Apr 1928 in Oklahoma. He died 19 Jul 2014 in Brentwood, Los Angeles Co., CA. He was the actor James Garner. He married Lois Clarke 17 Aug 1956 according to Wikipedia.
- 202. Charles Edmund Meek (AKA Mickey) was born about 1910 in Oklahoma. He married Gwendolyn ______.
107. Agnes Meek was born Sep 1881 in Arkansas. She was listed with her parents in the 1900 census. She married David Rankin 20 Jan 1903. He was born 24 May 1867 in Tennessee. He died 04 Dec 1907 in Lawton, OK. She was listed as a widow in the 1910 through 1930 censuses of Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK.

211. Frances Rankin was born about 1905.
212. Louise Rankin was born about 1905.
213. Charles F Rankin was born about 1907

108. Jennie M. Meek was born Nov 1885 in Arkansas.

12. Vines L. Meek was born about 1853 in Georgia. He was not listed with his parents in 1870.
13. Richard A. Meek was born about 1855 in Georgia. He was not listed with his parents in 1880.
14. Littleton Lane Meek was born about 1858 in Tennessee.
15. James M. Meek was born about 1859 in Tennessee. The following is speculation
He married Mary Spraker. She was born about 1873. They were listed in the 1900 and 1910 censuses of Shawnee, Pottawatomie Co., OK. They were listed in the 1920 census of Long Beach, CA.
- A. Malcolm McCree Meek was born 10 Nov 1889. He died 8 Apr 1977 in Taylor Co., TX. He married Mary B. _____. They were listed in the 1921 City Directory of Shawnee, OK. They were listed in the 1930 census of Midland Co., TX. He was a grocer.
16. Minnie M. Meek was born about 1866 in Georgia.

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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Franklin M. Meek

Great Great Grandfather of James Garner

By Christopher A. Meek