William Brownell Meares (1829 - 1894)

Born 7 Oct 1829 in Nassau, Bahamas

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Roberts) Meares — married 9 Jul 1866 in Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida

Descendants

Died 18 Oct 1894 at age 65 in Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Debi Hoag [send private message] and Jeannette Henry [send private message]

Biography

William Meares is part of a Bahamian family.

William Brownell Meares^[1][2][3] was born 7 October 1829^[4][5] to William Meares and Meriem Roberts^[1] in the Bahamas.^[6][7][8]

Immigration

He was six years old when he traveled with Meriem (Roberts) Meares and six others from the Bahamas, arriving at the District & Port of Key West, Florida Territory, on 6 June 1838.^[9]. He was still living with Meriem Mears in Key West when the 1850 Census was taken. He was identified as a 21 year old mariner, born in the Bahamas.^[10] He may have become a naturalized citizen.

Family lore says that he traveled from Key West on the schooner "Seadrift" to "Lowe's Landing"^[11] with his mother, Meriem, in 1859. Also with them was Richard Turtle Horn Meares, his brother; Richard's wife Emma McBride (Preston) Meares and their children Richard, George, Alfred & Clarence; Capt. John Thomas & Laura Dorothy (Meares) Lowe (his sister), and their son, Jefferson; and an old family friend, Capt. Augustus R. Archer.^[12]

Military

William and his mother are enumerated with the John T Low family on the 1860 census.^[6] The two men began military service with the Confederacy on 25 April 1862 at Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, with Capt R B Smith Co. (aka Co. K, 7th Fla Reg.)^[13][2][5] William was discharged in July 1862 because of the loss of an eye and sickness.^[13]

Married Life

William married Sarah Roberts, niece of Caroline Archer, on 9 July 1866 at Lowe's Landing, Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida.^[14][13][4] While most sources indicate the year as 1866, the year 1868 is written on the Widow's Pension Claim Under the Act of 1909.^[13] Family lore has it that they were married under a large oak tree at the home of his sister, Mrs. Laura Dorothy Meares Lowe.

By the time the 1870 Census occurred, William was farming real estate valued at $200 and had acquired personal property valued at $115. Enumerated with him were Sarah (21), daughter Marion [Miriam] C (2), and Edward F (3/12).^[7] In 1874, he "and Captains Archie[sic] and Lowe" rafted lumber from Cedar Key for the 1st Anona schoolhouse.^[15] Capt "Archie" may be Augustus Archer, in whose home William's wife Sarah Roberts was raised.

He continued to farm in Hillsborough County, Florida.^[16] The couple had four additional children between 1870 and 1880; Cecelia E (8), Ervin B (6), Clara B (3), and Julius S (5/12). The 1880 Census shows all six children living at home with him and Sarah.^[8]

He died on 18 October 1894 at Anona, Hillsborough County, Florida, at age 65.^{[4][13][2][5]} He was buried on 19 October 1894 at Serenity Gardens (Old Anona Cemetery), Anona (now Largo), Hillsborough County (now Pinellas County), Florida.^[4][5]

Research Notes

• Naturalization:^[17]
  • A man named William Mears, born a subject of Great Britian and Ireland, had citizenship papers recorded on 12 July 1852.
    • The boilerplate document states that a Declaration of Intent was filed more than two years earlier. That document could provide more details to determine if this is the same person as William Mears, son of Meriam.
      • A declaration was, technically, not required for William (son of Meriem) per the Act of May 26, 1824 which stated that minor immigrants could petition for naturalization after their 21st birthday without having to file a declaration of Intention.^[18]

In 1999, some researchers indicated that the family lived on Green Turtle Cay in The Bahamas when William and his siblings were born^[19] though that may have been based on his oldest male and female siblings having the middle name Turtle. It is now known that the name may be attributable to the Methodist Missionary Rev John Turtle who arrived in the Bahamas in 1818. William and Miriam were married in 1820, possibly by Rev Turtle.^[20]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Harllee, William Curry, and Bessie B Pryor. Kinfolks: A Genealogical and Biographical Record of Thomas and Elizabeth (Stuart) Harllee; Andrew and Agnes (Cade) Fulmore; Benjamin and Mary Curry; Samuel and Amelia (Russell) Kemp; John and Hannah (Walker) Bethea; Sterling Clack and Frances (King) Robertson; Samuel and Sophia Ann (Parker) Dickey; Their Antecedents, Descendants and Collateral Relatives; with [a] Chapter Concerning State and County Records and the Derivation of Counties of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia Vol. II. 4 vols. New Orleans, Louisiana: Searcy & Pfaff, 1935. Page 1940 is an image of a page of family records said to be from Miriam (Roberts) Meares Bible; provides full name, full date of birth.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} David W. Hartman and David Coles, compiler, Biographical Rosters of Florida's Confederate and Union Soldiers 1861-1865, Volume 1-6 (1907 Buena Vista Circle, Wilmington, North Carolina: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1995), vol 2, page 775, "Seventh Florida Infantry, Company K, Meares, William Brownell" provided full name, pension file number, and death year. The death year has been disproven by the contemporaneous diary of his wife, Sarah (Roberts) Meares.
3. ↑ Miriam C Wilcox, Social Security Act Application for Account Number 265-60-1329 (28 March 1957), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-0001. Meares Family File. Privately held by Debi McGee Hoag, Leesburg, Florida.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Marian Turner Miller, Transcriptions of Sarah Meares' Diary, 7 files, Yahoo Groups: Meares Researchers, 2001. Birth and Marriage dates inferred from entries on 7 October and 9 July various years. Husband's death date taken directly from diary entries on 17 and 18 October 1894. Exact quotes in See Also: Sarah Meares' Diary.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Butts, Lesleigh Laite. Serenity Gardens Volume 1 - Old Anona Pioneer Cemetery. Pinellas Genealogy Society, Inc. (Largo, Florida). 1999. Page 32 - complete dates of birth and death, location of burial. Page 30 - gravestone inscription "SGT CO K 7 FLA INF CSA." OCLC 45031523.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} 1860 US Census, Florida, Hillsborough, population schedule, Tampa Post Office, pg 61 (written) 694/3 (stamped) [694 was stamped, then a 3 was handwritten over the 4], dwelling 591, family 451, John T. Low household [including Mary and William Mayors]; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-0000-00000-0000-00?cc=1473181 : accessed 1 June 2016), Florida > Hillsborough > Not Stated > image 49 of 54; "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com; citing NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 107. 11 July 1860, William Mayors age 30, male, seamen, born in Bah Islands.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} 1870 US Census, Florida, Hillsborough County, population schedule, Tampa Post Office, page 71 (written) 147 (stamped), dwelling 560, family 560, William B and Sarah Meares family; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-000-00000-00000-00?cc=1438024 : accessed 31 May 2016), Florida > Hillsborough > Hillsborough County > image 71 of 82; citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 130. William B. Meares, age 40, male, white, farmer, $200 real estate, $115 personal property, born in Nassau, male citizen older than 21
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} 1880 US Census, Florida, Hillsborough County, population schedule, Precinct 2, ED 61, Page 7C (written) 393 (Stamped), dwelling 76, family 76, William B and Sarah Mears [children continue on next page]; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25142-8219-15?cc=1417683 : accessed 31 May 2016), Florida > Hillsborough > Precinct 2 > ED 61 > image 3 of 4; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 128.
9. ↑ Key West, Florida Territory, Passenger List for Quarter ending 30 June 1838, Miriam Mares family, 6 June 1838; image 118 of 411, "Key West, Fla. 1837-1868," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YK-F7QC-6 : accessed 1 June 2016); citing "Copies of lists of passengers arriving at miscellaneous ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and at ports on the Great Lakes, 1820-1873 : NARA RG36 M575; FHL microfilm number 830234."
10. ↑ 1850 US Census, Florida, Monroe County, population schedule, page 12 (written) between pages 155 and 156 (stamped), Household 111, Family 115, Marion Mears family; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11087-9685-22?cc=1401638 : accessed 4 June 2016), Florida > Monroe > Monroe county > image 22 of 58; citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 59.
11. ↑ Lowe's Landing is also known as Anona in what is now Pinellas County, Florida
12. ↑ Geissler, Hazel, "Anona Began When 80 Acre Were Given for Homesteading," St. Petersburg Times, Florida, 24 January 1965.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4} Florida, Widows' Claims for Pension, Sarah Meares for William B. Meares, 29 February 1908 - 13 September 1909; "Florida Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1955," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-22160-43211-33 : accessed 4 June 2016), Claim Numbers 00801-00900 > images 26 right - 33 left of 880; Civil War Pension Papers for William B Meares (Sarah Roberts Meares), pension claim A00803, Confederate Pension Applications 1885-1954, film number RG137, Series 587, Reel 07 A0695-A0814,17.4.1, Florida State Archives, State Capitol Building, Tallahassee.
14. ↑ "Florida Marriages, 1830-1993," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23H6-XLL : 22 February 2021), William B Meanes and Sarah Roberts, 1866; citing Marriage, Hillsborough, Florida, United States, citing multiple County Clerks of Court, Florida; FHL microfilm 979,412.
15. ↑ "The Golden Anniversary of Pinellas Schools - Superintendent's Semi-Centennial Report 1912-1962," Board of Public Instruction, Pinellas County Public Schools, Clearwater - St Petersburg FL (https://web.archive.org/web/20150906030752/http://www.stpete.org/historic_preservation/docs/The_Golden_Anniversary_of_Pinellas_Schools.pdf : accessed 2 June 2016), pg 47 "Anona Elementary 1917"
16. ↑ 1885 Florida Census, Hillsborough County, population schedule, page 43C, family 448, W. B. and Sarah Meares family [continued on next page]; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11806-134450-74 : accessed 2 June 2016), Hillsborough > Population > image 147 of 168; citing NARA microfilm publication M845, roll 4.
17. ↑ United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Key West, Naturalization Petition pg 71, William Mears, 12 July 1852; image 405 of 1337, "Petition and records v. 1 1847-1875," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS93-VQ8W-8 : accessed 4 June 2016); citing "Naturalization records, Key West, Florida, 1847-1956; FHL microfilm number 1481410 Item 3."
18. ↑ FamilySearch, Wiki (https://familysearch.org/wiki : accessed 5 June 2016), "Exceptions to the Process: Children"
19. ↑ Sargent, Martha Eugenia, "Descendants of Richard Meares," 1999; Meares Family Files. Privately held by Debi McGee Hoag, Leesburg, Florida.
20. ↑ Findlay, George Gillanders and William West Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, Volume 2 (London, England: The Epworth Press, 1921), pg 233; GoogleBooks.

See Also:

• "United States Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD51-ZP4 : 4 December 2014), William Mares, 1838; citing Immigration, NARA microfilm publication M334 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 418,268. [Nationality "Bah" from the card incorrectly indexed as born in Bohemia.]

• Marian Turner Miller, Transcriptions of Sarah Roberts Meares diary, 7 files, Yahoo Groups: Meares Researchers, 2001. Provenance and compiled diary file in Meares Used Files. Privately held by Debi McGee Hoag, Leesburg, Florida.

• 7 October 1894 - "Today is the blessed Sabbath day [...] this is Meares birthday, 65 yeares old today.[...]." [In the diary, Sarah consistently referred to her husband by only his surname as long as he was alive. After his death, she consistently referred to him as "my dear husband."]
• 18 October 1894 - "Oh my, last night was the saddest night of my life. About half pas 8 my Dear husband got worse and at about half past one past away and left me and my precious Children. Oh it is so sad, so hard to bear for he was good to us. How can I give him up but we know he is gone to rest. He lived God and everything that was good and now he is with his blessed Saviour but we cannot help but mourn but, Dear Lord help me to say thy will be done. He was 65 years, one week and 3 days old"
• 9 July 1896 - "Well this is 30 years tonight of my married life"

Bahamas DNA Project, Direct Paternal Line Descendant Charts https://genealogy.hopetownmuseum.com/bahamasdnaproject/bahydna.htm

DNA

Paternal Great Grandfather of Y-DNA kit N25822

Acknowledgments

My thanks (in no particular order) to the following researchers of the Campbell and Meares families of Pinellas County, Florida. Their earlier work made my research easier. Debi McGee Cundiff Hoag

• Scott Nash (17 April 2001)
• John Lyman Meares (13 November 1999)
• Martha Eugenia Sargent (13 November 1999)
• Francis Kendrick (25 May 2000)
• Marion Turner Miller (27 November 1995)
• Lee Perpall (John Roberts-Perpall.GED on February 26, 2015)