Martha (Craighead) Meador (1779 - 1854)

Born 1779 in Franklin County, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Walter Maxey Sullivant — married 18 Dec 1797 (to 1805) in Franklin, Virginia

Wife of Isham Meador — married 9 May 1817 (to 1840) in Smith County, Tennessee

Died 1854 at about age 75 in Smith County, Tennessee

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Martha (Craighead) Meador lived in Virginia.

Biography

Martha was born in 1779 in Franklin County. Virginia. She was the daughter of Peter Craighead and Mary Unknown Craighead.

She and her two brothers, Peter jr and Shelton, and her older sister Mary were orphaned as young children while their family were residing in Franklin County, Virginia. Her parents owned a 400 acre farm there. Her father, Peter Sr, died in 1786 and her mother, Mary, died in 1790. It is unknown in whose care or household the minor children resided, but eventually Peter jr, Shelton, and Martha all relocated together to Smith County, Tennessee. Their older sister Mary married Charles Ballard in 1787 in Franklin, Virginia and they relocated to Kentucky. (Shelton's firstborn son Robert was born in 1795 in Smith County, Tennessee)........(*Addendum: Franklin Co. VA. Wills show: On 6 Dec 1790, Robert Kemp was appointed guardian of Peter Craghead's “orphan children”, Peter Jr and Shelton, per a Guardian Bond issued in Franklin County, Virginia. Martha was placed under the care of John and Mary “Polly” (Craighead) Kemp who both later consented to her marriage to Walter Sullivant in 1797, with Thomas Kemp providing surety for the marriage bond. Mary, the eldest daughter, was not appointed a guardianship as she was already married by the time both of her parents died).

Martha married twice.

First marriage: Her first husband was Walter Maxey Sullivant/Sullivan (1772-1805). They married in 1797 in Franklin Co.,Virginia. As stated earlier, her guardians John and Mary “Polly” (Craighead) Kemp consented for her marriage and Thomas Kemp provided the surety for the Marriage Bond.

Martha and Walter had three children together. Their first two sons were born in Virginia. They had relocated to Sumner County, Tennessee by 1805 as their son, King Sullivant was born there:

1. Stephen Sullivant (b.1799)
2. John Sullivant (b.1800)
3. King Sullivant (b. 1805)

Her husband Walter passed away in 1805 in Sumner, Tennessee. After his passing she was referred to as the “Widow Sullivan”.

Second marriage: Martha married her second husband, Isham Meador (1762-1840) in 1817 in Smith County, Tennessee. They had at least two children together:

1. Lucy Meador (1819-?)
2. Peter Silas Meador (1823-?)

Sometime after her second husband Isham passes away in 1840, she moves in with her son Peter and his wife Mary who are residing in Macon County, Tennessee.

Notations on Martha (Craighead) Sullivant Meador and Isham Meador:
“ Victor [Meador] states “Isham Meador, son of Joel (5) Meador of Franklin Co. VA. Isham migrated to Tennessee and died in Macon Co. It is only through his application for a pension, due on his service in the Revolution (Note by Janet. On Meador II is his Pension), that a few of his children are reliably known. According to a scribbled document left by on his grandsons, Isham had 16 Children by his two wives. Isham had 8 boys and 6 girls by his first wife Biddy Bratcher/Bradshaw and 1 boy and 1 girl by his 2nd wife Widow Sullivan. In the 1820 and 1830 Census Isham is found in Summer Co., TN. His widow Martha applied for a widow’s pension Apr 4,1854. In 1850 Census Martha age 60 living with her son Peter (age 27) and his wife Mary (age 23) By other data, those ages should have been about 71 for Martha and Peter should be 32. “.......https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theadventuresofpoorpoorer/more-t4571.html

Martha passed away in 1854 (some records suggest 1855) in Smith County, Tennessee.

Sources

• "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRQ6-D57 : 29 January 2020), Martha Craghead in entry for Walter Sullevant, 1797.

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDP-HLC : 23 December 2020), Peter Meadow, Macon, Tennessee, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). (This census shows Martha living with her son Peter and his wife Mary)

• “Cra(i)ghead Family, Va-Mo”, Mrs. W.B.(Dorothy) Craghead and Mrs. F.A.Craighead, Fulton, MO, 1953. Self Published on mimeograph machine. 350+ pages, plus addendum. Roanoke County Library, Virginia Room (pgs. 9 and 10- Peter Craighead’s Will and Land Deeds of his widow, Mary Craighead)
• “ Tennessee Craigheads”, Mrs.W.B.(Dorothy) Craghead, Jetmore, KS, circa 1985. Self published on mimeograph machine- (poor copies). 150+ pages, no index.... https://archive.org/details/craigheadfamilyv00crag/page/n6/mode/1up

• The Descendants of Jonas and Frances Meador of Essex, Caroline, and Cumberland Counties, Virginia: http://www.ajlambert.com/robinson/desc_jfm.pdf

• Meador Families of Virginia and Points West, Vol 1, Victor Paul Meador, Location: Independence Missouri; Date: 1989;, Page number: Page 26 to 31 discuss: Joel Meador.

Notes

Martha was listed as "the widow Mrs. Sullivan" at the time of their marriage, so it is assumed that Sullivan is her married name from her first husband.