Athe Meeks (abt. 1754 - abt. 1812)

Born about 1754 in Goochland, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret Virginia (Snead) Meeks — married about 1776 in Fincastle, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 20 Apr 1812 at about age 58 in Luce Township, Spencer, Indiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Eugene C. Rasband [send private message] and Pamela Dyas [send private message]

Biography

Birth abt. 1754, likely by Lickinghole Creek in Goochland County Virginia ^[1]

Moved with his family to Fincastle County Virginia (modern day Wyath County) in 1773. ^[2]

Moved to Surry County North Carolina in January 1779 ^[3]

Recent research has uncovered proof that Athe Meeks did serve in the Revolutionary War. In an undated roster from Montgomery county, Athe served with his brothers Priddy and Jesse in the Captain James McDaniel's company. No other information exists about this company. This would've been before Athe moved to North Carolina. ^[4]

Athe was also an Ensign under Captain Benjamin Humphries in the Surry County, North Carolina Militia. His name is mentioned in the pension file of one William Ramsey who was a sergeant in the same company. ^[5] See sources below for details from this application file.

Moved to Greenville County South Carolina in 1784 ^[6]

At about the age of thirty six, Athe shows up on the Greenville County 1790 census list:^[7]

• 1 x Male, age >15 (before 1775): Athe Meeks
• 5 x Male, age <16 (1775 - 1790): William Meeks, John Meeks, Jesse Meeks, Charles Meeks, unknown
• 5 x Females, all ages: Margaret Sneed, Susannah Meeks, Mary Meeks, Molly Nowlin (not proven)^[8], Unknown

In either the summer of 1796 or 1797, Athe Meeks explored the west, looking for a new home. His journey took him past Nashville, followed up the Cumberland river to the Ohio. Went northwest to St. Louis, and then east to find his future home on Pidgeon Creek in future Spencer County Indiana. ^[9]

Moved to Shelby County Kentucky in 1798 ^[10]

Moved to Grayson County Kentucky in 1799/1800 ^[11]

Moved to Spencer County Indiana in 1810 ^[12]

Died April 20, 1812 Spencer County, Indiana, USA, He was shot through the heart on his door step when three Indians attacked his homestead. Note: some histories claim he died in 1811, but other historical sources confirm Athe was alive after the summer of 1811, so his death had to of happened in 1812.^[13]

Athe was born in 1750. He passed away in 1812.

Buried 20 APR 1812.

Sources

1. ↑ The Meeks Family Saga, Page 11
2. ↑ The Life and Times of Dr. Priddy Meeks, Page 7
3. ↑ Surry County, North Carolina Land Records book b, page 86, #315
4. ↑ Roberts. R. (1939). Montgomery County's Revolutionary Heritage (Concluded). The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 47, no 2 (1939): 153-62. http//www.jstor.org/stable/4244945
5. ↑ U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files. Pension Number S17035
6. ↑ The Life and Times of Dr. Priddy Meeks Page 17
7. ↑ Year: 1790; Census Place: Greenville, South Carolina: Series: M637; Roll: 11; Page: 123
8. ↑ Since Dr. Priddy Meeks had the temple work completed for grandmother "Molly Nowlin", and he didn't do the work for his paternal grandparents, it is assumed that he shared an affinity with his maternal grandmother. So this leads me to believe that she was living in this household and is referenced on this census.
9. ↑ The Athe Meeks Sr. Tragedy
10. ↑ Journal of Dr. Priddy Meeks
11. ↑ Journal of Dr. Priddy Meeks
12. ↑ Journal of Dr. Priddy Meeks
13. ↑ Journal of Dr. Priddy Meeks

• Priddy Meeks Journal, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo. 1879 [1]
• Meeks, Anthony. The Meeks Family Saga, Salt Lake City, UT, 2017[2]
• Meeks, Lenora. The Life and Times of Dr. Priddy Meeks and his Progenitors. Bountiful, UT: Family History Publishers, 1995
• Meeks, Aaron, The Athe Meeks Sr. Tragedy, 1920
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LRWP-R57

• From the pension application of William Ramsey who mentions Athe Meeks as being an Ensign in his company:

"...That on the 8th day of November and to the best of his recollection the year after Charleston was taken by the British this applicant enlisted a second time, into the service of the United States in a company commanded by Captain Benjamin Umphries of which company on Thompson Glenn was Lieutenant, Atha Mix was Ensign and this applicant was the orderly Sergeant. That he was marched from Surry County where he enlisted to Salisbury Rowan County North Carolina at which place the company to which he belonged together with several other companies of militia were stationed for the purpose of guarding a large number of British prisoners who had been taken at the Cowpens, King's Mountain and Rugeley's Mill. That on their march to Salisbury they crossed the Yadkin River at a place called Trading Ford. That so soon as the party to which this applicant belonged arrived at Salisbury and took charge of the prisoners, the regular soldiers who had previously had charge of the prisoners, left the last mentioned place."