Notes:

Ancestral File Submitters: Katherine Mecham Barney 22340 E Queen Creek Rd Queen Creek, AZ 85242 AF97-112850; Rebecca Baker 12335 Lupine Ln Klamath Falls, OR 97603 AF97-113760.

1880 US Census (Springville, Utah) FHL Film 1255338 NA Film No. T9-1338 p. 160A. Shows Henry Packard age 55 (abt 1825) birthplace OH Occupation Mining, Fathers and Mothers birthplace MA.
Household included wife Almira Packard age 56, birthplace NY and parents from NY, Sophia O. Packard dau single age 14 and also a Stepson Franklin L. Whitney age 25 (about 1855) Occupation Laborer, parents born in NY.

Sebastopol, California 'Vine Hill' lists Olive Papera, farmer Sebastopol Rt. 2 Box 461, Democrat.

Sophia married Papera, Joseph on 23 Apr 1885 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma, California, United States. Joseph was born in 1862 in , , , Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• FamilySearch Id: KWVH-TVD

Notes:

Ancestral File Submitters: Katherine Mecham Barney 22340 E Queen Creek Rd Qheen Creek, AZ 85242 AF97-112850; Rebecca Baker 12335 Lupine Ln Klamath Falls, OR 97603 AF97-113760.

1880 US Census (Springville, Utah) FHL Film 1255338 NA Film No. T9-1338 p. 160A. Shows Henry Packard age 55 (abt 1825) birthplace OH Occupation Mining, Fathers and Mothers birthplace MA.
Household included wife Almira Packard age 56, birthplace NY and parents from NY, Sophia O. Packard dau single age 14 and also a Stepson Franklin L. Whitney age 25 (about 1855) Occupation Laborer, parents born in NY.

Dennis Kroll (California cousin) October 2008 (From Ancestry.com):
"Almira Mehitable Meacham... "went through all kinds of hardships endured by the early day converts of the Mormon Church. The family in their westward migration had made a temporary stop at Springfield, Illinois, where Almirira, at the early age of fifteen, was married to Andrew Palmer. To this marriage were born two sons, Almon Babbitt, who came to Utah and settled at Nephi, and Warren, who died in infancy. Soon after the death of this son the father died. Two years later Almira was married in the Nauvoo temple to Edwin Whiting as a plural wife. To this marriage were born the following names children, most of them in Sanpete and Utah Counties, Utah: Edward Lucian, Cornelia, Ellen Emerett, Katherine Emeline, Edwin, Frank, and Sylvia Almira.
The Whitings had come to Utah with Captain Morley's company in 1849 and settled in Manti where Mr. Whiting became quite prominent. In "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" he is listed as the first mayor of Manti and as having held other important positions of public responsibility.
In 1861 the family moved to Springville where they lived during during the early Indian troubles known as the Black Hawk and Walker Indian Wars.
Almira became one of Utah County's early nurses and midwife and did much in that way to provide a living for her family.
Plural marriage did not bring happiness and in 1861 Almira and Whiting separated. July 24, 1863, Almira married Henry Packard and to this her third marriage was born a daughter, Sophia Olive Packard. Later the Packard moved to Healdsberg, California, where they lived until 1896 when Mr. Packard died.
After his death of her husband Almira moved to San Bernardino where she lived in a home given her by her son-in-law, Nathan Henry Barton, and her daughter Sylvia. She passed awaqy in 1898 and is laid to rest in the Pioneer Cemetery in San Bernardino, California."


Henry Packard
Birth: May 6, 1825 Parkman Geauga County Ohio, USA
Death: Nov. 17, 1896 Healdsburg Sonoma County California, USA
Son of Noah Packard & Sophia Bundy
Married Almira Mehitable Meacham
Living his youth in a place called Nauvoo, Illinois, the saints had built a city which at the time was bigger than the city of Chicago. They had also built a temple which was the largest and most expensive building west of Philadelphia. From here they were driven by their enemies to a resting place called Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here, Henry enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, an army of 500 men called to fight in the war with Mexico and help secure California for the U.S. as part of Manifest Destiny. It was and still is, the longest infantry march in U.S. Military history. There is hardly an event that occurred in the American west between 1846 to 1848 that some of the members of this group did not take part in. Henry was probably the second Packard in California.
Henry Packard was born May 6, 1825, in Parkman, Geauga, Ohio, the third child of Noah Packard and Sophia Bundy. His parents were some of the early settlers in that town, and when he was seven his family were converts to the Mormon Church.
In 1840 the family moved to Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, which one year before was nothing more that a marshy bend in the Mississippi River called Commerce, which contained a few log cabins. Their new home being located across the street from the city's founder, mayor and spiritual leader, Joseph Smith. Passers-by were amazed at what the saints had built in such a short time, which shocked their enemies as well. A year and a half after the murder of Joseph Smith, they were driven from the state as both the federal and state governments stood idly by and watched it happen.
Henry's father was too ill and too poor to leave Nauvoo that February of 1846 and cross the frozen Mississippi River with Brigham Young, but he at least sent his three oldest sons to help the saints move to their new home in the West.
They traveled as far west as Winter Quarters, Nebraska. At Mt. Pisgah (Grand River), Iowa, the saints were met by Captain James Allen, under the command of Colonel Stephen W. Kearny, commander of the U.S. Army of the West stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He brought orders authorizing him to enlist 500 volunteers for a year, in a campaign to secure California in the war with Mexico. On July 20, 1846, the battalion started their march from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Fort Leavenworth. At this time Captain Allen was promoted to Colonel and Kearny was promoted to General.
When the battalion reached Fort Leavenworth August 1st, there were 22 officers and 474 enlisted men for a total of 496. There were also 34 women and a number of children. 20 of the women were assigned as laundresses, four to each company. All of the clothing pay allowance was sent back to the church and the families of the men in Council Bluffs to help them cross the plains to the valley of the Salt Lake. The men were each issued a musket, bayonet, scabbard, cartridge box and leather belt. A white belt was the only clothing which they all had in common. They were also each issued a blanket, canteen & knapsack, and each mess group of six was issued cooking pots and a tent. Each of the five companies was allowed to buy a wagon with a four mule team, in which they could carry their gear. On August 13th they started with orders to go to Bent's Fort, Colorado. Colonel Allen was too sick to lead the men and stayed at the fort. Capt. Hunt would be in command until Col. Allen could rejoin the group. On August 26th at Bluff Creek, Kansas, word reached the battalion of Col. Allens death.
On the 29th, Lieutenant Andrew Smith and Dr. George Sanderson arrived from the fort to take command of the battalion, with orders to go directly to Santa Fe now that it had been captured by Kearny's advance party. Most of the men wanted Capt. Hunt to continue the command since he out ranked Lt. Smith, but the officers voted to give the command to Lt. Smith since he was a career soilder and West Point graduate. However, Lt. Smith did not like volunteers, let alone Mormon volunteers. Also, because the battalion's re-supplies had been sent ahead to Bent's Fort and they were now ordered to go to Santa Fe, the men were put on half rations.
Just after they left the Arkansas River a sick detachment was sent to Pueblo, Colorado, via Bent's Fort. Many of the men were sick from exposure to the elements and Dr. Sanderson (Dr. Death) prescribed a dose of calomel powder and arsenic, no matter what was wrong with them. The men marched sick, under fed and under clothed, from water hole to water hole all the way to Santa Fe, arriving October 12, 1846.
At Santa Fe they were given a new commander, Colonel Philip St. George Cooke, who had been with Kearny's advance party, but was sent back to take command after Kearny learned of Allens death. Col. Cooke told the men that they had orders to make a new wagon road to the Pacific along a southern route, something that had never been done.
From here another sick detachment left for Pueblo with all of the remaining women except five and all of the remaining children except one boy. On October 18th, they left Santa Fe with 25 government wagons and 60 days rations, 5 company wagons and 12 private family wagons. Upon learning that Gen. Kearny had abandoned his wagons, Col. Cooke also brought along pack saddles for the mules. He also ordered that the men be organized into messes of ten men each.
On the 24th they arrived at Albuquerque and exchanged some mules. From here they traveled south down the western side of the Rio Grande River. Just before they left the river they sent another sick detachment back to Pueblo, leaving 335 men in the battalion. On Nov. 13th they left the Rio Grande and began blazing a new wagon trail. Rations to the men were again reduced. From here the men blazed a new road through the southwestern part of New Mexico into Mexico and up into Arizona along the San Pedro River Valley. On December 11th as they were watering the animals, some wild bulls got in with the cattle and were killed by the sheep drovers.
Later that day another group of wild bulls charged the men and a short but wild melee ensued. The rampaging bulls charged on and on as they attacked men, mules and wagons. Three men were wounded, three mules were gored to death and several wagons were tipped over. Corporal Frost was charged by a bull from one hundred yards, took aim and fired when it was ten paces from him and it dropped at his feet. Col. Cooke later said of the man, "One of the bravest men he ever saw." It is not known how many bulls were killed in all, but one person reported nine dead in one spot. Many reported over 20 dead in all and maybe three times that many wounded.
Just before they arrived at Tucson, the garrison of Mexican soldiers stationed there had fled to the south on hearing of their coming. After a short stay they marched north to the Gila River and the Pima Indian villages. From here they basically followed the southern edge of the Gila River to the Yuma crossing of the Colorado. From there to Mexicali, then north to Palm Springs, following the San Luis River through the Temecula Valley arriving at San Luis Rey January 27, 1847.
Much of this route later became known as the Spanish Trail, San Antonio-San Diego Route and the Butterfield Stage Line. On July 31, 1846, a large group of Mormons arrived at El Paraje de Yerba Buena (The Place of the Good Herb), later called San Francisco, aboard the ship Brooklyn, under the leadership of Samuel Brannan. This was a month after the Bear Revolt had taken place and soon after Commander Montgomery aboard the USS Portsmouth had taken control of the area for the US without a shot being fired.
The local Mexican General at the Presidio and many of the local residents of the bay area having fled to the south. Upon reaching California the battalion learned that it had already been secured from Mexico by Fremont and Kearny, but all was not peaceful.
John C. Fremont had been installed Governor of the state by Commodore Stockton. Lt. Col. Fremont along with Commodore Stockton were refusing to take orders from Gen. Kearny, who had been given orders by President Polk to be the Governor of California after it was secured. With the arrival of the battalion loyal to Kearny, he then had more than enough men to enforce his authority. From here the battalion was split with one company going to San Diego and four companies, along with Henry, going to Pueblo de Los Angeles, where they built Fort Moore. At some point during the trip Henry was promoted from Private to Corporal.
On May 31, 1847, 15 members of the battalion along with Gen. Kearny and other officers left Monterey with Lt. Col. John C. Fremont, taking him back to Fort Leavenworth for court-martial. This group was the first to discover the remains of the Donner Party at Truckee Lake, other than the original rescue parties. It was a gruesome sight of dismembered bones and body parts!
When the battalion was discharged July 16, 1847, at Fort Moore, the government tried to get as many men as possible to re-enlist for another six months. Henry was one of 79 who did, and they spent their time stationed at San Diego. There he was promoted to Sergeant. About 118 of the men headed east to Lake Arrowhead and then later northeast to the valley of the Salt Lake.
About 105 other men traveled north to the Coloma area and worked for Captain John A. Sutter at his fort and mill, where gold was discovered January 24, 1848. Six of these men became The California Star Express riders, carrying printed word of the gold discovery back to the east, starting the California gold rush. After the volunteers were released in San Diego on March 14, 1848, half went northeast to Utah and the other half, as well as Henry, traveled north to Yerba Buena and the gold fields.
Many of these men left in 1848 and headed back east to Utah. It is not known exactly when Henry left, but we know that he was in Salt Lake City when his parents arrived there September 17, 1850.
About 26 members of the battalion died during the the trip and never made it back to their families, though not a single shot was fired in battle, except during the battle with the bulls.
The battalion proved the worth of this area which was later to become the Gadsden Purchase. They pioneered the southern emigration route, as well as the Carson Pass route through the Sierra Nevada's.
While living for a short time in Salt Lake City and building a mill race for Archibald Gardner with his father and brothers, Henry met and married Mary Mariah Chase January 16, 1851. She was the younger sister of one of his fellow battalion soldiers.
Henry and his new bride then moved to Hobble Creek with the rest of his family. I do not know what happened to this marriage, or if there were any children from it.
On July 24, 1863, Henry married Almira Mehitabel Meacham, who had eight children from two previous marriages. At some time, probably during the late 1860's, he moved back to northern California with his family and lived in Healdsburg, Sonoma, California, where he died November 17, 1896, leaving no known children that I know of, other than his second wife's.
Sources: Burial:: Oak Mound Cemetery
Healdsburg
Sonoma County
California, USA
Created by: Todd Schott
Record added: Aug 23 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 29262587

!BIRTH :
MARRIAGE :
DEATH :
BAPTISM :
ENDOWED :
SEAL PARENTS :
SEAL SPOUSE :

BIRTH: Also shown as Born Parkman, Geauga, Ohio, United States.

Henry married Meacham, Almira Mehitable on 24 Jul 1863 in Utah, United States. Almira (daughter of Meacham, Stephen Peabody and Ransom, Dorothy Maria) was born on 13 May 1824 in Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York; died on 1 Oct 1898 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California; was buried in Oct 1898 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• FamilySearch Id: KWV3-QG8

Notes:

These are the notes from Almira Meacham in my PAF (Ancestral Quest): Be sure to also see Almira Meacham in Jim Whiting's website. I will make GEDCOMS later for Beverly's family and for Almira's families. L
Record of O.C. Day American Fork, UT; Myrtle Pitcher 1959; TIB 1966;
NOTE: Related to Brigham Young: John Young > Elizabeth Hayden > John Hayden > Josiah Hayden/Elizabeth Goodenow.
Almira Mehitable Meacham: Dorothy Ransom > Dorothy Cooper > Ezra Cooper > Elizabeth Axtell > Abigail Hayden > Josiah Hayden/Elizabeth Goodenow.
"Before and After Mt.Pisgah"-Christensen p:113: "...The first plural marriage within that set took place 3 Jan 1845 (Nauvoo) between Edwin Whiting and Almira Mehitable Meacham. (They had been married in Nauvoo 3 January 1845)" p.125:"...The next day after her attendance at the temple (Nauvoo 27 Jan 1846), to be sealed to Edwin Whiting, Almira M.M.Whiting bore him a son. They named the baby Edward Lucian Whiting (born 28 Jan 1846).
That was not Almira's first child. Almira was born 13 May 1824 at Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York, the daughter of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria Ransom. Almira was the 4th child. The Meacham family were converts to the Mormon Church. In their westward migration, they stopped for a time at Springfield, Illinois where at the age of 15 years, Almira married Andrew Warren Palmer. To that marriage were born 2 sons, Almon Babbitt Palmer and 2nd, Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the baby's death, Andrew Palmer (husband) died. Two years after that, Almira, the 20-year old widow with a four month old son, married Edwin Whiting."
Ancestral File Submitters: Katherine Mecham Barney 22340 E Queen Creek Rd Queen Creek, AZ 85242 AF97-112850; Rebecca Baker 12335 Lupine Ln Klamath Falls, OR 97603 AF97-113760.
1880 US Census (Springville, Utah) FHL Film 1255338 NA Film No. T9-1338 p. 160A. Shows Henry Packard age 55 (abt 1825) birthplace OH Occupation Mining, Fathers and Mothers birthplace MA.
Household included wife Almira Packard age 56, birthplace NY and parents from NY, Sophia O. Packard dau single age 14 and also a Stepson Franklin L. Whitney age 25 (about 1855) Occupation Laborer, parents born in NY.

United States Census, 1880," Henry Packard, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States
name : Henry Packard
event: Census
event date: 1880
event place: Springville, Utah, Utah, United States
gender: Male
age: 55
marital status : Married
occupation : Minning
race or color (original) :
ethnicity (standardized) : American
relationship to head : Self
birthplace : Ohio, United States
birthdate : 1825
spouse's name : Almira Packard
spouse's birthplace : New York, United States
father's name :
father's birthplace : Massachusetts, United States
mother's name :
mother's birthplace : Massachusetts, United States
page : 160
page character : A
entry number : 647
nara film number : T9-1338
gs film number : 1255338
digital folder number: 004244810
image number: 00552
HouseholdGender Age Birthplace
self Henry Packard M 55 Ohio, United States
wife Almira Packard F 56 New York, United States
daughter Sophia O. PackardF 14 Utah, United States
step son Franklin L. Whitney M 25 Utah, United States
Citing this Record
"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (: accessed 08 Oct 2012), Henry Packard, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States; citing sheet 160A, family 0, NARA microfilm publication T9-1338.
Dennis Kroll (California cousin) October 2008 (From Ancestry.com )"Family Book of Remembrances and Genealogy with Allied Lines" published Dec 25, 1952:
Almira Mehitable Meacham went through all kinds of hardships endured by the early day converts of the Mormon Church. Her parents and their family in their westward migration had made a temporary stop at Springfield, Illinois, where Almirira, at the early age of fifteen, was married to Andrew Warren Palmer. To this marriage were born two sons, Almond Babbitt Palmer, who came to Utah and settled at Nephi, and Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the death of this son the father, Andrew Warren Palmer, died (1843).
Two years later Almira was married to Edwin Whiting as a plural wife (Married 3 January 1845, Sealed 27 January 1846 Nauvoo Temple). To this marriage were born the following children, most of them in Sanpete and Utah Counties, Utah: Edward Lucian Whiting, Ellen Emerett Whiting, Catherine Emeline Whiting, Cornelia (Dolly) Whiting (my great grandmother), Elisha Franklin Whiting, Edwin Lafayette Henry Whiting, and Sylvia Almira Whiting.
The Whitings had come to Utah with Captain Morley's company in 1849 and settled in Manti where Edwin Whiting became quite prominent. In "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" he is listed as the first mayor of Manti and as having held other important positions of public responsibility.
In 1861 the family moved to Springville where they lived during the early Indian troubles known as the Black Hawk and Walker Indian Wars.
Almira became one of Utah County's early nurses and midwife and did much in that way to provide a living for her family.
Plural marriage did not bring happiness. There was great pressure by the law and in 1861 Almira and Edwin Whiting separated.
July 24, 1863, Almira married Henry Packard and to this her third marriage was born a daughter, Sophia Olive Packard. Later the Packards moved to Healdsburg, California, where they lived until 1896 when Henry Packard died.
After the death of Henry Packard Almira moved to San Bernardino where she lived in a home given to her by her son-in-law, Nathan Henry Barton, and her daughter Sylvia Almira (Whiting).
Almira Mehitable Meacham passed away 1 October 1898 and is laid to rest in the Pioneer Cemetery in San Bernardino, California.
MARK E WHITING (jasper3616@msn.com)
8:56 AM


1850; Census Place: , Sanpete, Utah Territory; Roll: M432_919; Page: 113A; Image: 233. 13/13 Edwin Whiting 41 male chairmaker $100 Mass Elizabeth 37 fem Mass Mary 23 fem New York William 16 male farme


!Rec O.C. Day American Fork, UT; Myrtle Pitcher 1959; TIB 1966;

!"Before and After Mt.Pisgah"-Christensen p:113: "...The first plural marriage within that set took place 3 Jan 1845 (Nauvoo) between Edwin Whiting and Almira Mehitable Meacham." p.125:"...The next day after her attendance at the temple (Nauvoo 27 Jan 1846), to be sealed to Edwin Whiting, Almira M.M.Whiting bore him a son. They named the baby Edward Lucian Whiting (born 28 Jan 1846). That was not Almira's first child. Almira was born 13 May 1824 at Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York, the daughter of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria Ransom. Almira was the 4th child. The Meacham family were converts to the Mormon Church. In their westward migration, they stopped for a time at Springfield, Illinois where at the age of 15 years, Almira married Andrew Warren Palmer. To that marriage were born 2 sons, Almon Babbitt Palmer and 2nd, Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the baby's death, Andrew Palmer (husband) died. Two years after that, Almira, the 20-year old widow with a four month old son, married Edwin Whiting."

Rec O.C. Day American Fork, UT; Myrtle Pitcher 1959; TIB 1966;

!MARRIAGE: (1) Andrew Warren Palmer (2) 3 Jan 1845 Edwin Whiting (3) Henry
Packard (4) Mr. March.
Edwin Whiting Family Assn.-Springville, UT.
===========================
1850; Census Place: , Sanpete, Utah Territory; Roll: M432_919; Page: 113A; Image: 233.
13/13 Edwin Whiting 41 male chairmaker $100 Mass
Elizabeth 37 fem Mass
Mary 23 fem New York
William 16 male farmer Ohio
Amelia 14 fem Ohio
Sarah 11 fem Ohio
Almon 10 male Illinois
Lucius 05 male Illinois
Albert 03 male Iowa twin
Oscar 03 male Iowa twin
Emeline 02 fem Deseret
Harriet 01 fem Deseret
Almira M Wd 27 fem New York
Edward 05 male Illinois
Ellen 03 fem Iowa
Loisa 01 fem Deseret
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8054&iid=4181033-00233&fn=William&ln=Whiting&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1099849
==============================
1860; Census Place: Manti, Sanpete, Utah Territory; Roll: M653_1314; Page: 653; Image: 115; Family History Library Film: 805314.
136/124 Edwin Whiting 51 male farmer $900/1700 Mass
Elizabeth P 46 fem Mass
Edwin L 14 male ILL
Oscar 12 male ILL
Louisa M 10 fem Utah Territory
Caroline P 06 fem Utah Territory
137/125 Mary A Whiting 32 fem New York
Joseph 06 male Utah Territory
Daniel L 02 male Utah Territory
138/126 Mary E Whiting 33 fem New york
Albert 12 male ILL
Harriet L 10 fem Utah Territory
Charles 07 male Utah Territory
Edgar 05 male Utah Territory
Edwin M 03 male Utah Territory
Arthur 2/12 male Utah Territory
Hannah H 25 fem Ohio
Abby H 02 fem Utah Territory
139/127 Annia Whitiing 34 fem seamstress New York
Edwin L 14 male ILL
Ellen D 12 fem ILL
Emeline 11 fem ILL
Cornelia 09 fem Utah Territory attended school
Franklin 06 male Utah Territory attended school
Edwin H 03 male Utah Territory
140/128 William Whiting 25 male farmer $200/300 Ohio
Rebecca 15 fem ILL
Sarah E 1/12 fem Utah Territory

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7667&iid=4297342_00115&fn=Edwin&ln=Whiting&st=r&ssrc=&pid=34781674
============================

BIRTH: Also shown as Born Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York, United States.

BIRTH: Also shown as Born Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence, New York, United States.

BIRTH: Also shown as Born Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York, United States.

DEATH: Also shown as Died San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

DEATH: Also shown as Died San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

DEATH: Also shown as Died San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

BURIAL: Also shown as Buried San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

BURIAL: Also shown as Buried Pioneer Cemetery, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California.

BURIAL: Also shown as Buried Pioneer Cemetery San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

NOTE: Related to Brigham Young: John Young > Elizabeth Hayden > John Hayden > Josiah Hayden/Elizabeth Goodenow.
Almira Mehitable Meacham: Dorothy Ransom > Dorothy Cooper > Ezra Cooper > Elizabeth Axtell > Abigail Hayden > Josiah Hayden/Elizabeth Goodenow.

"Before and After Mt.Pisgah"-Christensen p:113: "...The first plural marriage within that set took place 3 Jan 1845 (Nauvoo) between Edwin Whiting and Almira Mehitable Meacham. (They had been married in Nauvoo 3 January 1845)" p.125:"...The next day after her attendance at the temple (Nauvoo 27 Jan 1846), to be sealed to Edwin Whiting, Almira M.M.Whiting bore him a son. They named the baby Edward Lucian Whiting (born 28 Jan 1846).
That was not Almira's first child. Almira was born 13 May 1824 at Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York, the daughter of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria Ransom. Almira was the 4th child. The Meacham family were converts to the Mormon Church. In their westward migration, they stopped for a time at Springfield, Illinois where at the age of 15 years, Almira married Andrew Warren Palmer. To that marriage were born 2 sons, Almon Babbitt Palmer and 2nd, Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the baby's death, Andrew Palmer (husband) died. Two years after that, Almira, the 20-year old widow with a four month old son, married Edwin Whiting."

Ancestral File Submitters: Katherine Mecham Barney 22340 E Queen Creek Rd Queen Creek, AZ 85242 AF97-112850; Rebecca Baker 12335 Lupine Ln Klamath Falls, OR 97603 AF97-113760.

1880 US Census (Springville, Utah) FHL Film 1255338 NA Film No. T9-1338 p. 160A. Shows Henry Packard age 55 (abt 1825) birthplace OH Occupation Mining, Fathers and Mothers birthplace MA.
Household included wife Almira Packard age 56, birthplace NY and parents from NY, Sophia O. Packard dau single age 14 and also a Stepson Franklin L. Whitney age 25 (about 1855) Occupation Laborer, parents born in NY.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSL-4CB
United States Census, 1880," Henry Packard, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States
name : Henry Packard
event: Census
event date: 1880
event place: Springville, Utah, Utah, United States
gender: Male
age: 55
marital status : Married
occupation : Minning
race or color (original) :
ethnicity (standardized) : American
relationship to head : Self
birthplace : Ohio, United States
birthdate : 1825
spouse's name : Almira Packard
spouse's birthplace : New York, United States
father's name :
father's birthplace : Massachusetts, United States
mother's name :
mother's birthplace : Massachusetts, United States
page : 160
page character : A
entry number : 647
nara film number : T9-1338
gs film number : 1255338
digital folder number: 004244810
image number: 00552
Household Gender Age Birthplace
self Henry Packard M 55 Ohio, United States
wife Almira Packard F 56 New York, United States
daughter Sophia O. Packard F 14 Utah, United States
step son Franklin L. Whitney M 25 Utah, United States
Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MNSL-4CB : accessed 08 Oct 2012), Henry Packard, Springville, Utah, Utah, United States; citing sheet 160A, family 0, NARA microfilm publication T9-1338.

Dennis Kroll (California cousin) October 2008 (From Ancestry.com)"Family Book of Remembrances and Genealogy with Allied Lines" published Dec 25, 1952:
Almira Mehitable Meacham went through all kinds of hardships endured by the early day converts of the Mormon Church. Her parents and their family in their westward migration had made a temporary stop at Springfield, Illinois, where Almirira, at the early age of fifteen, was married to Andrew Warren Palmer. To this marriage were born two sons, Almond Babbitt Palmer, who came to Utah and settled at Nephi, and Warren Palmer, who died in infancy. Soon after the death of this son the father, Andrew Warren Palmer, died (1843).

Two years later Almira was married to Edwin Whiting as a plural wife (Married 3 January 1845, Sealed 27 January 1846 Nauvoo Temple). To this marriage were born the following children, most of them in Sanpete and Utah Counties, Utah: Edward Lucian Whiting, Ellen Emerett Whiting, Catherine Emeline Whiting, Cornelia (Dolly) Whiting (my great grandmother), Elisha Franklin Whiting, Edwin Lafayette Henry Whiting, and Sylvia Almira Whiting.

The Whitings had come to Utah with Captain Morley's company in 1849 and settled in Manti where Edwin Whiting became quite prominent. In "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" he is listed as the first mayor of Manti and as having held other important positions of public responsibility.

In 1861 the family moved to Springville where they lived during the early Indian troubles known as the Black Hawk and Walker Indian Wars.

Almira became one of Utah County's early nurses and midwife and did much in that way to provide a living for her family.

Plural marriage did not bring happiness. There was great pressure by the law and in 1861 Almira and Edwin Whiting separated.

July 24, 1863, Almira married Henry Packard and to this her third marriage was born a daughter, Sophia Olive Packard. Later the Packards moved to Healdsburg, California, where they lived until 1896 when Henry Packard died.

After the death of Henry Packard Almira moved to San Bernardino where she lived in a home given to her by her son-in-law, Nathan Henry Barton, and her daughter Sylvia Almira (Whiting).
Almira Mehitable Meacham passed away 1 October 1898 and is laid to rest in the Pioneer Cemetery in San Bernardino, California.





BIRTH: Also shown as Born Hopkinton, St.Lawrence, New York, United States.

DEATH: Also shown as Died San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

BURIAL: Also shown as Buried Pioneer Cemetery San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States.

Notes:

!SEALING_SPOUSE: Also shown as SealSp 27 Apr 1994, JRIVE.

Other Events:

• FamilySearch Id: KWJP-WMV

Notes:

Stephen Meacham, "Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954"
url
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XFKZ-7VF
Citation
"Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XFKZ-7VF : accessed 22 Jul 2013), Stephen Meacham, 1797.
___________________________
Stephen Meacham, "Vermont, Births and Christenings, 1765-1908"
url
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8LK-LFW
Citation
"Vermont, Births and Christenings, 1765-1908," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8LK-LFW : accessed 22 Jul 2013), Stephen Meacham, 12 Mar 1797.
___________________________________
Stephen P Mecham in entry for Sylvia A Snider, "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949"
url
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQCM-79F
Citation
"Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQCM-79F : accessed 22 Jul 2013), Stephen P Mecham in entry for Sylvia A Snider, 1894.
________________________________________

IGI Vermont p 4,397 batch T998342 0316; Archive Record of Mrs. Ethel Perry;

History of Ida Meacham Strobridge;

History of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;
History of J. Arthur Meacham g-son of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;

IGI 1988 Vermont p 4,893
batch T998342 0316, 7450174 0, 8731501 91;

Archive Record of Mrs. Richard LeRoy Mecham;

Family Group Sheet of Mary E. Yeaman, 311 Palm Ave, Millbrae, CA; History of Ida Meacham Strobridge;
History of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;
History of J. Arthur Meacham, grandson of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;

NOTE: Father Dr. Thomas Meacham changed his name to MECHAM. He also used spelling MEACHAM. Children may be MECHAM / MEACHAM.

Dennis Kroll (California cousin) 10-2008 (from Ancestry.com "Family Book of Remembrances and Genealogy with Allied Lines" published Dec 25, 1952:
"Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr. was the fifth child of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria (Known as Dolly) Ransom. He was born 20 July, 1826, at Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence County, New York where he lived till he was ten or eleven years old, when his parents, who had been converted to the faith of the Mormons by Stephen's uncle joined the church and moved, with other relative converts to Erie County, Pennsylvania.
In 1839 they moved to Springfield, Illinois, where three of the older children were married. Later the family moved to Nauvoo where Erastus D. as a young man was a member of the Nauvoo Legion and at times served as body guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
After the death of the Prophet while preparations were being made for the westward move Erastus D. worked as apprentice in the shop of Elisha Jones, a wheelright and blacksmith, who later became father-in-law to Erastus D. and became much interested in the abillity of the younger apprentice.
In late 1845 or early 1846 Erastus D. left Nauvoo and began across Iowa with shat was designated as the "Camp of Israel" by its leader, Brigham Young, and was camped at "Mount Pisgah" when the call came from the government for a battalion of Volunteers to take part in our war with Mexico. Erastus D., being of a venturesome nature, volunteered and on July 16, 1846, was mustered into the army of the United States at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was a member of Company D and with it participated in the now famous march of the "Mormon Batallion."
Just when Erastus D. returned to his folks at the Missouri river the writer does not know, but we do know it was before February 4th, 1849, for on the date he was married at Council Bluffs, Iowa to Martha Jones, the seventeen year old daughter of Elisha Jones, the mechanic with hoom he had worked at Nauvoo.
From this point on history of Erastus Darwin Meacham must alwo be the history of his wife. It is therefore proper to here introduce her: Martha Jones was born August 7, 1832, in Jefferson County, Ohio, daughter of Elisha Jones and Margaret Tolbot. She remembered very vividly the stirring events connected with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and participated in the hardships endured during the exodus of Nauvoo and the journey to the West.
On the 17th of December, 1849, at Kanesville, later named Council Bluffs, Iowa, a daughter was born to Erastus D. and Martha and was named Sylvia Amaretta. Thus our soldier, hunter-trapper and scout became a tender and devoted husband and father.
In 1851 Grandpa Meacham crossed the plains for the third and last time, this time with his wife and baby daughter and accompanied by his father-in-law and his family. They first settled at little Cottonwood, a few miles south of Salt Lake City, where their second child, William Henry was born December 31, 1851.
The family did not remain long in the Cottonwood settlement for they had made their home in Springville, Utah County, before their second son, Erastus Darwin Jr. was born Marth 17, 1854. Here Grandpa had opportunity to demonstrate his ability in dealing with the Indians and in solving the problems which they presented for he had lived with them and learned his language while he was working for the American Fur Company in Wyoming between the date of his discharge from the army and his return to Council Bluffs, where he married.
By the time their fourth child, Martha Maria, was born 19 February, 1857, the family had settled in Provo, where they remained till after the fifth child, Elisha Jones was born. Their next move took them in Fairview, Sanpete County... "
________________________________________

Early History of the Town of Hopkinton
http://books.google.com/books?id=StQwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA165#v=onepage&q&f=false
Citation
by Carlton E. Sanford; The Bartlett Press, Boston, Mass. Published 1903. This work is now in the public domain.
Seen at Google Books.
Notes
Pages 164-166 tell the story of the family of Stephen Peabody Meacham and others Hopkinton residents, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The story is told from the perspective of other Hopkinton residents who were clearly quite prejudiced against the "Mormon" religion.
Less
Reason This Source Is Attached
Of particular interest is the section about Stephen Peabody Meacham on pages 165 & 166. The story told by this anti-Mormon writer from Hopkinton is quite different from his history as told by family members (available in the book "Family book of remembrance and genealogy : with allied lines"). In this Hopkinton version of events, he "escaped" from Mormonism and returned to Hopkinton. The story, as told by family members, describes his loneliness for his recently deceased wife Dolly, and that the grieving old man just walked out of his son's home one day and returned home to Hopkinton. The wonderful thing about this Hopkinton narrative is the rich detail describing his lonely life after his return to Hopkinton, as recorded by people who visited him.
This record is the source for his death 27 February 1869 Parishville, St. Lawrence, New York.
http://books.google.com/books?id=StQwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA165#v=onepage&q&f=false
Citation
by Carlton E. Sanford; The Bartlett Press, Boston, Mass. Published 1903. This work is now in the public domain.
Seen at Google Books.
Notes
Pages 164-166 tell the story of the family of Stephen Peabody Meacham and others Hopkinton residents, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The story is told from the perspective of other Hopkinton residents who were clearly quite prejudiced against the "Mormon" religion.
Less
Reason This Source Is Attached|Edit
Of particular interest is the section about Stephen Peabody Meacham on pages 165 & 166. The story told by this anti-Mormon writer from Hopkinton is quite different from his history as told by family members (available in the book "Family book of remembrance and genealogy : with allied lines"). In this Hopkinton version of events, he "escaped" from Mormonism and returned to Hopkinton. The story, as told by family members, describes his loneliness for his recently deceased wife Dolly, and that the grieving old man just walked out of his son's home one day and returned home to Hopkinton. The wonderful thing about this Hopkinton narrative is the rich detail describing his lonely life after his return to Hopkinton, as recorded by people who visited him.
This record is the source for his death 27 February 1869 Parishville, St. Lawrence, New York.
___________________
Book: "Family book of remembrance and genealogy : with allied lines"
url
https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE109212
Citation
Seen at FamilySearch books.
Family History Library Call Number: 929.273 M464d 1967
Notes
This book is a very large document and takes a long time to load. The history of Stephen Peabody Meacham, written by J. Arthur Meacham is on pages 677-679.
Reason This Source Is Attached|Edit
This book is a must-read for Meacham/Mecham descendants. It contains a loving history of Stephen Peabody Meacham on pages 667-679.
_____________________________________________________
Letter Transcript - Stephen Peabody Mecham to Edwin Whiting and Dolly Mecham to daughter Sylvia
url
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xg5npyy13kb8a2l/1848_SPMecham-letter.pdf
Citation
Typewritten transcript of original letter SP MECHAM to Edwin Whiting and letter from Dolly Mecham to Sylvia (daughter)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xg5npyy13kb8a2l/1848_SPMecham-letter.pdf
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7z3lkzaryvr1jct/1848_Dolly%20Mecham-letter.pdf

Less
Notes
Evidence supports the fact that Stephen Peabody Mecham changed the surname spelling for himself and his immediate family to MECHAM when the family joined the LDS Church. The source is a transcript of a letter written by Stephen Peabody Mecham to Edwin Whiting in Mt Pisgah:

Please note the transcript preface by J Arthur Meacham where he acknowledges that Stephen Peabody spelled the surname Mecham.

As further proof of this fact please see the following letter from Dolly Maria Mecham to her daughter Sylvia Mecham Whiting. Even though J Arthur spells the surname Meacham in most of the typewritten document he is careful to keep the original spelling of "Dolly Mecham" as her signature.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7z3lkzaryvr1jct/1848_Dolly%20Mecham-letter.pdf
________________________________________________________________________

IGI Vermont p 4,397 batch T998342 0316; Archive Record of Mrs. Ethel Perry;

History of Ida Meacham Strobridge;

Hist of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;
History of J. Arthur Meacham g-son of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;

IGI 1988 Vermont p 4,893
batch T998342 0316, 7450174 0, 8731501 91;

Archive Record of Mrs. Richard LeRoy Mecham;

FGS Mary E. Yeaman, 311 Palm Ave, Millbrae, CA; History of Ida Meacham Strobridge; History of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr; History of J. Arthur Meacham, grandson of Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr;

NOTE: Father Dr. Thomas Meacham changed his name to MECHAM. He also used spelling MEACHAM. Children may be MECHAM / MEACHAM.

Dennis Kroll (California cousin) 10-2008 (from Ancestry.com "Family Book of Remembrances and Genealogy with Allied Lines" published Dec 25, 1952:
"Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr. was the fifth child of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria (Known as Dolly) Ransom. He was born 20 July, 1826, at Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence County, New York where he lived till he was ten or eleven years old, when his parents, who had been converted to the faith of the Mormons by Stephen's uncle joined the church and moved, with other relative converts to Erie County, Pennsylvania.
In 1839 they moved to Springfield, Illinois, where three of the older children were married. Later the family moved to Nauvoo where Erastus D. as a young man was a member of the Nauvoo Legion and at times served as body guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
After the death of the Prophet while preparations were being made for the westward move Erastus D. worked as apprentice in the shop of Elisha Jones, a wheelright and blacksmith, who later became father-in-law to Erastus D. and became much interested in the abillity of the younger apprentice.
In late 1845 or early 1846 Erastus D. left Nauvoo and began across Iowa with shat was designated as the "Camp of Israel" by its leader, Brigham Young, and was camped at "Mount Pisgah" when the call came from the government for a battalion of Volunteers to take part in our war with Mexico. Erastus D., being of a venturesome nature, volunteered and on July 16, 1846, was mustered into the army of the United States at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was a member of Company D and with it participated in the now famous march of the "Mormon Batallion."
Just when Erastus D. returned to his folks at the Missouri river the writer does not know, but we do know it was before February 4th, 1849, for on the date he was married at Council Bluffs, Iowa to Martha Jones, the seventeen year old daughter of Elisha Jones, the mechanic with hoom he had worked at Nauvoo.
From this point on history of Erastus Darwin Meacham must alwo be the history of his wife. It is therefore proper to here introduce her: Martha Jones was born August 7, 1832, in Jefferson County, Ohio, daughter of Elisha Jones and Margaret Tolbot. She remembered very vividly the stirring events connected with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and participated in the hardships endured during the exodus of Nauvoo and the journey to the West.
On the 17th of December, 1849, at Kanesville, later named Council Bluffs, Iowa, a daughter was born to Erastus D. and Martha and was named Sylvia Amaretta. Thus our soldier, hunter-trapper and scout became a tender and devoted husband and father.
In 1851 Grandpa Meacham crossed the plains for the third and last time, this time with his wife and baby daughter and accompanied by his father-in-law and his family. They first settled at little Cottonwood, a few miles south of Salt Lake City, where their second child, William Henry was born December 31, 1851.
The family did not remain long in the Cottonwood settlement for they had made their home in Springville, Utah County, before their second son, Erastus Darwin Jr. was born Marth 17, 1854. Here Grandpa had opportunity to demonstrate his ability in dealing with the Indians and in solving the problems which they presented for he had lived with them and learned his language while he was working for the American Fur Company in Wyoming between the date of his discharge from the army and his return to Council Bluffs, where he married.
By the time their fourth child, Martha Maria, was born 19 February, 1857, the family had settled in Provo, where they remained till after the fifth child, Elisha Jones was born. Their next move took them in Fairview, Sanpete County... "

SURNAME: Also shown as Mecham

DEATH: Also shown as Died Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, New York, United States.

Stephen married Ransom, Dorothy Maria in 1817 in Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence, New York, United States. Dorothy (daughter of Ransom, Stephen and Cooper, Dorothy) was born on 26 Aug 1801 in Rochester, Rutland, Vermont, United States; died on 22 Jun 1852 in Kanesville, Potawattamie, Iowa, United States; was buried in Jun 1852. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• FamilySearch Id: KWJP-WMJ

Notes:

1850 US Census: Dorothy Ransom Meacham family
url
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZ4N-RBN
Citation
FHL film 442963, Iowa, 1850 federal census : population schedules. Enumerated at District 21, Pottawattamie county, Iowa.
Notes
Dolly Meakum age 49 female born Vt
Lafayette age 20 male Laborer born NY
Roswell age 14 male born NY
Sylvia age 29 female born NY
Erastus age 7 male born NY
(Documents her residence at Pottawattamie county, Iowa (Winter Quarters) in 1850. Three of her children and a grandson are in the household with her.)
___________________________________

TIB 1,263,328 SL 307 bk B p. 32 (Parents: Stephen Ransom/Dorothy Cooper); All Ordinances Reconfirmed SL (bap 3 Mar 1969 SL);

1798-Rochester, Windsor Co, Vermont Bk 1 p 97;

1810 Windsor Co, Vt pg 363;

1800 Rochester, Windsor Co, Vermont p 172;

1850 Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, NY p 313;

Mathew Ransom Descend GS 982,434 Item 37;

IGI 1988 Vermont p 5,926 batch T998342 0317, 5000429 38, 5001095 15; Archive Record of Mrs. Richard LeRoy Mecham.

Dennis Kroll (California cousin) 10-2008 (from Ancestry.com "Family Book of Remembrances and Genealogy with Allied Lines" published Dec 25, 1952:
"Erastus Darwin Meacham Sr. was the fifth child of Stephen Peabody Meacham and Dorothy Maria (Known as Dolly) Ransom. He was born 20 July, 1826, at Hopkinton, Saint Lawrence County, New York where he lived till he was ten or eleven years old, when his parents, who had been converted to the faith of the Mormons by Stephen's uncle joined the church and moved, with other relative converts to Erie County, Pennsylvania.
In 1839 they moved to Springfield, Illinois, where three of the older children were married. Later the family moved to Nauvoo where Erastus D. as a young man was a member of the Nauvoo Legion and at times served as body guard to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
After the death of the Prophet while preparations were being made for the westward move Erastus D. worked as apprentice in the shop of Elisha Jones, a wheelright and blacksmith, who later became father-in-law to Erastus D. and became much interested in the abillity of the younger apprentice.
In late 1845 or early 1846 Erastus D. left Nauvoo and began across Iowa with shat was designated as the "Camp of Israel" by its leader, Brigham Young, and was camped at "Mount Pisgah" when the call came from the government for a battalion of Volunteers to take part in our war with Mexico. Erastus D., being of a venturesome nature, volunteered and on July 16, 1846, was mustered into the army of the United States at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was a member of Company D and with it participated in the now famous march of the "Mormon Batallion."
Just when Erastus D. returned to his folks at the Missouri river the writer does not know, but we do know it was before February 4th, 1849, for on the date he was married at Council Bluffs, Iowa to Martha Jones, the seventeen year old daughter of Elisha Jones, the mechanic with hoom he had worked at Nauvoo.
From this point on history of Erastus Darwin Meacham must alwo be the history of his wife. It is therefore proper to here introduce her: Martha Jones was born August 7, 1832, in Jefferson County, Ohio, daughter of Elisha Jones and Margaret Tolbot. She remembered very vividly the stirring events connected with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and participated in the hardships endured during the exodus of Nauvoo and the journey to the West.
On the 17th of December, 1849, at Kanesville, later named Council Bluffs, Iowa, a daughter was born to Erastus D. and Martha and was named Sylvia Amaretta. Thus our soldier, hunter-trapper and scout became a tender and devoted husband and father.
In 1851 Grandpa Meacham crossed the plains for the third and last time, this time with his wife and baby daughter and accompanied by his father-in-law and his family. They first settled at little Cottonwood, a few miles south of Salt Lake City, where their second child, William Henry was born December 31, 1851.
The family did not remain long in the Cottonwood settlement for they had made their home in Springville, Utah County, before their second son, Erastus Darwin Jr. was born Marth 17, 1854. Here Grandpa had opportunity to demonstrate his ability in dealing with the Indians and in solving the problems which they presented for he had lived with them and learned his language while he was working for the American Fur Company in Wyoming between the date of his discharge from the army and his return to Council Bluffs, where he married.
By the time their fourth child, Martha Maria, was born 19 February, 1857, the family had settled in Provo, where they remained till after the fifth child, Elisha Jones was born. Their next move took them in Fairview, Sanpete County... "

GIVEN NAMES: Also shown as Dorothy Dolly Maria

Notes:

Archive Record of Lillie Dunford Mecham;
9 Aug 2004 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~colby/colbyfam/d415.html
(email: rmcolby@micro-net.com) :
"Doctor Thomas MEACHAM was born on 1 JUL 1771 in Canaan, Grafton County, New Hampshire. He died on 7 MAY 1849 in Dickinson, Franklin County, New York. He was buried on 7 MAY 1849 in Dickinson, Franklin County, New York. He has Ancestral File number 2TCN-36. DR. THOMAS MEACHAM To begin a sketch on the life of Dr. Thomas Meacham. We can do no better than to quote from "A BRIEF HISTORY OF MY LIFE" by Edward Thomas Meacham, a grandson of Dr. Thomas Meacham. Under the heading "Account of My Ancestors." he writes: "There is a tradition in our family handed down, and confirmed by my paternal grandfather, that the Meachams came from Scotland in a very early day. "My great-grandfather, Samuel Meacham, was born at Stonington, Connecticut about 1740. Of him I know but little. He moved from there, with his family, to Canaan, New Hampshire. His wife, my great-grandmother, lived to be nearly 100 year old. My grandfather, Thomas Meacham was born 1 July 1771 in Canaan, New Hampshire. He lived there 25 years or more; was married during that time and finally moved himself and family to the town of Fletcher in the north part of the State of Vermont, bought 100 acres of land or more. lived there 11 or 12 years and finally settled in Dickenson, County of Franklin, State of New York in the year 1807 or 1808. He bought land of H. B. Pierpont to the amount of 250 acres. The west bounds of his land joined Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, N.Y. He never did much farming, employed most of his time in hunting. He was a man of truth and integrity; a man that you could depend on. "Grandmother Meacham's maiden name was Sarah Cauley. She was of Irish origin, She was born 20 November. 1769, in New Salem, State of Massachusetts. She was a very good woman, very bright and intelligent. She could remember hearing the cannon at the commencement of the Revolution. She died in the town of Lawrence, St. Lawrence County, New York, 12 January, 1858, age 88 years, one month and twenty-three days." The author of "A Brief History of My Life," from which I shall quote freely, was the son of Thomas Meacham Jr. and the history was written at Hopkinton, N. Y.. where he had associated with his grandparents. Dr. Thomas and Sarah Cauley Meacham for many years. His "History," consists of five notebooks full of well written and interesting material which I have in my possession, given me by the last surviving child of the author, Ada R. Meacham Watson. During the eleven or twelve yeas that Dr. Thomas and his wife, Sarah, lived at Fletcher, Vermont. five more children were born to them: Stephen Peabody, 12 March 1797, Temma, 24 September 1799: Jeremiah, 28 July 1801; Hannah 28 April 1803, and Joseph 18 May 1806. Soon after the birth of the youngest of these children. for reasons unknown to us Thomas left Fletcher and his family and some debts, as is shown by the town records which give an account of the appraisal of his property to determine if a claim by two creditors could be settled. One item listed for appraisal is as follows: "One hundred acres of land, being the farm on which the said Meacham's family now resides." This appraisal was made 23 February 1807, but there is no record of the sale of any of the property and the family continued to live "on the farm" for several years afterward. Thomas Meacham is next heard of in Northern New York where he become famous as a hunter and trapper. The Historical Society of Malone, N. Y. gave the following under the title "A Mighty Hunter." "Franklin County, New York. Can boast of one of the greatest hunters of all time in the person of Thomas Meacham who was, probably, a Vermonter and who must have arrived in this county in the early part of the 19th century as it appears in the proceedings of the 'Board of Supervisors' for the year 1808, that he had been paid $50.00 as bounty on wolves he had killed." "He first settled in the town of Hopkinton. St. Lawrence Co.. N. Y.. but a little later on moved over the line into Franklin County and into what is now the town of Waverly, where he purchased fifty acres of land and built himself a home on the old Northwest Bay Road where he spent the remainder of his life." "The deed conveying this property is dated 10 Nov.1810, and is recorded in Liber No.1 of the deed records in Franklin County, it being the first tract of land sold to a settler by the executors of the will of Wm. Constable and lies in what is now the town of Waverly. He subsequently purchased three other fifty acre tracts between 1810 and 1828 all of which, it is said were paid for with wolf bounties. He died in 1849." "Frederick J. Seaver has this to say of him in his history of Franklin County. "It was he who gave the name to Meacham Lake, a beautiful body of water the Adirondacks laying lying twenty-five miles south of Malone. (Now owned by the State of New York.) "His earnings in bounties for noxious animals in the forty years of his activities, must have aggregated thousands of dollars, as his obituary written by a townsman state that he kept accurate account of the number of large animals trapped or shot by him and that the totals were: Wolves, 214; Bear, 210: Catamounts, 77: and Deer 2550. Bounties were payable for all of these except deer and if we average these at only $10.00 each, his revenue from the source would be over $5000.00." About the time Thomas came to St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York, and for reasons at present unknown to the writer, he and his wife, Sarah Cauley, separated. Whether or not they were divorced I cannot say, but he took a second wife, or woman companion, Rebecca Sanford, who had previously been twice married, first to a man named Grandy and then to Evan Call. She it was, who lived with him at Waverlv, Franklin Co.. N.Y, and bore for him two sons, Washington and Samuel, and two or more daughters. Sarah. the first wife whom Thomas left with her children at Fletcher, Vermont, followed her children to S1. Lawrence County, N.Y., in 1825, and took up her residence at Lawrence where she is buried having lived nine years after the death of Thomas, while Rebecca preceeded him by several years. Living descendants of Thomas Meacham who have heard their parents or grandparent say he was a doctor are borne out in this by the manuscript of the late Ida Meacham Storbridge and the following quotation from "A Brief History of My Life" by Edward Thomas Meacham which is as follows: "In a few days after I came home I was taken down with a fever. One morning a young doctor from the East, going West to practice, called at our home. Father requested him to see me. He decided that I should be bled; accordingly he bled me in my arms, taking a large quanity of blood. The result was I grew worse. Father decided to go after my grandfather Thomas Meacham who was good and successful Botanic Doctor, as well as a noted hunter. He did not approve of the bleeding. It was the practice in those days to bleed the patient at once, no matter what the cause of the sickness. My grandfather always opposed bleeding and never practiced it unless it was strictly necessary, Grandfather lived seven miles from our house. I was sick a long time. Grandfather came every day till I was better (on horse back) with his large leather saddle bags across his saddle. Some three weeks of the time I was sick was lost time to me. I was unconscious most of this time. Finally I got well again." In the manuscript of the late Ida Meacham Strobridge where she lists the children of Samuel, the Revolutionary War soldier, and Phebe Main Meacham, she names Thomas, who, she says, "became a physician and lived for many years on the shore of Meacham Lake in northern New York." She also states that he was known as "The Mighty Hunter of the Adirondacks." In an article published in the "Potsdam Courior and Freeman" the following story is told by C. Brush, whose grandparents had dealings with the "Famous Hunter." Speaking of Meacham he says "He kept a horse for riding on the road, and when the infirmities of age began, to curtail his hunting and trapping activities, tried to ride the old horse into the woods, but with poor success. Grandfather "Eliphalet Brush" was then raising some nice colts of the blood strain that later became famous as Morgans. Meacham took a shine to a three year old sorrel, and after much dickering reluctantly parted with the price. Being warned that the colt was unbroken he exclaimed, "That is just what I want. I can't teach my old horse new tricks, but this colt is kind and tame and looks knowin'. I believe he I can train hime to carry me huntin' and trappin'. He was not disappointed. It was said that the colt soon entered into the spirit of the thing, walking very quietly in the woods and creeping up on deer. The hunter would shoot from his back, then dismount, do the necessary skinning, place the deer saddles and hide on the horse and remounting, ride home. Sometimes he would kill mor than one deer and ride out with vension and hides for and after. The writer has in his possession the hunting knife with a nine-inch blade; the powder horn, with his initials T. M., carved on it, a shot pouch, and a fish-basket, or creel, which he had made; also several deeds and papers signed by Thomas Meacham. Information concerning Thomas and his second wife, Rebecca, I have received from Marion Meacham Young of St. Regis Falls, R. D. No.1, N, Y., who is the youngest daughter of Samuel, the son of Dr. Thomas and his second wife, Rebecca. Other information contained in this sketch not otherwise accounted for comes to me through records of the Mormon church and the family records of Stephen Peabody Meacham the second son of Dr. Thomas and Sarah Cauley Meacham, whose great grandson I am. --J. Arthur Meacham.

Thomas married Bond, Sarah in 1792 in Canaan, Grafton, New Hampshire, United States. Sarah (daughter of Bond, Daniel and Spring, Sarah) was born on 20 Nov 1769 in New Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; was christened on 28 Jul 1794 in Birmingham, Warwick, England; died on 12 Jan 1858 in Lawrence, Saint Lawrence, New York, United States; was buried in Lawrence, Saint Lawrence, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Archive Record (Thomas MEACHAM) Lillie Dunford Mecham;
IGI 1988 Vermont (son Stephen Peabody MEACHAM);
TIB SL no. 161 bk 6S p 7;
Sarah's maiden name is CAULEY. She is the widow of a husband surnamed BOND. (Researcher Lilly Dunfield Mecham- Logan, Utah;

Mecham book says: "She was of Irish origin. She was a very good woman, very bright and intelligent. She could remember the first cannon at the commencement of the Revolution. She died age 88 yr, one month and 23 days. Soon after their last child Joseph was born 18 May 1806, her husband Thomas Meacham, for reasons unknown left his family and some debts and was next heard of in Northern New York, where he became famous as a hunter and trapper, living first at Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, NY and at Lake Meacham in the Adirondack Mountains. He had tracts of land near the town of Waverly, Franklin County, NY. It is not known if there was a divorce, but later on he took a second wife, Rebecca Sanford, who had been previously twice married, first to a man named Grandy and then to Evan Call. They had two sons, Washington and Samuel and two more daughters. Sarah left with her children to St.Lawrence County, NY in 1825."

J. Arthur Meacham: “Grandmother Meacham’s maiden name was Sarah Cauley. She was of Irish origin. She was born 20 November, 1769, in New Salem, State of Massachusetts. She was a very good woman, very bright and intelligent. She could remember hearing the cannon at the commencement of the Revolution. She died in the town of Lawrence, St. Lawrence County, New York, 12 January, 1858, age 88 years, one month and twenty-three days."

Notes:

Rec Naoma Perry Jolley 1988; 1798 Rochester, Windsor Co, VT bk 1 p 97;
1810 Windsor Co, VT p 363; 1800 Rochester, Windsor Co, VT p 172; 1850
Hopkinton, St. Lawrence, NY p 313 GS 444,307; Mathew Ransom Desc GS 982,434
Item 37; IGI 1988 Vermont p 5,929 batch 8765105 45, 5001095 15, 5000429 38;
TIB SL no. 10082 bk B p 285 (shows born in Scotland).

Stephen married Cooper, Dorothy in 1799 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont, United States, United States. Dorothy (daughter of Cooper, Ezra and Winter, Ruth) was born in 1775 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont, United States; died on 20 Oct 1835. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rec of Naoma Perry Jolley 1988; (see notes Stephen RANSOM); IGI 1988 Vermont p 1,727 batch 5001095 0, 5000429 38.