James, Enoch and Seth Meek - Sons of James and Anna (Cooper) Meek

The Children of James and Anna (Cooper) Meek

Samuel Meek (great-grandfather) 1824 - 1902

David Cooper Meek (Samuel's twin) 1824 - 1901

Enoch Meek #1 1825 - 1901

                     Hiram   1826/7 - 1909  (Elizabeth's twin)

Elizabeth  1826/7 -1907 
*Seth     1827 - 1845

Sidnah  1830 - 1872
*James  1833 - 1865

Ednah  1834 - 1910

John  1836 - ?

Beulah  1837 - 1912

*Enoch #2   1840 - 1864

Solomon  1842 - 1917

James and Anna Meek knew well how it felt to lose a child.  Around 1825, they had a son named Enoch, and he died around 1837 at the age of 13.  They buried this son in the Boatman Cemetery, East Palestine Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

Through the years, other sons would join Enoch there, including young Seth, who was only 19 at his death in 1845.

Enoch Meek #1

Seth Meek

 Years after the first Enoch's death, another son was born to James and Anna and, as was somewhat typical of the times, they named this son Enoch, as well.   Born about 1840, this Enoch Meek would enlist as a Union soldier, along with two of his brothers. 

 In Enoch's records that were obtained from the National Archives, we learn that Enoch enlisted in Company D, 100th Ohio Infantry at Toledo and was mustered in on September 1, 1862, for three years or the duration of the war.  Of great interest was the personal description provided of a 22 year old male, 5' 11 3/4", of fair complexion with blue eyes and dark hair, and "by occupation, a farmer."

Enoch mustered in as a Private, but was eventually promoted to Corporal on April 20, 1864, serving under First Lieutenant A. R. Tate in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia.  In 1864, his group was ordered to assault the enemy at 6 a.m. on August 5th near Utoy Creek, Georgia on the way to Atlanta.  They captured 140 Confederate prisoners.  During that night, they worked at felling trees along the creek and in the morning, the Union advanced again, using the timber for some protection.  However, the fallen trees also created barriers for troop movement as many logs were intertwined as they fell.  The men struggled there, while the Confederates kept up their fire.  Eventually, the Confederates turned back, but by that time, Enoch was a casualty of the battle.  He was killed in action on August 6, 1864.  

The History of Columbiana County, Ohio, in an extensive sketch of Captain Robert Taggart, stated: "Enoch Meek, a favorite pupil of Captain Taggart, was killed in the charge of the brigade at Utoy Creek in the vicinity of Utoy, Georgia."  Enoch was probably buried at the scene of the battle, as it was noted in the cemetery records of Boatman Cemetery that Enoch's body was not there, but a monument stands to him.

 

 Just a year later, the Meek family would again know loss.  Enoch's brother, James, enlisted on August 11, 1862 and also probably mustered in in September.  

He served in Company C of the 104th Ohio, enlisting also for three years or the war.  James was wounded in the engagement at Town Creek, North Carolina on February 20, 1865 and died of his wounds on March 17, 1865 in Baltimore, Maryland, probably in a military hospital there.

Town Creek, near the Cape Fear River, in North Carolina, was near Fort Anderson.  The Union marched toward Fort Anderson in February, 1865, with a detachment of the 104th Ohio skirmishing on the road leading to the fort.  The Confederates evacuated the fort during the night, but made  stand with fortifications and three pieces of artillery to command the approach to the bridge.  The Union managed to cross two brigades over on a flat boat about a mile from the bridge and they flanked the enemy.  Sixty one soldiers were wounded, and James Meek was one of them.  Wounded on February 20, 1865, he died of his wounds on March 16, 1865, in Baltimore, Maryland, probably at a hospital there.  

James is buried near his parents and grandparents, and Enoch's marker in Boatman Cemetery, East Palestine, Columbiana County.  James was 32 years old.

**I mistakenly sent for and received the pension record of a different James Meek of Columbiana County.  This soldier died in Andersonville and his file was quite extensive as father and later, his stepmother, tried to collect his pension.  The problem was that this James Meek had William Meek as a father, rather than James.  Sometime I will post this story as it is a good one.

James and Anna Cooper Meek - Great-Great Grandparents

The parents of Samuel Meek, great-grandfather, were James Meek and Anna Cooper Meek of Columbiana County, Ohio and Beaver Twp., Pennsylvania.  Some researchers place James' birth in Wooster, Ohio on May 10, 1801 and Anna's birth anywhere from 1798 to 1802 in New Jersey or New York.  
James married Anna Cooper about 1823-1824 and settled in near East Palestine, Unity Township, Columbiana County, Ohio.

James and Anna and family did, however, move back across the state line into Beaver County, Pennsylvania for a time, and some of their children were born there.

  Great-grandfather, Samuel's, obituary, stated that he was one of fourteen children born to James and Anna.  I have identified thirteen of them:

Samuel and David Cooper Meek, twins, born 1824

Enoch #1, born c 1825

Elizabeth and Hiram,twins, born 1826

Seth, born c. 1827

Sidnah, born c. 1830

James, born c. 1833

Ednah, born 1834

John W., born c. 1836

Buelah, born c. 1837

Enoch #2, born c. 1840

Solomon, born 1842

Sadly, James Meek died quite young on December 5, 1845, at the age of 44 years, 6 months and 29 days, and to add to the tragedy, their son, Seth, died that same year at about age 18.  Enoch #1 had also died in childhood at about the age of 12, so Anna was left with seven sons and four daughters to raise on her own.  James was buried in the Boatman Cemetery in Unity Township.

James and Anna Meek, Boatman Cemetery, Unity Township, Columbiana County, Ohio

An estate packet was located for James Meek containing no will which is not surprising due to his relatively young age.  Perhaps his death came quickly, too.  Ann was appointed administrator, along with Robert Filson. First, three appraisers were appointed for the estate: Thomas King, Israel Early, and Moses Mendenhall.  An accounting was made of his assets and debts and it was decided that the widow and children would be allowed to keep certain personal possessions outside of what was appraised: 

"The deceased having left a widow and minor children, we set off to them the following property without appraisement - 2 spinning wheels, 1 ten plate stove, 1 family Bible, all the school books belonging to the family, one table, six chairs, six knives and forks, six plates, six teacups and saucers, one sugar dish, one milkpot, one teapot, twelve spoons, the clothes and wearing apparel of widow, one cow, twelve sheep, 4 beads (beds), beadsteads (bedsteads) and beading (bedding), pots, kettles, and all cooking utensils of the deceased, being necessary for the family, clothing of the family and the clothing of the deceased..."

Later, Anna also claimed two stands of bees, one wagon, a grindstone and crank, a logchain, a goat, 22 sheep, and one 8 day wooden clock for herself.  No mention is ever made of the land, so one would assume that it was passed on to the heirs. An auction was had for some of the remaining items.  I thought it interesting that the family had dishes and utensils for six when the family contained at least twelve or more.

 In the 1850 census of Unity Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, taken on September 18, Ann Meek was 49 years old (born NY) and with her were Samuel, 26; David, 26; Hiram, 22; Elizabeth, 22; Sidnah, 19; James, 17; Ednah, 16; Buelah, 13; John 14; Enoch #2, 10, and Solomon, 8. 

 By 1860, some of the boys had gone out west to try their hand at mining or they had moved on to marry and settle in Defiance County, Ohio.  Anna, 61, (now born New Jersey), had only Elizabeth, 30; Ednah, 26; Bulah, 21; Enoch, 21; and Soloman, 18, at home.  Very soon, three of the boys would enlist in the Union Army and see battle; some would not make it home again. 

By 1870, the census enumerator found Annie Meek, 71, in the same place, keeping house with property valued at $5600 and personal goods worth $1020.  Elizabeth, 40, and Solomon, a farm laborer, completed the household.  Elizabeth and Solomon would stay on with their mother until her death.

Anna Cooper Meek died in 1873, and all the living children eventually ended up in Defiance County, Ohio, living near Hicksville...together again.  Anna was buried next to James in Boatman Cemetery, having outlived him by almost 28 years.