FHB David Meade

Family History Book: David Meade the Elder (1710-1757)

The only son of Col. Andrew Meade and his wife, Mary Latham, David Meade was born about 1710, but we aren't sure where. His parents married in Long Island, NY, where Mary was "disowned" by the Flushing Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers) for "marrying out of unity" -- i.e., for marrying a non-Quaker. Andrew Meade came from Ireland and was said to be Roman Catholic, although Bishop Meade seems to have some doubts about that (see below). He probably arrived in New York around 1685, marrying soon after. One source says they removed to Virginia about five years later, which would put them there at least a decade before David Meade was born, so he probably is a native of Virginia.

Nothing is known of his childhood, but presumably he grew up as privileged as any young Tidewater colonial, since his father became wealthy from selling timber to shipbuilders. We do know that when the last proprietary governor of North Carolina, Sir Richard Everard, was returning to England with his family after the crown assumed ownership of the colony, they stayed at the home of Andrew Meade while waiting for their transport home. The result was that David Meade and Susanna Everard, Sir Richard's daughter, fell in love. Sir Richard did not want to leave his daughter in America, and Col. Andrew Meade did not want to see his only son and heir go to England, but eventually Sir Richard was persuaded to allow Susanna to marry David and left her with him. They married about 1730/31.

David and Susanna had seven children, all but one of whom married, several more than once. The youngest, John (who was probably born after his father had died if the dates I've found are accurate), died at about age 13 years old. They were:

• Anne Meade (1731-1814)
• Mary Meade (1735-1778)
• David Meade II (1744-1838)
• Richard Kidder Meade (1746-1805)
• Everard Meade (1748-1802)
• Andrew Meade (1753-1800)
• John Meade (1758-1771)

In addition to raising a family and maintaining the family estate in Nansemond, David Meade's grandson, Bishop William Meade, in his epic 2-volume history, Old Churches, Ministers, and Families of Virginia, said the elder Meade was a conscientious vestryman of the "established" (Episcopal/Anglican) church, whether either of his parents were of that persuasion.

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