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Thomas Meade, also known as Meador, son of Thomas Meades. Married Sarah (Hoskins?)

Do not confuse with his cousin Thomas Meador, of South Farnham Parish, son of Ambrose Meador, who married Susannah Reynolds.

Thomas Meador the Younger (Jr.) and his wife Sarah were the parents of three children:

1. John,
2. Susanna, and
3. Mary.

The family lived on Hoskins Creek in (Old) Rappahannock County.

Thomas Jr. died there before 13 Apr. 1662.

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Confusion of Thomas Meador and Thomas Meades

From https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Thomas_Meador_%2831%29

Thomas Meades and Thomas Meador, son of Ambrose Meador, have been confused and conflated by many persons posting information on the internet and elsewhere.[6] An unfortunate consequences of the confusion is the assumption that Thomas Meades was a son of Ambrose Meador. He was not. Thomas Meades and Ambrose Meador were contemporaries. Their sons, Thomas Meador, son of Ambrose Meador, and Thomas “Orphan” Meador, son of Thomas Meades, were also contemporaries.

Separating Thomas Meador and Thomas Meades

Ambrose Meador had a son named Thomas Meador, born 1636. Thomas Meades had a son, Thomas “Orphan” Meador, about 1638, when the son of Ambrose was still a very young child. Thomas Meades could not be Thomas Meador the son of Ambrose Meador.

Thomas Meades died before August 1655. Thomas Meador, son of Ambrose Meador was still living in 1661 when he and his father shared the purchase of property.[3] Again, Thomas Meador, son of Ambrose, and Thomas Meades cannot be the same person.

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NAME spelling variations in the records:

Thomas Meades Orphan/Jr., born by 1637 and orphaned by 1655, disappeared from the documentary record, at least insofar as he used the surname Meades. On the other hand, Thomas Meader, Orphan/Jr., born by about 1637 and orphaned by 1659, appeared with the Meador surname in 1662, and then passed down the family surname as Meador. Because both of these Thomas Orphan/Jr.'s were born by about 1637 and orphaned between 1655 and 1659, it seems highly likely that they were the same person, given other connections between their family histories. This was the conclusion drawn by Meador genealogists in the early 1980s, and seemingly decades before.

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Via Alford Geneology

From "Our Colonial Meador Ancestors" by Victor Paul Meadors "Thomas Meador (called orphan) apparently was close to legal age at the death of his father, (1) Thomas Meads, in 1655, because he was able to make a legal deed in 1658 . Much heretofore has been made of his having to be between 14 and 17 years of age to choose his own guardian, but under English common law, 21 was generally considered to be the age responsibility. Thus. it must be considered that Thomas, the son, was born as early as 1636 or 1637 to have attained 21 years of age by 1658. This also would appear likely in view of his marriage, which must have occurred about this time.

"In the deed mentioned above, Thomas Meador contracted the sell to James Haire "25 acres of land, being part of the land that was given unto me by my father, Thomas Meades deceased, and to my brother (name missing)." This confirms his parentage and that he had a brother, who is given in the father's will as John Meador. This 1658 deed was signed by Thomas with a unique mark, a cross with barred ends, a signature found nowhere else in the county records. "Records of the distribution of the estate of the senior Thomas Meades are missing, so one cannot say just how the lands willed to Thomas and his brother

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Excerpt from Victor Meadors publication "Meador families of Virginia and points West" 1982

source: LDS publication

(1) Thomas Meador

Our earliest known ancestor was Thomas Meades/Meader/Meador, who came to the Jamestown Colony in Virginia in the early 1630's. His origin in England is still unknown, although popular thinking would make him a member of one of the several families of similar name in the county of Suffolk in southeast England. But no supporting evidence has yet been found. Both Thomas and a possible brother, Ambrose Meador, had their passages paid by others, to whom they surrendered their "headright grants" of50 acres of land each in 1636. Ambrose (and quite possibly Thomas) settled in Isle of Wight County on the south side of the Pagan River.
The area had been colonized about 1610 by members of the Puritan belief, soon after the founding of the Jamestown Colony in 1607. Ambrose, at least, has been identified as a member of the Puritans there, and he and perhaps Thomas as well lived nearby when St. Luke's Church (the oldest church of the colonies still remaining) was constructed in 1632. A visit to this very beautiful church of our ancestors is highly rewarding.
There was a general migration from the Isle of Wight about 1650, perhaps to escape the jurisdiction of the royal governor, who had promoted an edict against the Puritan teachings. They settled along the northeast shore of the Rappahannock River (in present Richmond Co.) where Ambrose purchased 1000 acres from a grant to James Williamson, and Thomas bought 750 acres from a grant to William Underwood.
The two plantations were only a couple of miles apart, but no definite statement of the relationship between the two men can be made.
Ambrose called his lands "Accokeek," an Indian name; about a hundred years later we find the name "Islington" applied to the plantation once owned by Thomas Meador, but it is uncertain if this is the name given by Thomas. Both plantation names are still in use today, although the original buildings are long gone.
As documented thoroughly in the previous volume, Ambrose left no descendants beyond the 4th. generation, and apparently his lineage ends there. But Thomas, when he died in 1655, left a will (see transcription) listing his widow, who is not named, two sons, and four daughters. Of these six children, only the families of son Thomas and daughter Mary have been traced. Mary married Richard Hobbs and her descendants have been traced to the 6th. generation. The lineage of the younger Thomas was continued through to the 5th. generation;
these pages extend that heritage to the 16th. generation.

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Referenced as "The Orphan" ID: I09601 Thomas made a deed in 1658. He had a brother, John, and a sister, Mary. His mark was "I" with a "-" across it. This mark is found no where else in the records. Two tracts of land: a) Hoskins Creek - 320a (for transport of 7 people) just South of Rexburg, Virginia today. It is called Cheatwood Millpond today. and b) Hoskins Creek - 450a 9 April 1664 from Thomas Meades, his father. Both grants were recorded after his own death. AKA "The Orphan". [v67t1326.ftw]

Facts about this person:
Occupation PLANTER: TOBACCO- MAIN CROP

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Thomas Meador (Meadows), Jr. was born between 1635 and 1638 in Virginia. He was also called Thomas Meador the Younger, and after his father's death, was called Thomas "Orphan" Meador (Meadows).

When his father died in 1655, Thomas was close to legal age; probably 18 years old. From his father, he inherited 350acres west of Juggs Creek. He was to share this with his brother John.

On August 6, 1655, Thomas Meads "Orphan" petitioned the court that William Underwood be appointed his guardian. The estate of his father was in the hands of George Bryer, and was ordred to be delivere d to Mr. Underwood. In January of 1656, the Lancaster Court found that the estate was still undivided and in George Bryer's hands. The court ordered 4 men (including Ambrose Meador and Francis Gower) to divide the estate.

In 1658, Thomas Meades "Orphan" contracted to sell 25 acres of his portion. However, it was found through later deeds that his sister, Mary, retained the entire 750 acre tract. Thomas also made a lega l deed in 1658, so he must have been 21 years old in that year. The deed was signedby Thomas with an unique mark - a cross with barred ends, a signature found nowhere else in county records.

Between 1658 and 1659, Thomas married Sarah. No further information is available about her. Thomas and Sarah had five children, Thomas, John Susannah, Mary and Dorothy.

Thomas had probably been raised in the Puritan religioin of his father. However, because of the severe morality laid down by the Puritan elders, the younger generation began searching for a faith that was less restrictive and demanding. As early as 1652, followersof the Anglican church were known to be meeting in the Lancaster area. The Anglican church had official sanction, with the authority to punish those who didnot pay their levies or attend the local church. This necessitated the founding of churches on the frontier. Sometime before 1660, an Anglican Church was built on the east side of the Rappahannock River between Totuskey and Farnham Creeks. It later became known as the North Farnham Parish. On the west bank, anAnglican church was built about 3 miles west of Hobbs Hole (now Tappa hannock) between Hoskins and Piscattaway Creeks. This was known as Piscataway Church, and later became know on South Farnham Church. This South Farnham Church was undoubtedly the one attended by the M eades family. Apparently a road from the Meades homestead on Hoskins Creek led southeastward to the church. Because of the building of Anglican churches in this area, it can be seen that the Puritan i nfluence had declined.

In 1661, an Indian raid took place on the neighboringplantation of Richard White. Richard's daughter, Elizabeth would later marry Thomas' son, John. Elizabeth was apparently not yet born, but her brot her, Thomas White, and two other men were brutally murdered. Thomas' parents, Richard and Addra White, escaped this gruesome raid.

Perhaps as many as 300 people were killed in these Indian raids. Demanding protection, the settlers petitioned the Jamestown Government for arms, forts and soldiers. From Rappahannock County was sent a "Petition of 15 Grievances" signed by, among others, Henry Awbrey and Col. Thomas Gouldman. They begged that: "the war with the heathen...maybe prosecuted effectually and managed in such sort that s ome Counties may not be totally ruined whilst others live in...peace and quietness, whilst poore Rappaahannock lies ableeding whose number of people murdered and estates destroyedcan find no parallel in Virginia...for while we are tending corn to feed our wives and children, the Indians...would butcher us in our fields, tey being so frequent about us that we dare not stir from our plantations."

On June 3, 1663, a grant was recorded to Thomas for 320 acres for the transportation of sevenpeople to the colony. The land was near the head of Hoskins Creek, southside of the Rappahannock River

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Note: Thomas Jr. (#2) recieved the land from his father's estate of April 9, 1664 Patent Book No. 5 page 196. It reads"Thomas Meader, Orphan, 450 acres, Lancaster County, April 9, 1664, pg. 196 South side of the head of Joskins Cree, Begining near Indian path. Franted to Thomas Browing November 30, 1657, assigned to John Cook, who assigned to Thomas Meader dec. and given by will to above named pat entee.

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Know All men by these presents that I Thomas Meader of the countie of Rappa.(in Virgnia for a Vallubale[sic]%29 consideersaon [sic]to me in hand paid by Richard Tomlynson of the same County Planter (have given granted) bargained and sold and coafirmed and do by these presents for me my heirs and assignes give grant bargined and sell unto the said Richard Tomlynson. One hundred and fifty acres of land lying and being on (missing) Rappa River aforesaid and bing part of a devident of thee hundred acres lately given granted and (missing) said Thomas Meader by Ambrose Meader (my father) TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said one hundred and fifty acres of land with all the houses (orchards & c) thereunton belonging and appertaning (missing) priviledges thereunto belonging (missing) according to the tennour and (missing) by the rents and services (missing) unto ther said Richard Tomlynson his heirs and assignes forever against all persons claiming by from or under me the said Thomas Meader (missing) (Ambrose) Meader, my father or his heirs and have hereunto put my hand and seal date this (missing) ammo 1657

Thomas Meader

450 ac was granted to Thomas Browning on 30 Nov 1657, then assigned to John Cooke in 1659 and he in turn assigned it to Thomas Meador (Senior). Before the transaction was recorded on 9 Apr 1664, Thomas Sr had died and the property descended to his son, Thomas Meador, Orphan. This 450 ac grant became the property of John Meador who divided it among the children of his first wife (deed of gift-Essex Co Deeds & Wills 1692-1695 p 332) anticipating a second marrige. Portions were also divided among the children of his second wife through the terms of John's will.

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What is an Orphan? Also referred to as o/i Ans. Under legal of age (21) who is due an inheritance

Age breakdowns and categories.

1-6 infant 7-13 puberty, 14-21 orphan Male 1-6 infant 7-11 puberty, 12-18 orphan Female

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«b»Legal Age «/b»http://www.genfiles.com/legal/legalage.htm

Thomas Meador (called orphan) apparently was close to legal age at the death of his father, Thomas Meads in 1655, because he was able to make a legal deed in 1658. Much heretofore has been made of his having to be between 14 and 17 years of age to choose his own guardian, but under English common law, 21 was generally considered to be the age of responsibility. Thus, it must be considered that Thomas, the son, was born as early as 1636 or 1637 to have attained 21 years of age by 1658. This also would appear likely in view of his marriage, which must have occurred about this time.

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The tract was still undivided in December 1658, when Thomas Meador Mead es (the orphan) contracted to sell 25 acres of his portion to James Hair e, "that was given to me by my father, Thomas Meades, deceased, and to my brother (name missing) in case that part of the land...shall fa ll to my lot at the dividing of the said land." In actuality, it is fou nd through later deeds that Mary obtained possession of the entire 700-ac re tract, but in what manner is unknown. Perhaps the portion allott ed to Thomas Meador was exchanged for rights to the grant on Hoskins Creek .

Of these two grants, the first one recorded was made to the younger Thomas Meador, of 320 acres for the transportation of seven persons to the colony, recorded June 3,1663. Sufficient data survives to permit the plotting of this tract. The grant shows a peculiar characteristic, in that it requires a southeasterly flowing section of Hoskins Creek roughly 181 poles (2986 feet) long, whereas the major portion of Hoskins Creek flows easterly. Of three possible locations along the creek where it flows southeasterly for that length, one would eliminate by its location two near the mouth of the creek, whereas the grant specified that it was toward the head of the creek. Another is eliminated by its encroachment upon property granted to Henry Awbrey further upstream, which also requires a similar-flowing southeast section. The area best fitting the requirements lies at what is known today as "Cheatwood Millpond". This location is just southeast of Rexburg, Virginia, and seven ! miles west of Tappahannock, county seat of Essex County

The second of the two grants was for 450 acres, also near the head of Hoskins Creek. It was first granted to Thomas Browning on November 30,1657. It was then assigned to John Cooke in 1659, and he in turn assigned it to Thomas Meads (senior). Before this series of transactions was finally recorded on April 9,1664, Thomas Sr. had died and the property descended to his son, Thomas Meador, orphan. The above series of actions is recorded in the wording of the grant By plotting these two grants, it can be seen that they lay side by side on the south side of Hoskins Creek, with the 450 acre grant upstream (west) of the 320 acre grant, and that they shared a common boundary. Both grants were recorded after the apparent death of Thomas Meador, orphan.

The 450 acre grant (made to Thomas Meador, orphan) clearly became the property of John Meador, who divided it among the children of his first wife. Portions were also divided among the children of his second wife through the terms of John's will. A descendant, William Meador, in a deed in 1728 and another in 1734, continued the lineage from his great-grandfather Thomas Meador through John, Richard, and himself, making the descent of the property and lineage involved unquestionable. The genealogy of the Meador family from Thomas Meads is thus established to that point.

No documentation has been found to show explicitly that Thomas Meader, orphan, was also known as Thomas Meador, the younger. Nevertheless, the only other Thomas Meador found in the area at that time was Thomas, the son of Ambrose Meador. It would appear that the known facts fit more logically with the conclusion that Thomas, orphan, and Thomas the younger were one and the same. Particularly, Thomas, orphan, is the only one who was also the son of an elder Thomas, thus requiring the description, "the younger".

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Nor does the will of Thomas Meads make mention of grant lands on Hoskins C reek, south of the Rappahannock River, possibly because these grants had n ot been finalized. Yet, a grant in 1664 applying to the 450 acres on Hosk ins Creek indicates that the grant had been left to Thomas Meador Meade r, orphan, by the will of his father, Thomas Meader, deceased. Thus, we ha ve evidence that the elder Thomas Meads Meader (Meads, Meades) bought fr om John Cooke this 450 acre tract, which descended after his death to h is son, Thomas Meader, orphan. While this series of transactions was reco rded in 1664 (long after Thomas Meads had made his will and died), it wou ld appear possible that the actions were started about the time Thomas Mea ds died, and were carried to completion later by Thomas Meador Meader, orp han. The fact that he did not yet possess the land on Hoskins Creek may e xplain why Thomas Meads (the elder) did not include mention of it in his w ill. Of course, one could conclude that there was yet another Thomas Meades who was the recipient of the grant. But this would require that the re be a second pair of Thomas Meader's father and son, with the further co incidence that the son would be known as Thomas Meader, orphan. A revi ew of the lineage of Ambrose Meador reveals that such a father/son combina tion did not exist among the descendants. This is a vital link in determi ning our lineage, for subsequent deeds for this 450 acre tract make cle ar that, after the land was inherited by John Meador from his father, Thom as Meador, orphan, the lineage is unmistakable.

In summary, it has been found that Thomas Meads left only two surviving he irs to his property, son Thomas Meador Meader and daughter Mary Meads Hobb s.

http://www.genfiles.com/legal/wills.htm

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Thomas Meads/Meador Jr. of Old Rappahannock County, Virginia
Thomas Meade/Meador, Orphan, or "the Younger" (Jr.) was born by at least Dec. 1637, probably in Isle of Wight County.
His father died in Lancaster County in 1655, three years before Thomas Jr. appears in records as an adult. Thomas Meade, orphan, appeared in Lancaster County Court on 6 Aug. 1655 and asked that William Underwood remain his guardian.
Thomas Meade sold 25 acres in Dec. 1658, stating in the deed that the property had belonged to his father, Thomas Meade, deceased.
After that time, records indicate a shift in the family surname from Meade to Meader/Meador.
On this basis, Thomas Meade Jr. seems to have become known as Thomas Meader/Meador, Orphan, or Thomas Meador the Younger (Jr.), his father then referred to posthumously as Thomas Meader/Meador, deceased.

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Origins

Thomas Meader was born in Virginia and died between 1657 and 1664 in Rappahannock County, Virginia. He was the son of Thomas Meader "the Elder." Thomas married Sarah in c.1640. Her birth name is not known. It has been suggested that her name was Wellstead, but this is not proven.

While later generations consistently spell the name "Meador," in earlier generations the name was also found as Meader, Meades, or Meads, and, rarely, Meadows.

Thomas was sometimes referred as "the Younger," to distinguish between him and his father. It was about this time that the terms Junior and Senior began to be used, not as suffixes and permanent parts of a man's name, but as descriptors, to show the relationship between two men. As a result, Thomas, who had been known as "the Younger," was also known as Thomas, Sr., after the birth of his son Thomas. Note - ordinary people of this era did NOT use suffixes I, II, III, etc., after their names. When you find this on non-royal profiles, it is because a genealogist or family historian added them to keep the generations straight.

Thomas is found on various land documents in Rappahannock County. Using these documents, we can get an estimate for his date of death. He sold land inherited from his father to Richard Tomlinson in 1657. In 1659, John Cooke received 450 acres from Thomas Browning, which Cooke then transferred to Thomas Meader. Before the transfer could be recorded, Thomas Meader had died. The land was recorded in the name of Thomas Meader, Orphan, the son of the late Thomas Meader. There is more on this usage of "Orphan" on son Thomas' profile.

References are made to this Thomas' will, in relation to the sale of land his children received. So far, a copy of this will has not been found.

Children of Thomas ‘the elder’ Meaders: :

• Thomas "Orphan" Meador b: 1640 in Virginia, married Sarah (unk)
• Susanna Meader b: Abt 1642, mentioned in her mother's declaration in 1662.
• John Meader b: Abt 1643 in Virginia, named in his mother declaration in 1662.
• Mary Meader b: Abt 1645 in Virginia, mentioned in her mother's declaration in 1662, married Richard Hobbs
• Sarah Meades b: Abt 1652 in Virginia, may have died as a child as there are no further records for her after 1662.

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References

1. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I3172... (shows as son of Ambrose Meador in error)
2. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Thomas_Meador_%2831%29
3. WikiTree contributors, "Thomas Meads (bef.1638-aft.1658)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Meads-1237 : accessed 16 April 2025).
4. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Thomas_Meador_%2831%29
5. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sugarbear...
6. from findagrave -http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Meador&GSiman...
7. Updated from RootsWeb's WorldConnect via father Thomas Meader by SmartCopy: Feb 27 2015, 4:43:17 UTC
8. Meador Genealogy - From IOW to Cumberland Co VA (revised Apr 2025) (document attached)