William Meeks

1. William Meeks was born about 1725. (source unknown) He died 1797 Greenville Co., SC.

He married Molly Nolan about 1750. (source unknown) She died in 1766.

The name William Meek(s) is found throughout the colonies. Most records do not identify the individual so care must be taken when assigning any record to an individual.

William Meeks is listed in the 1777 tax list of Surry Co., NC. In 1784 he own 100 acres on the Tarrarat River next to Charles and William Denny. In the 1785 Surry County Court Minutes William is exempted from poll taxes because of age or infirmity. (Source: Surry County, North Carolina Abstracts Deed Books A, B and C. Abstracted by Mrs. W. O. Absher and published by the Southern Historical Press 1981.)

William sold his farm in Surry County, NC, in 1785 and moved to Greenville to live with his son Athe.

Deed Book D p. 294
"Know all men by these presents that I, William Meeks, of the county of Greenville and state of South Carolina have constituted and appointed and by these presents do constitute, make and appoint my loving son, Athe Meeks, of Greenville County in the said state, my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and stead...to ask...and receive all such sums of money...etc. dated 27 September 1794." Signed William Meeks. (Deed Book D p. 294)

Greenville County Court
“I, William Meeks Senior, of the State of South Carolina and Greenville County, for and in consideration of Athe Meeks my son taking charge of me and seporting and finding necessaries as I shall stand in need of during my natural life have granted, bargained and sold and by the presents do grant, bargain, sell and deliver unto the said Athe Meeks all and every of the following property viz …. A debt of twelve pounds in the hands of the said Athe Meeks, one cow yearling, seven barrels of corn together with all and every of my goods, and chattels and household furniture unto said Athe Meeks, 7 January, 1797.”

DNA test prove that descendants of Athe, Nacy and Littleton share a common ancestor. A descendant of Priddy has not yet been tested. This does not prove they were children of William. The source for his children is unknown except for Athe. There is "some" reason to believe that at least some of his children were sons of John Meeks.

2. Priddy Meeks was born between 1747-1751 in Hanover, VA. Connection to William Meeks is not proven. Male descendant named Meeks needs for DNA test.
3. Athe Meeks was born between 1750-1856 in Hanover Co., VA. He died 20 Apr 1812 in Spencer Co., IN. Documentation proves he was a son of William Meeks. DNA Kit#212486, SMGF#1 & SMGF#2
4. John Meeks was born in 1761. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.
5. Susanna Meeks was born in 1749. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.
6. Jesse Meeks was born in 1753. He may be the person listed in the 1800 tax list of Shelby Co., KY. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.
7. Nancy Meeks was born in 1762. This name not listed in some genealogies. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.
8. Martin Meeks was born about 1757. He married Margaret ______. The name Martin Meeks was listed in the 1782 Virginia census. He is listed in deed records from 1783 Hanover Co., VA selling land that he inherited from John Meeks. Connection to William is not proven.
9. Sarah Meeks was born about 1764. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.
10. Candance Meeks was born about 1765. She married William Williams. Birth date varies in different genealogies. There is no evidence to connect this person to William Meeks or anyone else.

William married a second time to an unknown person. Note: This fact is widely reported but is not supported by any proof known to this author. See note on DNA.

11. Littleton Meeks was born on 8 Feb 1766 in Virginia. DNA shows he shared a common ancestor with Athe and Nacy. DNA=Kit #49630 and Kit#68969
12. Nacy Meeks was born in 1768 in Virginia. DNA shows he shared a common ancestor with Athe and Littleton. DNA Kit #56015, 159743, 120031 & 112756

DNA Implications

An analysis of Y-DNA results for descendants of Littleton, Nacy and Athe boils down to two markers. They are DYS 576 and DYS 456. Overall results show that these three ancestors shared a common ancestor. Who that ancestor was or when he lived is not revealed by DNA. It does not prove that the three men were sons of any particular person or what their relationship might have been.

One of the few proven facts from genealogy concerning relationships is that on 7 Jan 1797 William Meeks transferred his property to “Athe Meeks my son” in Greenville Co., SC court records. Therefore it is accepted that Athe Meeks was a son of William Meeks.

Four descendants of Nacy received DNA tests. They represent three different sons. All had DYS 576=19. Therefore it is highly likely that Nacy and probably Nacy’s father also had DYS 576=19. One of three available tests for descendants of Athe also has DYS 576=19. (That marker is missing for the other two members and additional tests are desirable.) The members from Scotland also have DYS 576=19. Since any connection between them and the U. S. families predate the early 1700’s this lends support to the conclusion that it is likely that the ancestral value for DYS 576 is 19.

There are two DNA tests for descendants of Littleton Meeks. One descends through his son William Sheridan Meeks and the other descends through his son Jesse. Each has the same results of DYS 576=20. Therefore Littleton and probably Littleton’s father probably also had DYS 576=20. This marker will, in most cases, distinguish descendants of Littleton Meeks from those of Athe Meeks and Nacy Meeks.

The three descendants of two sons of Athe Meeks also have DYS 456=15 while descendants of Littleton and Nacy have DYS 456=16. This marker will, in most cases, distinguish descendants of Athe from those of Littleton and Nacy.

Descendants of Athe and Littleton have a genetic distance of two when looking at the ancestral values. Hanover Co., VA deed records dated 2 October 1788 show that Littleton inherited land from John Meek of Hanover Co., VA. Neither fact is conclusive by itself. However the two facts complement each other and give each more weight than they would otherwise have standing alone. This data indicates that the father of Littleton Meeks was not William Meek’s, the father of Athe.

Since DNA proves that Athe and Littleton were NOT brothers the question is how did Nacy fit into this group. It is more likely for two brothers to have a different value in one marker than it would be for two brothers to have different values in two markers. Nacy could have been a brother of Athe or a brother of Littleton. He could not have been a brother of both although all three were related. Buy the same token DNA does not rule out the possibility that there were three fathers involved. Given the level of data currently available it is not possible to be more definitive about the relationship of these ancestors.

Disclaimer: This genealogy was prepared by the author using undocumented and/or unverified sources. Some facts presented here MAY NOT be correct. Never accept as factual any information you find in a library, the Internet or from other genealogist unless it is supported by documentation. Documentation DOES NOT include the undocumented genealogies of other people including those on this web site.

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Note:
Journal of Priddy Meeks
Utah Historical Quarterly, 1942 Vol 10, p145 by J. Cecil Alter, Ed.
[The following quotation DOES NOT come from this source.]

"William Meeks came from England, he had two sons, John and William. They lived in Virginia. William Meeks married and had three sons, Priddy, Athe and Jesse. His wife died; he married again and had two sons, Middleton and Nacy. They lived in Georgia. My father had two sisters that I remember, Candice Williams and Susannah Mitchum. My father, Athe Meeks married Margaret Snead and had ten children."

Although some of this information may be correct it did not come from the Journal of Priddy Meeks. There is no known source concerning who William’s father was or if he had a brother.

Note:
1790 Greenville Co., SC
Athi Meeks 1-5-5

1790 Pendleton Co., SC
Littleton Meeks 1-2-1

The 1796-1796 tax list of Shelby Co., KY lists Priddy Meeks and John Meeks. In 1801 Suddeth, William and John Meeks were listed.

The 1810 census of Elizabethtown, Hardin Co., KY list Prudy Meeks over the age of 45. Also listed were William Meeks age 26-45 and Benjamin age 16-26.

1810 Hardin Co., KY.
Purdy Meeks 0-0-0-0-1//0-0-3-1-2
Wm Meeks 1-0-0-1-0//2-0-0-1
Benj Meeks 2-0-1-0-0//1-0-0-1

1820 Hart Co., KY
Pridy Meeks 0-0-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-0-1

1820 Warrick Co., IN
John Meeks 2-0-1-0-1-0//3-2-0-1-0-0-0
Benj Meeks 1-1-0-0-1-0//4-1-0-1-0-0

Charles Meeks 2-0-0-0-1-0//1-0-1-0-0-0

Prudy Meeks 2-0-0-1-0//2-0-2-1-0
Wm Meeks 1-2-0-0-1-0//2-0-0-1-0

1830 Luce TWP, Spencer Co., IN
John Meeks 0-0-0-2-0-0-1//0-1-3-0-0-1 age 40-50
Greenberry Meeks 1-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-1-1 age 20-30
Richard Meeks 0-0-0-0-1//0-0-0-0-1 age 20-30
Benjamin Meeks 1-0-0-1-0-0-1//1-0-2-1-1 age 40-50
Athe Meeks 0-2-2-1-0-1//2-0-1-0-0-2 age 30-40 s/o Atha b: 1750
Predy Meeks 1-0-2-0-0-1//0-1-1-0-0-1 age 30-40 s/o Atha b: 1750

1840 Spencer Co., IN
Benjamin Meeks age 50-60
John Meeks age 40-50
Athy Meeks age 20-30
William Goatley age 50-60
Green Meek age 30-40 w/male age 70-80

Charles Meeks age 50-60 page 7
David Meeks 30-40 page 41
Jesse Meeks 30-40 page 41
Richard Meeks 40-50 age 31
George Meeks no data page 31

William Meeks

William Meeks age 60-70 w/male age 20-30 s/o Priddy
M. J. Meeks age 20-30 (Mason J. Meeks) s/o William

Athy Meeks age 40-50 s/o Atha b: 1750
William Meeks age 20-30 s/o Atha b: 1793

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William Meeks

(1725- )

By Christopher A. Meek