Eli Mead

From Descendants of William Mead: Working file of Mary Lou Cook, updated 4 June 2011

http://collectornuts.com/mead.pdf

Eli Mead (c1730 - bef. 1820), son of Jonathan, grandson of Jonathan, great grandson of John, second great grandson of William, said to have died in Painted Post, Steuben County, New York.

Asserted to have married Mercy Holmes (c1732 - aft. 1810) on Feb. 7, 1760, in the South Amenia Presbyterian Church in Dutchess County, Province of New York.

Probably the Eli Mead who was an early settler of Painted Post within what was Ontario County, New York in 1793. In 1796, it became part of Steuben County. (Woodford, 1879, p. 288). Another source says that he arrived in the area of what will become Painted Post in Ontario County in about 1788, while his son Eldad settled there in 1790 and became the area's first lumber manufacturer and raft navigation in Painted Post (Near, 1911, p.240).

• 1790 Census: Male over 16: 1; Females: 3; No slaves
• 1800 Census: Male under 10: 1; Male over 45: 1; female 10-16: 1; female 16-26: 1; female 26-45: 1
• 1810 Census: Male 10-16: 1; Male over 45: 1; female 16-26: 1; female over 45; 1
• 1820 Census: Eli is no longer listed; his son Eldad is still living in Painted Post

According to Roberts (1891), Eli came from Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, but other references do not mention a birth location. Eli Mead, Esq., is the only Mead listed in the 1790 census. He had no other sons listed in that census, and there were three females listed, probably his wife and two daughters. Eli became the first supervisor of Painted Point, representing the town at the board that met at Cannadaigua in 1798, and served as one of several Justices of the Peace (McMaster, 1853).

"Mr. Mead went on foot, by Indian trails, through the vast wilderness nearly seventy miles to meet his associates from the different scattered settlements in the county seat. There was scarce habitation on his route, and he was compelled to 'take his hotel and bar in a knapsack upon his back in the daytime, and use them for a pillow at night, under the protecting roof of the dense foliage of the trees near his path.' When the county of Steuben was erected in 1796, Painted Post became one of its original towns" (Woodford, 1879, p. 288).

According to Roberts (1891), Eli Mead was one of only four white men in the region of Painted Point in 1789, when he settled at the mouth of the creek that bears his name (p. 304).

In the 1800 Census, he was listed as Ely Mead, and his family included a boy under age 10, his wife, and two daughters enumerated in 1790. He was over the age of 45, so he was born before 1755, while his son was born between 1790 and 1800. In the 1810 census, the boy was listed as between 10 and 16, and so he was born between 1794 and 1800. In 1810, his wife was over 45, but still several years younger than Eli. His youngest daughter was aged 16-26. His second daughter was either deceased or married and moved away. In 1820, he was not listed, so he probably died before the census was taken.

References:

• McMaster, Guy H. (1853). History of the settlement of Steuben County, New York. Bath, NY: Underhill Publishers.
• Roberts, Millard F. (1891). Historical Gazetteer of Steuben County, New York. Syracuse: M.F. Roberts Publishers.
• Woodford, Clayton W. (1879). History of Steuben County, New York. Philadelphia: Lewis, Peck & Co.

Children asserted to be:

• 1. Darius Mead
• 2. Eli Mead (Mar. 28, 1762 - bef. 1840) born in Oblong, Dutchess County, Province of New York
• 3. Eldad Mead (Aug. 21, 1767 - July 21, 1847) died in Campbell (once part of Painted Point), Steuben County, New York, buried in Hope Cemetery in Corning, Steuben County, New York

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GEDCOM Note

1790 Erwin, Ontario County, NY 1 Male greater than 16 yrs, 3 Females

Eli Mead is listed as a taxable inhabitant in the 1774 Augusta, Northumberland County, PA list. He was commissioned a Justice of the Peace, and a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the District of Wyoming and the County of Northumberland on July 14, 1786.

Eli and Eldad Mead settled in the town of Erwin in Steuben County in 1790. Eli owned land at the mouth of Meads Creek in the Town of Erwin, Steuben County, NY.

From "History of Steuben County, New York", Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & Co., 1879:'The old town of Painted Post was organized as part of Ontario County in 1793, and was represented by its supervisor, Mr. Eli Mead, in the board which met at Canandaigua. Mr. Mead went on foot, by Indian trails, through the vast wilderness nearly seventy miles to meet his associates from the different scattered settlements at the county-seat. There was scarce a habitation on his route, and he was compelled to "take his hotel and bar in a knapsack upon his back in the daytime, and use them for a pillow at night, under the protecting roof of the dense foliage of the trees near his path." When the County of Steuben was erected in 1796, Painted Post became one of its original towns. It comprised the territory now embraced by the six towns of Hornby, Campbell, Erwin, Lindley, Corning and Caton.'

GEDCOM Note