Mark Meeks

Mark Meeks was born on 12 July 1795 in South Carolina, the son of Rev. Littleton Meeks (8 Feb 1766 – 22 Sept 1852) and Elizabeth M. Ivey (10 July 1768 – 1857). Littleton Meeks was born in Surry County Virginia. In 1786, Littleton married Elizabeth M. Ivey, the daughter of John Ivey. They lived in Virginia until the latter 1780s, when they moved to Pendleton County South Carolina. By about 1806, Littleton and Elizabeth had settled in Franklin County Georgia, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Littleton was a Baptist minister and served for a time as a missionary to the Cherokee Nation.

About 1817, Mark Meeks married Ann Chambers, the daughter of John Chambers and Elizabeth Jane Johnston; Ann was born about 1802 in Georgia. Their eldest child was born in Georgia in 1818, but by 1820 they had moved to Alabama. By the mid-1820s they lived in Fayette County Alabama, where Mark served as sheriff and tax collector during the period 1825 – 1828 and again during 1832 – 1837. He ran for the state senate in 1834 but was defeated.

By 1842 Mark Meeks, Sr. had settled in Union Parish Louisiana. The following year his eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth, married Elisha Ward, Jr., and in 1850, his son Joseph Anderson married Elisha’s niece, Harty Ann Auld. On 23 May 1846, Mark and Ann Meeks, together with another ten people all founded the Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church. The church was located just across the Louisiana/Arkansas state line in Union County Arkansas from Union Parish. On June 26th, the church included Mark on the committee appointed to write the rules of decorum for the church. Then on August 22nd, the church elected Mark as the first church deacon. His ordination as deacon occurred on September 27th, and the presbytery consisted of Elders C. B. Landers and Charles Primm.

Sometime in the mid-1850s, Mark Meeks moved a short distance west to Claiborne Parish. His wife Ann Chambers Meeks died there in March 1857. On 21 September 1858 in Claiborne Parish, Meeks remarried to Sarah Ann Fullerton Cobb (May 1823 – 1900/1910). She had married John Cobb in 1841 in Pickens County Alabama. Mark and Sarah had one daughter, Willia Celestia Meeks (29 Nov 1863 – 16 Jan 1919), who married Thomas T. Kerley on 21 October 1881 in Mexia, Limestone County Texas.

Between 1870 and 1880, Mark Meeks, Sr. moved his wife and youngest daughter west to Texas, and in 1880 they lived in Limestone County. Mark apparently enjoyed good health well into his old age; in 1880 at the age of 84, he was still listed as a farmer. He died in Chillicothe, Hardeman County Texas on 7 March 1891.

Family tradition claims that he was buried in the cemetery there, but his grave has no marker.

Mark Meeks was born on 12 July 1795 in South Carolina, the son of Rev. Littleton Meeks (8 Feb 1766 – 22 Sept 1852) and Elizabeth M. Ivey (10 July 1768 – 1857). Littleton Meeks was born in Surry County Virginia. In 1786, Littleton married Elizabeth M. Ivey, the daughter of John Ivey. They lived in Virginia until the latter 1780s, when they moved to Pendleton County South Carolina. By about 1806, Littleton and Elizabeth had settled in Franklin County Georgia, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Littleton was a Baptist minister and served for a time as a missionary to the Cherokee Nation. - - - * - - - About 1817, Mark Meeks married Ann Chambers, the daughter of John Chambers and Elizabeth Jane Johnston; Ann was born about 1802 in Georgia. Their eldest child was born in Georgia in 1818, but by 1820 they had moved to Alabama. By the mid-1820s they lived in Fayette County Alabama, where Mark served as sheriff and tax collector during the period 1825 – 1828 and again during 1832 – 1837. He ran for the state senate in 1834 but was defeated. - - - * - - - By 1842 Mark Meeks, Sr. had settled in Union Parish Louisiana. The following year his eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth, married Elisha Ward, Jr., and in 1850, his son Joseph Anderson married Elisha’s niece, Harty Ann Auld. On 23 May 1846, Mark and Ann Meeks, together with another ten people all founded the Good Hope Primitive Baptist Church. The church was located just across the Louisiana/Arkansas state line in Union County Arkansas from Union Parish. On June 26th, the church included Mark on the committee appointed to write the rules of decorum for the church. Then on August 22nd, the church elected Mark as the first church deacon. His ordination as deacon occurred on September 27th, and the presbytery consisted of Elders C. B. Landers and Charles Primm. - - - * - - - Sometime in the mid-1850s, Mark Meeks moved a short distance west to Claiborne Parish. His wife Ann Chambers Meeks died there in March 1857. On 21 September 1858 in Claiborne Parish, Meeks remarried to Sarah Ann Fullerton Cobb (May 1823 – 1900/1910). She had married John Cobb in 1841 in Pickens County Alabama. Mark and Sarah had one daughter, Willia Celestia Meeks (29 Nov 1863 – 16 Jan 1919), who married Thomas T. Kerley on 21 October 1881 in Mexia, Limestone County Texas. - - - * - - - Between 1870 and 1880, Mark Meeks, Sr. moved his wife and youngest daughter west to Texas, and in 1880 they lived in Limestone County. Mark apparently enjoyed good health well into his old age; in 1880 at the age of 84, he was still listed as a farmer. He died in Chillicothe, Hardeman County Texas on 7 March 1891. - - - * - - - Family tradition claims that he was buried in the cemetery there, but his grave has no marker.