Rev Matthew Mead

WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Mead_(minister)

About Mead, Matthew, Reverend

The Revd. Matthew Mead, born in 1629 and baptized at Soulbury, Bucks on 7th March, 1629. In 1648 he was elected scholar and on 6th August 1649 admitted a fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. He resigned in 1651. He then became morning lecturer at St. Dunstan’s Church, Stepney. He resided in Gracechurch Street. In 1656 he became a member of the Congregational church formed at Stepney by Greenhill in 1644. In 1658 he was appointed by Cromwell to the "new chapel" at Shadwell (St.Paul’s). From Shadwell, as from his lecturership, he was displaced by the Restoration, but obtained a lecturership at St.Sepulchre’s, Holborn, from which he was ejected by the Uniformity Act of 1662. In 1663 he was living at Worcester House, Stepney. Either the Conventicle Act or the Five Miles Act, which came into operation in 1666, drove him to Holland. He seems to have been in London during the great plague of 1665. In 1669 he became assistant to Greenhill in Stepney and after Greenhill’s death succeeded him as pastor. In 1674 a meetng house was built for Mead at Stepney. Reverend Mead had the largest congregation in London at the time. Matthew was buried at Stepney Meeting. The epitaph on his tomb is written in Latin. Translated, it reads: Here lie interred the mortal remains of Matthew Mead, Minister of the Gospel, Descended from an honorable family in Buckinghamshire, Eminent for Piety Learning and Eloquence, Who having completed his unremitting and distinguised Labours, For his Country, for Religion, for Liberty, with an invincible Zeal full of days and honour, Weary and panting for repose, but with unclouded Spirit, ascended to the long-wished for abode of the Blessed, in the 70th year of his age, on the 16th Oct 1699 Leaving to Posterity the bright example of a good Subject, a most affectionate Husband, an excellent Father, and a truly Christian Divine Reverend Matthew Mead was the Author of several sermons: *Almost Christian Dscovered *A Name in Heaven the Truest Ground of Joy *The Almost Christian Discovered, 1661 *The Power of Grace in Weaning the Heart from the World

1. Note: had 14 children but only the names of three are known [NO: we have his Will & parish record data]
2. Occupation: prominent clergyman of the Church of England and a man of very liberal views, he was ejected from his charge for nonconformity 1662 England
3. Note: imprisoned for some time but set free by the king

A prominent nonconformist minister. Matthew Mead was ejected from the Church of England for liberal ideas. In 1663, he was apprehended on suspician of complicity in the Rye House rebellion. He was charged but was able to defend himself so the charges were dropped. Either the conventicle act or the five miles act which came into operation in 1666, drove him to Holland. In 1669, he returned and was asked to use his gifts as assistant to Greenhill at the Stepney church in London. Matthew married Elizabeth Walton in St. Mary Woolnoth church in London on January 3, 1654. He was listed from Solber, Bucks and Elizabeth from Allhallows, Lombard Street. They became the parents of fifteen children; William born 18 day of first month 1658; Rebecca christened 1 Oct 1660; Richard, chrs. 22 Aug. 1673; James born 23 apr. 1675 and Elizabeth, born 5 Jan. 1679. All recorded in Bull Lane independent church, Stepney. ---
He opposed the reconstruction of a monarchy after Cromwell, and was imprisoned for his part in the Rye House Plot in 1683: It was a conspiracy to assassinate Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York (later James II), as they passed by Rumbold's Rye House in Hertfordshire on the road from Newmarket to London. However, the king did not make the journey on the expected day; the plot, an offshoot of earlier insurrection plots hatched by the 1st earl of Shaftesbury, was revealed. Although the actual conspirators were only minor figures, the great Whig leaders Lord William Russell and Algernon Sidney were executed on flimsy evidence of guilt by association.
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Matthew Mead and Elizabeth are believed to have had 15 children.
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He delivered a sermon entitled, "The 2 Sticks made one", which apparently became quite popular during his day. Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia, Vol.V, page 319
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Sidney Lee's Dictionary of National Biography, Vol.37, page 81
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Philadelphia Library pamphlet 928 IL (sermon on spiritual wisdom delivered at Stepney, 16 Sept.1660
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Lee Dictionary of National Biography, 1892 - biography of Matthew Mead by Rev. Alexander Gordon
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Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900 http://search.ancestry.com: MEADE, MATTHEW College: KING'S Entered: Easter, 1649 Born: Died: Oct. 16, 1699 Adm. at KING'S (age 17) a scholar from Eton, 1648. Of Bradenham, Bucks. 2nd s. of Richard, of Mursley, Bucks. Matric. Easter, 1649. Left, 1651. V. of St Paul's, Shadwell, 1658-62, ejected. Went to Holland, 1664. Minister at Stepney, 1671. A powerful preacher. Supported the movement for an amalgamation of the presbyterian and congregationalist bodies, 1690. Author, sermons. Died Oct. 16, 1699, aged 70. Buried at Stepney. M.I. Will, P.C.C. Father of the noted Dr Richard Mead. (D.N.B.; Calamy, II. 187.)
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The third son of Richard Meade of Soulbury and Joane his wife was the Revd. Matthew Mead, born in 1629 and baptized at Soulbury on 7th March of that year. In 1648 he was elected scholar and on 6th August 1649 admitted a fellow of King's College, Cambridge. He resigned in 1651. He then became morning lecturer at St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney. He resided in Gracechurch Street. In 1656 he became a member of the Congregational church formed at Stepney by Greenhill in 1644. In 1658 he was appointed by Cromwell to the "new chapel" at Shadwell (St.Paul's). From Shadwell, as from his lecturership, he was displaced by the Restoration, but obtained a lecturership at St.Sepulchre's, Holborn, from which he was ejected by the Uniformity Act of 1662. In 1663 he was living at Worcester House, Stepney. Either the Conventicle Act or the Five Miles Act, which came into operation in 1666, drove him to Holland. He seems to have been in London during the great plague of 1665. In 1669 he became assistant to Greenhill in Stepney and after Greenhill's death succeeded him as pastor. In 1674 a meeting house was built for Mead at Stepney; its roof was upheld by four round pillars "presented to him by the States of Holland"; above the ceiling was an attic with a concealed entrance, a hiding place for the congregation in troublous times. His congregation was the largest in London and he was probably the most eloquent preacher of his time. In 1686 he was again in Holland, preaching at Utrecht, but returned to England in 1687. In 1689 the residence and garden adjoining the meeting house were settled by the congregation on Mead and his heirs "in consideration for" his sufferings and services. He died on 6th October 1699 and was buried in Stepney Churchyard. A Latin inscription is on his tombstone. He was the author of several religious works and many of his sermons were printed. Matthew Mead on 3rd January 1654/5, at the church of St Mary, Woolnoth, married Elizabeth Walton. They had 13 children. Of these we give particulars of three of the sons, viz. Samuel, Robert and Richard.
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A congregation of Protestant Dissenters was established in Stepney in the year 1644 by William Greenhill, who was afterwards vicar of Stepney. He was ejected soon after the Restoration, and was succeeded by Matthew Mead. This eminent Puritan divine was appointed to the cure of the new chapel at Shadwell by Cromwell, but in 1662, being ejected for nonconformity, succeeded Greenhill as pastor of the Dissenting congregation at Stepney. In 1683, being accused of being privy to the Rye House Plot, he fled to Holland till the danger was over. He was author of the "Young Man's Remembrancer," "The Almost Christian Tried and Cast," "The Good of Early Obedience," "A Sermon on Ezekiel's Wheels," and several other single sermons. The meeting-house at Stepney was erected in 1674 for Mr. Mead, who, in the ensuing year, instituted the May-day sermons, for the benefit of young persons.
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There is an article in 1902 in the 10 William & Mary College Quarterly, 191, 242 about the Meads.
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Nearly opposite the rectory at Stepney was Worcester-house, a large mansion belonging, to Henry, the first Marquis of Worcester, as appears from a deed, bearing date 1663 . It was then divided into four messuages. The gateway, which is esteemed a very fine piece of brick-work, still remains. In 1663, it was in the tenure of the Rev. Matthew Mead, an eminent dissenting divine. Here his son Richard, the celebrated physician, was born; and here, as is recorded in his life, he first commenced the practice of his profession.
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Mead, Richard (1673-1754), was born at Worcester House, Stepney, Middlesex, on 11 August 1673, the eleventh child of thirteen of Matthew Meade (1628/9-1699), nonconforming minister, and his wife, Elizabeth Walton (d. 1707). Matthew Meade had been ejected for nonconformity in 1662, but apparently had a private income. He educated his children at home, hiring John Nesbitt*, another dissenter, to tutor them in Latin. Matthew Meade's involvement in the Rye House plot in 1683 led to his temporary exile to the Netherlands, at which time he sent his son Richard to the private school, in Clerkenwell Close, of the dissenter Thomas Singleton, a former second master at Eton.
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• John Nesbitt's first situation was that of usher in a school at Bethnal Green, kept by [a] Mr. Walton, and his house was known by the sign of the " Blind Beggar."

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Family

Reverend Matthew Mead was a prominent clergyman of the Church of England. He was ejected from his charge for non-conformity in 1662, as he was a man of very liberal views. He was implicated in the Rye house conspiracy, and was for some time imprisoned, but was set free by the king.

Matthew married Elizabeth Walton in St. Mary Woolnoth Church in London on January 3, 1654. He was listed from Solber, Bucks and Elizabeth from Allhallows, Lombard Street. All children were recorded in Bull Lane Independent Church, Stepney.

Children of Matthew Mead and Elizabeth Walton are:

• +William Mead, b. January 08, 1657/58, England, d. 1719, Loudon Co, Virginia. [NO: Buried 21 September 1659 at St. Dunstan, Stepney]
• Nathaniel Mead. [??]
• Richard Mead.
• Rebecca Mead, b. 1660, Stepney, England, d. 1734. [Emigrated to Boston]
• James Mead.
• Elizabeth Mead.

Source: [http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/t/e/Carol-V-Stephens/WEBSITE-0001/UH...]

From “Mead Family History” < link >

12. MATTHEW MEAD (RICHARD, RICHARD, RICHARD, WILLIAM, RICHARD) was born 1629 in Soulbury, Bucks.. He married ELIZABETH WALTON 1654 in St. Mary Woolnoth, London.

Notes for MATTHEW MEAD:

In 1648 he was elected scholar and on 6th August 1649 admitted a fellow of King's College, Cambridge. He resigned in 1651. He then became morning lecturer at St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney. He resided in Gracechurch Street. In 1656 he became a member of the Congregational church formed at Stepney by Greenhill in 1644. In 1658 he was appointed by Cromwell to the "new chapel" at Shadwell (St.Paul's). From Shadwell, as from his lecturership, he was displaced by the Restoration, but obtained a lecturership at St.Sepulchre's, Holborn, from which he was ejected by the Uniformity Act of 1662. In 1663 he was living at Worcester House, Stepney. Either the Conventicle Act or the Five Miles Act, which came into operation in 1666, drove him to Holland. He seems to have been in London during the great plague of 1665. In 1669 he became assistant to Greenhill in Stepney and after Greenhill's death succeeded him as pastor. In 1674 a meeting house was built for Mead at Stepney.

Children of MATTHEW MEAD and ELIZABETH WALTON are:
i. MATTHEW MEAD, b. 1655.
ii. ANNA MEAD, b. Abt. 1656; m. JAMES ROLLESTON, 1676.
iii.WILLIAM MEAD, b. 1658, Stepney, London; d. 1729, London. [NO: Buried 21 September 1659 at St. Dunstan, Stepney]
iv.SAMUEL MEAD, b. 1660; d. 1733, Lincolns Inn, London.
v. REBECCA MEAD, b. 1662, Stepney, London; d. 1734; m. EPAPHRAS SHRIMPTON. [Emigrated to Boston]
vi.ROBERT MEAD, b. Abt. 1664; d. 1762; m. MARY GIDEON.
vii.JOHN MEAD, b. Abt. 1668.
viii.RICHARD MEAD, b. 1673, Stepney, London; d. 1754; m. (1) RUTH MARSH; m. (2) ANNE ALSTON. Notes for RICHARD MEAD: Physician to His Majesty, George II. Buried in Middle Temple, Temple Church with his brothers. There is a memorial to him, with a bust, in Westminster Abbey. On the memorial is his Coat of Arms: the Mead Coat of Arms (a chevron between three pelicans) flanked by the Coats of Arms of his two wives.
ix. JAMES MEAD, b. 1675, Stepney, London; d. 1763, Middle Temple, London.
x. ELIZABETH MEAD, b. 1679, Stepney, London.

His will

Mead family history: Will of Matthew Mead of Stepney, 1699, PCC“ < link > (scroll down to the last Will)

Children named in this order:

• eldest son Matthew Mead (10 pounds and no share of estate)
• son Samuel Mead (land in Soulbury, Bucks; 700 pounds)
• son Robert Meade (10 pounds; already paid his portion)
• son Richard Mead & intended wife Ruth (house where I know dwell)
• son James Mead (950 pounds)
• daughter Elizabeth Mead (900 pounds at 20 years or marriage))
• daughter Rebecca Shrimpton, now in New England (10 pounds and no more, already paid at marriage)
• daughter Anna Rolleston

Also named:

• son [in law] James Rolleston
  • grandson Matthew Rolleston and granddaughter Deborah Rolleston
• granddaughter Elizabeth Shrimpton
• grandson Matthew Mead

Legacies to:

• manservants and maids (40 shillings each)
• Mr Thomas Simonds (my assistant in the ministry my Calvin's works in nine volumes in folio being gilt on the back)
• my most faithful friend Madam Elizabeth Sheppard (one guinea to buy a ring to wear for my sake)
• my loving brother James Blaicon (twenty shillings to buy a ring to wear for my sake)

Eizabeth Mead, wife, sole executor

Disputed Children

William Mead, Sr. Has been speculated as his son, but there is no evidence to support it; and Matthew Mead’s son William died young. William Mead, Sr. was disconnected 7 October 2022.

Research notes

http://mrslaron2002.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=mrslaron200...

Can't figure out which ancestors are MEAD and which are MEADE? Join the club!

~• but read the bottom half of Meads in Buckinhamshire Spelling of surnames was not a huge issue in the 17th century.

Apparently, it was MEADE until REV. MATTHEW changed it to MEAD. Then, at least in my line, some of ROBERT MEAD's children changed it back to MEADE. My MEADE name changes over with RHODES W. MEADE. So, if you see the 'e' come and go throughout this page, I'm sorry. It is VERY confusing! And although I don't have it listed here, the spelling of MEDE and MODE is also used! -- Lisa Anderson

http://mrslaron2002.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=mrslaron200... (membership site)

Rev. Matthew Mead is known only by tradition, hence the (?) See documents

"'Family oral tradition hands down that we are related to the Reverend Matthew Mead of London, who was an independent preacher, a puritan, and that his descendents no more than 2 generations down the line were Quakers. BUT even though Matthew wasn't a Quaker, his own brother, William Mead, who was only 2 years older than Matthew, was involved in the very founding of the Quaker faith! So, I always keep that in the back of my head, that children and nieces and nephews could have just followed Uncle William!" (Lisa Anderson 2005)

& pedigree: Martha Mead (William5, William4, Rev. Matthew3, Richard2, Richard1) was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

he might be the same man as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Mead_(minister)

References

1. Type: Web Site URL: http://personal.inet.fi/koti/katharina.mead
2. Type: Gedcom File URL: www.rootsweb.com
3. Type: Book Periodical: Old and New London Author: Walter Thornbury Date: 1898
4. Type: Book Periodical: The Environs of London Date: 1795
5. Type: Book Periodical: Dictionary of National Biography (DNB)
6. Text: IGI