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Note: The probate records of Kent Co. record the death in 1795 of Capt. William Meredith. A LOA & administrators bond was issued on 26 May 1795 to Edmond Hopkins. Job Meredith was the bondsman. Job filed the administrators account to settle the estate. This Job signed this bond with his name so he is Job jr. son of Job d. 1793. The other Job, Job Hook, could not write & used a mark.
The 1797 tax list for Murderkill 100 assessed the heirs of William Meredith 337, the largest assessment among the William Merediths in Kent Co. Looking at the tax lists from 1795 back to his first appearance on the tax list 1751, one William Meredith is continuseously assessed higher than the other Williams and he consistantly resided in Murderkill 100. It is reasonable to conclude that this man was Capt. William and that he was born before 1730. Which is 21 years before his first appearance on the tax list.
The probate file of Robert Gordon, who's will was probated in 1759, contains an administrators bond to William Meredith dated 23 May 1765 and an admin. Acct. dated 28 May 1765. Both papers indicate that William Meredith had married the widow, Phillis Gordon, and that she is now deceased. Phillis was the administrator of her husbands estate. William replaced Phyllis as administrator after her death. Checking with the tax list we find William Meredith in Murderkill 100 listed as single in 1760 but in 1761 his tax rate goes up and he is no longer shown a single. The conclusion is therefore, that William married Phillis Gordon ca 1761 and adding her property to his boosted his tax liability.
After Phyllis' death I believe that this William married Darkus Whitaker, sister of Susannah who married Jonathan Meredith & Lydia who married Job Meredith. They all inherited land from their father & and brother of the sisters.
In 1772 the tax list contained another useful clue. William was shown as deliquent. His tax was 15 with a poor tax of 18 - 6 and an unnamed tax of 8 - 9. Next to this entry was the note, "Job Hook's Brother". Which Job is this? In 1772 there had been 3 or 4 Job Merediths in the records of Kent Co. Job who died in 1748, Job who died in 1762, Job son of Robert and Job son of Hugh, who may also be the Job who died in 1762. Job d1748 is not likely the Job Hook referred to since he had been dead 24 years & would not likely be used by the tax collector to identify a living person. Job d.1762 is also unlikely for the same reason. Job d.1793 was later known as Job sr. and he had a son Job Jr. In 1789 & 1790 the tax lists included both of these Jobs and also a Job son of Job Hook. Since Job jr. was the son of Job sr. d.1793 neither of these could be Job Hook. Job Hook must be the only Job who is left. Job son of Hugh! Therefore Capt. William Meredith is the son of Hugh Meredith not Robert Meredith. Unless, of course, there was another Job that we can't find in the records or unless Job Hook is a Job with the last name of Hook who sons Job & William somehow obtained the last name of Meredith.
Three Kent Co. De deeds, one each in 1771, 1772 and 1773, Name William Meredith as owning land on the south side of Hudson Branch in Murderkill 100 adjacient to the property being sold. Another deed in 1773 mentions Phillis Meredith's land on the south side of Hudson's Branch. On 2 Jan 1754 Hugh Meredith is likewise mentioned in a deed as owning land at the head of Hudson's Branch. Looks like a family group to me, further reenforcing my belief that Hugh is Capt. William's father.
According to the "Delaware Archives Military and Naval Records" page 986, William Meredith was elected in the hundreds as Capt. of Kent Co. [militia] on 14 Aug 1775. He saw service during the Revolutionary war.
On 6 Jun 1776 a administrator's bond was issued to a Jacob Meredith to settle the estate of Samuel Meredith. This bond was signed by William Meredith apparently as bondsman. This signature matches the signature on the administrator's bond issued to William Meredith on 28 May 1765 to settle the estate of Robert Gordon.
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