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Note: w the father's name, and Joseph did not mention it. From this information, I would assume that the Meredith brothers arrived just after independence, in the 1780s or 90s. I imagine they were artisans, and city people, judging from the occupations of the grandsons, and the fact that Martin did not own any land. This also would discount a lot of the Merediths that I found below in King William County and Hanover County.
In Virginia:
There are some Merediths in King William County that had been in America longer than the information given in Joseph B. Meredith's biography.
This Meredith family's information is:
One possibility for Martin Meredith is King William County. It was formed in 1702 from King and Queen County. The problem with this county is the courthouse burning down in 1885, and most records being lost. Here is what I have found on the Merediths there.
In an old newspaper file in King William Co. is a William Meredith mentioned in 1752 as conducting a sale of goods along with John Martin. John Martin was Col. John Martin, who returned to Ireland to inherit the family estate in the 1750s and died there in 1760.
In the Parish Register of St. Peters, New Kent Co. VA shows the register of William Merideth's baptism, son of George Merideth on Dec. 19, 1703.(Register #1, p. 22). This source is from two abstracts: Parish Register of St. Peter's New Kent Co. VA, pub. by National Society of Colonial Dames of American in State of VA, 1904. R929.375554, Dallas Public Lib. p. 25. Then on p. 134 is listed the baptism of Abraham, a Negor boy belonging to Alice Meredith, born Dec. 10, baptized July 2, 1737.
There is a Martin Meredith in King William County, Virginia in the tax lists for 1811 through 1819, when he seems to have moved. He registers himself, with one Negro over 16, and one free Negro. If he appears for the first time when he turned 18 years old, then that puts his birth at 1794. It also fits with the birth of oldest child Ann in 1817 in Virginia, and then the next child being born in 1823 in Franklin Co., TN. There probably was a child inbetween 1817 and 1823 that died.
There is also a Fleming Meredith and a Samuel Meredith in King William County. In the earlier records for King Willliam Co., there is a Samuel Meredith as early as the oldest existing tax list in 1782, where he is listed as owning 494 acres. In 1789 a George Meredith joins Samuel in the tax list. I assume George is a son who has reached adult age. George is still around in 1798, as well as Samuel and an Elizabeth Meredith with personal property. In 1803 it lists the Samuel Meredith Estate, and then Samuel Meredith and Fleming Meredith, but no George. In 1804 Fleming Meredith is shown owning the 494 acres, so he must have inherited the family land. In 1807 a John Meredith and a Samuel Meredith are listed, and in 1811, Martin Meredith, Samuel Meredith, and Fleming Meredith are mentioned, all owning slaves; Martin only owning one. Fleming still owns the 494 acres. The records for King Willliam County were lost in 1885 in a court house fire, with the exception of a few of these tax lists. King William was formed from King and Queen County in 1702. This does seem to fit, Martin Meredith owned no land, and his sons were not farmers naturally. They seem to have been more interested in being merchants (Joseph), mill owners (James and Edward), and speculators (Elisha) before any thought of farming. In Sparta they lived near town.
There are Merediths in King and Queen Co. with names like Samuel, George, and Augustine, which are probably related. The big question would be why Martin and Margaret's boys do not reflect the family names found here. If this is our Martin Meredith, another question is where Margaret McCoy comes from. There are no McCoys in the King William records that exist. (microfilm of King William Co. VA Personal Property Tax Lists 1782 to 1832, Dallas Public Library) This may just be an enticing coincidence, but the wrong person.
More thoughts:
There is a James Meredith that originates in Hanover County about 1710 and migrates to Albemarle Co. by 1759 and then to Pittsylvania Co., the part that becomes Henry Co. In 1773, a James Merrideth claims 200 acres on the Smith River, the area that becomes Martinsville, named after founder Joseph Martin, explorer, Indian fighter, Revolutionary War soldier, named General, then Indian agent for the Cherokees. He ended up living out the remainder of his life in Martinsville. Did a child of his marry a Meredith son? In the 1782 tax list of Henry Co. there is a Samuel, David, James Sr., James Jr. and a John Meredith. Also there is a Bradley and a William at other times, and an Elijah Meredith, illegitimate son of Susannah Meredith, born in 1780.
The reference below shows the location of the Meredith land, adjoining Brice Martin, who is either the brother of Joseph Martin, or his son.
Henry Co. VA Deed Book 2, p. 239, Sept 26, 1782
Walter King Cole to John Rowland for 15 pounds, 75 acres on the south side of
Smith's River bounded...Walter King Cole's corner Marrowbone tract joining the
lines of James Meredith and Brice Martin and John Alexander.
The Joseph Meredith that appears in the 1782 tax list for Washington County, sold his land and moved to Kentucky in 1794, so he is eliminated as Martin's father. The fact that Martin Meredith's eldest surviving son is named Joseph, seems to make a connection likely. And there is a Daniel McCoy in Washington County as well. The only other Joseph found so far, was in Nanesmond Co. in 1704.
In Tennessee:
In 1809 there is a case in White county of land being taken from James Meredith and sold by the sheriff. p. 85 of the White co. Minute Book. Then there is mention in 1810 of Thomas Hill and William Meredith reviewing and marking off a road on page 157 of the first Minute Book. Then in 1817 on p. 453 there is mention of John Meredith selling to John Medley a certificate and platt of 12 and one-half acres. In Deed Book Vol. E, in 1812 James B. Meredith is witness to a deed on p. 117. So there were Merediths in this region in the earliest years. They disappear from the record until Martin's appearance in the record in the late 1830s.
Could his full name be James Martin Meredith? Martin Meredith is a big question. There are no land documents attached to his name that I have found so far.
A Martin Meradith appears on the Franklin Co., Tenn. census in 1830. If this is our Martin, he is shown with 3 girls and 2 boys, the oldest boy between 10 and 15. This corresponds to the record, except that Martin is about 10 years older than what has been passed down as his birth date.This Martin Mradith is spelled differently and is not located near the other two-James and William Meredith.
It could be that Martin was the child of John Meredith Sr. who appears on the 1820 census of Franklin Co., Tennessee, entry 1078, online image 22. There are 12 people living in the household. There is also a James Meredith and a John Meredith in two separate households. All of these Merediths have quite a few slaves in each household. In 1830 there is a James Meredith and a William Meredith also in Franklin Co. I don't believe they are related to our Martin Meredith. They seem too wealthy, and are comfortable as farmers, which our line of Merediths never were.
According to the births of the children, the Martin Meredith family moved to White County around 1832. No Merediths appear on the tax record until Martin's appearance in 1839 in District 1 (Sparta). No other Merediths appear again until 1848, when Joseph Meredith pays his poll tax in Dist. 1.
In 1850 there is an Elisha Meredith living in Franklin Co., who was born in 1792 in Virginia and is a brick mason with a wife named Hannah. (fam. 121, p. 10, Dist. 1) This would be a good bet to be the brother of Martin. He has a son named Elisha, age 10. He is also there in 1840, and was in Jackson Co., Alabama in 1830. Cannot find this Elisha, nor Martin anywhere before 1830.
The connection to Elisha Meredith, Revolutionary soldier from Kent Co., Virginia has not been proven, but the popularity of this name would suggest some type of family connection.
There is another Elisha, age 20, son of Elisha Meredith of Franklin Co., who joins the Civil War -Co. C. 1st (Turney's) Infantry, known as the "Mountain Boys." He is described as 5'10", dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and was a brick mason, just as he appears in the 1860 census in Winchester, Franklin Co., TN. He went from Private to Sergeant, before he was killed in action at Cedar Run, Virginia, on Aug. 9, 1862.
Note: These are all research note by Mary Helen Haines: According to Martin's son Joseph B. Meredith, his father arrived in America with two brothers, from England, to the Chesapeake Bay area. We do not kno
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