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Note: Mary Helen Haines research: J. B. Meredith's Civil War military record with the 4th Regiment Arizona Brigade, Co. D, begins with the Regimental Return of February, 1864, where his is listed as 2nd Lt. of Co. D, 4th Reg't Arizona Brigade. He is listed as a Commisssioned officer, Present at Station Prairie Lea. In March he is present and located at Camp Patterson. In April he is at Gamp Green. In the Roster of March 1864, he is shown as a 2nd Lt. and under Remarks it says: By order of Lt. Col. D. S. (Showalter)Since Feb. 21 in Grayson Co. In the June Roster he is listed as present for duty and as a Jr. 2nd Lt. of Co. D. It also states that his "date of election or appointment" is August 7, 1863. The roster for Sept. 1864 repeats the Date of Election, and on a Regimental Return for that month lists him as being present at Palmeto, but under Remarks: Present Sick. He is also in camp in October, and in November and December is at Camp Hood (Kileen) Texas. This is the last record.
On the Archive records this information is given: "The organization of Baird's Regiment Texas Cavalry (also known as the 4th Regiment Arizona Brigade and as Showalter's Regiment Texas Cavalry) was authorized by S. O. No. 81, Hdqrs. Dist. of Tex., N.Mex. and Ariz. dated February 2, 1863, which stated the regiment was to be formed in New Mexico and Arizona; the men, however, appear to have been enlisted in Texas."
J. B. must have arrived in 1851. In Deed Book B, p. 80, Deed #29 records a deed from Ellis Co. to J.B. Meredith, assee of R.B. Smock for Lots 7 and 8 in block 16 in Waxahachie, Oct. 1851.
From pp. 390 to 391 of the book Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, published 1892, and found in the Waxahachie Museum:
" J.B. Meredith, a highly respected citizen of Ellis county, is a son of Martin Meredith, and was born in Winchester, Tennessee, May 26, 1825. His mother's maiden name was Margaret McCoy, and both father and mother were natives of Virginia. The grandfather of our subject emigrated from England with two brothers and settled in Virginia on the Chesapeake bay.
J.B. received only a limited education, but nature gave him a fine intellect, and possessing a remarkable memory, he obtained for himself what opportunity had denied him in early life.
Quite young he apprenticed himself to a cabinet-maker. He followed his trade until 1854, at which time he removed with his young wife to Texas and settled in Ellis county. He then became interested in various enterprises. For a time he was employed in the undertaking business, and for several years was contractor and builder; during this period he erected many large buildings in the county. From 1854 to 1864 he served as magistrate, and at the beginning of the war he collected the first tax for that purpose in Ellis and johnson counties, receiving his appointment from the Confederate Government. He resigned this position in 1863 and enlisted in the Arizona Brigade of Vavalry as Lieutenant. He saw service in Indian Territroy and down in Texas on the Rio Grande. At the close of the war he returned to his home and became engaged in agriculture, and later in the real estate business.
Mr. Meredith was married in 1852 to Miss Margaret Carrick of Sparta, Pennsylvania (mistake, this should read Tennessee). Nine children were born to them: Ralph, James M., Emma Maude, JU. Huntley, Fred C., Mabel, tessa and Alexis. The father is a member of the Masonic fraternity in high standing, also a leading member of the Christian Church. He is public-spirited and benevolent, is a good father, a kind neighbor and a loyal citizen of the county of Ellis."
In the 1880 census, the family is living on Lafayette St. in Waxahachie. By comparing the listing of all the existing street names in 1880 with the street names today, the only one that has changed is Lafayette St. and the only one not called so in 1880 is Rogers St. There must have been a name change after the city founder's death, or the dedication of the new courthouse, which was on land he donated. So the home of the Meredith family was present day Rogers St., neighbors to the hotel keeper, the lawyers, grocers, and dry goods stores.
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