Etowah-Colbert-Cherokee County AlArchives Biographies.....Meeks, William Marion 1845 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 11, 2012, 7:13 pm

Source: See below
Author: Smith & De Land, publishers

  WILLIAM MARION MEEKS, President of the Alabama Press Association, was born in
Floyd County, Ga., the 16th of February, 1845. His parents moved to Cherokee,
Ala., when the subject of this sketch was but four years of age, so he may be
considered the product of Alabama. When a lad of twelve years he entered the
office of the Coosa River Argus, published at Centre, Ala., by L. M. Stiff. He
served out the full term of the contract, which ran three years.

  Soon after this, in 1860, he went into the office of the National Democrat.
which had but a brief existence, being but a campaign paper, and suspended upon
the election of Lincoln. Young Meeks then returned to his native State, and
early in the spring of 1861, entered the office of the True Flag, published in
Rome, Ga. He continued as foreman of this paper until its suspension, in the
fall of the same year. He then entered the office of the Rome Courier, where he
remained until the early part of 1862, when he entered the volunteer service
with a company from Cherokee County, Ala., and continued in the service until
the war closed. Although but seventeen years of age, he made a faithful and
gallant soldier. At the close of the war, in 1866, he connected himself with the
Advertiser, at Centre, Ala., from which he retired in the fall of the same year.

  November 16, 1866, he married Mary J. Cothran, of Centre, and returned to
Atlanta, Ga. Here he worked as a journeyman printer until 1869, when he returned
to Centre to take charge of the Advertiser.

  He began at this time to show that ability which has since made him
conspicuous in Alabama journalism.

  The 1st of July, 1871, he purchased the Gadsden Times and continued its editor
and proprietor until last February, when that paper and the News consolidated
and have been published as the Times and News, Meeks & Johnson being the
proprietors.

  Mr. Meeks began life without means, or influential friends, and with but a
limited education, which he gathered at the case.

  He purchased the Gadsden Times, by giving a mortgage on the plant, and making
a small cash payment. The sale included the books and goodwill of the paper. As
an evidence of his business capacity, he collected from the old acconnts enough
to pay the concern out of debt. The Times since that day until its consolidation
was an influential journal and a decided financial success. Through that means
Mr. Meeks has laid the foundation of a handsome fortune.

  He is a man of superior natural endowment, and of great energy and industry.
He seldom indulges in an idle hour, generally keeping himself full of business.
He is one of Gadsden's most progressive men, and has contributed his time,
talent, and money to her success and development.

  Mr. Meeks is a man of strong convictions and has the courage of them. When he
settles down on a question, neither fear nor force can shake him. The same
energy and tact he has brought to journalism would have rendered him successful
in any department of business.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical
Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land
1888

PART IV.
MONOGRAPHS OF THE PRINCIPAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA,
TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF MANY OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVE PEOPLE.


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