Biography of James D. Mead - Craighead Co, AR

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Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 345

James D. Mead, an energetic and successful agriculturist of Lake City
Township, was born in Madison County. Ga., in 1822, and is the son of
John and Elizabeth (Hall) Mead, the former a native of Georgia, the
latter of South Carolina. His grandfather, Miner M. Mead, was of English
descent, and was born in Virginia, where his parents had settled a few
years previous. He served in the Revolutionary War, and was afterward a
pensioner for services rendered. His wife, Mary Mead, lived to be one
hundred and five years of age, and drew a pension after her husband's
death. She died in Carroll County, Ga., having lived a devoted Christian
life as a member of the Baptist Church. They were the parents of thirteen
children, John, the father of our subject, being the oldest child. John
Mead served in the War of 1812, and after a life of success and
usefulness, died in Georgia, when fifty-seven years of age. The mother
died in Craighead County, at the home of her son, James, in 1867. To them
were born nine children, James D. being the third child, and he and two
sisters, Mary and Sarah, are the only survivors, and all live in this
county. Mr. Mead was reared and educated in Georgia, where he resided
until the spring of 1857, when, with his family, consisting of his wife
and five children, be came to Arkansas, locating on what is now Bay
Siding. There he followed farming for sixteen years. and in 1872 moved to
his present location. Since coming to Arkansas he has put in cultivation
over 200 acres of land, and now owns 480 acres, and has under good
cultivation 125 acres. April 6, 1848, he was united in marriage with Miss
Thessa Moon, born in Georgia, in 1829, who died in this county, in 1867.
Their union was blessed by nine children, only two of whom are now
living: Mrs. Nancy S. McLean and James W. Mr. Mead was married a second
time, in 1872, this time selecting Mrs. Elizabeth Farmer, nee Lewis, who,
by her former marriage was the mother of three children: Mrs. Mary
Gatlin, Mrs. Sarah Bagwell and Mrs. Nellie Wilson. Mr. Mead's family have
always been Whigs, and he is now a stanch Republican.