BackGround: Boston Temple, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jeremiah was born 3 January 1644 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts and married first 11 March 1672, in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, Mary Margaret TRASK the daughter of Henry TRASK and Mary SOUTHWICK. She was born 4 August 1652 in Salen, Essex, Massachusetts and died 1683 in Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
He married second 25 May 1693 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, Deborah BROWN, the daughter of John BROWN III and Esther MAKEPEACE. She was born 20 April 1673 in Marlboro, Middlesex, Massachusetts and died 20 December 1731 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
Jeremiah died 14 April 1743 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
The second son, Jeremiah MEACHAM II (1644-1743) was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and remained there helping his father in the weaving and clothier business, and was later chosen to be the administrator of his father's will. He operated the fulling mill he had received from his father until about 1708, when he moved to Windham, Connecticut. Jeremiah II's children were (by his first wife Mary Margaret Trask, who was the daughter of Mary Southwick -- the Southwick family being historic Quaker martyrs of Salem. Mary had shared in the imprisonment with her parents which was brought on by the religionists of that day).
Children by first wife Mary Margaret Trask:
1. Jeremiah MEACHAM III (md. Freelove BLISS);
+ 2. John (md. Mary CASH);
3. James (md. Elizabeth CUE);
4. Mary (died young);
His 12 children by second wife Deborah Browne were:
1. Esther or Hester (md. Hope ROGERS);
2. Joseph (md. Elizabeth LILLY);
3. Hannah (md. Amos WOODWARD);
4. Margaret (md. Jonathan WOODWARD);
5. Daniel (md. 1-Lydia LILLE and 2-Elizabeth ---);
6. Deborah (md. Thomas BUTLER);
7. Sarah (unmarried);
8. Lydia (md. Daniel SHEPPARD);
+ 9. Samuel (md. Bethia PEASE);
10. Benjamin (unmarried);
11. Rachel (md. Ebenezer WOODWARD);
12. Seth (md. Ruth SIMONS).
To summarize the above, Jeremiah Meacham I (1614-1696) had a son named Jeremiah Meacham II (1 644-1743) who married (1) Mary Margaret Trask (1652-1693) and (2) Deborah Browne (1673-1731 , daughter of John Browne 1631-1697 and Hester Makepeace 1634-1685). Jeremiah Meacham II moved to Connecticut, and lived to be 99 years old. One of his 16 children was Samuel Meacham I ( 1712-1754), who was the father of Samuel Meacham II (1739-1811).
There has been some confusion in the genealogy, since there was also a third Jeremiah Meacham (1673-1715), the oldest son of Jeremiah Meacham II and his first wife Mary (Margaret) Trask. This Jeremiah Meacham III has erroneously been placed by some as the father of Samuel Meacham I, and the husband of Deborah Browne (she was actually Jeremiah II's second wife, despite their age difference). Jeremiah Meacham III's one and only wife was actually Freelove Bliss, and his surviving children's names were John, Jemima, and Patience. (Jeremiah Meacham III was NOT the father of our ancestor Samuel Meacham I (1712-1754), and does not belong in our direct family line). Unfortunately, Jeremiah Meacham III apparently went insane and murdered his wife, Freelove Bliss, and also her sister, and was executed for this crime 12 Apr 1715, at Newport, Rhode Island. font
The following was printed in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record under the title, The Correct Ancestry of Jemima Meacham, by Mary Lovering Holman:
"Jeremiah Meacham (III), born in Salem, Mass. 21 Dec 1673, was executed in Newport, R.I. 12 Apr 1715. He married about 1698, Freelove Bliss, born there (in Newport) 17 Nov 1672, killed by her husband about 1715, daughter of Major John and Damaris (Arnold) Bliss. (Damaris Arnold was daughter of Gov. Benedict and Damaris Westcott Arnold, and granddaughter of William Arnold and of Stukeley Westcott). Little is known of the life of Jeremiah Meacham (III), but he apparently left Salem and went to Newport, whether before he met Freelove Bliss or on account of his meeting her, there is nothing to show. Newport records are so poor that there is little chance of anything being learned of him before he evidently became insane. At this period, insanity was looked upon as being inspired by the Devil. Today this unfortunate man's sanity would be tested -- but then they hanged him. An interleaved Almanac kept by Rev. William Cooper of the Brattle Street Church in Boston, MA tells of this tragedy:
1715, 23 Mar. "A melancholy relation of a barbarous murder committed at Rhoad Island, by one Jeremiah Meacham, a man of abt 40 years of age, born at Salem Village, but had liv'd in that colony (Rhode Island) abt twenty years: who one evening kill'd his wife with whom he had liv'd well and had children; and also his wife's sister; both without any known reason or provocation, but by a diabolical impulse. He first cut them with his hatchet, and then his wife's throat with a penknife. A man coming to (help) them he also dangerously wounded; and then set fire to his house, and cut his own throat; but the fire being extinguished, and his wound not mortal, he was apprehended and committed." (New England Historical and Genealogical Reg ister, 30:435).
He was executed 12 Apr 1715 in Newport, and the Rev. Nathaniel Clap preached a sermon to him and was present at his execution. Another document reads:
"Whereas, sundry accounts of charges (that happened by the late unhappy action of Jeremiah Meecum) hath been presented to this Assembly, by which accounts considerable is due from Said Meecum's estate... Therefore it is enacted...that Mr. Nicholas Land, the present venue master of Newport, do expose the estate of the said Meecum to sale at Public venue, and with the sales thereof to pay the said accounts...and if any overplus remain, the same to render to Major Bliss, for the support of the said Meecum's children." 5 July 1715 (Rhode Island Colonial Records, 4:196).
Major Bliss only survived Jeremiah Meacham by two years; in his will dated 1717, he said,
"I give to my well-beloved Grand Child Jemima Mecham five pounds in Lawfull money of the Colony of Rhoad Island at the age of Eighteen Years to be paid by my Executor...
I give to my beloved Grand Child John Mecham five pounds in Lawfull money of the Colony of Rhoad Island at the age of Twenty one Years to be paid by my Executor..."
It is probable that the children remained with their bereaved grandparents until after Major Bliss died, and then returned to Massachusetts and made their home with their uncle James Meacham in Beverly. The other daughter, Patience, had died before her grandfather made his will, and at that time, Jemima was about seventeen and John about seven (there were probably other children in the family who had died young).
In 1726, the following record was filed in Essex County Court:
"To the Honorable John Appleton Esq, Judge of the Probate of Wills &c in the County of Essex . These may Certifie your Hon., that I John Meacham a minor of About Sixteen years of Age, Son of Jeremiah Meacham late of ye Govermt. of Road Island Do make Choice of Benargs Rayment of Beverly in ye County of Essex to be my lawful Guardian to do and act for me in all things according to Law as Witness my Hand this 4th Day July 1726. John meeacham" Witness Daniel Appleton, Regr. (Essex Co Probate, File #18156) "The guardianship of John Meacham a minor about sixteen, son of (Jeremiah) Meacham, late of Rhode Island, deceased, was granted to Benerges Raymond of Beverly, Essex Co., Mass., 5 July 1726; Jonathan Raymond and James Meacham of Beverly were sureties on the bond." (Essex Co., Probate Records, 314:821)
(This material can be found in the book The Wightman Ancestry, pp. 1000-1003, in addition to the original sources cited above).
CHILDREN of Jeremiah MEACHAM II and Mary TRASK:
1. JEREMIAH III b: 21 Dec 1673; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: 15 May 1693; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
Freelove BLISS
+ 2. JOHN b: 1675; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Mary CASH
3. JAMES b: 1677; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Elizabeth CUE
4. MARY b: 1680; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
d: Died Young ; , , .
CHILDREN of Jeremiah MEACHAM II and Deborah BROWN:
5. ESTHER/HESTER b: 28 Sep 1698; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Hope ROGERS
6. JOSEPH b: 7 Dec 1696; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Elizabeth LILLY
d: 11 Aug 1789; Windhan, Windham, Connecticut.
7. HANNAH b: 18 Feb 1698; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Amos WOODWARD
d: Aft 1743; , , .
8. MARGARET b: 9 Jan 1700; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Jonathan WOODWARD
d: Aft 1743; , , .
9. DANIEL b: 16 Apr 1703; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Lydia LILLY
md: ; , , .
Elizabeth _______
d: 16 Apr 1758; Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
10, DEBORAH b: 21 Mar 1704; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Thomas BUTLER
d: Aft 1743; , , .
11. SARAH b: Abt 1707; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
d: Aft 1743; , , .
13. LYDIA b: 28 Nov 1709; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Daniel SHEPPARD
+ 14. SAMUEL Sr b: 12 Jul 1712; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: 11 Jan 1734; Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut.
Bethiah PEASE
15. BENJAMIN b: 16 May 1714; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
d: 1739; , , .
16. RACHEL b: 20 Jul 1716; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Ebenezer WOODWARD
17. SETH b: 5 Oct 1718; Salen, Essex, Massachusetts.
md: ; , , .
Ruth SIMONS
d: 18 Dec 1797; Hampton, Windham, Connecticut.
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