Nathaniel Mead

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NEW YORK with the rank of LIEUTENANT. DAR Ancestor #: A076760

also said to be born Milan, Dutchess, NY
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The Mead family history is found in the early chapters of our great country. William Mead arrived shortly after the arrival of the Mayflower. His descendant, Johanthan Mead, born 1684, was the first of our family to arrive in Nine Partners, Dutchess County. He married Ester Butter on December 7, 1713.

Nathaniel Mead was born in North East, Dutchess County on August 16, 1750, to Jonathan and Sarah (Guernsey) Mead, son of Johnathan and Ester (Butter) Mead.

The Mead family were Quakers as were many in their community. Gatherings were held in their homes, worshiping, discussing local town needs and sharing the local news of the month. The Lamb family were also part of this small-knit group.

Nathaniel Mead married Hannah Lamb, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Dillis) Lamb on March 25, 1772.

In 1774, the fire that fueled the beginnings of the American Revolution started with the Coercive Acts known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies. A series of four laws passed by the British Parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party infuriated the colonists.

The pendulum of war swung between self-government and obedience to kings. A pledge to sustain the action of the Provincial Congress of New York and protest the government of England was circulated and military warrants issued on June 28, 1775.

North East Precinct was apportioned into districts and committees assigned to each district to make the canvass. Those willing to sign it, wrote their names or ordered the committee to do it, which was so entered on the roll, and those refusing to sign were enrolled by the committee.

Nathaniel Mead, William Stewart, J. Simmons and Frederick Ham were appointed from their districts to report as signers and attested to the signatures of 74 men which included Nathaniel's father, Jonathon Mead and his father-in-law, Isaac Lamb. Other Meads signings were Elisha Mead, Jehiel Mead, and Daniel Mead. There were also the signatures of 34 men that refused to sign. Some men were fearful of the King's retributions, and some sited their religious beliefs against violence.  

At this time the First Regiment of "minute men" was raised of which John Van Ness was Colonel. He died before March 28, 1775, and Lieut. Col. Cornelius Humphrey of the same regiment became Colonel. There were eight regiments in this company. Two from Rhinebeck, one from Fishkill, two from Charlotte, one from North East and two from Amenia. The North East Company —Hugh Rea, Captain; Daniel Wilson, 1st Lieut. ; Nathaniel Mead, 2d Lieut.; Phineas Rice, Ensign.
An abandoned ore bed in North East, known as the Maltby, formerly the Dakin ore bed, was reopened, and iron taken out for the casting of cannons for the patriot army. Initially owned by C. S. Maltby, then Thomas Iron Co. In 1891, it officially closed and was filled with water; it is now called Iron Mind Pond.

In the timeframe of the Revolutionary War from 1775-1783, many changes took place in the officers of their regiments and in their companies. Record keeping to the exact details of how long each officer served and the company they may have been transferred into are fragmented. {Our family treasures the records we have on Nathaniel-see attachments in the photo section}

Having faithfully served his country, Nathaniel returned home after the war and resumed his trade as a blacksmith. No doubt, many emotions must have played out. Many fellow friends and family may have lost their lives but how proud he must have been to be a patriot serving our country in securing our independence.

The first census in the United States was taken in 1790. Nathaniel Mead was counted in the North East, Dutchess County, New York. His household accounted for twelve members: 7 females, 3 males over the age of 16 and 2 males under the age of 16.
In 1803, the "North East Society of Friends" was established with a Quaker Meeting House at Bethel forming a second society. Nathaniel, a respected elder was appointed to report his satisfaction of their meetings. His wife, Hannah and their children were members of the Little Nine Partners society at Milan.

Nathaniel and Hannah had the following twelve children, ten daughters and two sons.

I. Cynthia Mead b. March 8, 1773; d. August 8, 1774

II. Millicent Mead b. Jan. 17, 1775; d. Jan. 12, 1828

III. Isaac Mead b. March 1, 1777; d. April 15, 1777

IV. Cynthia Mead b. May 13, 1778; d. Sept. 1, 1800; m. Gilbert Thorn

V. Phebe Mead b. Nov. 1, 1780; d. Dec. 12, 1829; m. Latham Stratton-b. Oct. 1797; d 1849

VI. Elizabeth Mead b. Jan. 1, 1783; d. May 15, 1794

VII. Hannah Mead b. Dec. 6, 1784; d. Feb. 2, 1823; m. Caleb Coffin

VIII. Richard Titus Mead b. Jan. 22, 1787; d. Dec. 12, 1836; m. Phebe Gurney

IX. Samantha Mead b. Feb. 17, 1789, at Milan, N. Y.; d. April 25, 1881. She was married three times, first Nov. 28, 1811, to Samuel Carpenter; second, Aug. 8, 1817, to Richard Weeks; third, Sept. 9, 1846, to Samuel Frost.

X. Sarah Mead b. April 1, 1791, at Milan, N. Y.; d. March 1872; m. Alexander Brinker

XI. Anna Mead b. Jan. 4, 1793, d. July 21, 1793

XII. Asenath Mead b. Sept. 15, 1794. D. Jan 2, 1875 (Quaker encyl says she was 80 years old)

On May 15, 1798, Nathaniel's beloved wife, Hannah, died at the age of 45. She was buried at the Quaker Cemetery in Milan. {notation from grandma & aunt-DAR members-1920.}

At the age of 49, Nathaniel married Mary Quimby, age 40, on November 28, 1799. Mary's parents were Samuel and Anna (Powell) Quimby. Mary was born December 26, 1759.

She and Nathaniel welcomed his thirteenth child, Mary Ann Mead who was born June 1, 1802. {Mary Ann married William Cornelius in 1823 and resided in Michigan. She passed away on June 23, 1882.}

Nathaniel passed away on March 5th, 1816, he was 65 years old.

His will was written on October 15, 1812 and was entered into probate on March 8, 1816. His will read as follows: (this is lengthy, but the wording of the time can be appreciated.)

"I bequeathed unto my beloved wife, MARY MEAD, for her comfortable support and to enable her to bring up and educate our young daughter, MARY ANN MEAD and instead of her right or dower of thirds, the use of 1/3 of my lands and the appurtenances there, unto belonging, the benefit and the income and the 1/3 part thereof, during the time she remains my widow and the use and the right and privilege of using my household furniture as she may need during the aforesaid. I also give unto my said wife two good feather beds, bedding furniture and bed stands for the same and the clock which stands in my house."

"I also direct and give to my daughters, who are and remain unmarried, the privilege within the house with their mother of living there and in order of their accommodation, I give unto them, my wife, and my said daughters while they are disposed to live together, their choice of one half of my house to live in and the use and production of my three cows which I direct my executors to provide for them, and if any or either of my daughters remain in single unmarried state, after my wife's decease or after, should she marry again, if she should so marry, than they or either of them have the privilege of living in the house, which privilege I give unto them, and such a part thereof, they may need and may be convenient so long as they or either of them remains unmarried and also the keep of one cow be kept on the farm for their use during the time they or either of them should live in my house."

"My riding carriage, harnesses and an old my old horse which the family calls by the name, Button, to be kept on the farm for the use and to be used by my wife, daughters and son while their families remain together. I do hereby authorize my Executors to after my daughter, MARY ANN, becomes of lawful age, to sell at their discretion, the land adjoining Obidail Quimbly and Peter Cookingham computed at 60 acres to sell with the appurtenances there unto belonging."

"It is my will and I do hereby direct, that the use and benefit and the one-third piece or lot of land my wife no longer at the time at which I directed it sold, but then it be sold free and clear from any encumbrance whatsoever and the money be, after deducting the necessary charges be, and I do give the same to my daughters, MILA, PHEBE, HANNAH, SAMANTHA, SARAH, ASENATH and MARY to be equally divided to them, share and share alike."

"I direct that my son, RICHARD, have the privilege and liberty of occupying said land which I have directed sold, subject to the encumbrance of improvement of one-third part thereof by my wife as above directed by his paying on the first day of the fifth month in every year the annual rent of twenty-five dollars to be equally divided by my daughters who are or remain unmarried the said privilege of occupation and rent therefore to continue until the sale thereof and on the conditions that my son, RICHARD, perform and fulfil on his part of my will and pay the legacies as he is herein directed. I give and divide unto him, RICHARD T. MEAD, his heard and assign to him forever the residue and remainder of my lands with the appurtenances and privileges there unto belonging, it being the farm which I now live and wood lot adjoining Robert Martin and David Hoag subject to the incumbrance of use of one third part thereof and half of the house as above mentioned and reserved for my wife and daughters."

"I give unto my son, RICHARD, all my wearing apparel, one equal half of the money due to me after all of my just debts are paid, also all of my blacksmiths tools, and the two horses that I drive before my carriage with his keeping them, or some other two suitable for said carriage which I direct him to do and my wife [Mary Quimby] and daughters to have the liberty of using them, that they may be assisted in going to meetings and other places as they may deem necessary, and thus to be continued while they remain families together.

"I give and bequeath to my daughters, who are above named, the other half of the money due to me and all of the residue of my movable estate of any and every kind of property to be divided equally among them, share and share alike and also the sum and legacy of three hundred and seventy-five dollars which said sum and legacy be directed to my son, RICHARD, to pay unto them, to each one of them an equal share when MARY ANN becomes of lawful age' but if either of my daughters should decease before receiving their respectful legacies or share of my estate, or so much as they may not have received, be equally divided to my surviving children but if either of them should decease and have a child or children than in that case, such legacy or share of my estate, or so much or such a part thereof as they have not received be and I do hereby bequeath the same to each child or children to them equally, if more than one, and to be by my Executors, put to interest and paid when he, she or they, if more than one, arrives to lawful age. And in the settlement of my estate or demands against the same there should arise any controversy, I do by authorize by Executors, to submit the same to reference or arbitration according to their judgment if there should appear to them occasion for such a resort. And in order that this my will be duly executed and performed according to the true intent and meaning thereof, I do hereby appoint my son, RICHARD T. MEAD and CHARLES HOAG, Executors to this my last will and testament and also guardians to my daughter, MARY ANN and to the estate left to her, hereby revoking all wills made by me. In witness, whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of the tenth month in the year one thousand and twelve."

Witnessed by Abraham Gurney, Charles Coleman, and John Gurney – Surrogate - David B. Stockholm, at Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York.

Richard Titus Mead took over his father's blacksmith business and is accredited for establishing the Mead Hoe. They were considered a superior article at that time and were widely known through the county as the Mead hoe. The price was $9.00 a dozen, or $1.00 each at retail.

Notes: North East Precinct was formed from North Precinct, December 16. 1746. It comprised nearly all the territory in the present bounds of Milan, North East and Pine Plains. Books consulted: History of Dutchess Co.-1877-Smith; History of Little Nine Partners-1897-Hunting; Mead Family History; Notes from my gmother & gaunt-DAR members; Quaker vitals encyclopedia.

Research compiled by Shirley Conley - descendant