Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Demise of the MEEK-ons !

Demise of the MEEK-ons ! (reply)

jimashton — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:21:23 +0000

Jean

I am always happy to make changes to my Family Tree when fresh information deems it appropriate to do so. I strive to get it right.

My user friendly software can also answer your query about the relationship between Lucy Parsons spouses - Moses Meek 1828 and Isaiah Meek 1826 were 4th cousins.

Both Moses Meek 1828 and Isaiah Meek 1826 are my 4th cousins 3 times removed. However, Lucy Parsons is my 1st cousin 4 times removed, thanks to your telling me in an email recently that her father George Parsons spouse was Margaret Herbert, where previous to your email I had not known Margaret's surname was Herbert and was my GGGG Aunt. So having "moved" Lucy nee Parsons as being the second wife of Moses Meek 1828, all their children become 2nd cousins 3 times removed, previously they were 5th cousins twice removed.

My software also allows me to view earlier versions prior to any changes so I can see what effect the change has made and see what relationships were before the change, not that this influences the need to make the change, but it is interesting.

I decided to check out the baptisms and see what you mean about the age of some children at baptism. I could not find Giles 1854.

I did discover a marriage for Lucy Meek 1856 (baptised 1861) to Alfred Meek 1855 in 1878. I previously had Lucy's sister Jane 1860 (baptised 1870) as married to Alfred Meek's brother John 1859 in 1884. All parish records on this site. I have thus far only found 3 marriages and all have been to spouses already in my Family Tree.

Jim Ashton

Demise of the MEEK-ons ! (reply)

Jean Herbert — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:07:07 +0000

I dont know if I dare to ask this question after ruining a lot of people's trees but:
What relation was Moses Meek (second husband of Lucy Meek) to Isaiah Meek, Lucy's first husband? I was (and still am) researching the Herbert family at the moment and had no intentions - at this present time - to get into the Meek or Marfell families. They were all so intermarried that one or the other pops up when least expected and of course we have to start digging.
Thank you for all the people who contributed to this thread and hope that Jim Ashton does not appear up North to throw a brick through my window. (Up north being Yorkshire, not Lancashire)
Regards Jean Herbert

Demise of the MEEK-ons ! (reply)

cmfenton — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:24:15 +0000

Personally I prefer the former (may even still have an old Eagle annual around somewhere)!

As for the Meeks, I have now linked this branch into my Meek ancestors thanks to the debate in this thread.

No-one ever said that sorting out the Meeks in the Forest had to be easy!

-Colin

Demise of the MEEK-ons ! (reply)

slowhands — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:13:05 +0000

Bob

for those of a certain age :-

The Mekon (of Mekonta) was the arch-enemy of the
British comic book hero Dan Dare, first appearing in
1950 in the Eagle comic strip Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future

The yung uns possible relate to :-

The Mekons are a British rock band. Formed in the late 1970s, they are one of the longest-running and most prolific of the first-wave British punk rock bands.

Demise of Isaiah MEEK (reply)

reporter — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:37:17 +0000

Ditto for me... except my software is as awkward as me....still, that's life Jim, but not as we know it! Beam me up, Scottie, away from these Meek-ons (may have to explain that to our younger cousins......)
Cheers
Bob

Did I ever mention I live next door to a Meek descended from the FoD, Moses and Lucy to be precise.......up here in LANCASHIRE?

Demise of Isaiah MEEK (reply)

jimashton — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:56:21 +0000

Thank you Jean & Alice.

Wood and Trees springs to mind !!

I accept your arguments and have changed my Family Tree, luckily both were in my Family Tree, Lucy Meek daughter of John Meek a 4th cousin 3 times removed and Moses Meek 1828 also a 4th cousin 3 times removed. Fortunately my Family Tree software makes the change fairly simple.

Jim Ashton

Demise of Isaiah MEEK (reply)

Jean Herbert — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:26:03 +0000

What a can of worms I have opened up. My reason for supposing that Lucy Meek widow of Isaiah Meek (who died in Feb 1851) is the wife of Moses Meek (They married in 1854) is:

1861 Census East DeanRG9 piece 1754 folio 115 page 14
Address: Ruardean Hill
Moses Meek Head occ: Miner age 31 born abt 1830 East Dean
Lucy Meek Wife age 32 born abt 1829 East Dean
Mary A Meek Dau age 11 born abt 1852 East Dean
(Mary is possibly the child of Lucy Meeks first marriage to Isaiah Meek)
Giles Meek Son age 7 born abt 1854 East Dean
Lucy Meek Dau age 5 born abt 1856 East Dean
Lydia O Meek Dau age 3 born abt 1858 East Dean
Jane Meek Dau age 1 born abt 1860 East Dean

1871 Census East DeanRG10 piece 2597 folio 40 page 11
Address: Morse Road
Moses Meek Head occ: Collier age 41 born abt 1830 East Dean
Lucy Meek Wife age 42 born abt 1829 East Dean
Giles Meek Son age 16 born abt 1855 East Dean
Lydia Meek Dau age 3 born abt 1868 East Dean
Jane Meek Dau age 4 born abt 1867 East Dean
Tripheona Meek Dau age 8 born abt 1863 East Dean
Moses Meek Son age 6 born abt 1865 East Dean
Rhoda Meek Dau age 5 born abt 1866 East Dean
Elizabeth Meek Dau age 3 born abt 1868 East Dean
Tom Meek Son 11 months born abt 1870 East Dean

Tracing the children of the marriage of Moses and Lucy is a nightmare as some of them were not baptised until they were aged abt 17 and others baptised in a job lot.
Regards Jean Herbert

Demise of Isaiah Meek (reply)

djmfhr111 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:21:00 +0000

There seem to be two Lucy Meeks on the census born about 1827-1829 in the Forrest of Dean

In 1871 one is unmarried and living with her brother George in Drybrook

The other is married to Moses Meek and living in Morse Road with her husband and children:
Moses Meck 41 collier
Lucy Meck 42
Giles Meck 16 collier
Lydia Meck 3
Jane Meck 11
Tripheona Meck 8
Moses Meck 6
Rhoda Meck 5
Elizabeth Meck 3
Tom Meck 11 month
all b. East Dean

In 1881 one is unmarried and in the Westbury on Severn workhouse
Lucy Meek unmarried 54 housekeeper b. Forrest of Dean

The other is married and living with husband Moses and children on Ruardean Road

Therefore assume the one married to Moses Meek is Lucy Meek (nee Parsons) widow of Isiah Meek and daughter of George and Margaret Parsons and the unmarried one Lucy Meek daughter of George and Elizabeth Meek?

Alice

Demise of Isaiah MEEK (reply)

slowhands — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:38:50 +0000

Possibly a mining death but not recorded as such ( as far as I can see ), but in 1851 any number of bacteria / viruses could lead to death :-(

Demise of Isaiah Meek (reply)

jimashton — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:26:08 +0000

Interesting, but I have Moses Meek 1828 as marrying Lucy Meek 1827, daughter of John Meek & Ann Roberts. In the 1871 Census Lucy was with her brother George, together with her parents :

1841 Census
MEEK John 37 1804 Drybrook
MEEK Ann 35 1806 Drybrook
MEEK Jeremiah 34 1807 Drybrook
MEEK Hannah 25 1816 Drybrook
MEEK Isaiah 15 1826 Drybrook
MEEK Lucy 13 1828 Drybrook
MEEK Moses 11 1830 Drybrook
MEEK Jeremiah 7 1834 Drybrook
MEEK Ann 3 1838 Drybrook
MEEK George 6mths 1840 Drybrook

1851 Census
MEEKS John 46 Coal Miner Ruardean
Ann 45 Dean Forest
Lucy 23 Dean Forest
Moses 20 Coal Miner Dean Forest
Jeremiah 16 Coal Miner Dean Forest
Ann 13 Dean Forest
George 10 Scholar Dean Forest

1861 Census East Dean
John Meek 55 Iron Miner Ruardean
Ann 54 East Dean
Jeremiah 26 Iron Miner East Dean
George 20 Iron Miner East Dean
John Roberts nephew 28 Iron Miner East Dean

1871 Census East Dean
George Meek 30 Iron Miner East Dean
Elizabeth 29 Weston U P
John Meek father 68 Iron Miner East Dean
Ann mother 65 East Dean
Lucy 42 sister 42 East Dean
John 2 son East Dean

I cannot find Moses Meek 1828 on the 1871 Census - his wife being with her brother at this time, but he was on other census and they had a child in 1872 :

1861 Census on Ruardean Hill
Moses Meck abt 1830 East Dean, Head East Dean,
Lucy Meck abt 1829 East Dean, Wife
Mary A Meck abt 1852 East Dean, Daughter
Giles Meck abt 1854 East Dean, Son
Lucy Meck abt 1856 East Dean, Daughter
Lydia O Meck abt 1858 East Dean, Daughter
Jane Meck abt 1860 East Dean, Daughter

1881 Census
Dwelling: Ruardean Rd
Census Place: (Westbury On Severn) East Dean, Gloucester, England
Source: FHL Film 1341608 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2521 Folio 116 Page 14
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Moses MEEK M 52 M East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Coal Miner
Lucy MEEK M 53 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Wife
Tryphena MEEK U 19 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Dau
Moses MEEK U 17 M East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Coal Miner
Rhoda MEEK U 15 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Dau
Bessie MEEK 13 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Dau
Occ: Scholar
Thomas MEEK 10 M East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Emily Jane MEEK 9 F East Dean, Gloucester, England
Rel: Dau
Occ: Scholar

1891 Census Newnham
Moses 62 CM Morse
Tryphena dtr Morse
Thomas 20 Morse
Emily 18 Morse

Lucy Meek nee Parson's sister Harriett as you say married James Roberts, their son Aaron James Roberts baptised 6 Feb 1853 Drybrook married Bertha Marfell 1853 at Drybrook 27 Oct 1873, I have the certificate for this marriage but not that of her second marriage to William Webb in 12 Oct 1885 Cinderford, I do however have both birth certificates for her illegitimate son Fred Marfell 30 Jan 1870, the real one (showing no father)and the forged one he used to enter the USA showing his grandfather Levi Marfell as his father. Fred married twice having 12 children and hundreds of descendants in America.

Parents of Harriett Parsons husband James Roberts were Aaron Roberts and Phoebe Harris, in 1861 James & Harriett's children Aaron & Elizabeth were staying with their grandmother :

1861 Census Hope Mansell
Phebe Roberts 60 Labourers Widow East Dean
James Aaron Roberts grandson 8 East Dean
Elizabeth Ann Roberts grand dtr 5 East Dean

Aaron James Roberts was buried Drybrook 11 Apr 1884, his sister Elizabeth Anne was baptised 28 Oct 1855 also buried 13 May 1875, both at Drybrook.

Jim Ashton

Demise of Isaiah Meek (reply)

Jean Herbert — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:31:29 +0000

Thank you for your reply. I must admit that I had seen this record but dismissed it as the wrong person. Thank you for correcting me. Have you any idea why her first husband suddenly died? I had noticed that he was a Miner, could it have been an accident in the Pit he was working in.
Whilst waiting for informationon Lucy Meek, I started to look for her sister Harriet Parsons, born 1832 and married James Roberts on 27 Jan 1850 (record from this site).
I found Harriet and her husband James Roberts in 1851 living next door to Harriet's father George Parsons. Also living with George Parsons was Lucy Meek (Widow) and her siblings.
After 1851 I can find no trace of Harriet and her husband James Roberts but did find a possible burial record for a James Roberts who died in 1855 Drybrook. (Record on this site,) I can find no further records for Harriet. This family is proving very illusive. Any help appreciated.
Regards Jean Herbert

Demise of Isaiah Meek (reply)

shepway — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:56:23 +0000

She may have married Moses Meek in 1854. This entry from FreeBMD:
Marriages Mar 1854
Meek Lucy Westbury 6a 310
Meek Moses Westbury 6a 310

In 1851 there is a baptism for Mary Meek as follows:
Year: 1851
Month: Jul
Day: 4
Parents_Surname: MEEK
Child_Forenames: Mary
Fathers_Forenames: Isaiah
Mothers_Forenames: Lucy
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Ruardean Hill
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: H G Nicholls
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 102
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

Looking at the 1861 Census
Moses Meck 31
Lucy Meck 32
Mary A Meck 9
Giles Meck 7
Lucy Meck 5
Lydia O Meck 3
Jane Meck 1

There is a family tree on Ancestry which comes to the same conclusion. This is the link:
http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/8153120/person/-908520752?pg=32810

Mike

Demise of Isaiah Meek

Jean Herbert — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:23:49 +0000

Lucy Parsons born 1827, daughter of George Parsons born abt 1806 and Margaret Herbert 1806, both in East Dean.
Lucy married Isaiah Meek on 30 Nov 1850 Drybrook (record of marriage on this site)
Sadly Isaiah Meek died shortly after this marriage. (Burial record on this site, 21 Feb 1851 buried at Drybrook.)
Can anyone tell me what happened to Lucy after this sad event and what was the reason for Isaiah's early death at the age of 26?
Regards Jean Herbert