MEEKER FAMILY HISTORY

Welcome to the Meeker Family History page by Tom Knuppel. It is my hope you enjoy reading this page. I have attempted to make it 100% verifiable. However, there are bound to be some things that others have differently. It amazes me that one person can have several birth dates. Things like that seem to be common. 

I will have more lineage posted in the coming days, weeks, months and years about this page and others that have been identified as in the Meeker-Callaway family line. 

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This is the Linda Meeker (my wife) line from as far back to present day.

(more pictures will be added)

 

Joseph Meeker

• born 1550 in Berkshire, England and died December 11, 1657 in Durham, Connecticut
• wife Mary Smith born 1555 and died August 23, 1625
• children: Williaim

Notes: This is the earliest Meeker that we can find and yes that is the spelling of their sons name. It appears Joseph came over to the United States and his son didn’t.

 

Williaim Meeker

• birth 1575 in Berkshire, England and died December 1690 at age 115 in Berkshire, England
• wife Hannah William born in 1580 in Essex, England and died on July 14, 1650. they had one son Albert Nicholas
• Hannah’s parents are Richard (1550-1625) and Jane Sheppard (1546-1607)
• Second wife Sarah Seabrook (1626-1666). They married in 1649 and had nine children.

Notes: It appears Hannah left shortly after their son was born. Williaim was 74 yrs of age and Sarah was 22 years old when they got married.

 

Albert “Nicholas” Meeker

• birth July 23, 1596 in Leamington, Warwickshire, England and died March 1, 1624
• his wife Rosie Bennie (1598-1625) was born in Leamington, England and died in Cornwall, England in 1625
• Rosie’s parents are Cobie (1570-1600) and Elizabeth Hopkins (1575-1600)
• They were married in 1616. Son William Goodman carried on this lineage
• All children were William,  Samuel, Thomas, Robert

Notes: NONE

 

William Goodman Meeker

• Birth: May 1620 — Leamington, Warwickshire, England   Death: 9 December 1690 ‎(Age 70)‎ — Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
• wife Sarah Jane Preston  Birth: 18 July 1626 — Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England   Death: 1666 ‎(Age 39)‎ — New Haven, Connecticut, USA
• Sarah’s parents are William (1590-1649) and Mary Sale (1590-1633)
• They were married in 1646 and had son Benjamin Meeker to carry this lineage.
• All children included  William Meeker; Capt. Robert Meeker; Benjamin Meeker; Nathaniel Meeker; Sarah Smith; Mary Meeker; John Meeker; Ruth Meeker and Esther Meeker

Notes:  William Goodman Meeker came from England aboard the “Abigail” arriving with his brother Robert Meeker on 9 September 1635 to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Each of the brothers had four sons. By July 1644 he had moved to the New Haven Colony. William moved to Newark, New Jersey, then known as Elizabethtown Point, NJ about 1664. He married first, 1646, Sarah Jane Preston, daughter of William Preston and Elizabeth Sale, in New Haven, Removed from New Haven, CT to Elizabeth Town Point, NJ about 1665. He was presented a tract of land at Lyons Farms by the people of Elizabethtown and Newark in appreciation his “fidelity to their interests”. This information was extracted from New Haven Colony Records 1638-1649.

He took the oath of fidelity in New Haven CT on 1 July 1644 and was one of the subscribers to the New Haven Fundamental Agreement on 4 June 1639. He took the oath of Allegiance on 19 Feb 1685. The spelling, Meaker is the English spelling of Meeker. He was among the original “Elizabethtown Associates”, 78 men who purchased 500,000 acres known as the “Elizabethtown Grant” from the Indians. He was “Constable of the Town” as chosen by associates and under a commission from Gov. Carteret.

 

Benjamin Meeker

• Birth: 17 March 1649 — New Haven, Connecticut, USA  –  Death: 28 May 1707 ‎(Age 58)‎ — Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
• wife Elizabeth Thompson  Birth: 3 April 1654 – Death: 1745 ‎(Age 90)‎ — Essex, New Jersey, USA
• Elizabeth’s parents are Thomas (1616-1676) and Mary Waldrop Hale (1621-1704)
• married  18 June 1673 ‎(Age 24)‎ at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA
• Their son Thomas carries this lineage
• All children include: Jonathan, Benjamin, Samuel, Thomas, Joseph, Isaac

Notes: Benjamin was married three times

 

Thomas Meeker

• Birth: 1685  — USA     Death: 1751 ‎(Age 66)‎ — USA or Cuba
• wife Mary Ball Fox Birth: about 1685 — Virginia, USA – Death: 1711 ‎(Age 26)‎ — USA
• Mary’s parents are Capt. David (1647-1702) and Hannah Ball (1649-1694)
• They were married in 1706 and Timothy Meeker was their only son and carried on the lineage

Notes: NONE

 

Timothy Meeker

• Birth: September 1708 — Essex, New Jersey, USA – Death: 22 December 1798 ‎(Age 90)‎ — New Jersey, USA
• wife Desire Cory — Birth: March 1719  USA –  Death: 25 June 1793 ‎(Age 74)‎ — New Jersey, USA
• Desire’s parents are Joseph (1709-1782) and Azuba Day (1702-1732)
• marriage 1736 in Providence, RI and son John carried on the lineage
• All children included: Joseph Meeker; Sarah Meeker; Jonas Meeker; John Meeker; Mary Day; William Meeker; Amos Meeker; Hannah Edwards; Timothy Meeker; Cory Meeker; Abigail Meeker; Jonathan Meeker; David Meeker; Isaac Meeker; Desire Meeker and Phebe Meeker

Notes: Timothy served in the Revolution at the battle of Springfield on 23 June 1780 at age 70 with 9 of his sons, 4 son-in-law, and two grandsons. At the time, the Springfield area had seen the British soldiers several times. Old Timothy’s participation in the militia was recorded in the New York “Gazette and Weekly Mercury” on 29 July 1776

 

John Meeker

• Birth: 1742 North, Essex County, New Jersey, USA – Death  14 Nov 1802 Essex County, New Jersey, USA
• wife Rachel Force Birth — 1750 Hanover, Morris, New Jersey, USA – Death abt 1800 New Jersey
• Rachel’s parents are Obediah (1698-1789) and Johanna Manning (1705-1752)
• He married Rachel in 1778 and their son Benjamin carries the lineage
• All children include: Manning,  Ural, Usual, Benjamin, Mary, Abraham, William (1790

Notes: In the book “Turncoats, Traitors & Heroes — Espionage in the American Revolution,” places John Meeker as serving in the Essex County Militia. Author Bakeless wrote that, “responding to Gen. Washington’s request, Gen. Elias Dayton sent out brothers Capt. Baker Hendricks and John Hendricks, together with John Meeker, one of his soldiers.

 

Benjamin Meeker

• Birth: 15 July 1793 Northfield, Essex County, New Jersey, United States of America – Death 15 July 1857 Delavan, Tazewell County, Illinois
• wife Elizabeth Baldwin  Birth 15 Jul 1794 New Jersey – Death 1857 Delavan, Illinois
• Elizabeth’s parents are Thomas (1794-1857) and Lydia Perrine (1772-1797)
• Benjamin was married in 1811 and son Moses carried on the lineage.
• All children include: Maria,  Daniel Baldwin, Moses R, David L., Benjamin (1828-1891)

Notes: Benjamin died on his 64th birthday. He married two more times after his first wife died.

 

Moses Robinson Dewey Meeker

• Birth:  31 Jan 1822 South Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, USA – Death 9 December 1891 Pekin, Illinois
• wife Mary A. Davidson  Birth 7 Mar 1822 Fountain Co., IN – Death 26 Dec 1891 Pekin, Tazewell, Illinois
• Mary’s parents are Robert (1795-1857) and Catherine Hillard (1797-1879)
• Moses and Mary were married on October 20, 1842, in Fountain, Indiana and son Rodney carries the lineage
• All children include: Daniel B., Edward Bird, John H, Frederick, Samuel Gustavus (1856-1945)
  Rovira Rodney, Alice May, William W.

Notes: Ezra Meeker (a second cousin) didn’t come to Pekin only to promote the Oregon Trail and Pioneer Way, but also took the opportunity to call on his cousins, the Samuel Meeker family. Samuel was one of the sons of Moses Robinson Dewey Meeker (1822-1891), who with his brother Daniel Baldwin Meeker (1819-1904) were among the pioneer settlers of Tazewell County. Moses and Daniel were sons of Benjamin Meeker (1793-1857), who was born in Essex County, New Jersey, and died in Delavan, Illinois. Benjamin and his son Daniel are buried in Prairie Rest Cemetery, Delavan, while Moses is buried in Green Valley Cemetery. Benjamin’s older brother Manning Meeker (1785-1820), was the grandfather of Ezra Meeker.

The 1873 Atlas Map of Tazewell County shows Daniel B. Meeker’s homestead in Delavan Township, a few miles east-northeast of Delavan, while the homestead and stock farm of Moses R. D. Meeker is shown in Section 30 of Sand Prairie Township, several miles west of Green Valley. The 1873 Atlas Map also includes a short biography of Moses R. D. Meeker on page 82 as well as a lithograph drawing of his residence on page 133.

Moses’ 1873 biography, which mistakenly gives his middle initial as “B.” (elsewhere correctly showing “R.”), describes Moses as “one of the heavy farmers and successful stock raisers of Tazewell county” – but in this case “heavy” refers to the output of his farm, not the weight of his body. Moses first came to Tazewell County around 1846, settling near Tremont for six years before acquiring his stock farm in Sand Prairie Township. The 1880 U.S. Census lists Moses and his family as residents of Pekin, where his son Samuel was still living in 1916 when their cousin Ezra stopped for a few days to promote Pioneer Way.

 

Rovira “Rodney” Meeker

• Birth: 21 Oct 1858 Green Valley, Tazewell, Illinois, USA – Death:12 Jan 1917 Green Valley, Tazewell, Illinois, USA
• wife Sarah Parkin Birth  27 Feb 1858 Doncaster, Yorkshire West Riding, United Kingdom -D:18 May 1918 Manito, Mason, Illinois, USA
• Sarah’s parents are William Jr. (1825-1887) and Sarah Ann Youle (1828-1902)
• Rodney and Sarah were married on on February 21, 1878 and son Samuel carries the lineage
• All children include:  Walter Rovire (1879-1957) , Floyd Albert (1881-1972) , George Elmer (1882-1971) , Arthur Raymund (1883-1913)
  Benjamin Franklin (1885-1956) , Sarah S (1886-1939) , Grover Clereland (1888-1982) , Fredrick J (1889-) , Moses Robinson (1891-1957)
  Milton Clarence (1893-1982) . Grace H (1895-1962) Samuel Edward (1899-1990), Daniel Rodney (1900-1983)

Standing L to R: Moses, Arthur, George, Floyd, Walter, Ben, Grover and Fred.

Front L to R: Sam, Stella, Baby Dan, father Rodney, mother Sarah, Grace and Milton.

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel Edward Meeker

• Birth: 12 January 1899 Illinois – Death 8 December 1990
• wife Edith Whitaker Birth 17 May 1900 Manito, Mason, Illinois, USA – Death 7 December 1990
• Edith’s parents are James Buchanan Whitaker (1864-1952) and Ida May Barnes (1870-1936)
• Sam and Edith were married on October 6, 1920 and son Paul carries the lineage
• All children include Paul, Clyde, Loren and Lyle

Notes: He loved farming and did so his entire family. Throughout the years he farmed in Iowa and Illinois and taught his sons (Paul, Clyde and Loren) the art of working the ground. One son, Lyle, died in infancy. After retiring from the farm, Sam loved to drive out through the countryside and “check out the crops”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Burton Meeker

• Birth: 6 Aug 1922 Manito, Mason County, Illinois, United States of America
• wife Donna L Callaway Birth January 9, 1935
• Donna’s parents are Elmore “Clyde” Callaway (1890-1949) and Bertha Hughes (1904-1979)
• Paul and Donna were married on January 11, 1952 and that brings us to the PRESENT DAY
• Their children include Linda, Jan. Carl, Ruth, Ross, Roger, Cari

Notes: Paul loved to farm and was a true and generous man that valued his wife and family. He never said a discouraging word about anyone.
He and Donna raised seven happy, healthy and well adjusted children. Paul had several of the same habits of his dad as he also loved to drive out and see what “the boys” are doing on the farm.

 

OTHER MEEKER NAMES and PLACES

Nathan Meeker– he was appointed U.S. Agent at the White River Indian Agency in western Colorado. The next year, he was killed by Ute warriors in what became known as the Meeker Massacre, during the White River War. His wife and adult daughter were taken captive for about three weeks. From him we have Meeker, Colorado and Meeker County. Also, there are Meeker Museums and tourists areas that were named after him.

Edward Meeker– was an American singer and performer, best known for his appearances on the recordings of Thomas Edison both as an announcer and singer, performing songs such as “Chicken Reel”, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, “Go Easy Mabel”, and “Harrigan”, as well as reading vaudeville skits and providing sound effects.

Ezra Meeker– as stated above, he led an ox led team on the Oregon Trail and then traveled the country meeting presidents and others promoting his accomplishments. He wrote several books about the experience.

Meg Meeker M.D., is the bestselling author of Strong Mothers, Strong Sons; The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers; Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters; and Boys Should Be Boys. She has been a physician practicing pediatric and adolescent medicine, working with children and their parents

Mary Meeker– makes history in launching the first female-founded, female-led venture capital fund to cross the billion-dollar threshold

Meeker Island Lock and Dam Historic Park– Meeker Island was the site of the first and northernmost lock and dam on the Mississippi River. Built to extend navigation from St. Paul northward to Minneapolis

Meeker State Habitat Area– it is 3 miles west of Hidalgo, in northern Jasper county Illinois. It has  woodland on this area that slope steeply toward the southeast along an upland cropfield in the southwest corner, down to an east bottom cropfield, and drops northeast over a bluff above the Embarras River. The woods is mostly oak-hickory with maple understory.

Meekers Landing- a homestead area of many of the Meeker farms in Iowa.

 

RECAPPING THE MEEKER FAMILY

 The Paternal Lineage

PLACE THEY WERE BORN OR DIED

1. Berkshire, England
2. Leamington, England
3. Cornwall, England
4. Doncaster, England
5. Chesham, England
6. Durham, CT
7. Lyon’s Farm Elizabeth, NJ
8. Essex County, NJ
9. Lancaster County, VA
10. New Haven, CT
11. Norfolk, MA
12. Warren, NJ
13. Morris, NJ
14. Fountain County, IN
15. Delavan, IL
16. Green Valley, IL
17. Pekin, IL
18. Manito, IL
19. Forest City, IL

• Back to the Main Family History Page

 

 

PRESENT DAY

 

Children and Grand-Children of Paul and Donna

 

1. Linda Lee Meeker was born on August 15, 1952 and married Thomas Lee Knuppel (January 1, 1951) on October 6, 1973. Their children are:

•  Ryan Lee Knuppel (Dec. 2, 1978)  married Sarah Lynn Peterson (July 6, 1977) on August 12, 2000. Their three children: 
  • Drew Ryan Knuppel August 20, 2003
  • Alyssa Lynn Knuppel July 31, 2005
  • Bryce Ryan Knuppel June 16, 2008

 

• Rodney Paul Knuppel (August 15, 1982) married Carlye Elizabeth Rodgers (June 4, 1987) on July 16, 2010. Their three children:
  • Jonah Paul Knuppel June 4, 2011
  • Paige Caroline Knuppel April 8, 2013
  • Tessa Grace Knuppel     Nov 4, 2016            

 

•  Rhett Alan Knuppel was born on April 27, 1985 and spent 13 months traveling back and forth to St Jude Children’s Hospital and died December 21, 1986 of neuroblastoma. 

 

•  Randy Thomas Knuppel born on September 18, 1988

 

2. Jan Louise Meeker (January 3, 1955) married Ronald Wayne Conklin (March 15, 1955) on July 14, 1974. They have three children:

• Angela Dawn Conklin (August 9, 1976) married Jarrod Paul Stock (February 19, 1974) on October 20, 2001. Their children: 
  • • Jacob Paul Stock  August 3, 2003
    • Michael Allen Stock August 22, 2004
    • Andrew Wayne Stock December 10, 2006
    • Rebekah Dawn Stock October 13, 2008
• Jason Lee Conklin (July 18, 1977) married Elly Marie Benson (September 12, 1979) on June 15, 2002. Their four children: 
  • Seth James Conklin August 16, 2005
  • Aiden Paul Conklin  March 27, 2007
  • Anna Grace Conklin December 26, 2008
  • Megan Lee Conklin April 14, 2010

 

• Nathan Scott Conklin (March 20, 1981) married Emily Ann Vitiritti (October 20, 1982) on August 30, 2008. Their two children: 
  • Frank Wayne Conklin July 23, 2016
  • Owen Paul Conklin March 26, 2019

 

3. Carl Burton Meeker (November 10, 1956) married Anita Larson and they had three children. 

• Christopher Burton Meeker (December 18, 1977) and KayLynn Trammel (August 12, 1977) were married June 10, 2000. They have two children: 
  • Reed Burton Meeker  September 20, 2006
  • Caleb James Meeker  September  7, 2008

 

• Holly Meeker (July 9,1979) and James Krus (February 20, 1975) were married on April 24, 2014 and he adopted Justice Marie as his own.
  • Justice Marie Krus Mar 22, 2006

 

• Jeremy Robert Meeker (January 25, 1981) married Andrea McMullin  (November 22, 1980) on August 8, 2010. They have the following four children:
  • • Julia Joy Meeker November 22, 2011
    • Carolyn Jane Meeker September 13, 2013
    • Simeon Robert Meeker August 5, 2016
    • Lydia Gayle Meeker July 19, 2018

 

Carl married Nancy Rula on July 2, 1999 and she died on December 19, 2018

 

4. Ruth Ann Meeker (December 15, 1957) married Albert William Garlisch and they had two children: 

• Chad Alan Garlisch (June 14, 1977) married Jennifer Lynn Mallicoat and they had one child. 
  •  Shooter Alan Garlisch (March 28, 2006) 

 

• Lindsy Beth Garlisch (August 2, 1982) married Lonnie Wayne McAnally (March 14, 1976) on May 6, 2006 and they have two children: 
  • Lauryn Ann McAnally April 22, 2007
  • Lane Robert McAnally April 20, 2009

 

Ruth married Delbert Thomas Brooks (July 16, 1953) on December 3, 1996

 

5. Ross Alan Meeker (Oct 2, 1959) married Cindy Ann Clark (September 5, 1961) on May 17, 1991 and they have two children:

• • Devyn Nicole Meeker (December 9. 1993) married Nicholas Raymond Bell (February 18, 1991) on November 26, 2016
  • Dane Patrick Meeker (June 30, 1992) married Jacinda Darien Schierer (September 24, 1993) on May 26, 2017

 

6. Roger Alan Meeker (Oct 2, 1959) married Cathy Mardel Coonfer (June 22, 1960) on November 11, 1978. They have three children:

• Jeffrey Alan Meeker (Mar 16, 1985) married Michelle Lynn Stickler (October 31, 1991) on October 13, 2013 and they have two children: 

• • • Mia Gabrielle Meeker November 24, 2016
    • Lincoln Jeffrey Meeker  August 20, 2018

 

• Wade Ryan Meeker (Nov 18, 1987) married Jedta Shipp (June 22, 1987) on May 6, 2011 and they have one child.
  • Ryan Anthony Meeker (January 17, 2011)

 

             Wade married Kelsey Lynn Ney (December 22, 1987) on June 11, 2016.

 

• Gregory Steven Meeker (March 27, 1991)

 

7. Cari Beth Meeker  (September 7, 1971)