Achilles Morris Meacham

CROSS, DARNALL, GLAZE, JONES, MEACHAM, MCMILLIAN

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 6/29/2006 at 09:12:13

Achilles M. Meacham, who is engaged in farming on section 26, Jackson township, was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 2d of December, 1838, the youngest of nine children born to Andrew (Allen) and Elizabeth (Jones) Meacham. The birth of the father occurred in North Carolina on the 14th of March, 1790, and that of the mother on the 14th of May, 1797. The father accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois when but ten years of age and after reaching man's estate became the owner of land in that state. He also conducted a store for two years in Sangamon county. In 1840 he removed to Warren county, Illinois, and engaged in merchandising near Lancaster. He was an active republican and served as justice of the peace for many years. He was in early life an exhorter and preacher of the old school Baptist church, but late in life became a member of the Christian church. He had a brother who was a minister of the gospel. Andrew Meachem passed away on the 30th of October, 1876, and was survived by his widow for more than two years, her demise occurring on the 19th of January, 1879.

Achilles M. Meacham began the acquirement of his education in an old log schoolhouse in the neighborhood of his home and recalls the building and its furniture vividly. The seats were slabs, the desks were made of rough boards and the house was heated by a fireplace. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and then began farming in Warren county, Illinois, where he lived until February, 1878. In that year he came to Madison county and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land near Pitzer, in Jackson township. He raised cattle and hogs extensively and found that occupation very remunerative. In 1901 he sold that place and removed to a small fruit farm in the vicinity of Winterset, where he resided for seven years. In 1908 he removed to his present farm on section 26, Jackson township, which comprises fifty-three acres of land.

On the 28th of July, 1859, Mr. Meacham married Miss Clarinda McMillan, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, on the 6th of May, 1840, and is a daughter of John and Harriett (Glaze) McMillan. Her father was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 26th of August, 1816, and her mother in Brown county, Ohio. The latter is living in Denver, Colorado, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. The father of Mrs. Meacham was taken by his parents to Brown county, Ohio, in 1818. He became a member of the Christian church in 1836 and on the 27th of July, 1842, began preaching. In 1843 he was ordained elder. The year 1856 witnessed his removal to Hancock county, Illinois, and under his ministration several churches were erected in Hancock and Warren counties. In 1869 he removed to Winterset and became the owner of land in Lincoln township. He continued active as a preacher and remained in Winterset, until 1906. In that year he went to Denver, Colorado, and in 1907 took up his residence in Mountain View, Oklahoma, where he passed away on the 14th of December, of that year. He helped to organize the western Illinois conference and was quite prominent in his denomination. Fraternally he was a Mason and an Odd Fellow. His marriage occurred in 1837 and to him and his wife were born eleven children, of whom Mrs. Meacham was the second in order of birth.

Mr. and Mrs. Meacham have thirteen children: Albert A., born April 3, 1860, who is farming near Emory, Montana, and who has five children, George, Ona, Susan, Beulah and Nellie; John A., born September 14, 1861, who owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Jackson township and who has two children, Earl and Ervin; Ziba, who was born on the 20th of March, 1863, and is residing in Colorado; Harmon E., born November 20, 1864, who is residing at Kalispell, Montana, and who has five children, Rex, Fred, Virgie, Jack and Homer; Elza Walter, Ira A., Carrie and Charles S., all of whom died in infancy; Eva, the deceased wife of George Cross; Earl G,, deceased; Floy D., the wife of E. Darnell, a farmer of Nyhart, Montana, by whom she has two sons and a daughter, Glenn, Bessie and Charles; Frank R, born April 3, 1883, who is residing at Idaho Falls and who has a daughter, Grace A.; and Virgie I., the wife of Lloyd Wright, of Jackson township, by whom she has a son, Hugh.

Mr. Meacham is a member of the Christian church and has held office in the same. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order, having joined the now extinct lodge at Pitzer. He transferred his membership to the lodge at Winterset and is well known in that body. Although he has no desire for public office he manifests a commendable interest in community affairs and is willing to cooperate in worthy movements.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915,” by Herman Mueller.