MEEK, Isaiah: Born 1821

MEEK, INGELS

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 8/27/2013 at 06:31:27

THE LAST OF EARTH
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Death of Isaiah Meek, of Bonaparte
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The Great Manufacturer Passes Away After a Short Illness--A Brief Sketch of His Life and an Estimate of His Character.

As briefly announced last week, Isaiah Meek, proprietor of the Bonaparte woolen and flouring mills, died on Friday morning, the 8th inst. aged 71 years two months and nine days. His death came after two or three weeks of severe illness, and was caused by pleurisy. Mr. Meek was born in Wayne county, Ohio, which is the third county south of Cleveland, Jan. 31, 1821, his parents being Wm. and Elizabeth Meek. In 1829 the family moved to St. Joseph county, Mich., where at Constantine the father, Judge Meek, as he was always called, engaged in the milling business and acquired the capital and experience which were the foundation of his successful business career in Iowa later. In 1837, when Isaiah was 16 years of age, the family came to Bonaparte. December 16, 1844, he was married at Columbus, a little village west of Bentonsport, to Miss Cyntha A. Ingels, who survives him.

Judge Meek sold his milling plant and other property in Michigan for ?39, 000. He came to Iowa in 1836 and to Keosauqua and tried to get a place here to make a dam and erect a mill, but a couple of New Englanders had taken unclaims on either side of the river, and being unable to buy them out at any reasonable figure, Judge Meek went to Bonaparte and located and the next year brought his family there.

In 1839 Judge Meek got an act through the territorial legislature authorizing the construction of a dam across the river. The act authorized the building by Wm. Meek & Sons, the sons being Wm. Meek, Jr., and Robert Meek, Isaiah not being of age at that time. The dam being completed a flouring mill was erected in 1844, which did an immense business, it being patronized by people for 26 and 30 miles around.

In 1853 the woolen factory was built, the firm being stilt Wm. Meek & Sons, the sons being Wm. Meek Jr., Robert and Isaiah. In 1863 this factory burned down, at a loss to the firm of $20,000, and the present factory was built the same year. And in the fateful year of 18?? Judge Meek died. He was an enterprising man of strong intellect and of perfect integrity, and his memory is still revered by all those now living who knew him. Some time previously Wm. Meek, Jr., and gone to California, where he became very wealthy and died a few years since. And in the meantime Jos. Meek had come into the firm, and it was then composed of Robert, Isaiah and Joseph, under the name of Meek & Bros. In 1874 or 1875, Jos. Meek retired and the firm name changed to Meek Bros. In 18?5 Robert Meek died, and Isaiah bought his heirs' interest in the factory and mills and had since been sole owner. He ran the different plants to their full capacity and was very successful. He added to the business the manufacture of pantaloons from the cloth they wove, thus realizing two profits when he received but one before. This broach of the business was prosperous beyond his expectations. Hence the past year he erected a three story brick building 50 by 100 feet in size to accommodate it, and possibly coat making also. Death came before the machinery and materials and been moved in to that new building. In addition to the woolen and grist mills and the ware house and new building and other town property, Mr. Meek had about 2,000 acres of land, being perhaps the most extensive farmer in the county. He leaves an estate of $150,000 to $200,000.

Isaiah Meek did a great deal for Bonaparte and Van Buren county. He paid out a great deal of money in building operations and for wool, for grain, for machinery and implements; and in addition to that he was probably, at the time of his death, and had been for years, carrying 150 people on his payrolls. That money was to a large extent brought into this county my Mr. Meek by the sale of his good abroad and in creased by just so much the wealth of this section. By giving employment to so many, he gave support to hundreds, and indirectly increased the trade and profits over every business man in this town. It required ability of a high order to manage successfully the large affairs which as manufacturer and farmer Mr. Meek controlled. Mr. Meek possessed great and extroidinary(sp) ability. Mr. Manning, who is one of the best and most discriminating judges of men, says that Judge Meek and his sons were the strongest and ablest family as men of affairs that ever settled in the Des Moines valley, and he said that while speaking particularly of Isaiah and Robert. And that judgment is fully borne out by the able manner in which they met ever adverse condition-for their business required a very large working capital and was attended by some risk because of the fluctuations of the wool market, and overcome ever obstacle, and achieved success and fortune. While there are men of grater wealth, there were none in this part of Iowa who filled as large a space in the business w??d as Isaiah Meek. Of large physique and possessing a large brain, he had a comprehensive mind and a judgment that was unerring. He was truly a great man. Had he not been a great manufacturer he would have been a great physician, a great lawyer, a great military leader, or great in any other calling he chanced to enter upon.

Mr. Meek was not only a great man, but he was a good man. He was a man of perfect integrity. In his dealings with mankind he exemplified the rule strictly of doing by others as he would be done by. He set an example of industry, sobriety, and frugality but there was no approach to parsimony or meanness in his conduct. He was plain and unaffected and courteous in his manner. He never used the power which his wealth and position as an employer gave him. He was naturally respected by all, not only at home, but by all the people not only at home, but by all the people throughout this section. Hence in 1870, when there was 500 adverse majority in the county, he was elected a supervisor and four years ago he was the unanimous choice of the democrats for congress and had he consented, would have been nominated by acclamation.

The death of Mr. Meek is an irreplaceable loss to the world, but his m?? falls upon the shoulders of three worthy sons, who are familiar with every detail of the great business now left to their management. There can be no doubt that they will carry it forward successful as their father and their uncles did when death called their grandfather.

The funeral was held from the family residence at 2 p.m. Sunday. About 175 went down on a special train from here and Bentonsport. It was the largest funeral ever held in the county, there being probably 1,500 in attendance. The funeral sermon was delivered by Rev. G.W. Barber, of Selma, a nephew of the deceased, who was assisted in the service by Rev. McMasters, the text being "It a man die shall he live again." The floral tributes were profuse and beautiful. The mountings on the beautiful and costly metallic casket were of silver and gold. The interment took place on grounds adjoining the Bonaparte cemetery on the west. This death marks an era in the history of our county, and especially of Bonaparte.

Source: Van Buren County Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 179, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA