An Old Memorandum

The following is a one page typed document containing some old data. I received this document from genealogist Betty Jane Meacham Curtis (formerly Armstrong), who probably received it from Clarence Mitcham. It must date to around 1910-25, since all of Rufus C. Meacham's daughters were married by 1925. The "you" in the second line is probably Ida Meacham Strobridge, who was collecting Meacham family histories from all over the country during the period 1910-30. It is unclear who sent her this document. Clarence made copies of many of her notes whilst gathering material for his book Meacham Mitcham Mitchum -- Families of the South published in 1974. In the book, Clarence cites some of the text, but does not mention the document or the old memo. He does have Elizabeth Mahan nee Meacham born 1840 at Troy, Tennessee, daughter of James Henry Meacham born Feb. 10, 1816, son of James Banks Meacham. He also has Rufus C. Meacham as a son of James Exum Meacham, son of James Banks Meacham. However a newspaper clipping from 1909, provided by a descendant of Rufus C. reports the death of James G. Meacham, 82, identified as the father of Rufus C. This James G. was born in 1827 and could not have been the son of James Banks Meacham, as he would only have been 11 years old in 1827 according to the old memo.

The original "Old Memorandum" is lost. Nothing from the personal effects of the three daugthers of Rufus C. appears to have survived, and the only living descendant of Elizabeth Meacham Mahan (born 1840) I could locate in Arkansas know nothing of this memo. The text below is exactly as it is typed, except for my notes in square brackets.

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The following is some information that I received from Miss Meacham, daughter of Rufus Columbus Meacham and which I send you to see if it will help in any way to straighten out our ancestry.

AN OLD MEMORANDUM.

Mr James Meacham was born in Nodaway [this word is struck out by hand and above it is written "Nottoway Co."] County Virginia Feb. 10, 1816. He had two brothers and one sister; Jesse Meacham, Joshua Right Meacham, and Martha Daniel Meacham. His father, Banks Meacham, moved to Kentucky, in five miles of Louisville when James Henry was but six months old. Lived there seven years when he died with Pneumonie. He had sold his land to move to Shelby County Tennessee. After his death, his son Jesse took his mother, brother and sister and moved to Shelby County; lived there five years, when they moved to Obion County, West Tennessee. Jesse Meacham married a Miss margarte [sic] Edmunds. Joshua Right Meacham married a Miss Hentietta [sic] Taylor; Martha Daniel Meacham married a Mr John Taylor. Dr. Jesse Meacham had three children, one son Dr. Andrew Jackson Meacham, born Jan. 3, 1836, was wounded in the Southern army at Shiloh. The yankees took the hospital, and we think he died there. Never heard any more from him. Joshua had eight children; four sons and four daughters; Elizabeth, Jane, Tennessee and Mary Ann; his sons; William, Francis, Marion, Andrew Hackson [the 'H' is a little smudged; might be overtyped with a 'J'] and James Banks Meacham [should this be James Exum?? as Clarence has it; see the note below. There are five names here; perhaps a comma has been added inadvertently, splitting first and middle names].

The above was found among some old papers belonging to her father (John Henry) [should this be James Henry??] by Elizabeth Meacham Mahan, of Harrison Ark.

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There was a Banks Meacham born Jan. 15, 1748 who had a son James, but this sons name was James Banks - not James Exum. He moved from Virginia to Troy Tenn. There was a Thomas Banks Meacham who was born June 6, 1829. A Samuel Banks born Jan. 18, 1834. Another Meacham named Banks was born December 30, 1845. James Banks Meacham born Aug. 11, 1856. Banks Kendall Meacham born Dec. 5, 1878. Even a daughter was named "Banks" -- Martha Banks Meacham born June 9, 1864. Walter Banks Meacham born Feb. 18, 1864.

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James Banks (son of Banks and Elizabeth) was born 1792 and in 1852 he was at Bristol Fla. He may have lived in Alabama at a town called Utah.

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