Notes for Ellen Meeks

Notes for Ellen Meeks Our Merged Meeks Families

Notes for Ellen Meeks

Source: Meeks Etchieson

Ellen Jane was the first daughter and third child born to Thomas andMary Dodd Meeks. She wa s born in Independence County in 1835. On 7September 1851 she was married to William Richard son, son of BenjaminRichardson, by J. W. Barton, JP.(1) In the 1860 census, Ellen and twoson s were enumerated in Thomas Meeks' household. William Richardsonwas enumerated "next door" b y himself. William Richardson had diedprior to 8 July 1861.(2) His wife, Ellen and her brot her William IMeeks were appointed executors of his estate. Their bond was forthree thousan d dollars.(3) This document was signed bu EllenRichardson, William I Meeks and their father , Thomas Meeks and waswitnessed by J. M. Barton and A. T. W. Long. A document filed on 22Jan uary 1862 estimated the value of the estate to be about $1500(4),however, the estate appraise d for $194.00(5) in a document filed onthe same date. This did not include the real estate . The appraisalof the estate was undertaken by G.W. Cook, J.D. Crawford, and J. W.Barton. I n January. 1866, W. I. Meeks prepared an inventory of theestate; at this time included were $ 100 in Confederate money, realestate valued at about $1200, and an interest in the estate ofB enjamin Richardson, valued at about $150.(6) In February. 1866, anAnnexed Will was filed i n the Clerk's office.(7) This document statesthat Ellen Richardson had died by this time. T he will directed thatone-third of the estate go to each Ellen Richardson, and sons James A.an d Thomas B. Richardson. It also stated that should Ellen die orremarry, then her portion sho uld be divided between the two sons. In1870, William I. Meeks filed a petition to sell the l and belonging tothe William Richardson estate. This document suggest that Ellen hadleft th e Sate of Arkansas and that by the time that this document wasprepared and filed, also that s he had died. (8).. Goodspeed(9) suggestthat she had died prior to 1890.

Marriage records suggest that Ellen Richardson had indeed remarriedfollowing the death of Wil liam and prior to the settlement of theWilliam Richardson estate. Ellen J. Richardson (age d about 26) and B.W. Horton (aged about 37) were married on the 4th day of May 1862.(10)No ad ditional information has been located regarding this family.

(1) Marriage Record, recorded in Book C, page 201, Clark CountyArkansas, September 1851.
(2) Last will and Testament of William Richardson, filed 8 July 1861.Loose paper in Office o f the
County Clerk, Clark County Courthouse, Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
(3) Executors Bond, Estate of William Richardson, filed in the ClarkCounty, Arkansas, Probat e
Court on 22 January 1862. On file in the Clark County HistoricalAssociation Archives, O uachita
Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
(4) Administrator's Oath, filed January 22, 1862. Loose papers inOffice of the County Clerk , Clark
County Courthouse, Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
(5) Appraisement of the estate of William Richardson, filed January22, 1862. Loose papers i n the
Office of the Country Clerk, Clark County Courthouse,Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
(6) Inventory of Estate of William Richardson, filed January 29,1866. Loose papers in Offic e of the County Clerk, Clark CountyCourthouse, Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
(7) Letters of Administration, de vanis non, Will annexed. Estate ofWilliam Richardson, fil ed
February 1, 1866. Loose papers in Office of the County Clerk, Clark County Courthouse , Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
(8) Petition to sell Lands, William Richardson estate, Clark CountyCircuit Court, filed 10 O ctober 1870. On file in the Clark CountyCircuit Court, Clark County Courthouse, Arkadelph ia, Arkansas
(9) Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1890, Biographical and Historicalmemoirs of Souther n Arkansas. The Goodspeed Publishing Company,Chicago, Nashville, and St. Louis, pg 333.
(10) Marriage Records, Book D. page 235, Office of County Clerk, ClarkCounty Courthouse,
Arkadelphia, Arkansas.