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From Mead of Woodhouse Township, Norfolk County, Upper Canada
Compiled by R. Robert Mutrie
THE FIRST GENERATION IN NORFOLK
Mead, Richard, born at Loudon, Co., Virginia c. 1751, died at Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk Co., Upper Canada on 13 May 1837 ae 86y. He married at Pittsgrove Baptist Church, Daretown, Salem Co., New Jersey on 29 Aug 1772, Parneal/Parnel Sutton (daughter of Thomas Sutton). Richard was buried in Old Woodhouse Methodist Church Cemetery, Woodhouse Twp.
Richard moved with his parents from Virginia to Pittsgrove Twp., Salem Co., New Jersey in 1765. He was listed in the New Jersey Rateables in 1773 and 1774. Richard was listed in the Pittsgrove Militia Unit on 1 Aug 1774.
During the American Revolution, Richard served in Jacob Dubois' Company, 1st Battalion of the New Jersey Volunteers, listed in a Muster Roll of 1 Feb 1777. He then enlisted in the 2nd Company Corps on 1 Mar 1778. He was discharged as a Sergeant at the corps' reduction. He was among the Loyalists listed in an Act passed by the New Jersey Legislature confiscating their estates in 1778. Others listed included his brother-in-law Hugh Cowperthwaite and his father-in-law Thomas Sutton. Richard's estate was valued in excess of £191.
SETTLEMENT IN NOVA SCOTIA AND NEW BRUNSWICK
Richard Mead went to Nova Scotia in 1783 and received a grant of 300 acres in Digby Twp., Digby County in 1784. He received a grant of a town lot in Lunenburg, Chester Co. in 1788. Richard was listed in a muster roll of discharged and disbanded officers, soldiers and Loyalists mustered at Digby on 29 May 1784. His family was listed as one man, one woman, one child over ten and two children under ten
He settled next at Pennfield, New Brunswick. In Jun 1785, he was elected a Road Master of Pennfield. On 10 Mar 1789, Richard was appointed to examine accounts and proceedings of a committee chosen to distribute English donations to the colony. A list of transactions and proceedings of Quakers who agreed to settle on the St. John River listed Parneal Mead, wife of Richard Mead, a member of New Jersey with her children Benjamin, Parneal and Margaret, at which time they were at Beaver Harbour.
SETTLEMENT IN UPPER CANADA
During the administration of Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe, Mead came to the province with Captain Nathan Barnum in 1792 or 1793, and received a promise of a grant from himself and his family. He then returned to New Brunswick and disposed of his property much under its value.
On 30 Jul 1799, Richard Mead filed an Upper Canada Land Petition stating that he was late from New Brunswick and came into the Province about a month earlier with his family - wife, 2 sons, 2 daughters. One son was aged 25 years and one daughter was married to George Salmon, also in province. An attached certificate of Samuel Ryerse stated that Richard Mead was 49 years old, born in Virginia, a tanner. Richard received a recommendation for a lot on Yonge Street in York County.
On 8 Apr 1800, Mead was a signer of a petition to the London District Court for better regulation of the public roads. On 16 Jun 1802, he purchased from Thomas Hamilton 400 acres in Lot 2, Concession 1 and Lot 15, Concession 1, Woodhouse Twp. On 22 Jun 1802, Mead sold to John Conrad Lot 2, Concession 1. On 29 Jun 1803 he purchased from Abraham Taylor 100 acres in the north part of Lot 4, Concession 2 Woodhouse Twp. On 2 Feb 1804, he purchased from William Francis 100 acres in the north part of Lot 4, Concession 2, Woodhouse Twp. On 8 Sep 1804, he sold to John Havens Lot 15, Concession 1, Woodhouse Twp. On 8 Mar 1810, he purchased from Peter Walker 100 acres in the north part of Lot 8, Concession 3, Woodhouse Twp.
On 25 Oct 1806, Richard Mead was a signer of a general petition of Loyalist officers and soldiers resident in the London District who came from New Brunswick, requesting a grant of land and their names on the United Empire Loyalist List.
On 2 Jul 1816, Mead filed an Upper Canada Land Petition noting his service during the American Revolution, his former residency in Nova Scotia, and his visit to Upper Canada during which he received a promise of a grant from Lieutenant Governor Simcoe. When he returned in 1799, to settle, he learned that Simcoe had returned to Europe and a new Order in Council respecting U. E. Loyalists had come into effect. He requested relief. An attached affadavit if Robert Nichol described Mead as "a very worthy man who has suffered some wrong owing to his having come from a great distance". Mead was given a grant for 100 ares of land.
In the 1834 Assessment of Woodhouse Twp., Richard Mead was listed after his son Benjamin as a household head with 1 male over 16, 1 female over 16, and none under 16. He had no land or house listed, apparently then residing with his son. Richard had 1 horse and 2 cows.
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Rainham Builders
Abt 1751 - 1837 (~ 86 years)