My Genealogy Hound

EDMUND MEAD, a retired merchant and one of the substantial farmers of the town of Sheridan, was born in New York city, January 10th, 1809, and is a son of Benjamin and Eliza (Holmes) Mead. He is fourth in lineal descent from Benjamin Mead, who came from England to Greenwich, Connecticut, where he was the founder of the Mead family, which now has branches in so many parts of the United States. He was a farmer, served in the Revolutionary war and married. Two of his sons were killed by the Indians and another son, Edmund Mead (grandfather), was a large land-holder and prominent business man of Norwich. He left home but never returned, and it was always believed that he was murdered. He was married and had three sons and two daughters. One of these sons, Benjamin Mead (father) was born between 1790 and 1800, and at ten years of age went to New York city, where he became successively a clerk, partner and proprietor of a wholesale grocery house. At sixty years of age he retired from active life, but continued to reside in New York city until his death. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, originally a Jacksonian democrat but later in life a republican. He married Eliza Holmes, a native of New Jersey, by whom he had seven children, among whom were William (deceased); Joseph S., a retired grocery merchant of Brooklyn; and States O., a retired wholesale merchant of New York city. Edmund Mead grew to manhood in New York city, where he attended the public school and then entered New Canaan academy, from which he was graduated in 1825. Leaving school he was engaged in the wholesale grocery business with his father until 1830, when he came to the town of Sheridan, where he bought his present farm of one hundred and fifty acres, which was then almost in wilderness. This farm, which he took great delight in clearing out and improving, is in the central part of the town and was the first farm cleared out between Silver Creek and Westfield. It is well improved, carefully tilled and very productive. Mr. Mead is a republican in politics and has always taken an active part in any movement intended for the improvement of the town. He has been town clerk and school commissioner, served five terms as supervisor and held the office of justice of the peace for nearly fifteen years. He was at one time a candidate for Assembly and lacked but one vote of being nominated, his successful competitor being Mr. Palmer, who was elected at the ensuing election. While not a church member, yet he supports churches and church work.

He married Susan Doty, daughter of William Doty, of Sheridan. To their union were born fourteen children: Ralph A., a railroad conductor of Binghamton, New York, who married Ann Gold and after her death Louisa Belden; Benjamin, died when young; Benjamin, who married a Miss Pearson and lives in Jersey City, New Jersey; Brockus L. (dead); Abigail A., wife of Marshall E. Rice, of San Francisco, California; Brockus L.; Susan D., married to John V. Patterson, of Sheridan; Eleanor F., wife of Richard Houk, of Ohio; Edmund, deceased; Caroline A.; Emma, died in infancy; William H., telegraph operator of New York city; and Rachel H., wife of Charles Smith, of Kansas City.