Greenwich,CT Biography:Solomon Mead

**BIOGRAPHY OF SOLOMON MEAD**
"Solomon Mead is a lineal descendant on both the paternal and maternal side from John Mead, an Englishman, who came to America and settled in Hemp stead, L.I., soon after, where he remained until October, 1660, when he came in all probability, to Greenwich, Conn., in company with his two sons, John and Joseph * (For a full history of Solomon Mead's ancestors, see biography of Col. Thomas A. Mead.) Solomon Mead is an only son of Joshua Mead by his second wife, Hannah Mead, who was a daughter of Deliverance Mead, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., Jan 15, 1808. His paternal grandfather was Nathaniel Mead, who married Prudence Wood and had several children, one of whom was named Joshua. Very little or nothing is known of the ancestors of Nathaniel Mead, more than that they were good, industrious citizens and generally members of the Congregational Church, as was Nathaniel, who died at an advanced age. Joshua Mead was born in Greenwich, Conn., May 16, 1751, married Hannah Mead Nov. 15, 1844. They had one child,-- Solomon. Joshua Mead was a good farmer, a true patriot and citizen, and a member of the Congregational Church. He rendered valuable aid to the American army during the Revolutionary war, though he was not a soldier. He was a strong Federalist and Whig. Solomon Mead was reared on his father's farm, receiving the advantages of an education such as the common schools of his day afforded, supplemented with a few terms at the Greenwich Academy. When he was sixteen years of age--in 1824--he settled on the place now owned by Mr. Titus Mead, in the borough of Greenwich, where he remained until about 1845, when he settled on the place where he now (1880) resides, but which he had purchased several years before. He began building his present house in 1858 and in December 1860, moved into it. He purchased his present place of the Seymour family, which he has made one of the most attractive in the borough, as it stands on an eminence near the Second Congregational church, which is said to be the most elevated place on the Sound between New York and Boston. From the observatory on his house one has a grand view of all the surrounding country, even across the Sound on Long Island. A view of his residence may be seen in another part of this work. Mr. Mead has devoted his attention entirely to agriculture, and has been very successful. On the 22nd of April, 1856, he married Mary E., daughter of David and Elizabeth Dayton. Their children are as follows,--viz: Hannah More, Abram N., Mary E., Emily J., Solomon Christy, Sarah L., Everett D., and Chas. H. (deceased.) Mr. and Mrs. Mead are members of the Second Congregational Church of Greenwich, Conn., and he is one of its main supporters. He was a Whig until 1856, since which time he has been a staunch Republican. he has held various town offices, and is a trustee of the Greenwich Savings Bank. He has often been a delegate to county and State conventions, and takes an interest in all matters relating to the best interest of his town." [NOTE: This biography was originally published in 1881 (see above) and does not constitute "proof" of authentic historical fact or early Greenwich, CT or Mead family history. I simply offer it as clues to further research.--mmead] SOURCE:* Hurd, D. Hamilton. History of Fairfield County, Connecticut. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co. (1881), p. 399. ADDITIONAL MEAD FAMILY COMPILED RECORDS: Remington, Gordon L., FUGA. "The English Origin of William [1] Mead of Stamford, Connecticut." The American Genealogist (TAG). Whole Number 289, Vol. 73, No. 1. January 1998. MEAD, Spencer Percival. History and genealogy of the Mead Family of Fairfield Co. CT, Eastern.NY. New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1901. Draper, Cecil Mead. Jonathan Mead of Rensselaerwyk and some of his descendants. With a shorter sketch of a single line of Williams, Mass., Conn. New York. Denver: 1972. Feltus, Louise Celestia (Mead).Our Two Centuries in Greenwich Conn., 1728-1924. Troy, NY.: R.H. Prout and Co., 1948. . Parker, C.E. The Mead family of Connecticut. Santa Ana, CA: 1968.

"Solomon Mead is a lineal descendant on both the paternal and maternal side from John Mead, an Englishman, who came to America and settled in Hemp stead, L.I., soon after, where he remained until October, 1660, when he came in all probability, to Greenwich, Conn., in company with his two sons, John and Joseph * (For a full history of Solomon Mead's ancestors, see biography of Col. Thomas A. Mead.)
      Solomon Mead is an only son of Joshua Mead by his second wife, Hannah Mead, who was a daughter of Deliverance Mead, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., Jan 15, 1808. His paternal grandfather was Nathaniel Mead, who married Prudence Wood and had several children, one of whom was named Joshua.
     Very little or nothing is known of the ancestors of Nathaniel Mead, more than that they were good, industrious citizens and generally members of the Congregational Church, as was Nathaniel, who died at an advanced age.
     Joshua Mead was born in Greenwich, Conn., May 16, 1751, married Hannah Mead Nov. 15, 1844. They had one child,-- Solomon.
     Joshua Mead was a good farmer, a true patriot and citizen, and a member of the Congregational Church. He rendered valuable aid to the American army during the Revolutionary war, though he was not a soldier. He was a strong Federalist and Whig.
       Solomon Mead was reared on his father's farm, receiving the advantages of an education such as the common schools of his day afforded, supplemented with a few terms at the Greenwich Academy. When he was sixteen years of age--in 1824--he settled on the place now owned by Mr. Titus Mead, in the borough of Greenwich, where he remained until about 1845, when he settled on the place where he now (1880) resides, but which he had purchased several years before. He began building his present house in 1858 and in December 1860, moved into it. He purchased his present place of the Seymour family, which he has made one of the most attractive in the borough, as it stands on an eminence near the Second Congregational church, which is said to be the most elevated place on the Sound between New York and Boston. From the observatory on his house one has a grand view of all the surrounding country, even across the Sound on Long Island. A view of his residence may be seen in another part of this work. Mr. Mead has devoted his attention entirely to agriculture, and has been very successful.
        On the 22nd of April, 1856, he married Mary E., daughter of David and Elizabeth Dayton. Their children are as follows,--viz: Hannah More, Abram N., Mary E., Emily J., Solomon Christy, Sarah L., Everett D., and Chas. H. (deceased.)
         Mr. and Mrs. Mead are members of the Second Congregational Church of Greenwich, Conn., and he is one of its main supporters.
         He was a Whig until 1856, since which time he has been a staunch Republican. he has held various town offices, and is a trustee of the Greenwich Savings Bank. He has often been a delegate to county and State conventions, and takes an interest in all matters relating to the best interest of his town."

SOURCE: Hurd, D. Hamilton. History of Fairfield County, Connecticut. Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co. (1881), p. 399.

Remington, Gordon L., FUGA. "The English Origin of William [1] Mead of Stamford, Connecticut." The American Genealogist (TAG). Whole Number 289, Vol. 73, No. 1. January 1998.

MEAD, Spencer Percival. History and genealogy of the Mead Family of Fairfield Co. CT, Eastern.NY. New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1901.

Draper, Cecil Mead. Jonathan Mead of Rensselaerwyk and some of his descendants. With a shorter sketch of a single line of Williams, Mass., Conn. New York. Denver: 1972.

Feltus, Louise Celestia (Mead).Our Two Centuries in Greenwich Conn., 1728-1924. Troy, NY.: R.H. Prout and Co., 1948. .

Parker, C.E. The Mead family of Connecticut. Santa Ana, CA: 1968.