John and his family were pioneer settlers in the Rim Country of Arizona settling in the Tonto Basin area in 1877. The sixth son was to become the great western legend, "Arizona" Charlie Meadows and the last son was known as "Kid" Meadows, one of the most famous trick riders ever seen.
Tragedy struck the family on July 15, 1882 when one of the last renegade band of Apaches led by Na-ti-o-tish surrounded their home. Hearing the dogs barking and thinking that a bear that had been visiting them at night had returned, John went to investigate. A shot was fired and Margret saw John running for the house and heard him moan. Sons John and Henry, the only other men on the home site, ran to where their mother had last seen John but ran past where he was lying and into a volley of fire from the Indians hiding in a ravine. John was shot through his elbow and another bullet bounced off a mahogany pipe in his pocket and did little damage. Henry was shot through the foot.
As the boys began to retreat to the house, the Indians left their ambush and the boys turned and charged. The Indians fired another volley and ran back to the ravine. John's left arm was broken at the wrist, and Henry was shot in the left groin and lower abdomen. The boys returned to the house as quickly as possible.
The father was buried in the house and all evidence of the grave obliterated to prevent the Indians from mutilating the body.
With the eventual departure of the Indians and arrival of help for the Meadows, feather beds were placed in a wagon and the wounded boys carried to town under heavy armed guard.
Charles Meadows, who was not at home at the time of the attack, and some friends, removed the body of his father and moved it to a grassy knoll in Payson below Fort McDonald. John Meadows had the distinguished honor of being the first person buried in Payson's Pioneer Cemetery.
On September 17, 1882 Henry lost his courageous battle for life and was buried next to his father. This date was exactly two months after the famous Battle of the Big Dry Wash where Na-ti-o-tish and the rest of the renegade band of Apaches were defeated by the US Army, led by Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts, in the last major Indian battle fought on Arizona soil.