JEFFERSON DAVIS MEEKINS, SR. (age 64)
January 1861 ~ June 1925

Jefferson Davis Meekins, Sr. was born in January 1861, his date of birth is unknown. He was born the second son of four son's in Cumberland Landing, New Kent County, Virginia born to William J. Timberlake and Lavinia Meekins.

Documents for Jeff state that he was mulatto while other records state that Jeff was black, colored or negro and not one document stated that he was white but according to stories that were often told by my cousin Theresa "Tee" Meekins-Braxton-Gardner whom was raised inside Jeff's household said that her maternal grandfather Jeff Meekins was white, a slave owner and a farmer. My father John Meekins and my uncle Albert Meekins have repeatedly told me so many great family stories told by cousin Tee.

I had never heard of any stories about Jeff's parents or siblings and maybe because no one ever told them or they never asked or probably because most had passed away before they were born which is why I wanted to do a search of my own and during my research I came across a will made by Jeff's father; William J. Timberlake with his signature which enabled me to find Jeff's mother; Lavinia Meekins and his siblings which were three brothers named Floyd B., Robert Lee and Andrew Johnson Meekins.

Jeff owned a home with a farm which sat upon a large portion of land that was said to be 62 acres on Chickahominy Road in Toano, Virginia also known as Chick-a-Homa where he raised chickens for their eggs, cows for their milk and to make butter and cheese. He raised horses which had a wagon for his family's transportation. The horses were used for work to plow the field on their farm and he raised pigs. The chickens, cows and pigs were slaughtered for their meals. All of the children had chores and helped in the field before and after school and on the weekends. They gathered wood for the wood stove they used for cooking and to keep the home warm. They farmed lots of fruits: apples, cantaloupes, oranges, peaches, pears, watermelons and vegetables: cabbage, carrots, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, squash, string beans, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Jeff also farmed oats, peanuts, sugar cane, wheat, cotton and tobacco. Jeff taught his family how to fish and hunt and he made his own booze, jams, molasses and peanut butter. Pails of water were fetched from the nearby spring. Very little was purchased from stores. Jeff fed his family of fourteen and his grandchildren everything that he farmed, made and raised and what ever was left he bartered, sold or traded to other families and to stores. Jeff had never learned how to read or write but he sure knew how make a living to farm, barter, sell, trade and earn money to feed his family.

On June 8, 1925 Jeff was admitted to St. Philip Memorial Hospital in Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia where he passed away the next day on June 9, 1925 at 3:50 p.m. His cause of death was Nephritis Chronic Uremia. Jeff's body was shipped to R.C. Scott, Undertaker in Williamsburg, James City County, Virginia. Jeff was buried the next day on June 10, 1925 in Chickahominy Baptist Church Cemetery, Toano, James City County, Virginia.

Note:
Jefferson and Alice Meekins, Sr. had twelve children; three daughters and nine sons.
Notice the gap in births between their twelve children. Three years from 1892 to 1895, four years from 1895 to 1899, 11 years from 1899 to 1900, four years from 1900 to 1904 and six years from 1908 to 1914.

I always knew that there were nine children but unbeknownst to me my search revealed three additional children totaling twelve and those three children were Andrew, Lou and Baby Jeff, Jr.

Jefferson Davis Meekins, Sr. has no grave marker or headstone. His burial plot location was said to be in front of the church on the left side not far from the tree which is now a stump.

Bio by: Sheila Meekins (48066896) •

* My paternal great grandfather