George Mead
Male, b. 30 April 1703, d. 27 December 1763
George Mead, son of George Mead and Mary Goodwin, was born circa 1703 and was baptized on 30 April 1703 at St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Essex.1
On 20 December 1716 it would appear that in spite of his youth (he was a mere 13 years old at the time) George entered into a business agreement with yeoman William Warman senior of Chrisall. Probably he was guided by his father, a man with many business interests.2
George was named as a beneficiary in the will of his father George Mead written on 23 September 1722. He was bequeathed a house with barn and about 90 acres called Sparrows in the occupation of Mr Thomas Finch and all the remainder of his father's estate after debts and funeral expenses were settled.3
After a marriage licence was obtained on 20 February 1727, with Benjamin Brecknock a grocer of Moreton standing as bondsman, George Mead married Margaret Heron at Whitsun on 21 May 1727 at Moreton, Essex.4,5
George made a will circa 1763. It was witnessed by his son-in-law the Reverend Peter Harvey and his future son-in-law James Vanderzee. George's property in Billericay would be left to his daughter Margaret Harvey, together with two hundred pounds, while some thirty acres of land made up of seven freehold fields occupied by Edward Petchy, two other freehold fields and a copyhold parcel of land in the Manor of Blunts (the latter three willed to him by his deceased cousin Joseph Watts) were to go to his daughter Philadelphia. George's wife Margaret would have the use of all plate, linen, household goods and furniture until she remarried or died as his widow but she was permitted to distribute any of these items between their two daughters. She also had the use of the house in which they currently lived for twelve months beginning on the next quarter day after George's decease and up to one hundred pounds housekeeping and the use of any item in George's store. Additionally she would receive one hundred pounds payable within six months of George's decease and any outstanding rent due from Widow Webb for the farm lying in the parishes of Moreton, High Laver, Magdalen Laver and Northweald Bassett. It seemed that a shop that George had occupied was now in the hands of his widowed sister Mary Dayles as all of the fixtures and fittings were to be left to her; she would also receive an annuity of five pounds. Nathaniel Campden of London, a wine cooper, was allocated ten pounds for his assistance in disposing of George's stock in trade. Even George's man servant George Rolfe was not forgotten: he would receive five pounds and any of George's clothing that the Executors thought fit, as long as Rolfe was still in his employ at the time of decease. Finally George directed, "my body to be interred in the Great family Vault in Great Burstead and that my ffuneral be as private as possible."6
George Mead died on 27 December 1763 at age 60 and was buried on 4 January 1764 in the family vault in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Essex.7 His estate was probated on 15 January 1765.8
On 20 December 1716 it would appear that in spite of his youth (he was a mere 13 years old at the time) George entered into a business agreement with yeoman William Warman senior of Chrisall. Probably he was guided by his father, a man with many business interests.2
George was named as a beneficiary in the will of his father George Mead written on 23 September 1722. He was bequeathed a house with barn and about 90 acres called Sparrows in the occupation of Mr Thomas Finch and all the remainder of his father's estate after debts and funeral expenses were settled.3
After a marriage licence was obtained on 20 February 1727, with Benjamin Brecknock a grocer of Moreton standing as bondsman, George Mead married Margaret Heron at Whitsun on 21 May 1727 at Moreton, Essex.4,5
George made a will circa 1763. It was witnessed by his son-in-law the Reverend Peter Harvey and his future son-in-law James Vanderzee. George's property in Billericay would be left to his daughter Margaret Harvey, together with two hundred pounds, while some thirty acres of land made up of seven freehold fields occupied by Edward Petchy, two other freehold fields and a copyhold parcel of land in the Manor of Blunts (the latter three willed to him by his deceased cousin Joseph Watts) were to go to his daughter Philadelphia. George's wife Margaret would have the use of all plate, linen, household goods and furniture until she remarried or died as his widow but she was permitted to distribute any of these items between their two daughters. She also had the use of the house in which they currently lived for twelve months beginning on the next quarter day after George's decease and up to one hundred pounds housekeeping and the use of any item in George's store. Additionally she would receive one hundred pounds payable within six months of George's decease and any outstanding rent due from Widow Webb for the farm lying in the parishes of Moreton, High Laver, Magdalen Laver and Northweald Bassett. It seemed that a shop that George had occupied was now in the hands of his widowed sister Mary Dayles as all of the fixtures and fittings were to be left to her; she would also receive an annuity of five pounds. Nathaniel Campden of London, a wine cooper, was allocated ten pounds for his assistance in disposing of George's stock in trade. Even George's man servant George Rolfe was not forgotten: he would receive five pounds and any of George's clothing that the Executors thought fit, as long as Rolfe was still in his employ at the time of decease. Finally George directed, "my body to be interred in the Great family Vault in Great Burstead and that my ffuneral be as private as possible."6
George Mead died on 27 December 1763 at age 60 and was buried on 4 January 1764 in the family vault in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Essex.7 His estate was probated on 15 January 1765.8
Children of George Mead and Margaret Heron
- Margaret Mead b. circa 1732
- Philadelphia Mead b. circa 1737, d. circa 1802
Citations
- [S88] Parish Register of St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Essex, 1677-1728, content: Baptisms 1677-1728, Marriages 1678-1680 1685-1728 and Burials 1678-1682 1687-1728, (Essex County Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England. Reference: D/P 139/1/2). Baptism, 30 Apr 1703, " ... George son of George Mead and Mary his wife ... ". [ESSPAR].
- [S111] Seax, Essex Archives Online, catalogue of manuscripts at Essex Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England (http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/ : accessed 7 November 2009), estate and family records, large artificial group of deeds, sorted alphabetically by parish, Bond to perform covenants George Mead 1716, reference D/DC 23/834. "Bond to perform covenants in Conveyance of even date. William Warman senior of Chrishall ,Yeoman, to George Mead Junior of Billericay, singleman. [SEAX].
The fact that George is referred to as "junior" and a "singleman" would indicate that the document does indeed refer to 13 year old George. His father George would not be referred to as such as he was married and his own father George had died eight years earlier and had not lived in Billericay. - [S100] Will of George Mead, Grocer of Great Burstead, Essex, dated 23 September 1722, proved 13 May 1726 in the London Commissary Court (Essex and Hertfordshire Division). (Essex County Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England. Reference: D/ABR 19/218). [DOC0011/WIL0013].
- [S101] Correspondence from Thora Broughton to Don Green, dated p 25, Marriage licences reference D/ABL 1727 ... 20 Feb 1727 George Mead of Billericay, grocer, single man; Margaret Heron of Moreton single woman (her father is living and consents to the marrying); Bondsman Benjamin Brecknock of Moreton, grocer; to take place at Moreton ... ", A.R. Mead's records, Epsom, Surrey, reference COR14/13-27, relating to research on Mead and associated families of Hertfordshire and Essex, 1700-1850. The letter refers to various records (Essex County Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England CM2 6YT) which have not been checked.
- [S85] F.A. Crisp, compiler, published transcript of the Parish Registers of Moreton, Essex, 1558-1759, privately published by Frederick Arthur Crisp (1890), (Society of Genealogists, 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London. Reference: ES/R 45). Marriages p 66. " ... George Mead of Billericay in Essex singleman and Margarett Heron of Morton singlewoman were married May 21th 1727 being Whitsunday... ". [ESSPAR].
- [S112] Will of George Mead, merchant of Billericay, dated 24 July 1764, proved 15 January 1765 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. (The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Reference: PROB11/905). [DOC0040/WILL0050].
- [S110] Parish Register of St Mary Magdalene, Great Burstead, Essex, 1768-1808, content: Baptisms 1768-1808 and Burials 1768-1808, (Essex County Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England. Reference: D/P 139/1/4). Burial, 4 Jan 1764, "... George Mead, wine merchant, died 27 Dec 1763 and buried in family vault ...". [ESSPAR].
This burial of 1764 appears to have been recorded in a register for 1768-1808. - [S112] Will of George Mead of Billericay, Essex, merchant, 1765.
There is something a little amiss with the date of George's will (24 July 1764), its date of probate (15 January 1765) and the dates of death (27 December 1763) and burial (4 January 1764). The will is, "Translated from the ffrench," so could conceivably have had the dates incorrectly transcribed at the time of translation; there are two other errors in the will where a word has been repeated. An alternative is that the dates of death and burial as transcribed from the parish register are wrong - they appear in a register marked 1768-1808 and if the events occurred in or after 1768 this would make things appear even more incorrect. Death, burial and will surely do all apply to the one George Mead as they each describe him as a merchant dealing in wine, buried in a family vault where his wife Margaret was also destined to be interred.