I was so excited to discover another ancestral family full of patriots. John Maxon Bliven’s wife, Olive Permelia Meeker is the great granddaughter of a well known patriot, Timothy Meeker. Her grandfather William Meeker fought alongside his father. In fact, the story of Timothy Meeker was reported by Robert Ripley in his “Believe It or Not” newspaper column years ago. Timothy fought alongside nine of his sons in the battle of Springfield.
Timothy and his sons were reported by their contemporaries to be very tall, all of them over six feet. You can read more about them at http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/i/e/Mike-Dienst/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0708.html. Or you can enjoy the summary below, written by my guest poster, Hannah.
Timothy Meeker, Senior lived in Elizabethtown New Jersey during the American Revolution. Timothy was about 70 years old when he fought in the war with nine of his sons, two sons-in-law, and one grandson. It is known that “Timothy Meeker was a leader at times of sizeable companies of defenders, that he was a member of the Essex concentrated forces against that section which is known later as the Battle of Springfield.”
The American Army was in camp near Morristown, New Jersey. Washington had his headquarters in that village. Britain had their attention fixed on Morristown but were stopped. On the way back the British set fire to many buildings, including the old Meeker Inn built in 1756. Britain drew off Washington and his men from Morristown. The remaining Americans fell back on new positions in the Short Hills where they were able to make the enemy change their plans and retreat again.
The enemy was near and strong while the Americans were weak because of the absence of Washington with part of the regular troops from Morristown. If the British came into Springfield, the safety of their homes and families would be at stake. The Americans were able to stop the advance of the enemy who made his retreat to Staten Island. Timothy Meeker’s Family lived only about three miles from Short Hills and four miles from Springfield crossroads. It wouldn't have taken them long to be on hand and they were there.
Another story about Timothy Meeker was found first in a 1936 New Jersey newspaper, and then at http://allwhoserved.com/71001/73801.html. It follows.
“One or two days after the battle of Springfield while Timothy Meeker was at work putting up his fence (for be it remembered all the lots in the neighborhood had been filled with cattle and sheep and hogs driven out of the way of the British) on the road heading to Campbell’s Paper Mill at that time the old forge, there were five or six gentlemen came along the way on horseback and inquired of him if he was in favor of the American cause.
“He answered, ‘Yes!’ and he despised any man who was not!
“They asked him if there was a man by the name of Timothy Meeker living near there. He told them that his name was Timothy Meeker. They said that they had been told that Meeker was in the Battle of Springfield with nine sons and two son-in-laws! He said it was true and that Timothy Meeker Sr. was his father. They asked him if the people were not displeased that Washington did not come with his troops as his army lay but a little way above Springfield.
“He answered, ‘No, Washington was right! Washington can take his troops where he pleases and was right to let the militia fight ‘em, for we can lick ‘em, whenever the redcoats durst to show themselves.”
“At this time, the dinner horn blew, and Meeker invited the gentlemen to go and take dinner with him, which they accepted. They rode up to the house, stripped bridles off the horses and left them over the fence to graze while they took dinner. Meeker’s wife found fault with hi because he did not send one of the children to let her know, so that she could have killed some fowls and roasted them for dinner. But he said, ‘If they were friends of the good cause and friends of Washington, the would be satisfied.’
“At this time, one of the gentlemen remarked that he did not doubt that Washington would be pleased to sit down to such a dinner, for no doubt he fared worse many a time.
“Dinner being over, the horses bridled and the gentlemen in the saddle, they held a few minutes consultation. Then one of them turned to Meeker and said, ‘Friend Meeker, you have treated us with so much hospitality and told your mind so freely that I thought it would be ungrateful in me to withhold from you who I am and what is my station. I am General Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the American Army.’
“At these words, Meeker was struck dumb, as it were, for some time. Then he said, ‘General, I don’t know, but I have been spilling wheat, but you must lay it to my ignorance that I have been talking with so much vanity.’
“The General said, ‘I know you spoke the sentiment of your heart.”’
