Bios: John Meek, 1855 : from Greene County

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 nancyg@theofficenet.com

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>From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Nancy Grubb (nancyg@theofficenet.com)
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JOHN MEEK
John Meek has been an extensive traveler in the western portion 
of the United States and especially in the northwest. About 1897 he settled 
on his present place,one mile west from Scotia and since that time he has 
devoted himself to gardening and horticulture. His success has been very 
gratifying, and he has now over six thousand bearing strawberry plants,two 
thousand raspberry plants,and various other varieties of  fruit. The farm is 
well improved with a house,barn,outbuildings,and so forth,and it is evident 
that Mr.Meek is one of the thrifty men of the county.
   John Meek was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania on December 3,1852,the
son of J.B. and Jane (McCracken) Meek, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia,
respectively. They early settled in Greene county and there remained until 
the death of the father, which occured while he was on a visit to Kansas.
They were the parents of ten children, Alexander, Rebeccah, Mary, John, Elizabeth,
Margret, Ellen, James B., Lenora, and Cal.  John received his early education in
Greene county and was favored with very poor opportunity for that training
when he was a child.  When he was a lad of ten years he came to Iowa, remaining
there until 1871, in which year he crossed the plains with ox teams to
Colorado, whence he journed to Washington.  He remained in the northwest a 
short time, then returned to Colorado.  In 1874 we see him again in Iowa,
whence ten years later he came to the sound country.  He lived in the various
settlements of that section, also dwelling in Pacific county and about 1891
came to Spokane.  Later he located in the Palouse country and in 1897 he
came to his present place and now is one of the largest gardners and hort-
iculturists estabablished in the county.  Mr. Meek finds ready market for all
of his productions and is one of the prosperous and well to do citizens of
the community.  He is a man of bright ideas,consequently in political matters
he is independent and liberal, which means that he reserves for his own
decision the questions of the day and considers in a very practical way,
the issues. Fraternally he is affiliated with the I.O.O.F. Mr. Meek's father
served in the civil war for three years and two months. The brother also
served one and one-half years.