william athe meeks and mary elizabeth rhoads: a midway fort family
William Athe Meeks (1815–1877) LLQV-H1R and his Family
Pioneer of Indiana, Nauvoo, Heber Valley, and Southern Utah
A Personal and Family History Narrative
Researched and compiled by Wendell T. Rigby
Dedication
This family history is dedicated to the descendants of William Athe Meeks and Mary Elizabeth
Rhoads, whose lives of faith, labor, and perseverance helped build enduring communities in
Utah and preserved a legacy carried forward by many generations.
Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 — Ancestry and Early Life
• Chapter 2 — Marriage and Family Beginnings
• Chapter 3 — Nauvoo and the Call West
• Chapter 4 — Utah Settlement and Heber Valley Leadership
• Chapter 5 — Final Years in Southern Utah
• Chapter 6 — Children of William Athe Meeks and Mary Elizabeth Rhoads
• Chapter 7 — Earlier and Later Generations
• Notes and Sources
Introduction
This chapter documents the life and family of William Athe Meeks, a nineteenth-century
American pioneer whose life spanned the Indiana frontier, Nauvoo, the overland trail, and the
early settlements of Utah. Through his own leadership and the lives of his children, William Athe
Meeks played a quiet but meaningful role in the opening and development of central and
southern Utah.
The following is a short biography of William Athe and Mary Elizabeth Rhoads Meeks
prepared by Ruby Pearce Efros, a great granddaughter.
William Meeks and Mary Elizabeth Rhoads Meeks
This history has been compiled from information Mary Jane Meeks Pearce and Jane
Gardner Kimball and the book ‘Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah” by Frank Esshom.
William Meeks was the son of Athe Meeks and Ann Vest Meeks. He was born on January 9,
1815, in Spencer County, Indiana. He married Portrait or representative image of a 19th‑century pioneer family
Mary Elizabeth Rhoads on October 5, 1837, at the age of 22. William and Mary were the
parents of nine children, including my grandmother Mary Jane Meeks Pearce.
Mary Elizabeth Rhoads, the daughter of George Henry Rhones and Elizabeth Nisonger formed
at Kanesville (present day Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie, Iowa on June 6, 1852. About 275
individuals and about 58 wagons were in the company when it began its journey. The company
arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah beginning on September 20, 1852s. The company traveled
under the leadership of David Wood (1799-1871), a Canadian convert to the Church.
Mary Elizabeth Rhoads, the daughter of George Henry Rhoads and Elizabeth Nisonger, was
born January 23, about 1818 in Booneville, Warwick County, Indiana. William and Mary
Elizabeth came to Utah in 1852 was the David Wood Company and moved to Nephi, Utah.
Three years later they were called to go to Fort Supply in Wyoming where they stayed during
the time Johnston’s Army came through.
In 1858 or 1859 William came to Provo Valley with Joseph Parker, William Cummings, William
Wall and Andrew Ross. They cut some hay and fed their livestock on what they called Meeks’
Bottom, about 2 miles southwest of the present Heber city.
During the winter of 1859 and 1860 William Meeks and others built a sawmill in Center Creek
Canyon, which was the pioneer sawmill in valley. He helped build four log cabins and 17
families came into the valley. A granddaughter, Mary Ann Meeks Wirthlin, says her grandfather
William Meeks suggested that the town be called Heber City, after the given name of Heber C.
Kimball.
William Meeks was the first presiding Elder (Bishop) in the valley. In 1860, he helped build a log
cabin, 16 feet by 40 feet, which was used for the Pioneer Day Celebration that year.
The Meeks family moved to Provo from Heber City and Midway in answer to a call from the
General Authorities, he moved from there to St. George, where he lived the remainder of his life.
William cherished the name Mary and gave it to his first daughter Mary Elizabeth. When the
second daughter arrived, he felt she also deserved this most precious, so she was named Mary
Ann. When the third, fourth and fifth daughters arrived, they also were also christened their
father’s favorite name, being Mary Jane, Mary Melissa and Mary Louisa. Five sisters, and all
named Mary.
Mary Elizabeth Rhoads Meeks was an expert weaver and dryer of yarn and making stripes and
plaids, a skill she passed on to her daughter Mary Jane. She would spend her evenings cording
the wool and would get enough ahead, so Mary Jane could get that spun into yarn the next day.
Afterward they would dye the yarn, using colors from fruit, vegetables and herbs. After a pattern
was designed, different colored yarns were handwoven into material. Nothing was wasted. A
dress made for Mary Elizabeth was later made over for a daughter. After the dress was too
shabby to wear, the good parts were made over into quilt blocks and used for years as a warm
wool quilt.
William Meeks was killed in a horse accident on November 30, 1877. Mary Elizabeth Rhoads
Meeks died at Thurber, Utah, on March 29, 1900. She did everything pioneer mother and wife
could do. She endured all hardships of pioneer life with courage and fortitude.
Children of William and Mary Elizabeth were:
• Harvey – married Catherine Dowdle
• Henry – married Ann Mecham
• Mary Elizabeth – married Jared Bullock
• Mary Ann – married William Cummings
• William – married Sarah Gardner
• Joseph – married Vilate Burgess
• Mary Jane – married James Pearce
• Mary Melissa – married Willard Snow
• Mary Louisa – married James Gardner
Chapter 1 — Ancestry and Early Life
William Athe Meeks was born on January 9, 1815, in Luce
Township, Spencer County, Indiana. Spencer County, Indiana, was
a region shaped by dense forests, primitive roads, and pioneer
farms. He was the son of Athe Meeks (1793-1843) and Anna
Vest, members of an early frontier family that migrated westward
from Kentucky into southern Indiana in the early 1800s. Athe
Meeks died on April 20, 1812 and is buried in the Meeks Cemetery,
Newtonville, Spencer County, Indiana. William carried his father’s
given name as his middle name—a deliberate family practice that
helps distinguish him from other men of the same name. William grew up in a world of subsistence farming, land clearing, and tight-knit family labor. These early experiences shaped the work ethic and sense of responsibility that would mark his adult life.
Chapter 2 — Marriage and Family Beginnings
On October 5, 1837, William married Mary Elizabeth Rhoads in Washington Township,
Spencer County. Their marriage marked the beginning of a large family that would eventually
include nine children. During the late 1830s and early 1840s, the family lived in the Midwest,
where William worked to support his growing household.
On September 30, 1840, at the age of 25, William joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
day Saints. Sources indicate he was converted by his uncle, Priddy Meeks. This decision
profoundly altered the course of his life and set his family on a path of migration, sacrifice, and
settlement. On July 3, 1843, at the age of 28, William was called as a missionary for the Church,
serving in the North American Mission where he served in Green County, Illinois.
Chapter 3 — Nauvoo and the Call West
Following his conversion, William moved his family to
Nauvoo, Illinois.
There he served as a city policeman, an indication that he
was trusted with responsibility and leadership. This placed
him squarely within the turbulent and demanding history of
the early Church. After the death of Joseph Smith and the
increasing persecution of Church members, William joined
the broader movement west.
In 1852 (October 1, 1852), William, Mary
Elizabeth, and their children began their
crossing of the plains to Utah Territory in the
David Wood Company (June 6 – October 1,
1852). The journey marked a defining
moment for the family, especially for the older
children who would remember the hardships
of the trial for the rest of their lives. Their first
place of residence was in Springville, Utah.
William also served as a U.S. Deputy
Marshall while in Utah.
Chapter 4 — Utah Settlement and Heber Valley Leadership
After arriving in Utah, the Meeks family first settled in Utah Valley. William held civic and law
enforcement responsibilities, including service as a deputy marshal. In 1858–1859, he became
directly involved in early settlement efforts in what later became Heber City.
.
In the summer of 1858, William Meeks and others drove cattle up Provo Canyon into what was then called “Provo
Valley” (the Heber area) and established ranches. Other names used over the years include: “Heber”, “Heber Valley”,
“Upper Provo”, or “Provo Valley”, depending on the time and source of information.
William Meeks was appointed leader of a group interested in moving to the Heber area. He therefore prepared and
conducted meetings during the winter of 1858-1859, for the group to move into the valley.
Historical accounts record that William helped drive cattle through Provo Canyon into the valley
and was appointed to preside over or oversee early settlement organization. His role places him
among the formative figures in the establishment of the Heber Valley community. Ranching,
cattle drives, and territorial duties often appear in connection with William Meeks’s name in
court, land, or militia records as well as census records.
Chapter 5 — Final Years in Southern Utah
As Utah continued to expand southward, William eventually relocated with his family to
Washington County. By the 1860’s and 1870’s, he was living in St. George, Utah, one of the
Church’s major southern settlements. There, his children married, farmed and established
families of their own, extending the Meeks’ names throughout southern and central Utah. He spent his final years in
St. Georg, where he died because of an accident involving a horse on November 30, 1877, at the age of 62. His life had
spanned the American frontier, from Indiana forests to Nauvoo’s stone streets, across the plains by wagon, into the
mountain valleys and red-rock deserts of southern Utah.
William’s legacy lives on most visibly through his children, especially Harvy Henry Meeks (1838-1915), whose
descendants and records have preserved much of the family’s story. William stands today as a representative pioneer figure;
farmer, lawman, church member, settler and leader – quietly instrumental in shaping communities such as the Heber Valley and St. George during Utah’s
earliest years.
Chapter 6 — Children of William Athe Meeks and Mary Elizabeth Rhoads
Harvey Henry Meeks (1838–1915)
Harvey Henry Meeks was born on April 9,1838 and spent his childhood moving with his parents
from the Midwest to Nauvoo and then across the plains to Utah in 1852. As a young man, he
worked alongside his father during the early settlement of Heber Valley. He married Sarah
Catherine Dowdle on December 26, 1860. Harvey later settled primarily in southern Utah,
where he farmed, raised a family, and became part of the second generation that stabilized
pioneer communities. He died on October 17,1915 at the age of 77.
Henry Rhoads Meeks (1840–1921)
Born on March 23, 1840, Henry Rhoads Meeks in honor of his mother’s family. He crossed the
plains with his parents as a child and grew up in early Utah settlements. Henry met and married
Ann Mecham. Henry spent most of his adult life as a farmer and stockman, contributing to the
agricultural foundation of Utah communities. He lived into the early 20th century, witnessing
Utah’s transition from territory to statehood. He died on February 16, 1921, at the age of 81.
Mary Elizabeth Meeks (1842–1922)
Mary Elizabeth Meeks was born on June 11,1842 and experienced the hardships of pioneer life
from a young age. As a girl, she traveled west by wagon with her family and later married Jared
Bullock and raised children in Utah. Like many pioneer women, her life centered on family,
faith, and domestic labor, helping establish stable homes in newly settled areas. She died on
May 28, 1922, at the age of 80.
Mary Ann Meeks (1844–1928)
Born on November 23, 1844, Mary Ann Meeks was still very young when her family left Nauvoo
and journeyed west. She grew to adulthood in Utah Territory and later married William
Cummings, becoming the matriarch of her own household. Her life reflected the quiet strength
of pioneer women—supporting family, managing household economies, and sustaining
community life. She died September 23,1928 at the age of 84.
William Meeks Jr. (1847–1923)
William Meeks Jr. was born on February 18, 1847, and named after his father. He spent his
childhood in Utah during its earliest settlement years and was influenced by his father’s
leadership and public service. As an adult, he married Sarah Gardner and worked primarily as
a farmer and laborer, establishing roots in Utah communities. He passed away on April 23,
1923, bridging the pioneer era and the modern era. He was 76 years old when he passed
away.
Joseph Brigham Meeks (1850–1937)
Born January 8, 1850, Joseph Brigham Meeks was named during the family’s strong connection
to the early LDS Church. He was very young when the family crossed the plains. Joseph grew
up entirely in Utah Territory, married Vilate Burgess and spent his long life working in agriculture
and community life. He passed away on January 6, 1937, at the age of 87.
Mary Jane Meeks (1851–1941)
Mary Jane Meeks was born on December 2, 1851, just before the family’s migration west. She
married James Pearce, raised children, and lived into the mid-twentieth century, dying on
October 13, 1941. She belonged to the generation that preserved family memories of the
pioneer era. She was 90 years of when she passed away.
Mary Melissa Meeks (1856-1936)
Mary Melissa Meeks was born at Fort Supply, Uinta County, Green River area, Wyoming on
August 20, 1856. She married Willard Snow in Kanosh, Millard County, Utah. Her life pattern
matches that of second-generation Utah pioneer daughters: domestic, church-centered, and
community-based. She died on August 6, 1936, at Richfield, Sevier County, Utah and is buried
in the Bicknell Cemetery (Thurber), Wayne County, Utah. She was 80 years old when she
passed away.
Mary Louisa Meeks (1859 –1944)
Mary Louisa Meeks was born at Provo, Utah County, Utah on August 25, 1859, and was
married to James Gardner at St. George, Washington County, Utah. FamilySearch records
identify Mary Louisa Meeks as the youngest child of William Athe Meeks and Mary Elizabeth
Rhoads, born during the family’s later child-bearing years in Utah. Mary Louisa married James
Gardner on March 23,1877 at St. George, Washington County, Utah, after which she appears
consistently in records under the Gardner surname. She resided in various Utah communities
including St. George, Kanosh and Fillmore following her marriage. Her life trajectory aligns with
that of many second-generation Utah-born daughters of pioneers, forming family units that
helped stabilize growing Utah settlements in the late 19th century. She is associated with Utah
based Gardner family lines, and her children are often documented without direct reference
back to the Meeks surname—another reason she is frequently overlooked in summaries. She
died on May 6,1944 at Fillmore, Millard County, Utah. She was 85 years old at the time of her
death.
Chapter 7 — Earlier and Later Generations
Athe Meeks and the Indiana Frontier
Athe Meeks, father of William Athe Meeks, was part of the earliest wave of settlers in southern
Indiana. His landholdings and family established the foundation upon which later generations
built.
The Meeks Family After 1900
Descendants of William Athe Meeks spread throughout Utah and neighboring states,
contributing to agriculture, civic life, and church service well into the 20th century.
Conclusion
The family of William Athe Meeks reflects the full arc of 19th century western settlement. Born
on the Indiana frontier, shaped by faith and migration, and rooted in Utah communities, William
and his children contributed to the building of lasting towns and family networks. Their story
stands as a representative example of endurance, adaptability, and quiet leadership that
defined the pioneer generation.
Their lives collectively preserve the legacy of William Athe Meeks, whose leadership helped
open Heber Valley and whose descendants anchored the family in central and southern
Utah, especially around St. George.
Notes and Sources
1. Open Ai – provided a lot of information and sources to search.
2. Family Search – All results for William Athe Meeks
3. Family Search/William Athe Meeks person page/memories/short biography of William
Athe Meeks and Mary Elizabeth Rhoads.
4. Utah, Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database, 1847-1868
5. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Digital Library, Emigration train coming through
Echo Canyon.
6. Church History Biographical Database, profile of William Athe Meeks (birth, baptism,
mission, migration, death).
7. Pioneer Overland Company Rosters, David Wood Company (October 1, 1852).
8. Heber Valley Heritage Foundation – Heber Valley historical accounts describing early
settlement leadership and cattle drives through Provo Canyon.
8
9. Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah (Esshom).
10. FamilySearch Family Tree entries for William Athe Meeks, Mary Elizabeth Rhoads, and
their children.
11. Regional histories of Spencer County, Indiana, and Washington County, Utah.
12. Find a Grave website.
Heber Valley Heritage Foundation