One of the oldest physicians in Holt County, started
practice in Mound City when the town consisted of a store, blacksmith
shop and a single dwelling-house. His father, John MEEK, was born
in South Carolina and, when 4 years old, moved with his father
to Duck River near Nashville, Tenn., and when 18 came to Kentucky.
He married Temperance LOUDON, whose family was from Virginia and
whose grandfather was one of the pioneer settlers of Kentucky,
and gave his name to Loudon's Station, one of the earliest settled
places in the state. Dr. MEEK was born in Henry County, Kentucky
on April 22, 1826, being the sixth of ten children. He was raised
in Henry County; the ordinary subscription schools afforded his means
of obtaining an education.
His father moved the family to Mo. in 1852, settling in Holt
County a mile-and-a-half southeast of Mound City. Dr. MEEK began
his studies of medicine in 1856 with Dr. Jabez ROBINSON, a practicing
physician of Oregon. He afterward attended lectures at the St.
Louis Medical College under Dr. Charles A. POPE and graduated
in the spring of 1857; he established his practice in Mound City
later that year. On April 19, 1860 he married Elizabeth A. SHARPE,
the daughter of William SHARPE, one of the earliest pioneers of
Union township, after whom and his brother, Sharp's Grove received
its name.
Dr. MEEK practiced in Clay County, Ill. from spring 1865 to Oct.
1866, but otherwise has been residing all the time in Holt County
He resided in Craig from March 1869 to March 1873, but returned
to Mound City and resumed practice at the place where he first
began his professional career. He is regarded as an excellent
physician and is highly respected for his civic qualities. He
has had four children: John W., now deceased; Gertrude; Leonidas
S.; and Francis C.
Dr. MEEK has always been a member of the Democratic party
and cast his first vote for President for James Buchanan in 1856.
He became connected with the Masonic fraternity in 1854 and is
one of the oldest Masons in the county. He originally belonged
to the Oregon lodge, has been a charter member of three different
lodges, and is now a member of the Mound City lodge. For ten years,
Dr. MEEK practiced medicine at Mound City without a rival and
was the only physician in that part of the county. He erected
a brick dwelling-house in Mound City which at the time was considered
quite a wonder for the elegance of its appearance, there at the
time having been no such building constructed in that part of
the county.
Source: "An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map, Holt County, MO.
Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia, 1877
Provided by Dave Roberts of Lyon County, Kentucky,
a former Holt County resident.
