Allen Family History

Life Sketch of Thomas Meadows and Ann Overbury

Thomas Meadows, son of John Meadows and Sarah Farmer, was born on 20 November 1814 in Strensham, Worcester, England. He was the oldest of eight children, six boys and two girls. The first three children, including Thomas, were christened in Bredon Worcester, England, while the last five were all christened in Twyning, Gloucester, England. Thomas’ siblings included Ann, John, William, James, Mary, Joseph, and Samuel.

At the young age of eighteen, Thomas married Ann Overbury in Strensham, Worcester, England. The marriage took place on 20 November 1814 and a large family of eleven children followed shortly thereafter. Their children were: John, William, Thomas, Hannah, Charles, Mary, Sarah, Joseph, Eliza, James, and Mary Ann (who was often called Polly).

Thomas and his wife, Ann, lived the rest of their adult lives in Strensham. In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Strensham as a parish with a village in the Pershore district of Worcester. The village was located on the river Avon and had a church which he described as good. There was also a school. According to John Bartholomew’s, Gazetteer of the British Isles published in 1887, Strensham had a population of 195. This was a fairly small village in south-central England. (http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=10100).

In 1843 Mary Ann, their youngest daughter, became acquainted with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized as a member. Thirteen years later, Mary Ann would leave the family home for America to be united with the Saints in Utah. It must have been very difficult for Thomas and Ann to say goodbye to their youngest daughter at that time. It is not known if her parents were baptized as members of the church at that time. We do know, according to the journal of her husband, Truman Leonard, Mary Ann performed temple work in May of 1886 for her mother, grandmothers, and possibly her sisters who had died.

Thomas Meadows preceded his wife, Ann Overbury, in death. He died 19 April 1867 while she died eleven years later on Christmas Eve, 1878. Both died in Strensham, Worcester, England.

This life sketch was compiled using family genealogical records. No other information was available about the couple.