Thomas T Meredith
THOMAS THORETT MEREDITH, merchant and postmaster at Widnoon, Armstrong Co., Pa., is the proprietor of the largest general store in the county outside of Kittanning. He was born in Madison township, April 22, 1864, son of Thomas and Margaret (Rhodes) Meredith.
Owen Meredith, his grandfather, was a native of Chester county, Pa., born Oct. 20, 1783. He married Ann McFadden, of Lancaster county, Pa., and they were pioneers of what is now Madison township, Clarion county, where they cleared and improved a farm of 150 acres. They made their home here until about 1850, when they came to Madison township, Armstrong county, where Mr. Meredith owned a tract of 160 acres, and there they resided the remainder of their lives. Mr. Meredith died May 24, 1866, and his wife passed away June 17, 1848. Their children were as follows: Jonathan E., James, Thomas, Aquilla, Madison, Evaline (married to James Gibson), Cynthia (married to John Wallace), and Sarah (married to James Truitt).
Thomas Meredith, son of Owen, was born in what is now Clarion county, Pa., Oct. 20, 1815, and was here reared to manhood. He taught school and followed farming until 1862, when he went to Mahoning, at the mouth of Mahoning creek, and kept the toll house until 1868, when he located at Duncanville, now Widnoon, in Madison township, and founded the mercantile business now owned by his son Thomas T. This he conducted with success until his death, Jan. 3, 1882. Mr. Meredith married Margaret Rhodes, daughter of Joseph Rhodes, who was a native of Armstrong county, and was among the pioneers of Madison township. Mrs. Meredith's mother was Elizabeth (Myers) Rhodes. Seven children survived Mr. Meredith: Madison W.; Alda R., widow of Dr. S. W. Keller; Thomas T.; Owen C.; Tillie I., wife of John C. Fox; Ney O.; and Eva M., wife of Alfred H. Unger.
Thomas T. Meredith was reared in Madison township, and received his education in the common schools there. He began his business career as clerk in his father's store, and after the death of the latter, in 1882, took charge of the business until he attained his majority. He then entered into partnership with his mother and the business was conducted under the firm name of Mrs. M. Meredith & Son until 1893, when he purchased the interest of his mother and has since conducted the business alone. Up to this time the business was an ordinary country store, but Mr. Meredith at once began to enlarge it, making improvements as his patronage increased until now he has the largest store of his kind in the country outside of Kittanning. He has also conducted an undertaking business since 1897, and has proved himself an enterprising, honorable and efficient business man.
On May 6, 1888, Mr. Meredith married Alice M., daughter of William and Mary J. (Henderson) Craig, of Madison township, and they have had three children: Byron W., Thomas T., Jr., and Margaret E. Mr. and Mrs. Meredith are members of the Reformed Church. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, and a member of the Consistory of the Valley of Coudersport, Pa., also Widnoon Lodge, No. 1139, I. O. O. F. Mr. Meredith has served as postmaster of Widnoon since 1885, giving most satisfactory service. He is a Republican in political sentiment.
Source: Pages 665-666, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 1998 by James R Hindman for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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