This file was entirely given to me by Juana McLeod also a descendant. I have added background and inserted the wedding certificate to William and his first wife Elizabeth Long which was also sent to me from Juana. Thank you Juana for letting me post this information.

Excerpt from one of her emails- “The spelling of Meech is the third way I've seen it spelled while he was in Newfoundland - there is Meech, Mich, and Mytch (this was on the baptism of his son William Henry).”

Modified Register for John Meech

First Generation

1. John Meech.

John married Jane.

They had the following children:

+ 2 M i. William Meech was born in 1828 and died on 15 Apr 1889.

Second Generation

2. William Meech (John) was born in 1828 in Bagber, Dorset, England. He died on 15 Apr 1889 in South Bar, Nova Scotia and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Nova Scotia.

William was employed as Fisherman in Harbor Britain, Newfoundland. He was employed as Farmer about 1868 - 1889 in South Bar, Nova Scotia. He signed a will on 12 Jan 1889.

Nothing is yet known of William's life in England. A possible family has been found in parish records but no

definite connections have been made. William's parents were John and Jane Meech (from his 1868 marriage records). A John Meech married a Jane English in St. Mary's Church, Wooton Glanville, Dorset, England in 1804 and had 7 children baptized at the same church, one of them a son William baptized on 25 Feb 1827. The birth date of 1828 determined for William in this file was calculated from his age in various records. The approximated year of birth is close enough to the baptismal record to be a possible match, however nothing has been proven.

William first shows up in 1856 in Gaultois, Newfoundland, where he appears on a list of subscribers to the Newfoundland School Society. He is also mentioned in the "Journal of the House of Assembly of Newfounland Third Session of the Sixth General Assembly St. John's Newfoundland" E.D. Shea, Printer MDCCCLVII. In July of 1856 a Revenue report indicated that the Sub-collector for the Customs House in Gaultois, Newfoundland, required more men to aid in protection of the revenue. At this time he had already appointed William Meech as Constable with a wage of 12 pounds per annum.

The next of record of William is his marriage to Elizabeth Long on 12 July 1857 in Gaultois as seen in his

marriage record. They had four children (3 survived). Sometime around 1867, William and the children came to

Nova Scotia. William purchased 60 acres of land at auction in 1867. This property was located along the shore of Sydney Harbour in South Bar, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The home was in existence until it was destroyed by fire on 19 Dec 1997.

William remarried in 1868 (Amelia Sutherland) and had six more children. According to his marriage records,

William was a widower, his last residence was Harbor Britain (present day Harbor Breton) and he was a fisherman. The fact that he was involved in the fishery and lived both in Gaultois and Harbor Britain leads to the possibility that he was an employee of Newman a & Company which operated out of both places. Again nothing has been found to substantiate this.

William left a will. It reads as follows (note there was no punctuation in the original):

"I William Meech of South Bar Sydney Cape Breton Nova Scotia Dominion of Canada Do make my last Will and Testament as follows

To my Son Michael Meech I bequeath all my property real and personal except three acres called the Lime Kiln field My will is that my Wife Amelia Meech as Dowry shall receive a good support from Michael Meech during her natural life also her children Jane..Mary..Eliza..and Winnifred I also require of Michael my son that he provide his mother with two rooms for herself and children, also two cows and two sheep which must be fed and taken care of by Michael my son I also will that if any of the girls marry the [sic] shall have a cow or heifer given them at the time of Marriage by Michael their brother

To my Son William I bequeath that portion of my property called the Lime Kiln field being on the eastern side of the Queen's highway containing three acres more or less be it also understood that I have no wish that you would sell or make over said field called the Lime Kiln field to any person outside the family To my Son John should he ever return? (hard to make out) my will is that he will receive a cow

To my Son Samuel when he is old enough I intend he shall get a good trade he must go to school until he arrives at a proper age

Signed on the 12 January 1889 by William Meech, witnessed by Samuel Richardson, Arthur R. Richardson and John Alfred Richardson.

William married (1) Elizabeth Long on 12 Jul 1857 in Gaultois, Newfoundland. Elizabeth was born about 1836 in Newfoundland and was christened on 22 Aug 1836 in Newfoundland.

Excerpt from email Juana sent when she sent copy of the marriage certificate:

It says at the top Gaultois (looks like two l's but know it is a 't') but I can't quite decipher the next bit. 

The rest says: This is to certify that William Mich [sic] & Elizabeth Long have lawfully contracted marriage on
this the 12th day of July 1857.  Wm? (hard to decipher this part too) Fripps C.C.

A baptism record for an Elizabeth Long was found in the parish register of St. Patrick's, Burin, Newfoundland

(provided by Chuck Collier from Newfoundland). It shows a baptism on the 22 Aug 1836 of Elisabeth of Denis Long and Margaret Allen. It is uncertain if this is the same Elizabeth but she is from the right area

William and Elizabeth had the following children:

3 F i. Jane Elizabeth Meech.

4 M ii. Capt. John Albert Meech was born on 14 Dec 1859 in Newfoundland. He died on 13 Jun 1931 in Brookfield, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia from stroke and was buried in Jun 1931 in Western Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.

John Albert was the captain of various vessels. He related to family members that he sailed

around Cape Horn twenty-one times and that he was one of the first to sail through the Panama Canal. He also provided a picture of a five-masted schooner, 'Grace A. Martin', which he claims to have sailed. His tales have yet to be verified. Information on the ship 'Grace A. Martin' was obtained from the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine. The only captain mentioned in relation to the ship was her first master, Wm. F. Harding. The ship foundered in a winter gale 30 miles south of Matincus Island, Me., in January 1914. John Albert lived for a time in Maine where the ship was built and sailed, so it is possible that he could have been her master at one time.

Some time after suffering from a stroke, John Albert returned to Nova Scotia and spent the rest of his life living with his half sisters, Jennie in Brookfield and Winifred in South Bar. He passed away while living with Jennie. His body was brought to Maryland by his brother-in-law Angus MacLeod (Eliza's son).

John married Annie Dorothy Carsen on 30 Apr 1890 in Baltimore, Maryland. Annie was born on 11 Dec 1870 in Baltimore, Maryland. She died on 07 Jun 1925 in Baltimore, Maryland and was buried on 10 Jun 1925 in Western Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.

Surname also seen spelled Corson.

5 M iii. Michael George Meech was born on 27 Jan 1862. He died on 24 Jun 1913 in South Bar, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Nova Scotia.

Michael signed a will on 11 Jun 1910.

Michael was unmarried. Michael worked as a coal trimmer which involved leveling out the load of coal in the hold of a ship. He lived in the family home until his death.

He left a will as follows:

I Michael Meech of South Bar in the County of Cape Breton declare this to be my last Will and Testament.

I devise and bequeath to my nephews Lewis McLeod son of Angus McLeod, the sum of fifty dollars. to my nephew Loyd [sic] Meech son of William Meech, North Sydney, the sum of fifty dollars and to my nephew Lee Carter son of Alonzo Carter of Brookfield Colchester County Nova Scotia, the sum of fifty dollars. to my sister Winifred Meech, I devise and bequeath all the real and personal property I am possessed of at my decease, after paying the foregoing amounts to my said nephews, absolutely, and I appoint the said Winifred Meech sole executor of this my last will, hereby revoking all former wills or writings by me.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ten.

Signed by Michael Meech and witnessed by D.M. Curry and J. H. Grantmyre(?)

6 M iv. William Henry Meech was born on 18 Jan 1864 and was christened on 27 Apr 1864 in Newfoundland. He died on 21 May 1919 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Sydney, Nova Scotia.

William lived in Sydney during his first marriage and came to South Bar after his wife's death.

He later moved to North Sydney when he remarried. -from Memoirs of Vivian Meech Halliday.

William was a locomotive engineer with the Canadian Pacific Railway.

William married (1) Macilla Richardson about 1890. Macilla was born about 1868. She died about 1898.

The spelling of her name is as given by her daughter, Vivian Meech Halliday. Spellings from

other sources include Miscella, Marcella

Macilla was the first cousin of her husband's stepmother, Amelia Sutherland Meech.

William also married (2) Mary J. Shean about 1903. Mary was born in 1868. She died in 1946 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Sydney, Nova Scotia.

William also married (2) Amelia Sutherland on 03 Dec 1868 in Rev. George Richardson's house, South Bar, Nova Scotia. Amelia was born on 27 Jun 1837 in Stewiacke East, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. She died on 06 Mar 1907 in South Bar, Nova Scotia and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Nova Scotia.

They had the following children:

7 M v. James Sutherland Meech was born on 17 Sep 1869. He died in 1883 and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Nova Scotia.

James died from meningitis--from Family Notes of Albert Wood.

8 F vi. Jane Elizabeth 'Jennie' Meech "Jennie" was born on 17 Dec 1871. She died on 08 Apr 1953 and was buried in Eastside Cemetery, Brookfield, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia.

Date of birth in Carter family records is 14 Dec 1872 and 1872 is birth year on headstone.

Jennie married Alonzo Carter on 20 Sep 1899 in Salem, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Alonzo was born on 04 Mar 1856 in Brookfield, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia. He died on 26 Oct 1940 in Brookfield, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia and was buried in Eastside Cemetery, Brookfield, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia.

9 M vii. Samuel Kent Meech was born on 07 Jul 1874. He died on 18 Dec 1954 in Melrose, Middlesex Co., MA.

Samuel married Sarah Adelaid Tinker.

10 F viii. Mary Holland Meech was born on 11 Nov 1876. She died on 09 Oct 1939 in Newcastle, Lincoln Co. Maine and was buried on 11 Oct 1939 in Hillside Cemetery, Damariscotta, Lincoln Co., ME.

Mary married Stephen Douglas Wood on 24 Nov 1897 in Lynn, Essex Co. Massachusetts. Stephen was born on 25 Dec 1860 in Warren, Knox Co., Maine. He died on 09 Jan 1940 in Newcastle, Lincoln Co. Maine and was buried on 11 Jan 1940 in Hillside Cemetery, Damariscotta, Lincoln Co., ME.

11 F ix. Eliza Evangeline Meech was born on 02 May 1879 in South Bar, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She died on 01 Feb 1946 in South Bar, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia.

Eliza married Angus James MacLeod "Angus Trapper" on 16 Aug 1900 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Angus Trapper was born on 03 Jan 1874 in Peters Brook, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He died on 09 Oct 1969 in Baddeck Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia.

12 F x. Winifred "Win" Meech was born on 20 Sep 1881. She died in 1945 and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, South Bar, Nova Scotia.

Win's husband Donald was a first cousin of her sister Eliza's husband, Angus.

Winifred married Donald H. "Dan" MacLeod.

Meech Girls, Left Mary, Center Winifred, right Eliza Jennie Cropped from her wedding photo

For more information on some of William and Amelia’s descendants see Sutherland and Carter File’s