Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-11
samuel nnd margnret Meredlth

samuel 0nd narEaret Meredith
A correspondent writing from
Honesdale, Pa, to the New York
Times, says:
'In a wild spot, on the southern
slope ofthe Moosic Mountain, in the
northwestern part of this county,
neglected, sunken and hidden by
rank growths OF underbrush and
briars, is the grave of Samuel Mere
dith, the first Treasurer of the Uni
ted States, and that of his wife.
Margaret Read. Mr.. Meredith was
appointed Treasurer by Gen. Wash
ington when he became President
in 1889. Meredith was the son of
Brees Meredith, a wealthy Welsh
nobleman, who aided the American
cause with both counsel and treas
ure, on one occasion presenting the
Continental Government with $25,
900 to ameliorate the condition of
the then suffering army. The elder
Meredith and Washington had been
intimate friends before the breaking
out Of the war. Samuel Meredith
served as Treasurer under Washing.
ton eight, and under Mr.. Adams
four years. In the meantime he
became interested in extensive real
estate speculations in this (Wayne)
and Susquehanna county, having
purchased 10000 acres of land lying
in both. Emigration was then set
ting in hal direction. His idea
was to found a town near the Sus.
quehanna county line, and he OBJ
tanned a charter for one. 1t was to
be called Belmont. when Jefferson
came into office in 1901, Meredith
resigned that position, against the
wishes of the new President. He
erected a pretentious residence in
the wilderness he had purchased
and removed thither with his fami-
ly. His land did not sell, and other
speculations in which he engaged
resulting d~isastrously, sweeping
away his ample fortune. Belmont,
as he called his residence in the
woods, was all that ever came of his
proposed town. 1t was visited at
times by Robert Morris, DR.. Benia-
min Rush, and others famous in
American history, but Meredith
and his wife were forced to resign
the high social position they had
occupied in Philadelphia, and lived
in isolation the remainder Of their
days.
Mrs. Meredith was a member Of
the Read family of Philadelphia,
which is still a prominent one.
John Meredith Read, present Uni
ted States Charge d'Affaires at
Athens, is a representative of it.
She was a famous and accomplished
belle Of the Revolutionary days.
The residence of the Meredith was
the resort of the wit and fashion Of
that golden age of American society.
Col. Calvally Freeman, an aged ma
tive Of Mount Pleasant Township,
was q page in the Meredith family
when they took up their residence
at Belmont. Although in the midst
Of a wilderness and reduced in cir
cumstances, they maintained all
their aristocratic customs, keeping
hyeried servants and a carriage, and
insisting on a strict observance Of
all the conyentionalities Of the cir
cles in which they had been reared.
Samuel Meredith died in 1917, aged
sixty-seyen years. His wife died
three years later The spot in which
they were buried is small inclosure
a few rods from Belmont. Two
crumbling stones mark the graves.
The Inscriptions upon them are
nearly defaced. Belmont, the resi-
dence, is still standing, but the
property long since passed out Of
the hands Of The family. The PEG.
pie Of Pleasant Mount village, near
which the Meredith graves lie, in
tend TO erect a monument over
them, unless the relatives Of the
once i~lluatrious couple, or the Gov.
] eminent, rescues them from the
neglect and desolation now sur
| rounding them.