Richard Kidder Meade, Jr. (July 29, 1803 – April 20, 1862) was Virginia lawyer, plantation owner and politician who served in the

Virginia Senate The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virg ...

and in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, as well as U.S. minister to Brazil under President James Buchanan before returning to Virginia to work for the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

until his death.

Early and family life

Meade was born near

Frederick County, Virginia Frederick County is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,419. Its county seat is Winchester. The county was formed in 1743 by the splitting of Orange County. It is Virginia's northernmost county ...

, the son of Mary Fitzhugh Grymes Randolph and her husband Richard Kidder Meade (1746–1805) who had served as an aide-de-camp to General Washington. His grandfather was David Meade of Nansemond County and his paternal grandmother Susana Everard was the daughter of North Carolina's governor. His brother

William Meade William Meade (November 11, 1789March 14, 1862) was an American Episcopal bishop, the third Bishop of Virginia. Early life His father, Colonel Richard Kidder Meade (1746–1805), one of George Washington's aides during the War of Independence, ...

remained in Frederick county and became the Episcopal bishop of Virginia. He had private tutors and also studied law. He married Julia Edmunds Haskins (d. 1891) in

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Econ ...

on November 3, 1825, and their children included Susan Meade Bolling (-1861), Richard Kidder Meeade (1835–1862) and Hugh Everard Meade (1838–1862), as well as daughters Indiana (1826-1898), Julia (b. 1831), Mary (b. 1839)and Marion (b. 1842) and son David (1845–1929).

Career

He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

and commenced practice in

. He also became a plantation owner in St. Andrews Parish, Brunswick County, Virginia near Lawrenceville. In the 1820 U.S. Census, this Richard Kidder Meade owned 55 enslaved persons, and his household also included 16 free white persons. In the 1830 U.S. Federal Census, he owned 43 enslaved persons and his household included three other white persons. The 1840 U.S. Census for Dinwiddie County, Virginia shows his household as including 10 white persons and 15 enslaved persons. The earlier censuses do not list the names of family members. The 1860 U.S. Federal Census lists him as living in Petersburg's south ward with many family members. His personal estate at the time is $7000 along with $20,000 in real estate, so By 1836, Meade invested in the Brunswick Land Company, which invested and speculated in Texas. In 1836, he was elected to the

State Senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

, where he represented Brunswick, Dinwiddie and Greensville Counties from 1835–1838. He replaced George C. Dromgoole, who had won election to the U.S. Congress. When Congressman Dromgoole died, Meade was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the Thirtieth Congress to fill the vacancy. Voters of

Virginia's 2nd congressional district Virginia's second congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It currently encompasses all of Accomack, Northampton, and York Counties; all of the independent cities of Virginia Beach and Willia ...

reelected him to the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses. He served from August 5, 1847, to March 3, 1853. His seat was taken by

John Singleton Millson John Singleton Millson (October 1, 1808 – March 1, 1874) was an American lawyer and politician who served six consecutive terms as a U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House ...

. Meade declined President Pierce's offer as charge d'affairs to Sardinia in 1853. He became a strong supported of President James Buchanan, who rewarded him by appointing him Minister to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. After confirmation by the U.S. Senate, served from July 27, 1857, to July 9, 1861. He was replaced by James Watson Webb. Upon the election of President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

, Meade returned to Virginia and devoted himself to the cause of the Confederacy. His older sons also volunteered as Confederates.

Death and legacy

Richard Kidder Meade died in Petersburg, Virginia, on April 20, 1862. He was interred in Old

Blandford Cemetery Blandford Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in Petersburg, Virginia. The oldest stone, marking the grave of Richard Yarbrough, reads 1702. It is located adjacent to the People's Memorial Cemetery, a historic African-American cemetery. Alt ...

. Although his widow survived him by decades and his youngest son may have lived, both his older sons, Maj. Richard Kidder Meade Jr. and Hugh Everard Meade, who had been sent home after falling ill in confederate camps, died within four months of their father.findagrave

Electoral history

*1847; Meade was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 53.91% of the vote, defeating Whig George W. Bolling *1849; Meade was re-elected with 88.67% of the vote, defeating Whig S.J. Weisigner and Independent identified only as Shell. *1851; Meade was re-elected unopposed.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meade, Richard Kidder 1803 births 1862 deaths Virginia lawyers 19th-century American diplomats Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia 19th-century American lawyers People from Lawrenceville, Virginia 19th-century American politicians People from Frederick County, Virginia Meade family of Virginia