Charles Ellison (charley) Stead

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1841, Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England
• Immigration: 1848, Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
• Residence: 1855, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1860, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1870, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1880, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA

Notes:

Oakland, Calif. Nov. 8, 1958
To the Stead relatives
From George A. Stead.

I was in Leeds October 9 & 10, where I spent several hours in the Leeds Public Library, the Leeds Library” (Which is the oldest proprietary library in England) the Mill-Hill Chapel, and the home of the present minister, Brian L. Golland, M. A.

Later I will try to send you a picture of the present Mill Hill Chapel, opened in 1848 about the time our people came to New Orleans & St. Louis as well as a picture of the original chapel which it replaced on the same site dating from 1672. It is Unitarian, as you know, and is very proud of the fact that Joseph Priestly was a minister there during the l7th century. Priestly was a devout religionist of the Unitarian faith as well as a scientist and friend of Benjamin Franklin. He discovered oxygen and did some experimental work in electricity. He was persecuted in England for his advanced views and died in Pennsylvania.

I established a very interesting contact with the present director of the “Leeds Library”¬(Which is supported by subscriptions and contains a great deal of historical material), Frank Beckwith. As you know Beckwith was a Stead family name. I expect to correspond with Mr. Beckwith and he has promised to send me an Out-Of-print book on Mill Hill Chapel.

As I got additional Information I will try to pass it on.

The present Mill Hill Chapel is neo-Gothic, located on one of the principal squares in the down-town part of Leeds. It is quite large and impressive and beautiful inside. It is in a large chapel yard with an iron fence. Within the yard are many graves marked by flat slabs. I think our grandparents (rather great-grandparents) were amongst the last to be buried there..

MARKING OF THE GRAVE OF OUR GREAT GRANDPARENTS: “Elizabeth Ann/wife of Samuel Maud/died at age of 37 in March---1821//Samuel aude died at age of 63/Jan. 6 1845.” (Note the different spellings of Maude on the same stone).

There were at least two Steads buried in the chapel yard that I noticed but did not record the engravings.

Within the church in a steel vault (like a small bank vault) are large books containing the chapel records. These are copies, because the originals were requisitioned by the British Government and are now in London with all official records of births, deaths, etc.

CHAPEL RECORDS. 1) Burial register: “Samuel Maude, Leeds, January 9, 1845” Minister was Wicksteed. (Note the discrepancy in the date of death from the grave marker. There is a tradition in the family that he got quite a kick out of reading in the paper about his own death). Also: “Hannah Stead, Hunslet Lane (Leeds), November 21, 1781, age 79.” Cause of death was "palsy." 2) Marriages: Matthias Stead, Mill full age; Ann Maud, full age; bachelor and spinster. His occupation—“stuff presser”, lived at 15 St. Marks St., Woodhouse, Leeds, father John Stead, Cloth presser; Charles Wicksteed, Minister. She lived at 170 Marsh Lane, father Samuel Maud, collector. Date of marriage, March 22, 1845.
3) Baptismal Register: Matthias & Ann Stead, parents, lived at Hunslet (Leeds), child Maud Mary, born Dec. 13, 1845, christened Feb. 25, 1846; mother’s maiden name, "Maud." Baptised by Charles Wicksteed. Same parents, Elizabeth Ann, born May 24, 1847, baptised June 13, 1837 (must be 1847); mother’s name, Maud, by Charles Wicksteed.

ITEM IN LEEDS MERCURY for Saturday, an. 1, 1845 (a weekly paper under deaths “On Monday(that would be the 6th) aged 63, Mr.Samuel Maude, of this town, one of the collectors of the poor rate.
HOPE TO FOLLOW.UP WITH MORE. George


Source: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, 1891" (Page 637)

Mathias Stead has been a resident of Griggsville, Pike County, for thirty-five years. He was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, November 21, 1819, his parents being John and Mary (Woods) Stead. His father died in 1832 at the age of about forty-eight years. Our subject remained in his native land until 1848, when he emigrated to America, located in St. Louis, Mo., and engaged in the sale of merchandise. In 1855 he removed to his present home, being connected with the firm of Hatch & Co., until 1860. He then began buying apples throughout the surrounding country, shipping them to St. Louis and also dealing somewhat in other produce.

Mr. Stead continued to occupy himself thus until 1863, when he became a storekeeper in the army. He was located at Little Rock, Ark., for a year and at other posts for short periods, but spent the greater part of his time in Helena. He retained his position until late in 1866, when he returned to Griggsville and resumed his former occupation of shipping apples and other produce. From 1875 to 1880 he was express agent, and since the last date has lived a retired life on account of ill-health.

Our subject is one of six children and the only one living in this country. His oldest brother, William, lives near Leeds, England; John is deceased; Samuel lives in Leeds; James in Chester and the only sister, Elizabeth, occupies the old English home. The mother came to America in 1854, and died in Kirkwood, Mo., a short time afterward at the age of sixty-eight years. Mr. Stead was married in his native place in 1845 to Ann Maud, a native of the same city and daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Maud. The congenial union has been blessed by the birth of nine children, three of whom died in infancy. John W., George F., and Charles E. are butchers in Griggsville and the last two named are also engaged in farming. Mariott M. is a farmer in Pratt County, Kan., Maude is the wife of William H. Ludlow, of Griggsville; Samuel is in the grocery business in the same town.

Mr. Stead is identified with the Odd Fellows lodge in the thriving town in which he resides, and with the Episcopal Church. He has held several local offices, discharging the divers duties of the positions with faithfulness and efficiency.

Marriot married Ann Maud on 22 Mar 1845 in Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. Ann (daughter of Samuel Maud and Elizabeth Ann Waddington) was born on 28 Feb 1821 in Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; died on 25 Feb 1895 in Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1860, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1870, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA
• Residence: 1880, Griggsville, Pike, Illinois, USA

John married Mary Wood on 13 Apr 1814 in Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. Mary (daughter of Samuel Wood) was born on 28 Oct 1785 in Bank, Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; was christened on 4 Dec 1785 in Saint Peter Church, Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; died on 7 Sep 1854 in Kirkwood, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel + Elizabeth Ann Waddington. Elizabeth was born on 15 May 1785 in Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England; died on 4 Mar 1821 in Leeds, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]