Matthew J. Meade

Matthew James Meade (December 7, 1823 – April 21, 1896) was an American farmer, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Brown County during the 1866 and 1867 sessions. His former home in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Capt. Matthew J. Meade House. His name was often abbreviated as

Early life Matthew J. Meade was born December 7, 1823, at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. His mother died when he was a child, after which his sisters were sent to a seminary in Ohio. In 1834, his eldest sister, Catherine, went west to the frontier village of Green Bay, accompanying the Catholic bishop Frederick Rese, to serve as a teacher at a newly established Catholic school. Shortly after arriving, she married George W. Lawe, the son of the prominent and wealthy fur trader John Lawe. She then sent to her father and siblings and invited them to join her in the new territory. Matthew J. Meade arrived in Green Bay shortly before his 12th birthday, in 1835.

Meade was first elected to county office in 1858, when he was elected register of deeds of Brown County, running on the Democratic Party ticket. He was subsequently re-elected in 1860.

Civil War service Shortly after his second election, the American Civil War began. He served out the remainder of his term and in the Summer of 1862 began raising a company of volunteers for the Union Army. His company was enrolled as Company F in the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and Meade was commissioned their captain. The 32nd Wisconsin Infantry mustered into federal service on September 25, 1862, and left the state in October for service in the western theater of the war. They were assigned to William T. Sherman's corps and marched to join the Vicksburg campaign. During their march, however, they received word of the Holly Springs Raid and were ordered to return to Tennessee for provost duty. They remained in Tennessee until January 1864, when they were sent to Vicksburg to join the Meridian campaign through central Mississippi, then joined the Atlanta campaign into Georgia. They participated in the capture of Atlanta in the fall of 1864. Meade suffered injuries at Atlanta and resigned in November 1864. He did not run for re-election in 1867.

He subsequently ran for county clerk in 1868, but lost the election to Republican John B. Eugene.

Matthew J. Meade suffered a stroke in April 1896 and never recovered. He died at his home in Kaukauna on April 21, 1896. They had one son, John Francis Meade, but he died of tuberculosis at age 31.

Matthew Meade's former residence in Kaukauna is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Capt. Matthew J. Meade House.