1910 candidacy circular
courtesy of Branching Out blogSimeon Pease Meads
from candidacy circular, 1910Simeon Pease (S. P.) Meads (January 11, 1849 – October 1, 1940) was a teacher and principal in Oakland.

Simeon was born in January 11, 1849 in Limington, Maine, to Simeon Pease Meads and Ann Maria Libby (Meads). His father died of typhoid the October before he was born. Simeon earned an A.B. degree from Bowdoin College (class of 1872) and went to work as a teacher.

He married Eunice Annette "Nettie" Manson (Meads) November 15, 1848–March 13, 1890) on August 1, 1873, and they had two children, Harold Wilder Meads (November 18, 1874–April 16, 1961) and Nellie Aramantha Meads (Bothwell) (March 28, 1876–February 18, 1966), before the Meads moved to Oakland in November, 1876. 3 Here they had three more children, Albert Manson Meads (November 10, 1882–August 19, 1978), Elva Emeline Meads (March 9, 1884–March, 25 1898) and Marion Juliette Meads (Hager) (March 22, 1887–May 18, 1966).

Nettie died March 13, 1890, of pulmonary consumption (tuberculosis) at their home at 1652 Webster Street 10. Simeon surprised his friends by quietly marrying Louisa Russell (Meads) (December, 1851–December 5, 1919) on May 23, 1891. Louisa died December 5, 1919. Simeon then married Lillian Walton (Meads) (June 22, 1863–August 3, 1941).

year(s) Oakland address
1877 Fifth Ward
1890 1652 Webster Street
1898–1900 1459 Brush Street
1910–1911 817 17th Street
1920 530 Merrimac Street
1924–1927 5325 Underwood Avenue
1930–1940 3457 Rhoda Street

Teaching

from Chemical Primer by S.P. MeadsMeads wrote Chemical Primer: An Elementary Work for use in High Schools, Academies, and Medical Colleges in 1884. It was published by William B. Hardy.

Meads was vice principal of Oakland High School from c.1891 until he resigned in 1901, citing lowered pay for teachers in high schools. 4 In 1900, his pay was raised from $1725 a year to $1900 a year. 8 He was principal at the Washington School beginning in 1905, 5 and most famously principal of Cole Grammar School in West Oakland from 1908–1916. 9

Temperance and Politics

Meads firmly believed in temperance, and was the Prohibition party nominee for California vice governor in in 1902 6 and for governor in 1910. 1 He spoke on temperance to the Alameda County Christian Endeavour union at the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland (where the union was started in 1887) in 1908, and at the YMCA in 1912. 2

Other

from patent #371,696 USPTOWhen he first arrived in Oakland, Simeon worked as a real estate agent.

Meads organized the Free Baptist Church in 1884. It merged with the First Baptist Church in May, 1910.

In 1887, Meads was granted patent #371,696 for an electric alarm clock 7 for ringing bells simultaneously throughout a schoolhouse.

In 1890, Meads was the director of the Agassiz Society. 11

His autobiography written in 1923 was called In My Own Lot and Place. 3

Links and References

  1. Prohibitionists want Meads for Governor, SF Call, July 1, 1910
  2. Suburban Brevities, SF Call, May 17, 1912
  3. In My Own Lot and Place S. P. Meads (excerpts)
  4. Meads' Resignation Held Out San Francisco Call October 17, 1901
  5. Teachers Assigned San Francisco Call January 5, 1905
  6. Campaign for Prohibitionists San Francisco Call September 29, 1902
  7. List of U.S. Patents for Pacific Coast Inventors Pacific Rural Press October 29, 1887
  8. Must May for the Privilege of Drawing Wages San Francisco Call June 10, 1900
  9. School Principals Assigned by Board San Francisco Call June 3, 1908
  10. The Eastern Shore - Oakland Daily Alta California March 14, 1890
  11. The Eastern Shore - Oakland Daily Alta California August 9, 1890
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