05/14/2026
As you drive around the city, do you ever wonder what the story behind the street name is? While some street names are obvious (named after a type of tree or after a U.S. President) others are more uniquely Appleton.
Today we’ll explore the namesake of Meade Street: the Meade family.
For many years, Meade Street has been attributed to Captain Matthew J. Meade, with the common belief that he donated land for the campus of the Lawrence Institute (now Lawrence University). In reality, it was his brother, John F. Meade, who originally owned the land, having purchased it from the federal government. In 1847, John sold roughly 150 acres – land that now comprises a large section of present-day downtown Appleton – for $472.71.
John Francis Meade was born in Pennsylvania around 1820 to David P. Meade and Lydia Wilde. A lawyer by profession, he also helped establish the Green Bay Advocate newspaper. His life was cut short at age 29 when he died on May 3, 1850, in Brown County after a house fire. Reports at the time suggested the circumstances were suspicious, raising the possibility of foul play. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
Several years after his death, John’s son, Edward L. Meade, filed a lawsuit to recover a substantial portion of land his father had conveyed to Amos A. Lawrence for Lawrence University. The original deed stipulated that the land was granted on the condition that the Lawrence Institute of Wisconsin be permanently established there by September 7, 1848; otherwise, upon repayment of the purchase price, ownership would revert to the Meades. Although Lawerence’s first college building was initially built on Meade’s land, the structure soon burned down in 1857. Trustees then purchased adjacent property and constructed the university’s main building there instead. Much of the original Meade tract was later sold to support the institution’s endowment. After multiple appeals, Edward Meade took the case to the United States Supreme Court, where he ultimately lost.
Following John’s untimely death, his brother Matthew J. Meade established a notable career of his own. Born December 7, 1823, in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, Matthew arrived in Green Bay in 1840. There, he served for many years as Brown County Clerk and Register of Deeds. In 1858, he married Harriet Pelton; the couple had one son, John, who died in 1891 at age 31 from consumption.
During the Civil War, Matthew served as captain of Company F, 32nd Wisconsin Infantry, enlisting in 1862. He saw action in Memphis, Tennessee, and later joined General William T. Sherman’s campaign on the famous march through Georgia. He was discharged due to disability shortly before the war’s end.
After returning to Wisconsin, Matthew was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in the fall of 1865, representing the second district. He was also a significant landholder in the Fox Valley – particularly around Kaukauna – and at one time served as a state land agent.
Matthew J. Meade died at age 67 on April 21, 1896, in Kaukauna, and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay.
The Meade house, located at the intersection of E. Division and Grignon Street in Kaukauna, is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Built by Meade in 1884 overlooking the Fox River, it remained his residence until his death in 1896. Meade Street in Kaukauna is also named in his honor.
Matthew and John had two sisters: Catherine, who married George Lawe – another major land donor to Lawrence University – and Mary, who married Charles Grignon. Both families were among the earliest settlers of Kaukauna, and several streets in Appleton and Kaukauna also bear their names.
Keep an eye out for future stories behind the street names coming up!
