EMERSON ALFORD MEGGS

AAFA #0791

1921 FL – 2012 TN

 

Emerson Meggs, taken at AAFA’s Annual Meeting in 1998, Paducah, KY

 

 

Austin & Bell Funeral Home

Springfield, TN—_____ August 2012

 

 

            Emerson Alford Meggs, age 91, and long-time resident of Adams, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at Morningside of Springfield. A memorial service will be held Friday, August 24, 2012 at 2pm at the Adams Methodist Church with Reverend Randy Mutter officiating. Burial will follow in the Bellwood Cemetery with the Fellowship Sunday School Class serving as Honorary pallbearers. Visitation with the family will be held at the Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Springfield on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from 4-7:30pm and at the church on Friday one hour prior to the service.

            Mr. Meggs was born March 19, 1921 in Escambia County, Florida to the late L.L. and Pearl Alford Meggs. When he was 15 years old he and his family moved to Adams where in 1938 he graduated from Bell High School. In the early 1950’s Mr. Meggs graduated from the John Gupton School of Mortuary Science in Nashville which began a career spanning more than 30 years as owner and operator of Meggs Funeral Home in Adams.

            He was a member of the Adams United Methodist Church where he served as member and past chairman of the Administrative Board, Sunday School Teacher, and Chairman of the Church Building Committee during new construction in 1970.

            Mr. Meggs’ name has been well-known throughout Robertson County for decades as he received recognition for having served 25 years as Director of the Adams Annual Fourth of July Picnic in 1971. He also served as City Recorder for the City of Adams from 1963 to 1973, served on the Adams City Commission from 1967 to 1971, member of the first Robertson County Library Board, former member and Chairman of the Robertson County Highway Commission, former member of the Robertson County Court and Budget Committee, member and Director of the Springfield-Robertson County Chamber of Commerce, past PTA president, past member of the Robertson County Historical Society and cancer survivor since 1994.

            Mr. Meggs served as the Robertson County Executive from 1982 to 1994, during which time NorthCrest hospital, county jail and National Guard Building were approved. Electronic voting machines, the county road mapping system, building and zoning codes revisions, state health insurance for county employees, an emergency medical system, and 911 communications system was implemented during his term in office. Tribute was paid to him on September 19, 1994 in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record Volume 140 upon the completion with distinction of his service as the Robertson County Executive.

            More recently Mr. Meggs was a member of the Springfield Rotary Club and was named Springfield Rotarian of the Year in 2001. He was a past President of the Adams Cemetery Association and organizer of its Trust Fund, served on the Adams Cemetery Association Advisory Board, was Trustee of Bellwood Cemetery and Trustee of Bell-Willett Charitable Foundation, was Executive Secretary of the Tennessee-Kentucky Threshermen’s Association, served on the United Way Board, served on the Board of Directors of the City of Adams Museum, Archives and Library, and in 2004 was selected as a Person of Character by the Robertson County Times.

            Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret Fort Meggs; children, Emerson Fort Meggs of Knoxville and John Alford (Linda Odom) Meggs of Charlottsville, VA; daughter, Margaret Lee (Mark Seifferd) Meggs of Havre, MT; brothers, Wendell Anderson Meggs of Springfield and Ural Edward “Ed” (Juanita) Meggs of Wilmington, DE; brother-in-law, John (Elizabeth) Fort of Springfield; sister-in-law, Evelyn Fort of Nashville; and grandchildren, Dylan Fort Meggs, Lillian Amelia Odom Meggs, Eric Konstantin Odom Meggs and Carrie Claire Meggs.

            The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Robertson County Archives or to the Robertson County Historical Society.

            Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Springfield is in charge of these arrangements.

            Austin & Bell Funeral Home- 509 Walnut Street, Springfield, TN (615) 384-1000.

 

In another article:

 

THE TENNESSEAN

Nashville, Davidson Co., TN—Friday, 24 August 2012

 

By Nicole Young

 

            Friends of former Robertson County Executive Emerson Meggs remembered him Thursday as a “natural born leader.’’

            Mr. Meggs died Tuesday. He was 91.

            “I could always count on him for advice,” said Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley. “He had a photographic memory of the files which I do not have. It was amazing, the depths of knowledge he had.”

            Mr. Meggs of Adams, Tenn., served as county executive — a position now called county mayor — from 1982 to 1994.

            Originally from Florida, Mr. Meggs moved to Adams when he was 15. He graduated from Bell High School and went on to become a mortician, operating Meggs Funeral Home in Adams for more than 30 years. He was very involved in the community, said Robertson County Commissioner Billy Vogle, who had known Mr. Meggs for about 40 years through Adams Methodist Church.

            He did a lot of work for Adams,” Vogle said. “He helped start the Thresherman’s Show (a two-day expo of old-fashioned farming techniques) and was in it every year. I just look back over the years and there’s nobody who will be able to take his place in the community.”

            In Adams, Mr. Meggs served as city recorder from 1963 to 1973 and a city commissioner from 1967 to 1971. He was director of the city’s annual Fourth of July picnic for 25 years. Mr. Meggs was on the county’s highway commission, library board, chamber of commerce and historical society.

            Bradley first met Mr. Meggs in 1970.

            “I’ve told many people that in many ways he taught me how to be county executive,” Bradley said. “He was just a natural born leader.”

            During Mr. Meggs’ tenure as county executive, the county approved the construction of NorthCrest hospital and a new National Guard Building.

            County Commissioner Bobby Jones remembered him as an excellent county executive.

            “I can place Mr. Meggs in the top five people I’ve ever known and respected,” Jones said. “I’m going to miss him.”

            A memorial service for Mr. Meggs will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Adams Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Bellwood Cemetery.

 

In another article:

 

THE TENNESSEAN

Nashville, Davidson Co., TN—Tuesday, 28 August 2012

 

Emerson Meggs when he was honored at the 2009 Community Club Christmas Dinner and presented with a key to the city. Also pictured is Adams Mayor Omer Gene Brooksher (left), Margaret Meggs and County Mayor Howard Bradley

 

MEGGS REMEMBERED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

 

            Robertson County lost one of its longtime leaders when Emerson Meggs died on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at his residence at Morningside Assisted Living Center in Springfield. Meggs was 91 years old.

            Emerson Meggs dedicated his life to public service, according to his wife of 60 years, Margaret Meggs. He served in many positions of government, business and community leadership over the years, but he is best remembered for serving as county executive – a position now known as the county mayor – from 1982-94.

            “I think Emerson really loved his country, he loved his community, he loved his church, and he was very dedicated to service to others,” Margaret Meggs said.

Margaret Meggs said that being married to a man like Emerson Meggs meant her life was always very busy.

            “We had to sort of work at being able to see each other,” she said. “He was very conscientious of his work. He attended a lot of meetings – not only county meetings, but community meetings like Men’s Club.”

            At different points in his life, Meggs was a member of the Robertson County library board, chairman of the Adams United Methodist Church’s administrative board, county highway commissioner, president of the Adams Cemetery Association, board member for the United Way and a member of the Springfield Rotary Club, of which he was named Rotarian of the Year for 2001—just to name a few of the many organizations of which he was involved.

            Several of Robertson County’s current leaders count Meggs as an inspiration and mentor for their current public service, including current County Mayor Howard Bradley, Adams Mayor Omer Gene Brooksher and County Attorney Clyde Richert.

            “He was one of the finest men I’ve ever known,” said Richert, who has counted Meggs as a close friend since they met in 1981. “One of the things I often heard him say was how much he appreciated serving the citizens of Robertson County. And he genuinely meant that, it wasn’t just political double talk.”

            Before he went into government, Meggs trained at the John Gupton School of Mortuary Science in Nashville and owned Meggs Funeral Home in Adams, which was one of the first funeral homes in the area to serve African-American families, according to Richert.

            “Emerson was ahead of his time,” Richert said. “He held all people in the same regard. He was always concerned about trying to do the right thing.”

            Both Bradley and Brooksher said that Robertson County has lost a great leader.

            “Emerson will be missed by all, but not forgotten,” Brooksher said. “He helped so many.”

            Emerson and Margaret Meggs lived in Adams for most of their lives. In addition to his wife, Meggs is survived by three children and four grandchildren.

 

AAFA NOTES: SSDI records show that Emerson Meggs (SS# issued in TN) was born 19 March 1921, last residence not listed.

            For more information about this family, see AAFA’s published genealogy, Known Descendants of Henry Miles Alford.

            His Alford lineage, from his mother: Pearlie Lee 1898 AL², Edward Gillespie 1878 AL³, Richard Reddin 1843 AL⁴, Henry Miles 1815 SC⁵, Job 1763 NC⁶, Julius 1717 VA⁷, James 1687 VA⁸, John 1645 VA⁹.