Meehan, Thomas 1826-1901  

Meehan was a writer, editor, nurseryman and horticulturist. He was born in London, England, and died at Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1901. He was self educated, studying horticulture and botany at night. His first published paper was at 12 years of age on the production of double from single flowered stocks. His first scientific discovery published was The Sensitive Nature of the Stamens of the Portulaca (1841) at 15 years. At the same age he produced St. Clare, the first hybrid fuchsia known to horticulture. Other papers followed with the result that he was elected a member of the Royal Wernerian Society of Edinburgh without making application or the society realizing that he was still a boy. He became a student at Kew Gardens, but in 1853 he established Meehan's Nurseries, which became famous for their fine trees. He was sole editor of Gardener's Monthly in 1891 which survived him. At one time he was an agricultural or horticultural editor or regular contributor to half a dozen magazines. He was author of Native Flowers and Ferns of the United States (1878). He took part in many civic affairs and in many horticultural and agricultural societies. He was recognized as one of the leading horticulturists of his day.

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