Birthdate could be from 1849 to 1854, but most likely 1851 to 1853. He was recorded as age 26 in the 1880 census, as age 50 born June 1849 in the 1900 census, and as age 58 in the 1910 census. With no independent information as to his parents, and the ambiguity in his date and place of birth, it is problematic to identify him in the earlier censuses.

His death certificate records Geo. W. Meadows, age 66, birthdate blank, born in Virginia, died 29 Dec 1917 in Guyandotte, Cabell Co., West Virginia, residence 406 Richmond St., married, occupation car oiler for C&O R.R., parents blank, cause of death lagrippe & heart disease, informant blank, burial in Spring Hill.

I cannot identify George in the 1860 census. There is a George Meadows age 6 in Magoffin Co., Ky, listed with the family of Moses Whitely age 41 and wife Nancy age 25, who would at first glance seem like a good bet, but I believe that is the George J. Meadows born 2 Oct 1853 in Magoffin Co., son of Tira Meadows and Polly Ann Barker, who married Rosaline Stacy and died 8 Aug 1922 in Greenup Co., Ky. There is also a George W. Meadows age 7 in Boone Co., Va (later WV), son of George Meadows and Julia Ann, but he stayed in that county. There was a George Washington Meadows born 2 July 1854 in Raleigh Co., Virginia (later WV), son of James Meadows and Angelina, but he married a wife named Virginia and stayed in Raleigh Co.

I believe he is most likely the George age 17 in the following 1870 census record:

1870 census of Greenup Co., Ky, precinct 4, Old Town P.O., enumerated 7 July, lists on pp. 26-27 as family #189/185:
Elisha Meadows, 40, farming; Martha A. E.. 33; George W., 17, Sylvester T., 15; Nancy J., 12; William, 10; Samuel H., 8; Benjamin F., 6; James H., 4; Hannah C., 1. Elisha through Nancy born in East Virginia, William through Hannah in Kentucky. Lam, Josiah, 66, farming, b. N.C.

Josiah is probably Martha’s father - her maiden name was Lam or Lamb. The next household is headed by Thomas J. Meadows, age 46, and the one after that by a widowed Hannah Meadows age 68, both also born in East Virginia.

Reasons for believing that (other than the fact that all the other possiblities I can find in 1860 or 1870 can be traced forward to different wives) include that George’s birth place was erratically recorded as both Virginia and Kentucky, which one might expect for a child born in this family that went from Virginia to Kentucky back to Virginia and back to Kentucky again (Elisha was in Floyd Co., Ky with his parents Joab and Hannah in 1850, and I cannot find him in 1860, but birth places for their older children suggest that the family was in Virginia from 1853-1858), and that Elisha died in Elliott Co., Ky in 1911, which puts him in the neigborhood of Morgan Co., Ky where George and Nancy were married.

Daughter of Henry Penix and Rachel Jenkins.

1850 census of Morgan Co., Ky, enumerated 31 Aug, lists on pp. 82-83 as family #534:
Henry Penix, 36, laborer, b. Va; Rachel, 35, b. Ky; Gilbert, 14; Manerva, 11; Robert, 9; John, 7; William, 6; Elizabeth, 4; Nancy, 1; George, 11/12. All children born in Kentucky.

1860 census of Morgan Co., Ky, district 1, West Liberty P.O., enumerated 13 July, lists on pp. 57-58 as family #350/347:
Henry Penix, 45, farmer, b. Va; Rachel, 44, b. Va; Gilbert, 22; Allen, 20; John, 18; William M., 16; Nancy J., 12; George W., 11; James H., 9; Samantha, 7; Martin, 3. All children born in Kentucky.

The next househould is headed by Gilbert Penix age 25 with wife Eady. (Note that there is also a Gilbert Penix age 22 listed in this household.)

1870 census of Morgan Co., Ky, Paint precinct, Relief P.O., enumerated 8 July, lists on p. 3 as family #17:
Penix, Henry, 56, farmer, b. Va; Rachel, 56, b. Va; Manerva, 31; Nancy, 21; James H., 19; Samantha, 15; Martin, 12. All except Henry and Rachel born in Kentucky.

Morgan Co., Ky marriage records list the marriage on 17 Jan 1873 of George Meadows and Nancy Penix, at Henry Jenkin’s by D. H. Hamilton, witnesses James Williams and James H. Jenkins.

1880 census of Magoffin Co., Ky, precinct 8, enumerated 5 June, lists on p. 7 as family #57:
Meadows, George, 26, farmer; Nancy J., 33, wife; William H., 6, son; Rachel C., 4, dau; Martha A., 2, dau. All born Ky Ky Ky.

1900 census of Carter Co., Ky, district 1, enumerated 8 June, lists on p. 6B as family #114/117:
Meadows, George, 50, b. June 1849, Va Va Va; Nancy, wife, 57, b. June 1842, Ky Ky Ky, married 29 years, mother of 7 children, 7 living; Eurias, son, 14, b. June 1885; Ireland, son, 11, b. June 1888; Mary, dau, 9, b. Mar 1891. All children born Ky Va Ky. Penix, Nervy, sister-in-law, 62, b. Nov 1837, Ky Ky Ky, single.

1910 census of Cabell Co., West Virginia, Guyandotte precinct, enumerated 25 April, lists on p. 12A as family #243/247:
Meadows, George, 58, doper at railway shop; Nancy, wife, 68, first marriage for both (number of years married and number of children columns blank); Risom, son, 26, married 2 years, foreman at car shop; Ethel, dau-in-law, 25, b. Wisconsin Germany Germany, first marriage for both, married 2 years, 0 children. All except Ethel born Ky Ky Ky.

1920 census of Cabell Co., West Virginia, Guyandotte precinct, Huntington ward 4, enumerated 2 Jan, lists on p. 1A as family #5, at 25 24th St:
Estep, Ellen, 32, single, b. Ky WV Ky; Katherine E., dau, 6, b. WV WV Ky; Meadows, Nancy, aunt, 78, widowed, b. Ky Ky Ky; Garfield, cousin, 37, married, b. Ky Ky Ky; Lucille, dau, 12, b. WV Ky Ky; Penix, Edward, cousin, 21, single, b. Ky Ky Ky.

Lucille Meadows is Garfield’s daughter rather than Ellen’s (she was recorded in the 1910 census with Garfield and his wife Jennie as age 3.)