 After receiving a federal land grant of about 2 @,@ 000 acres ( <unk> ha ) , Richard <unk> , the first settler of Meridian , began offering free land to newcomers to attract more settlers to the region and develop the area . Most of <unk> 's land was bought in 1853 by Lewis A. <unk> , a lawyer from Alabama . John T. Ball , a merchant from <unk> County , bought the remaining 80 acres ( 0 @.@ 32 km2 ) . <unk> and Ball , now known as the founders of the city , began laying out lots for new development on their respective land sections . 
