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- from "The Greenville Record-Argus", 22 Jan 1951 (greenville.newspaperarchive.com)
BE THAT AS IT MAY
One evening recently this paper, in its ancient history department, had reference to John H. Melvin of West Salem Township doing a tremendous business 50 years ago in turkeys. This evoked a lot of interest. Like the traditional "two George Mawrys", there are two John Melvins, and both prominent farmers and citizens of this area. They lived near together, one on the old Kinsman road near the cheese factory; the other south of that but north of the Greenville-Vernon road. That was John H., tail and slightly lame. He resided on the Melvin farm, adjacent to the Melvin School. He and Mrs. Melvin went to housekeeping on that farm. Mrs. Melvin died just a few months before completing 58 years of married life. Mr. Melvin outlived her, and finished more than 58 years on the "old Melvin farm:, where Miss Salome Melvin now resides, and across the road from the Melvin School.
We were talking about turkeys. In our From our Files we stated Mr. Melvin sometimes sold as many as 5,000 turkeys at one time. Members of his family can remember and verify this. Mrs. Oscar R. Fry, of the Jamestown Road, and 5 South Mercer Street, a daughter, supplies some information that will astound many of your readers. There turkeys were marketed at Cortland, O., about 13 miles from the Melvin farm. The buyer, a Mr. Abell, lived at Cortland, and bought turkeys in such quantities for shipment to New York and Chicago that he established a big business and shipping point. Thirteen miles was a big walk and a slow one for turkeys, and a wearisome for both turkeys and drivers. It was a slow one for turkeys and come eating time en route the turkeys had to be fed and at sleeping time they made for the trees and nothing would stop them. There was always an overnight stop between the Melvin Farm and Mr. Abell's shipping pens. Mr. Melvin usually bought corn of the farmers here the turkeys halted for the night, this sort of pain the lodging fee for 5,000 turkeys. Next morning the birds would descend and resume the (usually) dusky trek. Three men were regularly employed as drivers: George F. Reimold, J.K. Wemer and L.P. Arner, all from this region. Mrs. Reimold, who read the little reference the other night, recalled those day vividly, and how tired the men got, the turkeys being hard birds to drive on a narrow, busy road. Another daughter of J.H. Melvin is Mrs. E.R. McLaughlin; sons are Dr. Earle Melvin, of Wadsworth, Ohio, and Lloyd Melvin of West Sacramento, Calif. There are two grandsons named John right now, so the name is to continue, and as always two Johns in each generation.
John H. Melvin's chief business was not turkeys but the stonework, notably abutments for bridges, One of his bridges is at Big Bend, and that is historic. He was held up there. One man held his horse, another stepped between the buggy wheels and shoved a gun at Melvin, demanding money. Melvin gave them all he had, about $50. He had paid his men, about 20, the day before. The bandits had miscalculated the pay day by 24 hours.
- from "The Greenville Record Argus", 5 Jun 1937
JOHN H. MELVIN
John H. Melvin, a life-long resident of West Salem township and a son of Lester and Mary Melvin, born April 2, 1856, died at his late home in West Salem at 5:45 p.m. of June 4, 1937. Mr. Melvin suffered a stroke of apoplexy. He was united in marriage Jan. 1, 1880, to Annie Mowry, who preceded him in death on Nov. 3, 1936. Surviving are four children, Mrs. Earl McLaughlin of West Salem, Lloyd J. Melvin at home, Dr. Earle W. Melvin of Wadsworth, O., Mrs. Oscar R. Fry of Greene township; 12 grandchildren adn five great-grandchildren. Also three sisters, Mrs. Susie Reimold of Hempfiled, Ida and Salome of West Salem. Hew was very active in politics and grange affairs, a successful farmer. For 22 years he contracted stone masonry work, but had been retired for many years. Funeral services will be conducted from his late home at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 6, by Rev. J.N. Croxall of Jamestown Methodist church. Burial in Rock Ridge cemetery.
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1856 - 1937 (81 years)
Squire Lester Melvin, b. 15 Sep 1831, Mercer Co, PA