| Notes |
- From A twentieth century history of Mercer County, Pennsylvania by Lewis Publishing, pg 702
Herman Melvin, one of the farmers who have assisted in the material development of that goodly portion of Mercer county known as West Salem township, was born there, on his father's old homestead, May 30, 1857, the son of Squire Lester Melvin, who was born September 15, 1831. Squire Melvin attended school until seventeen years of age, after which he was engaged in farming at home. May 31, 1855, he was united in marriage to Mary Miller, born June1, 1834, a daughter of Henry Miller and wife, of West Salem township. The name of the mother of Mrs. Melvin was Bortz. Henry Miller died at the age of eighty-five years, and his wife when seventy-four years. His father, John R. Melvin, was born on the old Melvin homestead in 1802, and married to 1829 to Elizabeth Woods, who was born March 16, 1806, and died June 2, 1846. The great-grandfather of Herman Melvin. Richard Melvin, died in 1824, and the great-grandmother in 1816. This venerable couple located and cleared up the old homestead where so many of the family have been born and reared. It contained three hundred acres and was all finely improved by the various generations of Melvins. It has been in the possession of the family for over two hundred years. Herman Melvin attended the common schools of his native district until about twenty-one years of age, and continued working at home until twenty-eight, when he took possession of part of the old place, so sacred to the memory of the Melvin family. He is making the place better each year and keeps up the good reputation of the Melvins as agriculturists. Politically Mr. Melvin is a Democrat and at present is holding the office of tax collector of his township; also is constable and has served as an assessor one term. He was married January 27, 1887, to Delia Woods, born March 18, 1869, a daughter of J. W. Woods, a farmer at Maysville, Pennsylvania, whose wife's name before marriage was Clarinda Brown. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin are Glenn Ord, aged twelve years, and Harry Lester, aged five years. Mr. Melvin's brothers and sisters were: John H., a farmer in West Salem township; Allen E., George B. (both deceased); Ida, at home; Susan, wife of G. F. Reimold, a farmer of Otter Creek township; and Solome, at home with her sister Ida, and these sisters are keeping house for the father.
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1857 - 1935 (77 years)
