WI BIO - Dane Co - MELVIN, John R.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 447-448

The following sketch is written of one who in his daily tasks has had the 
lives of hundreds of his fellow creatures in his care for many long years, 
whose careful eye, skilled hand and educated sense of hearing, combined with 
good judgment, untiring vigilance and unswerving devotion to duty, have made 
of him one of the most valued engineers in the employ of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.

John R. MELVIN was born on the line between Vermont and Canada, and was the 
son of Morris MELVIN, a native of Ireland, who came with his parents to 
America at an early day when he was sixteen years of age, settling at 
Burlington [Chittenden County], Vermont, where he learned the trade of a ship 
carpenter, later becoming a farmer across the line in Canada, where he died 
at the age of eighty years. He was a good and moral man, although belonging 
to no church creed. In Vermont he [Morris MELVIN] married Mary TROY, a 
native of Ireland, who had come to America with her parents, who settled 
where the city of Troy now stands. Her [p 448] family became identified with 
the history of the State. She died at the old homestead on South River in 
Canada [village of South River in Parry Sound District, Province of Ontario?] 
Our subject [John R. MELVIN] is the second in a family of ten children, all 
of whom are now married except one sister, still living on the old homestead. 
One brother, Michael, was for many years an engineer also, but is now living 
a retired life in St. Paul [MN].

John R. MELVIN was reared at Montpelier [Washington County, VT] and at 
Northfield [Washington County, VT], and there his railroad life began, as he 
assisted in the building of the culverts on the old Vermont Central Railroad 
when he was but twelve years of age, and after that was finished he obtained 
a position as fireman for several years, and before he had been there long 
obtained a position as engineer on the same road. Forty-five years is a long 
time to have held the dangerous throttle of an engine and to have never had 
an accident, but such is the grand record of our subject.

John R. MELVIN came West in 1852 and spent about fifteen months on the 
Chicago, Galena & Union Railroad, now the Northwestern, and then for a time 
was one of the engineers on what is now denominated the "Q" road. He was 
employed on the Chicago, Galena & Union when the strap rail was used and the 
road only ran to Elgin [Kane County], Illinois. The terminus of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad was then Madison [Dane County], WI, and the 
present great Chicago, Burlington & Quincy road was then called the Chicago & 
Aurora and only ran to the latter city. Our subject has lived to see these 
three great systems developed and has been associated with their history. 
From 1854 until 1857 our subject was on the south route of the Eastern 
Division of this road, with headquarters at Milwaukee [WI], and for five 
years he had charge of the round house for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, 
with headquarters at Madison [WI], but with the exceptions named he has been 
the efficient and trusted engineer for passenger trains for the great 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road, over which so many thousands travel daily. 
He now has charge of the Western Division Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien 
[Prairie du Chien, Grant County, WI], and has a pleasant home at No. 1001 
University Avenue, in the city of Madison [Dane County, WI]. He also owns 
other valuable residence property in the city.

John R. MELVIN was married to Miss Frances P. HART, who had been born in 
Ireland and was quite young when her parents brought her to America. They 
settled for some time in Vermont, but later moved to Milton Junction [Dane 
County], WI, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Mrs. MELVIN was 
well and carefully reared and has been a good wife and excellent mother. She 
has had no family of her own, but her warm heart has been filled with 
affection for a nephew and niece. The former is James H. HIGHLAND, who is 
now general freight agent of the St. Paul Railroad system, and the other, 
Catherine HART, resides with Mr. and Mrs. MELVIN.

John R. MELVIN for five years has been an Alderman of the city [Madison, Dane 
County, WI], in all of the public affairs taking a prominent part. In 
political life he began as a Democrat, later became a Prohibitionist, but in 
his later life has returned to his old love, and is now a valued member of 
the Democratic ranks, doing good service. He is a member of the order of 
Locomotive Engineers, being Second Assistant of the order in the Division No. 
73 of Madison.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly