Walter H. Mellor, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Walter H. Mellor
WALTER H. MELLOR, of Michigan City, is one of the most prominent jewelers of Indiana, and has developed business of large proportions from a beginning with exceedingly modest capital and only his individual skill and resources to depend upon. Mr. Meller has twice served as president of the Indiana State Retail Jewelers' Association, and was a member of the executive committee of the American National Association of Retail Jewelers. He is now secretary of the Steel F. Roberts Memorial Fund, which is maintained by the National Jewelers Association.
Mr. Mellor was born at Michigan City in 1875. His father, William Mellor, was born at Oldham, England, where the grandparents spent all their lives. William Mellor was reared and educated in his native town, and as a young man came to America, married at Lowell, Massachusetts, and soon afterward moved to Indiana with his wife's people. They located in Porter County, and from there he enlisted in the Ninth Indiana Infantry, and saw much active and arduous service during the war of the rebellion. After his honorable discharge he returned home and soon located in Michigan City, where he became a dry goods merchant. He was in business until his death, at the age of fifty-seven. He married Sarah Grace Battye. She was born at Staleys Bridge, Lancashire, England, daughter of William and Sarah Battye, who afterwards came to America and after several years of residence at Lowell, Massachusetts, moved to Porter County, Indiana, where they were on a farm two or three years and spent their last days in Michigan City. Mrs. William Mellor is still living at Michigan City. Her five children are Eliza, William, Charles, George and Walter H.
Walter H. Mellor attended the city schools and then began an apprenticeship Michigan City. Later he attended Parsons at the jeweler's trade in the Beck store at Horological School, now the Bradley Polytechnic Institute at Peoria. When his course there was completed Mr. Mellor was employed in several cities, and in 1902 engaged in the jewelry business for himself. His capital was extremely small, but he was an expert jeweler and managed his resources with consummate skill until today his store has one of the most complete stocks and one of the finest appointed establishments of the kind in the state.
September 7, 1904, Mr. Mellor married Inez Herrick. She was born in Cherokee, Iowa, daughter of E. C. and Marion (Hall) Herrick. On the paternal side she is of English and on the maternal side of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Mrs. Mellor is a member of Cherokee Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and her four bars indicate direct descent from four Revolutionary ancestors. Mr. and Mrs. Mellor have one daughter, Marion Inez.
Mr. Mellor is a member of the board of trustees of the Presbyterian Church and is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, is a member of the Potawattomie Country Club, and was one of the promoters and organizers of the Michigan City Rotary Club. He is chairman of the Michigan City Chapter of the Red Cross and served as a member of the Executive Committee of the local War Chest.
Source: Dunn, Jacob Piatt. 1919. Indiana and Indianans: A History of Aboriginal and Territorial Indiana and the Century of Statehood. Volume V. Chicago, Illinois: The American Historical Society. 2291 p.
Page(s) in Source: 2074-2075
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook