Biography of H. W. Melton - Conway Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 92

Rev. H. W. Melton, a minister of the Baptist Church, was born in
Georgia in 1840. He was the fourth in a family of nine children, born
to Jonas and Mary (Eaton) Melton, who were both natives of North
Carolina, where father followed the occupation of house carpenter. In
1855 the family moved to Alabama, where they remained but one year,
and then went to Tennessee. They made that state their home till 1864,
when they removed to North Alabama, where father died in 1881; mother
had preceded him to her heavenly home many years, having died in 1866.
This worthy couple were members of the Baptist Church. Our subject had
no educational advantages, having had an opportunity to attend school
but three weeks in his youth. He learned the carpenter's trade, and
was following that work at the outbreak of the war. He responded to
the first call for troops, enlisting in Co. I, 16th Alabama Infantry,
served in this regiment for twenty-two months, when he was transferred
to Patterson's cavalry regiment, in a company of which he was elected
First Lieutenant, and served in that office and company till the end
of the war; was in the battles of Fishing Creek, Ky., and Shiloh.
After his transfer to the cavalry regiment was in many minor
engagements. After the war at once went to Alabama and engaged in
work at his trade, but soon went to Mississippi, where he resided for
two years, when he moved back to North Alabama, and began farming,
which occupation he followed there till December, 1885, when he
immigrated to Arkansas and settled in Conway County. Here he soon
bought a tract of forty acres, adjoining the corporation of Morrilton
on the east, on which he has since erected a neat and pleasant home He
has found a natural building site on an elevation from which a most
magnificent view of Morrilton, and the stretching country beyond is
plainly seen. His elevated situation ensures them a cool breeze in the
summer and many advantages over a locality in the valley, among which
may be mentioned the purest water. Mr. Melton offered to donate a
tract of land from his farm for the college site, and it would have
surely been a most appropriate location. Our subject joined the
Baptist Church in 1863, and in March, 1885, was ordained as a preacher
in that church. As his early educational advantages had been so
limited, he could not at that time read, but by his own endeavors he
has since acquired a fair degree of learning. He was elected as Pastor
of the Pleasant Hill Church while on his way to this State, and has
also served Lone Grove, Sardis, Mount. Pleasant and Lonoke Churches,
in every one of which the membership more than doubled under his
pastorate. During this time he has baptized 148 converts. Our subject
was married in December, 1863, to Miss Sarah Mansell, a native of
Alabama, and daughter of Benjamin and Mary Mansell, who were natives
respectively of Tennessee and Alabama. They are both living and reside
in Alabama.