Sonoma-Marin County CA Archives Biographies.....Meeker, Melvin Cyrus 1841 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 27, 2006, 9:45 pm

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Meeker, Melvin Cyrus. This person was born in 1841, in the county of Essex, New
Jersey, and married February 19, 1868, Miss Flavia Sayre, formerly of Rochester,
N. Y., who was born at Springfield, Essex county, N. J., in the year 1843, and
by whom he has been blessed with seven children—four only of whom survive to
cherish his advancing years, namely: Melvin C. Jr., Robert T., Alexander H., and
Effie M. Although yet a young man in years, he has had to pass through many and
varied vicissitudes of life, such as few without his indomitable pluck and
energy could pass without succumbing. A few of these incidents it will be the
purpose of this sketch to detail. At the early age of eleven years, young Melvin
went to work as errand-boy in a grist-mill at Milltown; one year later we find
him engaged in a hat factory at Millburn where he stayed a year; thence he
managed to find work in a paper mill at Millburn where he continued assiduously
employed for a period of three years, during which time he thoroughly mastered
the business, so as to be trusted as foreman for the whole management of the old
"Fandango Paper Mill's" business. Being an ambitious lad "of many parts," young
Melvin now turned his attention to the carpenter trade, and at sixteen years
went with his father to Millburn, N. J., to acquire that art. During three years
trial, he showed remarkable proficiency, not only in the mechanical branch of
the work, but also in the designing and architectural branches. Appreciating his
inventive talent and genius, his father then sent him to Elizabeth City, where,
under the tuition of an English building contractor, whose business was mainly
restricted to the erection of fine residences, his native talents might be
educated and improved. Here he became a skillful student of the compound arts of
sash-door, blind and scroll-sawing, sticking, molding and ornamental trimming
work. When twenty years old, in 1861, he came to California as the guardian and
escort of a sister, then engaged to be married to a gentleman already here.
Arriving at Valley Ford, Sonoma county, on the 21 of January, 1862, and being in
debt some two hundred dollars for his passage fare, Melvin contracted to do six
months' work carpentering to cancel the debt. Filling this contract faithfully,
he then hired out at a monthly wage of sixty dollars and board, but served only
two months, when he went to Tomales, Marin county, and started business on his
own account. Work soon poured in upon him so as to require the employment of a
number of journeymen carpenters, and in the Winter of 1863-4 he took his brother
(A. P. Meeker) into partnership, selling him a half interest in the business,
and continued therein until December 1864, when he sold out to his father and
brother. He had by that time realized about thirty-four hundred dollars, which
he took East to purchase machinery for starting a sash, door, blind and planing
mill in Petaluma. Having done so, he sailed for California on the ill-fated
steamship "Golden Rule," in May 1865, which vessel was wrecked on Bancadora
Reef, and became a total loss. Despite his financial loss, Mr. Meeker maintained
his manly strength of purpose. Most of the machinery purchased had been shipped
via Cape Horn, and on his ultimate return it was found to be safe. Returning to
Valley Ford late in July that year, he borrowed a few tools and went to work as
carpenter to earn money to pay the ship freightage on the machinery—a part came
late in the fall—one of the vessels having sprung a leak, and being obliged to
put into Rio de Janeiro for repairs, causing a delay on the part of a portion of
the shipment until the next Summer. In December, 1865, Mr. Meeker hired out to
work in a sawmill, and during that Winter acquired a good knowledge of the
general saw-milling business. In February, 1866, he bought a timber claim on
Government lands, and in the March succeeding, a second tract; he went directly
to work felling timber, hewing and framing it for a saw-mill; set the machinery
ready for work; and steamed up on the twenty-sixth day from the time of felling
the first tree. Here ensued another misfortune. The boiler broke open, and
became a total loss. Meeker replaced it the following week, and started again;
but soon found the engine too light, and had to replace it with a new one in
June. In fact, he had to keep putting in new machinery all Summer. At the close
of the season he had sawed about five hundred thousand feet of lumber, and run
in debt about three thousand dollars. During the winter he thoroughly overhauled
the mill, and in the spring of 1867 started again and began to prosper. In the
Winter of 1867-68 he was able to put in a large engine with new boilers, and
also to build a half-mile railroad track for logging purposes. On starting the
mill again he found one boiler worthless, and had to procure another, on
arrangement of which he began afresh, still being under a heavy burden of debt.
Now everything worked to a charm, and business so prospered that he took his
brother again into partnership, selling him a one-third interest in July. In the
Spring of 1869 Mr. Meeker bought his present homestead place, and began the
erection of a family residence. It was completed, and mostly furnished, when a
fire consumed it, costing him a loss of about nine thousand dollars. Not yet
disheartened, he got a little furniture and domiciled in the barn for a time,
living there some three and a half years in spite of fate. During all this time
the mill was in active operation, turning out the longest sawed lumber in the
county. In August 1875 he began the erection of another dwelling, finished one
story complete, and is at present writing continuing the work. The company of
which he is the head owns3 two mills, with about one hundred million feet of
standing timber on Russian river, and is doing a lucrative business. As a
remarkable matter, we may state that no accidents endangering life or limb have
ever happened at the mills whereof Mr. Meeker is the chief; so great has been
his care, and so solid and perfect is the masonry and machinery, that such
accidents are well-nigh impossible. To those versed in such matters it may be
sufficient to state, as to the capacity of the mills, that they carry double
circular saws—the top one fifty-eight inches in diameter, and the bottom one
sixty inches, with all kinds of tools and machinery for turning out picket
heads, and all sorts of ornamental scroll work, festooning, etc. They are able
to turn out about fifteen thousand feet of lumber a day in gross, when employing
twenty men; in this season, being short-handed down to twelve men, they have
turned out but about eight thousand feet per day. The town of Occidental owns
its foundation and name to Mr. Meeker, who, in conjunction with Rev. A. M.
Wining and A. S. Purrine, established its present site for a church, acting as a
committee of the Green Valley M. E. Society—Mr. Meeker donating the lot. The M.
E. Conference saw the expediency, and when the church was built, on the proposed
line of the North Pacific Coast Railroad they segregated a portion of the
surrounding country into a new circuit, making Occidental head the list of
pastorates. A postoffice was soon on petition located there, and a voting
precinct established, and the town already presents goodly proportions. It may
be observed that Mr. Meeker having "come to the fullness of his strength" as
master builder, designer, and executor of his ideas, has formed and is
faithfully carrying out certain fundamental rules in architectural matters which
may be briefly summarized thus: There is no style of architecture known better
adapted for country residences than the Italian. It admits of rectilinear forms
for the main parts of the building, and of curvilinear for the embellishment of
doors, windows, and cornices. The turret and square tower are both peculiar to
structures of this style; and no feature can be introduced with more advantage
for architectural variety. For convenience of internal arrangements, dwellings
must be made to approximate toward a cubical form. The modern Italian, being
based upon the more ancient Romanesque, Mr. Meeker has wisely, and with a view
to furnishing a, tout ensemble both bold and pleasing to the eye, sought to
combine in his artistic dealings with the unsightly material he starts with, by
plane, chisel, hammer, and nails, to present to the sight the full projections
and expressive posts and entablatures that so delight the eye of the visitor to
Rome or Verona. Mr. Meeker's portrait appears in this work in its appropriate
place. None can fail to see, glancing from every lineament, his motto in
life—"Never give up, but' run with patience the race set before you.' " He is
trying to lead a Christian life, and says that he has tasted and found the Lord
is good, tried and proved him that in every time of trouble and misfortune Jesus
has never forsaken him. If God be for us, who can be against us?

Additional Comments:
Bodega Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by ALLEY, BOWEN & Co.,
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.

PACIFIC PRESS,
Oakland, Cal. Printers., Stereotypers and Binders.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sonoma/bios/meeker252gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 10.6 Kb