BIO: Jacob L. Meloy, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
______________________________________________________________________ 

History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
______________________________________________________________________ 

                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                            CHAPTER XXXVIII.

                          BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

385  BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

  JACOB L. MELOY, grocer, Carlisle, is a native of Cumberland County, 
born one mile east of Carlisle October 15, 1843, a son of Samuel and 
Catherine (Haverstick) Meloy, also natives of Cumberland County; the 
former, by trade, a blacksmith.  They were the parents of the following 
named children:  George H. (now a farmer of Cumberland County).  Jacob 
L., William M. (now a cigar-maker of Greason, Penn.), and Miss Mary E., 
of Carlisle.  When our subject was six years of age his parents moved 
to Harrisburg, and when only nine, his father died, and at that early 
age Jacob L. began earning his own living.  He worked for farmers in 
Perry and Cumberland Counties until April 1, 1860, when he went to 
Carlisle and lived with James Hamilton (deceased), with whom he 
remained one year, when he entered the sash and door factory of Frank 
Gardner, with the intention of learning the trade; but, on the breaking 
out of the war of the Rebellion, he left his employment and enlisted in 
Company A, which was organized at Carlisle, and tendered its services 
to the Government April 19, 1861, but which was not accepted, on 
account of the already full quota, until June 6 of that year.  However, 
in the meantime the company was maintained, drilled and kept ready for 
service, and mostly, too, at the individual expense of the members; and 
when discharged, the men were credited with enlistment from April 21, 
1861.  Mr. Meloy served throughout the war, and was mustered out March 
22, 1865, having participated in the following engagements, and been 
confined in the prison pens mentioned:  The seven days' fight before 
Richmond; the battle of Charles City Cross Roads, where he was made a 
prisoner, June 30, 1862, and was confined at Richmond and Bell Isle, 
Va., until August 6, of the same year; battles of Gaines' Mill, 

386  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, in the pursuit of Stuart's cavalry, 
battles of Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, where he was taken prisoner 
and confined in the prisons at Lynchburg and Danville, Va., and at 
Andersonville, Ga., from May 22 to September 17, and at Florence, S. 
C., from September 24 to December 8, 1864.  At the close of the war he 
returned to Carlisle, and entered the grocery store of William Blair & 
Son, as a clerk, April 1, 1865, and with them he remained until January 
1871, when he opened a store of his own, on Pitt Street, in the 16x20 
room formerly occupied by Peter Faust.  He started in a small way, with 
a stock of only $300, but, by close application to business and fair 
dealing, he won the confidence of the people, and some five months 
later bought the southeast corner lot, Pitt and South Streets, where he 
has his present store.  His trade increased, from time to time, until 
he did a business of $38,000 a year.  In 1879 he was appointed 
postmaster, which position he held nearly five years.  In April, 1880, 
he sold his store to Mahon & Mundorf, but in 1886 repurchased.  In 
1882, at the organization of the Carlisle Manufacturing Company, he 
became one of its directors, and in 1884 was elected secretary of the 
board.  Mr. Meloy was one of the original members of the Cumberland 
County Fertilizing Company, and on its organization as a company was 
elected its president, and has since remained as such.  He is a member 
of the G. A. R., and was the first senior vice commander of Capt. 
Colwell Post, No. 201, and subsequently was elected commander of the 
post.  November 16, 1866, he was married to Miss Martha B. Zimmerman, 
of Carlisle she being a native of the vicinity of Carlisle, and a 
daughter of Abraham and Keziah (Copperstone) Zimmerman; former of 
Schuylkill County, and latter of Adams County.  Our subject and wife 
had born to them four sons:  Andrew D., Thomas M., Charles L. and Harry 
W.  Mr. Meloy is one of the self-made and successful business men of 
Carlisle.  He was a member of the town council two terms, and took an 
active part in the organization of the Carlisle Board of Trade, and was 
elected its first secretary; but at the end of two terms declined re-
election, on account of other duties.  He is a member of the State 
Firemen's Association, and secretary of the Carlisle Firemen's Union, 
and vice-president of the Carlisle Live Stock Company, Wyoming 
Territory.