Mellor, William bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 267-269; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
William Mellor, a well-known member of the bar, practicing his profession in Vermont, was a brave officer in the late war in which he did noble service for his adopted country. He has long taken a prominent part in the civic and political life of county and town, and has filled with ability, many offices of trust and responsibility.
Royton, a place near Manchester, England, was where our subject was born May 23, 1880. His father, William Mellor, was a native of the same town and was a son of another William Mellor, who was also a native of that town and his father and great-grandfather were born in the village of Mellor, three miles from Royton. The great-great-grandfather of our subject was a miller and managed a mill on the River Irk, and spent his entire life there. The great-grandfather of our subject seems to have inherited his father’s trade and made his living by it in his native village of Mellor, of which he was a life-long resident. The grandfather of our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits, and after marriage removed to Rayton, engaged in farming near there, and there made his home until he was gathered to his fathers.
The father of our subject was reared and educated in Royton. He removed to Manchester in 1833 and engaged in the cotton brokerage business until his death in 1842. He married Susannah Kaye. She was born near Royton and was a daughter of James J. Kay, a native of the same place, as were his ancestors for many generations. He was a farmer and spent his entire life in the town of his birth. Mrs. Mellor died in Manchester in 1851. She and her husband reared a family of six children as follows: Susannah, Betsey, Hannah, Travis, William and James. Travis and William were the only members of the family who ever came to America. Travis settled at Bushnell, this State and still resides there.
William Mellor, of this sketch, attended school near Middleton and received an excellent education. In 1847, he came to America, accompanied by his bride, setting sail from Liverpool in the good ship “Enterprise” of the Black Ball line, and landing at New York, in the month of August. They came directly to Illinois to join his brother, coming by the Hudson River and Erie Canal to Buffalo, and thence by Lake Erie to Pennsylvania, where they traveled on the canal to Beaver, that State, and from there to Alleghany, Ohio, and thence to the Mississippi and up that river and the Illinois to Sharp’s landing in Schuyler County. Mr. Mellor was employed in farming there until the fall of 1848 and in the spring of 1849, came from there to Vermont, and began life here as a clerk for Stephens & Wynans. He was with them three and on-half years and then engaged in the mercantile business as a member in the firm of Heizer & Co. In 1857 the firm was dissolved and our subject after that traveled in the Southern States, selling nursery stock until 1859. He then returned to Vermont and was engaged in clerking for Henry Mershon until the war broke out.
During his travels in the South, Mr. Mellor had noted its attitude toward the North, and on his return in a public speech he had warned the people of coming hostilities, and after the rebellion broke out, watched its course with interest. In April 1862, he offered his services to defend the Stars and Stripes, enlisting in Company F, One Hundred and Third Illinois Infantry. He was mustered in as a private at Peoria, October 2, and a few days later was elected Second Lieutenant of his company and before leaving that city was recommended as Quartermaster. He went to Tennessee with his regiment and spent the winter there. He was then detailed a member of Gen. Steele’s staff at LaGrange, Tenn., and was with him until he was succeeded by Gen. Corse, who appointed him as a member of his staff. He occupied that position until the General was wounded at Missionary Ridge, and after that was one of Gen. Woolcot’s staff until April 7, 1864. On that day while with a foraging expedition at Mud Creek, near Stevenson, Ala., Lieut. Mellor was taken prisoner by the rebels, who took him to Libby, from there to Atlanta, and thence to Andersonville, where he was confined six weeks. From that prison he was sent to Marion where he was incarcerated until August 1864. Savannah, Ga., was his next destination, and after that he was taken to Charleston, S. C., where he was exchanged with other sick soldiers, and on his arrival at Annapolis, Md., was given a furlough.
In February, 1865, Lieut. Mellor was ordered to Camp Chase, Ohio, to report for duty, and was made Adjutant of the parole camp there, which position he held until March, 1865. In that month he was appointed Quartermaster at the parole camp, Benton Barracks, Mo. and acted in that capacity there until May, 1865, where he was honorably discharged from further military service.
Our subject returned to Vermont and gave his attention to the study of law, was admitted to the bar, and had a good general practice until 1886. Since that time his business has been in connection with railroads, securing right of way etc.
In June, 1847, Mr. Mellor married Charlotte Cowan, a native of Manchester, England, and a daughter of William and Margaret Cowan, who were also of English birth. He and his wife are very pleasantly situated, and of their marriage three children have come - George, Robert and Luella. George married Belle Argo, and they have one child - Pearl; Robert, married Maggie Ringland, and they have three children - Mabel, Mary and William; Luella, married George McCabe, and they have one son - William B.
Mr. Mellor was formerly a Democrat, but has been a Republican since the war. He has served as Town Clerk, Collector and Commissioner of Highways and has represented Vermont on the County Board of Supervisors. He served eight years as a member of the State Board of Equilization, has been delegate to numerous county and district conventions, and has been Chairman of the County Central Committee.