My Genealogy Hound

JAMES J. MELIN, an early settler and prominent farmer of Divide township Phelps county, is a native of Sweden and was born October 29, 1843. His father, John Monson, an extensive farmer, and his mother, whose maiden name was Ella Gebson, were both natives also of Sweden.

The subject of this notice is one of a family of thirteen children. He was reared in his native place, growing up on his father’s farm and receiving a good common and high school education. He finished his school training at a farmers’ institute, taking a thorough course in book-keeping and other business branches. He came to America in June, 1868, and stopping at Red Wing, Minn., found his first employment as a farm hand. In the fall of that year he came south and located at Burlington, Iowa, where he spent the winter and the following spring. He then went to Monmouth, Ill., and there engaged as a farm hand and later as a helper in the plow works at that place. Returning to Burlington, he worked there for two years in a hotel and for three years in a wholesale and retail dry goods store. He came to Nebraska in 1878, settling May 1, that year, in Phelps county. He took a homestead on one hundred and sixty acres and a tree claim of eighty acres in section 18, township 6, range 17 west, two hundred and forty acres in all. He sat about at once to make his improvements. He had some money which he had saved from his earnings and he had good need for all of it. It was two and a half years before he raised a crop, the grasshoppers and the drouth sweeping away everything he planted the first two seasons. The third year, however, he raised one thousand and two hundred bushels of wheat, which he sold for 75 cents to $1 per bushel, and this gave him hope. He forged ahead and each succeeding year witnessed an improvement in his condition, until now he is justly regarded as one of the most prosperous and best fixed farmers in his township. He has his farm in a fine state of cultivation, furnished with splendid buildings, ornamented with groves and supplied with all needful conveniences. Mr. Melin is a level-headed man of the world, thoroughly competent to transact any sort of business. He filled the office of assessor of his township for two years, that of treasurer for two years and is now filling that of collector. In politics he is independent, reserving the right to pass on men and measures according to their merits.

Mr. Melin married April 22, 1875, the lady whom he selected for a life companion being Miss Anna Bragg, a native of Sweden, who came to this country in 1868. Their union has resulted in the birth of five children — Ella A., Amanda, Edward A., Mabel E. and Oscar.