Sonoma County Biographies

This person was born in 1841, in the county of Essex, New Jersey, and married February 19, 1868, Miss Flavia Sayre, formerly of Rochester, NY, who was born at Springfield, Essex County, NJ, 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 pas 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 Milburn where he stayed a year; thence he managed to find work in a paper mill at Milburn 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 Milburn, NJ, 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 month' 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, bind 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 owns 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 congregated 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?