Thomas  E. Meloy

          A prosperous farmer of Sugar Creek township, and an honorable representative of two of the old and highly respected pioneer families of Shelby county is Thomas E. Meloy, who was born in Shelby township,October 22, 1857, being a son of  Jesse and  Elizabeth (Hacker) Meloy.  Jesse Meloy was born in Warren county, Ohio, where his parents, Patrick and Catherine (Connor) Meloy, natives of Ireland, settled many years ago, subsequently removing to Shelby county, Indiana, and locating on land in Shelby township, which Patrick purchased from the government.
          Patrick Meloy was one of the first permanent settlers of Shelby county, and in an early day experienced all the hardships and privations incident to life in the wilderness.  He moved to this part of Indiana when the country was covered with a dense forest, through which for many miles, he was obliged to cut a road for his team and on arriving at his destination hastily constructed a rude log cabin around which at night he kept large firest burning to protect his family and live stock from the wolves with which the woods abounded.  These fierce animals were numerous and proved very destructive to cattle and other live stock, and when maddened by hunger they did not hesitate to attack a man. Until a fire-place could be constructed, the good housewife did her cooking outside the cabin; notwithstanding this and other vicissitudes, the family were happy and hopeful amid the stirring scenes of the pioneer period.  Mr. Meloy cleared and improved a good farm on which he lived until his death in 1860. His faithful wife and companion departed this life the same year.  They reared a large family of eleven children, namely:  Isaac, who died in the Civil War; Allen; Martha, wife of William Worden;  Amos;  Jesse and  Ezra were twins; Mary married  George Heck;  Daniel, a veteran of the great rebellion; Rebecca, now Mrs. James Myers; John, who died in childhood; and Patrick.
          Jesse Meloy, father of the subject of this sketch, was a mere youth when his parents came to Shelby county, and he remained at home assisting his father until arriving at the years of manhood.  On leaving the parental roof he purchesed a tract of land adjoinging the family homestead, which he cleared and improved and on which he spent the remainder of his life as a prosperous farmer and worthy citizen.  February 14, 1855, he married  Elizabeth Hacker, who was born June 9, 1834, the daughter of  Thomas and  Margaret (Kieth) [sic] Hacker, who born him the following children:  Mrs. Mary Nelis, deceased; Thomas E., of this review; Eleanor, deceased; William, who lives in Shelbyville; Elmer, who resides at the old home place in Shelby township; John, a resident of Shelbyville; Wilfred, who lives on a part of the family homewtead; Francis M., of Hendricks township, and Walter R., who died in early childhood.  Jesse Meloy died March 20, 1908, his good wife preceding him to the other world in January preceding.  They were devoted members of the Methodist Protestant church, stood high in the esteem of their neighbors and friends and their deaths were profoundly mourned in the community where they lived so long, and to such worthy ends.
          [The next three paragraphs have been placed under "Thomas S. Hacker."]
          The childhood and youth of Thomas Meloy were passed on his father's farm, where he was early instructed in the practical duties which make for industry, thrift and self-reliance.  He attended the dis- trict schools during the winter months until acquiring a fair knowledge of the common branches, and remained with is parents until about twenty-five years of age, when he began life for himself on his present place in Sugar Creek township, to which he removed in 1882, it being a part of the land origi- nially entered by his grandfather Hacker.  On March 18, 1884, he was united in marriage with Margaret Catherine Adams, daughter of John R. and AmericaVan Arsdall) Adams, natives of Kentucky, and early settlers of Johnson county, Indiana, the union resulting in five children:  Roy, Nellie, Elizabeth, deceased; Ruth, and an infant that died unnamed.
          Mr. Meloy has met with well merited success as a farmer and stock raiser, and is now one of the financially solid men of his township, owning a fine farm on which he has made many substantial im- provements, and possessing a competency which a number of years since placed him in independent circumstances.  His is public-spirited and is interested in anything that tends to the betterment of his township and county.  He is a zealous member of the Methodist Protestant church, is untiring in his efforts to better humanity and win his fellow men to a higher plane of living.  Politically he is a Demo- crat, but in matters local he gives his support to the best qualified candidate, irrespective of part ties. Fraternally he is a member of the Pythian Brotherhood and from time to time he has been honored with official positions in the lodge to which he belongs, besides being one of its active and influential workers.
          [The final paragraph has been placed under "John R. Adams."]
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, pages 938-940.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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