L. H. Mellor, a prominent pioneer contractor and builder of Butler county, located at Brainerd, was born in Wheeling, Va., now West Virginia, September 14, 1858. He is a son of Levi and Elizabeth (Lambing) Mellor. The father was a native of Manchester, England, born in 1814. He grew to manhood in his native land, and learned the cabinet maker's trade, and when a young man, immigrated to America with his parents,

and settled in Wheeling, Va., where he died March 29, 1858. Elizabeth Lambing, L. H. Mellor's mother, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Westmoreland county, in 1830. She died at Ione City, Cal., August 2, 1887.

L. H. Mellor was the only child born to his parents, and about a year after his father's death, his widowed mother removed with him to Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, the home of Gen. Phil Sheridan. Mr. Mellor was well acquainted with the Sheridan family. Mr. Mellor grew to manhood and was educated in Perry county, and in early life learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in that vicinity until 1885. He then came to Towanda, Kans., and after spending a few days looking over that section of the country with a view of finding a suitable location, he selected the new town of Brainerd. The railroad was building in that direction, but had not yet reached the town. When Mr. Mellor first went to Brainerd, the town consisted of one building, which was a boarding house. Mr. Mellor says that this building was a rickety old shack and there was considerable rain that season and that the roof leaked like a sieve, and it was not an uncommon sight at this boarding house to see some one holding an umbrella over a boarder while he ate a meal. Much building was in progress, and in contemplation in Brainerd and vicinity, which seemed to be a suitable location for Mr. Mellor, and he had no trouble in getting plenty of work at good wages at his trade. The next year his wife and child joined him here, and Brainerd has since been his home. He has been engaged in contracting and building practically since coming here, and he has been very successful in this line of work. Mr. Mellor has done practically all of the high class work in the way of building, in northwestern Butler county, as well as a great deal of work in Harvey county. He built every school house in Murdock township, and several in Milton and Fairview. He has done work from time to time for over thirty years for some of his patrons, and in the spring of 1916, he built his sixth house for one man. His work is done by contract, as well as by the day, and he has a reputation for close estimates and first class work.

Mr. Mellor was married May 20, 1884, to Miss Laura Leach, a native of Perry county, Ohio, and a daughter of A. B. and Matilda (Holiday) Leach, the father a native of Virginia, and the mother of Ohio. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mellor: Harry, real estate dealer, Whitewater; Mabel, married Thomas Lewis, Sedgwick county, Kansas; Edwin, Brainerd; Herbert, residing at home; Hazel, married Theodore Roth, Murdock township; Fred and Ruth, at home.

Mr. Mellor is a stanch Republican, and for many years has been active in the local counsels of his party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Whitewater. The Mellor home at Brainerd is one of the finest residences of the town and evinces the industry and prosperity of its owner.

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