Harry Snyder Mellinger

As printed in 1908

HARRY SNYDER MELLINGER, proprietor of the Maple Grove Farm, a tract of one hundred and eighty-two acres located four miles west of Springfield on the Fail-field Pike, is one of the representative farmers and most highly respected citizens of Springfield Township. He was born on his present farm December 20, 1861, and is a son of John Hertzler and Rachel (Eosser) Mellinger.

John H. Mellinger was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and when a lad of six or seven years came to Ohio with his parents, Jacob and Martha Mellinger, who settled on a tract of one hundred and eighty-five acres in Mad River Township, now known as the David Herr farm. His paternal grandparents both died on this farm at an advanced age. They were the parents of four children, namely: Mary, now deceased; John H., father of our subject; Martha, the wife of M. Patton, who resides in Springfield, Oliio; and Jacob, who is deceased.

John H. Mellinger spent the greater part of his boyhood days on the farm in Mad River Township. When a young man he began dealing in stock, and he was at one time the largest shipper of stock in Clark Connty. He became an expert at guessing weight and was financially very successful. In 1860 he purchased the present farm of the subject of this sketch, then consisting of timberland, from A. Letfel, and followed farming on it for many years thereafter. Later he moved to Yellow Springs in order to secure educational advantages for his children. There his death occurred at the age of sixty-one years. He was married about 1860 to Rachel Rosser, a native of Springfield Township, and daughter of William Rosser, a native of Wales.

She is still living in Spring-field, Ohio. They were the parents of five children — Harry Snyder, subject of this sketch; Emma, wife of D. Herr, who conducts an undertaking establishment in Springfield; [martha, who married H. Hedges of Cleveland, Ohio; John, who is deceased; and Anna, also deceased, who was the wife of Robert Mills.

Harry S. Mellinger has spent the greater part of his life on his present farm and obtained his educational training in the district schools. Being the eldest son, it fell to his lot to assist his father to a large extent, and he was practically reared in the saddle, beginning to work as soon as he was old enough to be of service. He later bought the farm from his father's heirs and has since followed general farming and stock-raising, breeding principally hogs, cattle and horses. He keeps about twenty head of horses, some of which he has bred himself.

Mr. Mellinger was married February, 1901, to Enna Flenner, a daughter of Charles and Cora Flenner. Mrs. Mellinger died in January, 1904, leaving one child, Harry Flenner Mellinger. Politically, Mr. Mellinger is a Republican; fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pvthias lodge at Enon, Ohio.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.