Peter Melendy, US Marshal, Politician, and Agriculturalist, Family Archive

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American Historical Ephemera and Photography

By Cowan's Auctions

Nov 19, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-11-19 10:00:00 2020-11-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American Historical Ephemera and Photography https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-historical-ephemera-and-photography-5894
Cowan’s Auctions, a Hindman Company, is pleased to present the November 19 Fall Auction, featuring over 400 lots of historically significant photography, manuscript material, artwork, and other ephemera dating from the 18th through the early 20th century, including the Civil War. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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• Lot Description
  Lot of approx. 100 items housed in 2 binders and a notebook/copybook identified to the Melendy family. Cincinnati native Peter Melendy (1823-1901) served in the Ohio Cavalry, Artillery Invincibles, and Harrison Guards Infantry (1838-1848), achieving the rank of first lieutenant. In 1851, he purchased "Thinadiska Place" near Mt. Healthy, Hamilton County, Ohio and farmed, with a focus on purebred livestock. In 1857, the family moved to Butler County, Iowa, and he served as a representative of the Ohio Farm & State Breeding Co. This endeavor failed, but Melendy saw potential in Iowa and decided to stay. He served with the state Agricultural College and held many other roles, eventually becoming Mayor of Cedar Falls from 1895-1901. The lot contains approx. 60 letters, many from Peter Melendy to various individuals. Correspondence covers topics relative to ancestors, family deaths, legal matters, and more, and includes 22 letters between Luella Wright of the University of Iowa, Ethyl Martin of the State Historical Society of Iowa and Robert Bassett, which deal with details of the family that Luella needed to write her biography. [Peter Melendy. The Mind and the Soil. State Historical Society of Iowa, 1943, 360pp.] An abstract detailing Revolutionary War service is also enclosed. Photographs include portraits of Peter Melendy (2) and John Melendy (1); 3 x 3 in. and 3 x 4 in. photographs of the Melendy house in Cedar Falls (8); and views of "grandmother Melendy's" grave (2). A pencil sketch of the earlier Melendy home near Cincinnati is also included, as well as 4 maps of a cemetery plot and an overall map of Spring Grove Cemetery (Cincinnati). Illustrated Iowa (Feb. 1898) with an article on "Pioneer Law Makers of Iowa" that mentions Peter Melendy. The smaller copybook contains a short manuscript biography of the early Melendy ancestors, from about the mid-16th century up to about the beginning of the 19th. One character highlighted in this profile is Pedro Melendez, a Spanish explorer who came to North America and was active in building St. Augustine, Florida. During Spain's war with England in 1589, a number of Spaniards went north and settled in Scotland, and one of these was Pedro Melendez. There he married a Miss Standish, relative of Captain Miles Standish and the couple left the old world and settled in Boston, MA. Among families marrying into the Melendys were Pattersons and Coddingtons, a Smith who was a relative of John Adams' wife, and many more "connections."The second binder contains letters from many members of the family relating what they know about more recent family. One author notes: A difficult task is assigned the individual who attempts to prepare a sketch of a mature life that has been rounded out by an eventful career, a career marked all along by incidents of more than ordinary character. A sketch at once brief enough and at the same time full enough to reflect the true character and life in a family history. Such a life is the subject of this sketch. (Peter Melendy)In one letter giving information about other members of the family, Emory G. Melendy writes: "The oldest Richmond M. served from August 27/61 to Dec. 23/65 and died in 1882. I was mustered in on Aug. 27/61 and arrived home Sept. 17/65. Was through the early campaign under Buel [sic] in Kentucky & Tennessee, at Shilo, east across Ala. & near Chattanooga in 1862 then participating in that memorable foot race between our army under Buel and the Rebels under Bragg - from Chattanooga to the Ohio river. At Stone river & Chickamauga, at the latter place my Regt was nearly annihilated and done no active service after that. This was the 29th Ind - I got changed to the 129th Ind - and participated in the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, where we were 100 days under fire - never missing a battle or a meal. Being in the 23d Corps. we came back with Thomas to take care of Hoods army and we done a good job, too. We fought Hood at Franklin which was by odds the bloodiest battle of the war. Hood lost the first twenty minutes 5834 men and only 600 of them even taken prisoners, the balance killed & wounded, mostly killed. Then back to Nashville where ... we finished the job of annihilating Hood's army. Then across to Washington, down the Potomac River and ocean to Fort Fisher..." 

  Condition

  Most letters good. Maps a bit fragile.
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