Loading...Biography
Service Started: 1898
Unit(s): 1st North Dakota Volunteer Infantry
Service Ended: 1899
Melvin Andrew Hildreth was held in very high regard in his adopted state of North Dakota.
"Melvin A. Hildreth was born in Watertown, New York on October 27, 1859, the son of Curtis L. and Sara Ann (Luther) Hildreth."[2]
In 1860, Baby Melvin Hildreth, 9 months old, was living his father, Curtis, a 38 year old shoemaker, his mother Sarah, 31, and brother Martin, 5, in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York. All were born in New York.[3]
In 1870, Melvin Hildreth, 10, was living in Watertown, with his parents Curtis, 46, and Sarah, 41, and two siblings: Curtis, 8, and Hattie, 5. Curtis was now working as a farm hand. All were born in New York.[4]
There are two census entries for Melvin Hildreth in 1880, both in Watertown. Neither has a middle initial. One is for Melvin, a 20 year old law student. He was boarding with Cornelius Philius.[5] The other entry is for Melvin, 18, living with his father Curtis Hildreth, a 55 year old farmer b. New York. The other members of the family are wife Sarah L., 40, and two other children: Martin L., 25; and Hattie, 13.[6] (I believe that these two entries are for the same person, who somehow was counted twice.Watt-266 01:24, 13 January 2015 (EST))
"Educated in the public schools and Whitestown Seminary, [Melvin] was certified as a teacher. He studied law in the office of Mullen and Griffen at Watertown and was admitted to the bar in 1883."[2] Melvin moved to North Dakota in 1888.
He married Miss Luella Davis in Booneville, Oneida county, New York, on February 13, 1889.[1] Melvin and Luella were living in Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota, in 1900. Their two children, Melvin D., 10 b. September 1890, and Mildred W., 8 b. November 1892, were both born in North Dakota. Luella and Melvin have been married for 11 years, and Luella has had two children.[7]
In 1889 he "was one of the founders of the North Dakota Democratic Party in 1889, and twice ran for a congressional seat. He gave the seconding speech in 1908 for William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention."[2]
In 1910, M. A. Hildreth and Luella were living in Fargo at 300 8th Ave. South with two children: son M. D., 19; and Mildred W., 17. This is the second marriage for M.A. and the first for Luella.[8]
According to the 1930 US Census, Melvin was 29 and Luella was 24 when they were married. Melvin was a veteran of the Spanish American War.[9]
In 1940, Melvin A. Hildreth, 80 years old born in New York, was living at 308 8th St South in Fargo with a nurse and a housekeeper. He was a widower and was born in New York. In 1935, he had lived in the same place.[10]
"Mr. Hildreth was a member of the Episcopal Church, a Master Mason, National Rifle Association, state and national bars, and a life member of the Spanish - American War Veterans."[1]
"Melvin Hildreth served in the Spanish - American War in which he was judge advocate of the First Manila Command, Philippines. Active in the National Guard, he was appointed inspector general of the North Dakota unit from 1905 to 1908. He was city attorney of Fargo from 1892 to 1894 and again 1902 to 1904, and from 1914 to 1923 was a U. S. District Attorney. Mr. Hildreth was president of the trustees of the State Hospital at Jamestown for six years."[2]
He died on January 13, 1944, at Fargo and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington, Virginia: Plot: Sec: SOUTH, Site: 4436-A E. The Find A Grave memorial states that he served with Co. B in the 1st North Dakota Infantry.[11] You can see a picture of his grave stone at Find A Grave: Memorial #49203921. The inscription on his grave markers says:
From: The Political Graveyard
Hildreth, Melvin A. — of North Dakota. Democrat. U.S. Attorney for North Dakota, 1914-23; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Dakota, 1932. [12]
This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 History of North Dakota, embracing a relation of the history of the state from the earliest times down to the present day W.B. Hennessy, compiler; Bismarck ND, The Bismarck Tribune Company 1910, Pt. 2 HathiTrust Page 56-57
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Institute of Regional Studies & University Archives, Manuscript Collections, Mss 654 Melvin A. Hildreth Papers; "Finding Aid to the Melvin A. Hildreth Papers" Biography; retrieved January 12, 2015.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MC4Q-WLJ : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin Hildreth in household of Centes Hildreth, Watertown, Jefferson, New York, United States; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; citing p. 166, household ID 1241, NARA microfilm publication M653, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 803,762.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8NH-76X : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin Hildreth in household of Curtis Hildreth, New York, United States; citing p. 26, family 213, NARA microfilm publication M593, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 552,444.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZ86-XZD : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin Hildreth in household of Cornelius Philius, Watertown, Jefferson, New York, United States; citing enumeration district 147, sheet 193D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0839; FHL microfilm 1,254,839.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZ86-Z17 : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin Hildreth in household of Curtis Hildreth, Watertown, Jefferson, New York, United States; citing enumeration district 146, sheet 188C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0839; FHL microfilm 1,254,839.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M9VX-C8X : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin A Hildreth, Fargo city Ward 3, Cass, North Dakota, United States; citing sheet 2B, family 34, NARA microfilm publication T623, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,241,227.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MLGZ-WXL : accessed 13 January 2015), M A Hildreth, Fargo Ward 3, Cass, North Dakota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 40, sheet 1B, family 14, NARA microfilm publication T624, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,375,153.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XKJ1-7VJ : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin A Hildsette, Fargo, Cass, North Dakota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0037, sheet 12B, family 230, line 62, NARA microfilm publication T626, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1733; FHL microfilm 2,341,467.
- ↑ "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KM9C-MH6 : accessed 13 January 2015), Melvin A Hildreth, Fargo, Fargo City, Cass, North Dakota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 9-105, sheet 2A, family 20, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 2997.
- ↑ FindAGrave.com; Find A Grave: Memorial #49203921; Created by: John C. Anderson; Record added: Mar 05, 2010
- ↑ The Political Graveyard, Created and maintained by Lawrence Kestenbaum. Accessed at The Political Graveyard on 31 July 2020.
- Source: S-35Institute of Regional Studies & University Archives, Manuscript Collections, Mss 654 Melvin A. Hildreth Papers; "Finding Aid to the Melvin A. Hildreth Papers" Biography; retrieved January 12, 2015.
