James Mellor: English Convert and Handcart Pioneer - A Biography

Open Access

Abstract

For many years the descendants of John and James Mellor -- a large family who have made contributions to the cultural and educational activities of their various communities -- have been desirous of preserving for their posterity, and others, a record of the Mellors. Several years ago Amy Mellor Howe initiated the project by compiling and editing the first Mellor History. The foreword in her book wherein she ".hoped that the information and data herein contained may form the nucleus for further research." served as the incentive to continue the project. It is planned to incorporate the following biography into one of the section of the book The Mellors Through the Years which this author has consented to compile and edit for the family. In this biography will be presented the highlights in the life of James Mellor: his youth and early married life in England, his sharing in the experiences of the "ill-fated" handcart pioneers, and his coping with the problems involved in subduing a primitive frontier in settling the Mormon community of Fayette, Sanpete County, Utah. This study has been based on excerpts from James Mellor's own diary and on the diaries of other members of his family; on old letters, documents, and other unpublished information; on newspaper clippings; on personal interviews, letters which the author has received, and available community, church, and government records. It is hoped that this evaluation will result in an objective biography of James Mellor that is as accurate as available information permits. Some previously published historical information has been inter-woven with the original diary of James Mellor in order to enhance both the interest and the authenticity of this document. Grateful appreciation is hereby acknowledged for invaluable assistance rendered by Roy Delbert Mellor, president of the Mellor family organization; his wife, Vivian Margaret Anderson Mellor; and to Martha Wintach Bartholomew, Fayette historian, in the compilation of extensive information and illustrations used in writing this thesis. Likewise, the author wishes to express appreciation to numerous other writers whose statements have been cited in this work, and to Ronald B. Jensen, business instructor at Manti high School, for assisting with the enormous task of typing this information. The author also desires to express sincere thanks to Professor J. Lynn Mortensen, members of her graduate committee at Utah State University, for their invaluable suggestions and professional guidance given in the preparation of this thesis.