Wheeler B. Melius

Wheeler B. Melius was a civil servant in the Albany County Clerk's office who was responsible for saving and later publishing a trove of the city's early records. This compilation contains some notes for a more regular biography.

According to his gravestone at Albany Rural Cemetery, Wheeler B. Melius was born in May 1836 and died in October 1906. His wife was Mary Lawrence (1838-1914).

In 1860, the Federal census for the city of Albany identified him as a 24-year old baker who had been born in New York. His personal estate was valued at $200. Three family members (Mary Melius 22, Elizabeth Melius 58, and Eliza Melius 1), also lived in that third ward dwelling.

In 1863, he had registered for the draft noting that he had been born in New York, was married, a clerk, and also a resident of Albany.

In 1906, the Albany city directory listed him as a clerk living at 30 South Hawk Street. City hall and an agent at the Tweedle Building. Nine Melius names appeared in that directory.

This offering is not a CAP biography (does not meet the criteria for inclusion). Instead, it is a compilation of information on a person important to the early Albany story. Many of them we call historians. This individual is not! He is, however, a relatively unknown person of interest!

Testimonials etc.:

"The Wheeler B. Melius award is given to a NYALGRO member who demonstrates outstanding service to his/her local government and New York's records management community. The award is named after Wheeler B. Melius who worked in the Albany County Clerk's office in the later part of the nineteenth century. He gained his notoriety when on February 10, 1880, he was the first to reach the burning Albany City Hall which housed an immense quantity of public archives and legal records. Melius began to pass precious volumes of land records through a narrow window to volunteers outside. Single-handedly Melius passed 700 volumes - nearly six tons of charred and often soaked oversized books out of the building." This section has been appropriated from an online posting.

We will consider and update this offering whenever! Follow this link to references to Wheeler B. Melius via a Google.com search.

Sources: The life of Wheeler B. Melius has no CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.