John J. Mellon was the grandson of William Mellon, of Ulster, Ireland, who came to Canada in 1815. John’s father was also John (Sr.) who settled in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba in 1872. As they arrived before 1873, the government gave 160 acres each to the nine family members. At the early age of 19, John Jr. enlisted to fight in the Riel Rebellion and fought at Duck Lake in 1885 as a Corporal. He arrived again in Strathcona in 1893 (first time was 1883), after exploring the southern part of the province and trying a hand at business on Stephens Avenue in Calgary in 1891. Upon arriving he met and married Emilie Besler (daughter of G. Besler and R. Wedmann) of the Heimthal, Ellerslie area.
John owned a number of businesses, mostly hotels on Whyte Avenue, as well as purchasing some land, 408 acres near Riverbend, and was also in the business of loaning money (mostly to prominent individuals). Some of the businesses he was a silent partner in were Vogel Meats, the Strathcona Brewery, the Farmer’s Home/Ontario House Hotel (on the site of the Dominion Hotel), and the Royal/Raymond Hotel. The Ontario House had the first southside school in it.
John’s family lived in the Royal Hotel until they built a house nearby. John settled at 22-2nd Street, Strathcona, NWT, and this house still stands at the same location, which is now 7922 106 St, Edmonton, Alberta. In the fall of 1904, when the house was nearing completion, his wife died of typhoid at the early age of 27. He moved into the house with his four children and two servants.
The Royal Hotel, which he kept for 25 years, had 28 rooms and 7 servants in the 1906 census. The family dedicated three large stain glass windows in the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. He was on the committee to raise funds for the Strathcona Library. He also nominated for Duggan for mayor in 1899. He may also have been a councillor in the town of Strathcona.
The most interesting fact is that I discovered this, not as a relative or researcher, but as the 26th owner of his home. I went to the City of Edmonton Archives and wanted to know some history of my home. At the time, no one except the people at Fort Edmonton had ever heard his name. Today’s Fort Edmonton is situated on his original homestead land (the 408 acres). I have now met his grandchildren and their extended families and now pursuing a part-time career in historic research, as I have found the history so fascinating. A wonderful coincidence – I bought the Mellon home with proceeds from a car accident I had. My lawyer, unbeknownst to me was the great grandson of John Mellon.
