Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1026.
 
ALFORD MELHASE

     residing about four miles southwest of Fort Klamath, Klamath county,
Oregon, is one of the most extensive and prosperous ranchers in that vicinity.
He was born June 7, 1858, in Prussia, Germany. He is of a family of seven
children, viz: Fred, our subject, Richard, Gustave, Emma, Clara and Bertha,
deceased.
     When ten years of age our subject came from Germany with his parents,
sailing from Hamburg and landing in New York city. This was in 1868, soon after
the dose of the Civil War. From the metropolis of the Empire state the family
removed to Hannibal, Missouri. There still residing with his parents, he grew to
manhood. In 1889, at the age of thirty-one years, Mr. Melhase removed to Oregon,
locating first at Klamath Falls, where he resided two years. At the close of
that period he came to the vicinity where he now resides and, in a small way,
engaged in the stock 'business. He confesses that he experienced periods of ill
fortune, and went broke a couple of times. But in 1896, the clouds broke,
exhibited a silver lining, and since then he has accomplished a great deal in
the way of acquiring a competence. In that year he purchased three hundred and
twenty acres of land, to which he subsequently added until he now has seven
hundred and twenty acres, all natural meadow land and well adapted to the
grazing of sheep which is his principal industry. Mr. Melhase also owns seven
hundred and sixty acres in another tract which is mainly hay and swamp land. He
also has a half section near Klamath Falls. On his original homestead he has a
fine seven room house, two large barns, supplied with all the conveniences
necessary for successful sheep growing, and he is, in short, one of the most
substantial sheep growers. And all this prosperity has come to him since 1896, a
trifle over eight brief years. He has a large band of sheep and quite a number
of cattle and horses.
     June 13, 1881, Mr. Melhase was married to Dora Brummer, a native of
Cincinnati, Ohio.  She was reared at Hannibal, Missouri, where her parents are
both living. Mrs. Melhase has one sister, Mary, wife of Richard Melhase, brother
of our subject. Six children have been born to our subject and his estimable
wife, viz: John, Delia, Emma, William, Edna, and Daniel W.    
     Our subject is a member of the A.O.U.W. of Klamath Falls. He is one of the
pioneers of the community in which he resides, and this was not his first
experience in the west, as, in 1875, he went with his parents to Humboldt,
California, where they lived three years, returning to Hannibal.  He is
enterprising, broad minded and progressive, and takes a lively interest in
educational work.  His father died a few years since; his mother is still
living. 


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.