NameRussell Orville MELLAND
Birth2 Jul 1902, Morris, Grundy County, Illinois
Death10 Mar 1978, Jamestown, ND
Burial13 Mar 1978, Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown
OccupationProminent ND businessman
ReligionLutheran. Click his name for obituary.
Misc. Notes
The first section below is from page 67 of Slekten Reinertsens Stamtavle, a small-format genealogy booklet published in Norway in 1931. The translation was done in 2013 by Robert Eliason:
Russel Orville Melland, businessman
Russel Melland was born the 2nd of July 1902 in Norris [sic Morris], Illinois to parents farmer Johannes Mæland and wife Bessie Trockelson [sic Torkelson].
He finished his general education in 1915, and thereafter he worked on his father’s farm until the spring of 1924, then he got a position with The Standard Oil Co. and worked there until June 1925. He was employed by Home Oil Co. of New Effington until August of the same year, then he took a new position with The International Harvester Co. of America as a salesman.
On the 11th of April 1925, he married Gunvor Alfhild Wichmann, daughter of Lutheran priest Andreas Wichmann and wife Helge.
Their children are:
Robert Bruce born 7 August 1929
Below that someone has written by hand:
Phyllis Ann, May 27, 1937.
Gunvor died August 19, 1953.
Russel married Inez Olson Sept. 1, 1954.
Elizabeth Sept. 1955.
Russell John Jan. 19, 1957.
David Lee born June 3, 1967 (?) Died July 1, 1967.
* * * * *
Russ worked first for his father on the farm, then ran the Standard Oil Co. and the Home Oil Co. of New Effington from 1923 until 1927. Then he worked for the International Harvester Co., eventually owning his own dealership in Jamestown, as well as an auto dealership (Packard, Pontiac), an appliance store, a real estate company, and other interests.
His obituary (Jamestown SUN, March 10, 1978)
Russell Orville Melland, 75, prominent businessman in Jamestown and active in community affairs, died this morning in Jamestown Hospital.
Funeral services will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. Joseph Belgum and Rev. Donald Richman, pastors, in charge. Burial will be in Highland Home Cemetery. The body will be taken from Eddy Funeral Home to the church Monday morning.
Mr. Melland was born July 2, 1902, at Morris, IL, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Melland. He received his early education in New Effington, SD, and later attended a term at North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo. He farmed and was later engaged in business in New Effington and was associated with Home Oil Co. there from 1923 to 1927. He was married to Gunvor Wichmann on April 11, 1925, at New Effington [really in Eleva, Wisconsin, said Gladys Windh]. She died Aug. 18, 1953.
Mr. Melland was employed by International Harvester of Fargo from 1927 to 1932, and came to Jamestown where he began as store manager for International Harvester in 1932. He was owner-dealer of Melland-Johnson from 1943 to 1951, and owner of Melland Inc. from 1951 to the time of his death. He and Inez Eidbo Olson were married Sept. 1, 1954, in Moorhead, MN, and had made their home in Jamestown since.
In addition to serving as president of Melland Co., and the Melland Real Estate Company, Mr. Melland was vice president of First Federal Savings and Loan Association, Jamestown, former director of First James River National Bank; past president and member of the Stutsman County Fair Association; former chairman of the board of directors of the Northern National Life Ins. Co., Bismarck; former director of Otter Tail Power Co., Fergus Falls, MN; national director of the National Farm And Power Equipment Association; and a member of the board of Lutheran Social Services for 14 years.
A 21-year member of the Board of Education of Jamestown Public Schools, Mr. Melland was a past president of the board. He was president of the board of directors of Jamestown Hospital at the time of his death, and served on the board of the Salvation Army. He had been a former trustee of the North Dakota Implement Dealers Insurance Trust, and a former national board member of the United States Chamber of Commerce. For many years associated with the Boy Scouts of America program, Mr. Melland was a member of the national advisory board of Boy Scouts and had been awarded the Silver Antelope Award, highest given by the organization. He was a past president and council member of the Red River Valley Boy Scout Council.
A longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Mr. Melland served on the church council and was a former president of the congregation. He had also been a member of the North Dakota Implement Dealers Association; the Jamestown Elks Lodge No. 995; Jamestown Lions; Jamestown Country Club; the North Dakota Cancer Society; and a member of the Jamestown Masonic Bodies including the El Zagal Shrine. He had been presented the Stutsman County 4-H Club’s Outstanding Service Award.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Robert B. Melland and Russell John Melland, Jamestown; three daughters, Mrs. Ray Seiler (Phyllis), Bellingham, MN, Mrs. John H. Fellerer (Margaret), Brainerd, MN, and Elizabeth Louise Melland, Jamestown; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one brother, Jerry Melland, Lisbon; and four sisters, Mrs. Gertrude Knudsen, Mrs. Gladys Windh, Mrs. Mabel Monson, New Effington, SD, and Mrs. Orval Smith (Bernice), Watertown, SD.
Spouses
Birth17 Jan 1901, Norway
Death18 Aug 1953
Marriage11 Apr 1925, Eleva, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Birth9 Oct 1923
Death8 Mar 2003, Hillsboro, Oregon
ReligionClick her name for more info.
OccupationBuried at Highland Home Cemetery in Jamestown, ND
Misc. Notes
Inez Melland, 79, died Saturday, March 8, 2003, at her daughter's home in Hillsboro, Oregon. Inez was born October 9, 1923, the daughter of Elling and Sigrid (Hanson) Eidbo. She graduated from Bowdon High School and graduated from Concordia College in 1945 with a Bachelor of Arts in business, music and education. Inez taught in Velva, Mandan, Riverdale and Valley City, North Dakota.
In 1943 she married Orin Olson, possibly in Greenville, South Carolina. He died in WW II.
She married Russell O. Melland on September 1, 1954, in Moorhead, Minnesota. They made their home in Jamestown. Russell died on March 10, 1978.
Inez was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Jamestown, the Sons of Norway and AAUW. She loved traveling, music and helping people.
She is survived by three daughters, Phyllis and Ray Seiler, Bellingham, MN; Margaret and John Fellerer, Peoria, AZ; Elizabeth and Alain de la Motte, Hillsboro, OR, one son, Russell Jr. and Nancy Melland, Grand Forks; eleven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson, three sisters, Margaret Melby, Detroit Lakes, MN; Esther (Trygve) Lerwick, Everett, WA; Ethel (Gordon) Eide, Bothell, WA and three brothers, Paul (Joyce) Eidbo, Moorhead, MN; Walter (Mary) Eidbo and Earl (Janet) Eidbo, both of Des Moines, IA.
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, Orin Olson, second husband, Russell O. Melland, step-son, Robert B. Melland, great-grandson, Joseph Fellerer, one sister, Sigrun Ahlquist, and two brothers, A. Martin and Olav Eidbo.
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 15, 2003, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Jamestown, with Rev. Terry Anderson officiating.
Visitation: Friday, March 14, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Eddy Funeral Home.
Prayer Service: 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2003, at the Eddy Funeral Chapel.
Burial: Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, North Dakota
Marriage1 Sep 1954, Moorhead, MN