MELVIN, Hart ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

  Facts and details for Hart Melvin:

• He lived in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada from 1891 to 1953. ^{10 11}

• He lived in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada in 1901. ¹²

• He worked as a farmer on 13 Jun 1911 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. ⁵

• He lived in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada on 13 Jun 1911. ⁵

• He worked as an automobile sales agent for Melvin Motors in 1921 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. ¹³

• He lived in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada from 1921 to 1940. ^{13 14}

• He worked as a President of Melvin Motors Ltd. On 5 Nov 1953 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. ^{11 15} President of Melvin Motors Limited, and one of Winchester's most enterprizing citizens, who observed his 65th birthday on Saturday. In honour of the occasion, a birthday dinner was served at the home of his sister, Mrs. Ira Bower, Ottawa, when his mother, Mrs. David Melvin, Sr., and all his sisters and brother were together for the first time in several years. They are: Mr. Carl Melvin, of Winnipeg; Mrs. Ira Bower, Mrs. Stanley Shaver, Mrs. Laura Smith and Mrs. Hector MacLean, of Ottawa, and Mrs. Albert Johnston, of Kemptville. Other guests included Mrs. Carl Melvin and members of the sisters' families. The above picture of Mr. Melvin was snapped a couple of years ago during a salemen's meeting at Melvin's Garage, by a member of the Press staff.

• A newspaper article entitled Winchester Press was published on 16 Oct 1958 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. ¹⁶ It read as follows:

CANADA -- 43 YEARS
Dealer Hart Melvin Retires

An era of automobile dealership in Winchester came to an end yesterday with the announcement that Hart Melvin, oldest living General Motors dealer in Canada, had retired.

Hart Melvin, a respected loyal member of the General Motors family since the days of the Chevrolet 490, made the announcement officially to The Press "after serious deliberation and with much reluctance." His retirement comes primarily because of failing health. It means that Melvin Motors Limited will eventually shut its doors to the buying public after being in business for the past 43 years.

Yesterday (Wednesday), the garage was closed down except for a skeleton staff which will continue until all phases of the closing have been cleared away. General Motors products and used cars and trucks will continue to be sold until the business has either been sold or until all details have been taken care of, General Manager Gordon Fader said. Servicing and other departments of the garage have stopped, Mr. Fader told the Press.

Holds Respect
Hart Melvin, who holds the respect of General Motors of Canada, and who has been honoured by that firm on many occasions, started in the garage business in this town in 1915. His decision to become a garageman was the result of his dislike for farm work, and the Melvin farm in the Melvin Settlement was quite a large farm. It was not uncommon to harvest 100 acres of grain, cut 100 acres of hay, look after 60 or 70 head of cattle, and 15 or 16 horses.

With the backing of his father, the late David Melvin, Hart decided to sell a new car in 1915 known as the Chev. 490 -- and it cost $490. That year in August he went to a General Motors meeting at Leaside and was one of nine men from across Canada at this first meeting. The other gentlemen have all passed on and Hart remains the surviving member of this original group of GM dealers.

The Chev. 490 went well, Winchester Motors, as the Melvin establishment was first called, located at the corner of Clarence and St. Lawrence where it is today, and the business started to grow. Down through the years, Hart Melvin added to his GM agency the Oldsmobile, Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac cars, GM and Chevrolet trucks. In addition, he also handled the Marquette, LaSalle and Oakland cars, not manufactured now. As Hart told the Press, "I have handled every General Motors product at one time or another except Frigidaire."

1937 Big Year
Asked how many units his garage business had handled down through the years, he said "I wouldn't have any idea." It goes well into the thousands. Hart continued by saying, "Our biggest year (in number of cars sold) was in 1937 when we handled 237 new units plus the usual used cars and trucks. In those years Melvin's Garage, which later became Melvin Motors Limited, had outlets in Morrisburg, Iroquois, Cornwall and other neighbouring communities.

During the mid 1940's his son, Dave, who now runs his own dealership in Fort Erie, took over as General Manager, to be followed by Gordon Fader in 1956. Gord has been with the firm 17 years. He started when he was 16, cleaning floors and doing odd jobs. He later entered the Parts department, still later became service manager, and finally General Manager. He has been a constant companion of Hart Melvin in all business dealings during the past two years.

Melvin Motors grew to be the biggest and best GM garage in the district and their holdings, in addition to the main building, include the fine Texaco service station now owned by Fina and operated by Harold Levere.

Always concious of promoting his business, Hart Melvin is the oldest, continuous advertiser in The Press.

Hart Melvin was born nearly 70 years ago (he will be 70 on October 31). He married the former Hattie Rennick 47 years ago at Ottawa. They have five children, David, of Fort Erie; Mrs. Gordon Elliott (Eileen), Ottawa; Mrs. Hugh Slater (Jean) and Mrs. Robert Vice (Betty), of Winchester, and Miss Eleanor Melvin of Toronto.

Leading Citizen
During his 43 years in business in Winchester Hart Melvin has been an outstanding townsman. He has held offices and been active in the work of the 100 Club, Winchester Rink Company, the District Memorial Hospital, Chamber of Commerce, United Church and the Masonic Lodge.

He operated his business on sound principles and his one aim was always "service to the public." Now, after 43 years, he is about to enter retirement. His friends, and there are many, wish him the best -- for he deserves nothing less.

• He was buried at the Maple Ridge in Maple Ridge, Dundas, Ontario, Canada on 13 Jan 1972. ^{6 7 17}

• His obituary was published in the Ottawa Journal on 13 Jan 1972 in Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario, Canada. It read as follows:

Melvin, Hart - In hospital, on Wednesday, Jan 12, 1972, Hart Melvin of Winchester, in his 84th year, husband of the late Hattie Leila Rennick and father of Eileen (Mrs. Gordon Elliott), Ottawa, Jean (Mrs. Hugh Slater), Winchester, Betty (Mrs. Robert Vice), Winchester, and David R. Melvin, Mississauga, predeceased by daughter Eleanore. Resting at the Vice and Craig Ltd. Funeral Home, Church Street, Winchester, where service will be held on Thursday, Jan 13 at 2 p.m. Interment Maple Ridge cemetery. ⁹

• His obituary was published in the Winchester Press on 20 Jan 1972 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada. It read as follows:

Esteemed Citizen Hart Melvin Dies

Hart Melvin, a man whose business acumen and promotional skill played a major role in the industrial growth of the Winchester community, died January 12th following a long illness. He was in his 84th year.

Born in the township he was a son of the late David Melvin and his wife, the former Zella Sharp. At Ottawa, in 1912, he married the former Hattie Leila Rennick who predeceased him last November.

A keen businessman he realized the potential of the automobile industry when he was a young man and the thriving enterprise known as 'Melvin Motors' grew to one of the largest in the province.

Always a dedicated promotor of his 'home town' he played a major role in convincing authorities that Winchester was the ideal location for a district hospital. His foresight and ability to garner community support resulted in the fine hospita the town boasts at the present time.

Although not an active sportsman he generously supported all ventures he felt were beneficial. A member of Henderson Lodge 383 he was also a devoted member of Winchester United Church.

The late Mr. Melvin is survived by one son, David R, of Mississaugua and three daughters: Eileen (Mrs. Gordon Elliott), Ottawa; Jean (Mrs. Hugh Slater) and Betty (Mrs. Robert Vice), both of Winchester.

Also surviving are three sisters and one brother: Bessie (Mrs. Ira Bower); Bell (Mrs. Stan Shaver); Mrs. Ruth MacLean, all of Ottawa and Carl of Vancouver, B.C.

A special Masonic service was conducted at the funeral home on Wednesday night at 9:00 and funeral service the following day at 2:00 p.m. was conducted by Rev. A. MacDonald and Rev. D. L. Gordon.

Pall bearers were Ronald Workman, Howard Fetterly, Douglas Angus, Reginald Freeland, Melvin Scott, and Sheldon Robinson.

Interment was at Maple Ridge Cemetery. ⁷

Hart married Harriet "Hattie" Leila RENNICK, daughter of Robert RENNICK and Cynthia Guernsey CHRISTIE, on 23 Jan 1912 in Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario, Canada.^{1 2} (Harriet "Hattie" Leila RENNICK was born on 25 May 1895 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada,^{2 8 18 19 20 21} died on 4 Nov 1971 in Winchester, Dundas, Ontario, Canada ^{8 18 21} and was buried on 6 Nov 1971 in Maple Ridge, Dundas, Ontario, Canada ^{8 21 22}.)