David B. Mellish
| David B. Mellish | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 9th District | |
|
In office March 3, 1873 – May 23, 1874 |
|
| Preceded by | Fernando Wood |
| Succeeded by | Richard Schell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 2, 1831 Oxford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | May 23, 1874 (aged 43) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Hillside Cemetery, Auburn, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lucy M. Fitch (m. 1862) |
| Profession | Journalist Public official |
David Batcheller Mellish (January 2, 1831 – May 23, 1874) was a businessman, journalist, and public official from Oxford, Massachusetts. He became a resident of New York City, and won election to Congress in 1872. He was serving his first term as United States Representative from New York when he died in Washington, D.C.
Mellish was born in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts, on January 2, 1831. His mother was Cyrene Mellish, and his father, John Mellish, was a carriage-maker and teacher who moved his family to Auburn in 1839. The elder Mellish was prominent in local politics and government as a Democrat, and served as a justice of the peace for 35 years. David Mellish attended the public schools of Auburn, Leicester Academy, and Warren Academy in Woburn.
After completing his education, Mellish apprenticed at the Worcester Spy newspaper, where he learned printing, editing, proofreading, and news reporting. He later taught school in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. In 1860, Mellish moved to New York City; he worked initially as a proofreader, and then became a reporter for the New-York Tribune. He also began a career as stenographer with the city Police Department and Board of Health.
Mellish became active in politics as a Republican, and opposed control of the city by the Tammany Hall Democratic organization, which was widely regarded as corrupt. He served as chief supervisor of elections for the police department, but was removed because he campaigned against "Tammany Republicans" -- officials who were supposedly Republicans, but who actually cooperated with Tammany Hall.
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