William T. Melton served as Concho County Sheriff/Tax Collector 1883-1890. He was an charter member of the Paint Rock #613 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons.
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MELTON, W. T.
The life of the late W. T. Melton of Brady was noteworthy, both in character and in accomplishment. It began with his service to the Confederacy and closed after forty years of business and civic activities in this state, to which he always manifested the finest loyalty and affection. As editor, publisher, business man and legislator, he displayed a high order of ability, and in his death McCulloch county lost one who had at all times demonstrated the highest ideals of citizenship. The first of seven children, Mr. Melton was born July 11, 1843, in Alabama, and was a son of David C. Melton, also of that state. The latter, a miller by trade, was an early settler in Denton County, Texas, where for some years he was engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Subsequently he removed to San Saba, where he continued for a long period in the milling business, but finally removed to Paint Rock, Concho County, where his death occurred about the year 1885. W. T. Melton received his education in the public schools of his native state.
When a youth he was apprenticed to the trade of printer. On completing his apprenticeship he worked at his trade in Louisiana and Wedowee, Alabama, and when but eighteen years of age enlisted in the Confederate army for service in the Civil war, which had just broken out. He served through the war in General Lee's army, participating in numerous important and hard fought engagements and at all times proving himself a brave, valiant and faithful soldier. How largely the great Civil war developed the youth of the country can never be adequately known, but there are those living and those deceased who entered upon the hardships incident to a soldier' s life when but lads and so bravely and courageously faced every vicissitude and uncomplainingly bore suffering and hardship that their valor should be remembered when this united country counts over its heroes.

The great struggle between the north and the south, with the important issues it represented, surely produced a class of trained, disciplined men, whose influence has ever since been recognized in the peaceful pursuits which have engaged them. It was in the conflict of arms that the temper of Mr. Melton's character was set and his faculties trained for the large services of his more mature age. Like many other Southerners, unable to bear conditions as they were in the period of Reconstruction, he sought a new field for his activities in the great southwest, and in 1866 settled near Cameron, in Milam County, Texas, where he worked at his trade for some time. Moving to Bell County, he became proprietor of a newspaper at Belton, subsequently moving to Lampasas, where he was publisher of the Lampasas Dispatch, the first paper in Lampasas County.

Some time later Mr. Melton moved on to San Saba, where he published the San Saba News, but about 1890 disposed of his printing press, retired from the newspaper business, and embarked in the sheep business in Concho County. He was thus engaged until elected sheriff of Concho County, at which time he moved to Paint Rock, the county seat, where he had his home during the eight years of office. He made an excellent record as sheriff, and was urged by his fellow citizens to accept office again, but declined re-election and entered the real estate business. In 1896 he was elected representative of his district in the State Legislature, where he served one term, and in 1897 went to Brownwood, where he resumed his real estate operations, Mr. Melton came to Brady in 1904, and here became senior member of the Melton Land and Abstract Company, with which he continued to be identified until the time of his death, which occurred April 28, 1909.

Mr. Melton's funeral, which was conducted by the Rev. Bolton of the Fort Worth Methodist Church and the Rev. Matthis of the Brady Methodist Church, was a solemnity such as well attests the value of his lifetime. He had become widely known over the state, and the tributes of respect were not alone from his home community. He was laid to rest in the Brady cemetery, and the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights Templar, Confederate Veterans, and all the orders to which he belonged, as well as many private citizens not related by the bonds of fraternal union, united in a great demonstration of brotherly love and esteem for their deceased associate and friend. For three years Mr. Melton was commander of the Mountain Remnant Brigade of Southern Texas. In Masonry he had reached the Knights Templar degree. From youth a member of the Methodist church, he served for many years as steward and superintendent of the Sunday school, and his work in behalf of religious and charitable movements made his death a severe loss to many who had depended upon him.

Mr. Melton was successful in his business affairs and in his political activities and was no less successful in gaining the love and esteem of his fellow men, and, although he has passed to those shores toward which all mankind is hastening, his good deeds will be long remembered and his memory will remain green in the hearts of those who learned to call him friend. Mr. Melton was married to Miss Missouri Frances Barron of Alabama. To their marriage were born six children, four daughters and two sons, all of whom are married, with the exception of one son, Thornton Lee Melton.

A brief record of the children is as follows: Miss Cora married Jesse F. Cross of Fort Worth and has two daughters. Mesdames Fay Looney and Chas. Miller of Brownwood. Miss Willie married William Vaughn of Brady, and their two children are Barron Melton, aged eighteen, and Hazel, aged twelve. Miss Lula married John Vaughn of Plainview. Texas, and their four children - three sons and one daughter: Grady, Bertrand. Mildred and John Melton. Miss Mandie married Dr. T. P. Doole of Eagle Lake, Texas and they have no children. W. T. Melton, Jr. married Miss Flora Gray of San Saba County, and they have a daughter, Frances Camille. Thornton Lee Melton, who is a teacher of instrumental music at Brady, lives at home with his mother. (A History of Texas and Texans Vol 4, by Francis Johnson, Eugene Barker, and Ernest Winkler - Published by American Historical Society 1914.
Contributor: Sherry (47010546)

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MELTON, W. T.
W. T. Melton is Dead -
One of Brady's Most Prominent and Respected Citizens Passed Away Suddenly Last Night
Col. W. T. Melton is dead. All Brady was shocked when this news was flashed over town about 8:00 o'clock last night. Colonel Melton had been at his office all day and was apparently in his usual health. After eating supper he complained of a pain around his heart and physicians were summoned, but the hand of death had been laid upon that noble heart, and a good man was called, his death resulting after about a half-hour's suffering. His death was pronounced as a result of heart failure, superinduced by an old rheumatic and asthmatic trouble from which he had been a sufferer many years.
Col. W. T. Melton was one of Brady's most substantial citizens. He was senior member of the land and abstract firm of W. T. Melton & Co., and was ever wide-awake to the town's best interests. No man among us held a warmer place in the respect and esteem of our people as a whole. No man in brady could have died who will be more generally missed. His death leaves a gap in our citizenship which can never be filled, and the expressions of regret at his sudden taking away are many and sorrow is widespread.
Col. Melton was 65 years of age, and had been a citizen of Brady about seven years, coming here from Brownwood. Previous to that time he had been a citizen of Concho and San Saba counties, at one time being editor of a paper at San Saba. He was sheriff of Concho County for eight years, and was also sent to the Twenty-sixth Legislature while a citizen there. His residence in this section of the state dates back for many years, and he was widely known and universally esteemed all over the district. He was one of the most enthusiastic members of the local camp of Confederate Veterans and was one of the pillars of that organization. During the war he was with the 14th Alabama Regiment, army of Northern Virginia under Longstreet and surrendered with his command at Appomattox. At one time he was Brigade commander of the Confederate Veterans of this district, and the news of his death will cause sorrowing hearts among his old comrades of the Lost Cause.
There are left to mourn his loss a wife, two sons and four daughters: W. T. Melton, Jr., of Coleman; Thornton P. Melton, now in school at Ft. Worth; Miss Mamie Melton, of Brady; Mrs. Jesse F. Cross, of Fort Worth; Mrs. John Vaughan, of Plainview, and Mrs. Will Vaughan, of Brady. All of them will be here for the funeral tomorrow afternoon. The funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Mathis, of the Methodist church, of which denomination deceased had been long a member, having led a consistent Christian life. He was also an honored member of two lodges - the Masons and Odd Fellows, and the funeral tomorrow will be under the auspices of the Masonic body.
The Standard's editor feels a distinct sense of personal loss in the death of this fine old Southern gentleman. He was our friend and we esteemed him much, and we mingle our sorrow with those who mourn. (Brady Standard, Brady, Tex, Apr 29, 1909
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MELTON, WILLIAM T.
Paint Rock
Representative from the Ninety-fourth District, composed of Concho, McCulloch, San Saba and Mills counties, was born at his father's farm near Lourina, Randolph County, Alabama, on the 11th day of July, 1843.
The subject of this notice, Hon. William T. Melton, acquired the rudiments of a good English education at Lourina Academy, Ala.; at thirteen entered a printing office and during the next three years served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade; after becoming a journeyman, clerked for two years and then in 1861, at eighteen years of age, enlisted in the Confederate army as a private soldier in Company K., Fourteenth Alabama, which was sent to Virginia,and, as a part of Wilcox's Alabama brigade, Anderson's division, Longstreet's corps, took part in most of the principal engagements fought by Lee's army up to the time of its surrender at Appomattox Court House, on the 9th day of April, 1865.
Upon returning home to Lourina, he was married in November, 1865, to Miss Missouri F. Barron, daughter of John D Barron, a representative of one of the distinguished families of Alabama; moved to Texas in 1866; farmed in Milam and Bell counties for four years; established the Lampasas Dispatch in 1870; sold the paper in 1873; shortly thereafter established the San Saba News; and in 1879 sold the paper and moved to Concho County, where he engaged in the sheep business and has since resided. He was elected Sheriff and Tax Collector of Concho County in 1882 and filled that office by continuous re-elections until 1890, and then declined re-election and embarked in the real estate and live stock business in which he is still engaged.
He has attended County, District and state Democratic conventions; in the late campaign was in favor of the free coinage of silver, and has ever been a Democrat and worked zealously for the party. He has been a member of the M E. Church, South, for the past thirty-one years and for years has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which order he holds the Knight Templar degree.
Eight children have been born to him, viz: Carrie J., deceased, Cora B., now Mrs. Cross; Willie A.., now Mrs. Vaughn; Lula M., now Mrs. Vaughn; Mamie F., Kate, deceased; W. T. Jr. and Thornton L. He is a member of the following House committees: Revenue and Taxation, Stock and Stock raising, Counties and County Boundaries, Agriculture and Irrigation.
Mr. Melton favors all legislation designed to improve the moral condition of the people, develop the public free school system and promote the prosperity of Texas. --Texas State Government: A Volume of Biographical Sketches and Passing Comment, E. H. Loughery, McLeod & Jackson, 1897