[p. 752] justice of the peace and prominent citizen of Little Beaver Township, residing on his valuable farm of eighty-seven and one-half acres, was born July 23, 1859, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Charles L. and Dorothy (Fisher) Best.
The father of Judge Best was born in Germany and was twelve years old when he accompanied his parents to America. The Best family settled at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where Charles L. Best ran a butcher shop for many years. He now lives retired at Enon Valley. He was married in Pittsburg to Dorothy Fisher and they had seven children born to them, namely: Melvin George; Emma, who married C. M. Burns; Griselda, who married J. I. Martin; Rose, who married J. C. Martin; Carl; Anna; and Norman, who died young.
Melvin G. Best was fifteen years old when his parents moved to Enon Valley and he gave some assistance to his father, who conducted a meat market there. Later he returned to Pittsburg and in that city learned the house and sign painting business which he subsequently followed for twelve years. In 1896 he returned to Enon and purchased his present farm from J. H. Russell. Here he carries on general farming and dairying and owns a fine herd of Holstein cattle. He has greatly improved the place and erected all the buildings now standing.
On September 5, 1888, Mr. Best was married to Winnie Staude, who was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and they have one son, Harry, a student at Geneva College. In politics, he is a Republican and he is serving in his second term as justice of the peace. He is a member of Enon Lodge, Knights of Maccabees.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
Previous Biography | Table of Contents | Next Biography
Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 13 Dec 2001