If you wish you can get hundreds of Melville Photos at LSU:
Louisiana State University Special Collections

Some of them are, Robert Rowe, Raymond Couvillion, Neva Pastorick, Buck Caldwell, Thelma Jones who is the brother-in-law to former Mayor Buddy Jones, Jr., Dick Jones, Carlo Lucito and many others. For many years the late Lawrence Wiltz organized the Melville get together.

We were there in the 27' high water. My daddy had moved us to Opelousas, then went back to help even though he almost drowned but he made it out. He had food left from his store that he gave to the refugees and also blankets and things like that.

My mothers family (Marye and Evelyn Turk) were from Arkansas and moved to Melville in 1919 to run a commissary.  Melville was a logging town with three logging sawmills and a busy highway with folks driving to cross the ferry on their way to Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  There were snack shops and peanuts for sale at the ferry landing on the Atchafalaya river.

My daddy was living in Memphis, Tenn. working as a salesman and knew the owner of a Sawmill in Melville. The owner offered him a job running the commissary so my daddy moved to Melville. He soon opened a store, "Vines Harris Mercantile Community Store." Fred Glaser, Sr. worked there cutting meat and his son, Fred Glaser, Jr. was the butcher at Charles Cannatella's Sons store.

I attended school in Melville until my freshman year then moved to Bunkie. My dad opened the 'Blue Moon' night club. Soon after the soldiers were on maneuvers and oil was struck around Bunkie so we had a busy town and a busy business in the 'Blue Moon.'

I will try to add to this page each month as I have time.

Thanks! Robert 'Sonny' Harris
Bunkie LA 71322

Usually the census takers went house to house next door to each other, which is how you know who the neighbors were at that time.  In the 1930 census there were several families next to the Vines Harris family.  Vines and Marye were the parents of Robert 'Sonny' Harris, who now lives in Bunkie, Louisiana.  Sonny's son, Vines who is a member of MHS now lives in Texas.
 
The Lashute family, then Lafluers, then Smiths then Vines E Harris were neighbors in 1930.  Some of the 1,541 people living in Melville, Louisiana in 1930 were;
 
Sam Lashute
Camelia Lashute
Charlie Lashute - Lashute's Plumbing on Main Street
Francis Lashute
Joe Lashute
Jewell Lashute
Mike Lashute
Kater Lushute
Buddie Lushute
 
Paul W Lafluer
Lelia G Lafluer
Paul W Lafluer
Leilan G Lafluer
Ruby L Lafluer - married Joseph Thomasson, Fire Chief and Town Superintendent
 
Kate H Smith
Eleanor Smith

Vines E Harris - opened the grocery store.
Marye Harris - added an e to her name, Mary
Robert Harris - 'Sonny' Harris lived in Melville - 1920 - 1936
Bunkie LA 71322
Lonnie Roberts -