Melvin Kivley American Entrepreneur
Born 22 Apr 1898 Death 25 Jul 1989 (aged 91) Port Townsend, Jefferson County WA USA Greenwood Cemetery Author of the Still and I, From Trash to Treasures, Hadlock Hill During the Great Depression Mr. Kivley ran a moonshine still in Stanwood Washington to help make payments for his family's farm and was arrested. He was sentenced to one year in jail to be served in Jefferson County. While in jail he improved his English skills and volunteered for any duties. The local Sheriff had a summer place on Indian island that Melvin turned into a self-sufficient farm that ended up feeding the local prisoners. Upon his release from jail he and his wife Ann rented a farm near Hadlock, Washington and turned a dilapidated bunkhouse into a secondhand store he rented for $2 a year and began trading. Their first business venture was selling eggs. Every Sunday they would walk several miles carrying 2 milk pails filled with 12 dozen eggs to sell for 20 cents a dozen. In his book From Trash to Treasu...