Melvin R. Laird Sr.

Melvin R. Laird
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 24th district
In office January 6, 1941 – March 19, 1946 (died)
Preceded by	Walter J. Rush
Succeeded by	Melvin R. Laird Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1878-08-07)August 7, 1878 Maysville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	March 19, 1946(1946-03-19) (aged 67) Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Resting place	Hillside Cemetery, Marshfield, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Helen Connor
Children	William Connor Laird (b. 1913; died 1943) Richard Malcolm Laird (b. 1915; died 1967) Melvin Robert Laird Jr. (b. 1922; died 2016) David Laird (b. 1927; died 2015)
Education	University of Illinois (B.A.) Princeton University (M.A.) Millikin University (D.D.)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1917–1919
Rank	1st Lieutenant (chaplain)
Unit	84th Div. U.S. Infantry
Battles/wars	World War I

Melvin Robert Laird Sr. (August 7, 1878 – March 19, 1946) was an American businessman, Presbyterian minister, and Republican politician from Wood County, Wisconsin. He served five years as a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Wisconsin's 24th Senate district from 1941 until his death in 1946. He was succeeded by his son, Melvin R. Laird Jr., who went on to become United States Secretary of Defense and Domestic Policy Advisor to President Richard Nixon.

Biography

Melvin Laird was born on a farm in Maysville, Illinois, in 1878. He attended rural schools and high school, then went on to attend the University of Illinois, where he earned his bachelor's degree. He continued his education, earning his master's from Princeton University and his Doctor of Divinity from Millikin University. He taught school and later became principal of the Barry, Illinois, high school, and president of Lincoln College, Illinois. He then became a Presbyterian minister at churches in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, Lincoln, Illinois, and Omaha, Nebraska.

During World War I, he was inducted into the United States Army as a chaplain with the rank of first lieutenant. He was assigned to the 335th Infantry Regiment, 84th Division, and deployed to France for a year.

After the war, he moved to Marshfield, Wisconsin, where he worked as office manager for the Connor Lumber and Land Company. He was elected to the board of supervisors of Wood County, Wisconsin, and ultimately served 14 years on the board. In 1940, he was elected to the Wisconsin Senate, running on the Republican Party ticket. He represented the 24th Senate district and was re-elected in 1944.

He died in Rochester, Minnesota. His son, Melvin R. Laird, was elected in a special election to succeed his father.