Description
This collection includes Sacramento
Capital Office Legislative records (1977-1996), Gilroy District Office files (1977-1996),
Monterey District Office files (1977-1996), Salinas District Office files (1977-1996), and
Santa Cruz District Office files (1975-1996) documenting the career of California State
Assemblyman and Senator Henry J. Mello.
Background
A Watsonville native, Henry John Mello was born in Watsonville, California, on March 27th,
1924, the child of an immigrant Portuguese family from the Azores. He attended Watsonville
High School and Hartnell College in Salinas. With his father, he worked in the apple
business, establishing a family farming business in 1940. Together they founded the Mello
Packing Company in 1948, and the Central Industrial Sales Company in 1965. From the
mid-1950's on Mello was involved in many local charitable and non-profit organizations. His
initial foray into politics began in 1950 when he was a Democratic volunteer during the
senate campaign between Richard M. Nixon and Helen Gahagan Douglas. Throughout the 1950's he
worked on Democratic campaigns, and was elected to the Democratic Central Committee. His
local public service career began when he served as a member of the California Agricultural
Advisory Board and as a fire commissioner.
Extent
215 Linear Feet
172.5 cartons, 1 flat
Restrictions
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs.
Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair
use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to
determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more
information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
Availability
Collection is open for research.