He grew up in New Brunswick, made his fortune in the California Gold Rush, and became an influential figure upon settling in Monticello, Minnesota.
[3] Tobias Mealey was born in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1823 and was educated in the common school system.
[5] Saint Paul was too well established for him and Minneapolis had yet to come into prominence, so Mealey opted to settle in Monticello, then still called Moritzious.
[5] The elder Mealey forged connections with other influential Minnesotans, selling land to streetcar entrepreneur Thomas Lowry for a summer home and becoming close friends with railroad magnate James J.
He declined a nomination to run again in the 1875 election, but was a delegate to the 1876 Democratic National Convention and returned as a state senate candidate in 1877.
As a wedding gift, the Mealeys gave the couple a large lot next to their own, upon which Susan designed the 30-room Rand House as a summer home.
ran the Mealey general store, as well as the starch factory (which had become a leading local business) and the Monticello post office.