John Ward Melville (January 5, 1887 – June 5, 1977) was an American philanthropist and businessman active in the "Three Villages" in western Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.

He donated 400 acres of land and money to establish Stony Brook University in 1957, which has developed as a major public research institution.

[2] Melville married Dorothy Bigelow, who helped him continue the civic work of his parents such as the restoration of the Colonial village in Stony Brook.

[6] Melville settled in the Stony Brook area in western Suffolk County on Long Island, where he owned much land.

[8] Melville was very active in philanthropic works around the "Three Village" area (Stony Brook, Setauket, and Old Field) and the surrounding towns.

His larger contribution was the donation of 400 acres of land and money to New York state to establish what is now the Stony Brook University, which was founded in 1957.