Another early pioneer of aviation, Mel owned a body shop in Indianapolis. Real name was Melvon. Marquette was a works driver for McFarlan, for whom he drove in both his Indianapolis 500's. McFarlan were a company founded by a Scotsman who moved over to the US in 1831, before setting up a carriage building business in 1849. Over the years, this developed accordingly before they started to make automobiles in conjuction with other businesses. Marquette moved to Mooresville when he was a toddler and this is where Mel grew up. He was a graduate of Purdue University and became well-known for his pioneering work in developing synthetic rubber in Liege, Belgium. Prior to his retirement, he worked for the Cooper Tire and Rubber company in Findlay, Ohio, where he died.

Biography last updated 23 Aug 2017