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Submitted by Cheryl VanWormer

					JOHN B. WELCH
				MRS. MARCIA (WILSON) WELCH (1st wife)
		MRS. _______ (MORGAN) WELCH (2nd wife, widow of Amos N. Roberts)

	John B. Welch was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., March 21, 1816.  His parents, Vine and 
Ruth Welch, were natives of Vermont, and settled in Schoharie Co., N. Y., on Petersburg Hill, on 
what was formerly called Peter Smith's Patent.  At that time lands in New York were held by 
individual rights and never sold in fee-simple, the rentals being payable in commodities and 
money.  The land occupied by the father of John B. was rented for a certain number of bushels of 
wheat per annum, and after the first crop was gathered the soil settled down to hardpan and no 
wheat could be raised.  The lease was kept up for about fifteen years, when the crops totally 
failing, the rent fell behind and his property was taken in payment, thus throwing him upon the 
world with a large family, John at that time being but eight years of age.
	The children of Vine and Ruth Welch were as follows:  Lene, Lucy, Loriney, Eliza, 
Ezekiel, Simon, Polly, John, Vine, and Ebenezer, who died in infancy.
	When John was nine years of age his parents removed to Herkimer Co., N. Y.  At fourteen 
years of age John left home and went to live with his sister Eliza and her husband, John Small, 
with whom he remained, working for his board and clothing and enjoying the advantages of the 
district school during the winters, until he arrived at the age of eighteen years, when with his 
brother Ezekiel he went to the village of Frankford, in Herkimer County, where he learned the 
butcher's trade, following that occupation during the summer months until the spring of 1836,
when he removed to Michigan, reaching Ionia May 22d of that year, being accompanied by his 
brother Simon and brother-in-law Richard Dye and Philander Hinds, who was brother-in-law to 
Richard Dye.  At that time but three log houses were embraced within what now constitutes the 
city limits of Ionia.
	Upon reaching Ionia, Mr. Welch's entire capital consisted only of seven dollars in money,
an old shot-gun, and a French watch worth two dollars.  He succeeded, however, in disposing of 
the watch for five dollars.
	Upon his arrival in Ionia he found the family of Samuel Dexter, who had removed there 
from Herkimer three years previous, and by whom he was cordially received.  Here he parted with 
his brother Simon and Richard Dye, who proceeded to Kalamazoo for the purpose of entering their 
land.  Mr. Welch found employment with Mr. Dexter until October 1st, when he engaged with 
William McCausland in the butchering business, which industry was at that time rendered 
profitable by the location of the United States Land-Office at Ionia.  About this time provisions
became scarce in Ionia, owing to a frost in August which destroyed the crops, and the winter 
stock was rapidly consumed.
	September, 1836, his father and brothers Ezekiel and Vine arrived in Ionia, bringing with
them three barrels of flour and one of pork, which were soon disposed of, and it became apparent 
that before navigation opened all would be short of provisions, and John was selected by Parks, 
Warner, and others to make a trip to Detroit for the purpose of securing a supply.  This was a 
hazardous undertaking, owing to the severity of the weather and the swollen condition of the 
rivers, filled with floating ice, through which he was obliged to swim his oxen.  However, upon 
the 1st of December, 1836, he set out upon his perilous journey, and reached Detroit after a long 
and exceedingly difficult and dangerous journey.  The entire trip to Detroit and back occupied 
thirty days.
	Out of stock of provisions thus procured Mr. Welch received one barrel of pork, valued 
at forty-five dollars, and one barrel of flour, valued at twenty-two dollars.
	John Welch, together with his father and brother Vine (the latter now a resident of 
Keene township, Ionia Co.), now turned his attention to preparing a home for the reception of 
the remainder of the family.  Land was cleared and a log house erected, and everything made 
comfortable in anticipation of their arrival, which occurred in the following May.
	In June, 1837, Mr. Welch purchased from Col. Roberts a portion of the farm in Ionia 
township upon which his son, John D., now resides.
	In 1839 he returned to New York, where he married Miss Marcia V. Wilson, daughter of 
Eliphalet and Matilda Wilson.  Dec. 10, 1840, Mr. Welch returned to Ionia and began the work of 
preparing a home for himself and wife, and in September, 1841, revisited New York for the purpose
of bringing his wife to Ionia.
	By this union Mr. Welch has had three children,--namely, Eliza M., Ruth K., and Eli.  
Ruth died at Pleasant Hill Seminary, Pennsylvania, and Eli when six months of age.  Mrs. Welch 
died in 1846, and in 1848 Mr. Welch married as his second wife the widow of Amos N. Roberts, and 
daughter of Seldon Morgan, of Ilion, N. Y.  By this marriage he has had four children,--namely, 
Marcia, Mary, Darius,  and Amos.
	The principal occupation of Mr. Welch has been that of farming, holding that as the 
surest, sweetest, and most satisfactory.  His shipments of wheat and flour have been very 
extensive, and he has also dealt largely in wool, his transactions amounting at times to one 
hundred and fifty thousand dollars per annum.
	When the war broke out Mr. Welch became actively interested in recruiting for the army, 
nd assisted in raising the first full company under the call for seventy-five thousand 
volunteers, and which formed a part of the Third Michigan.  He was afterwards commissioned by 
Governor Blair to raise the Twenty-first Regiment of Volunteers, which he did, being ably 
assisted by Rev. Isaac Erett and Mr. Fred. Hall and wife.
	Mr. Welch has been the father of seven children, but has cared for twenty until they 
have arrived at maturity or been otherwise provided for, and all have become good and respected 
citizens.
	His first vote was cast for Martin Van Buren as President, and until 1852 he was a 
strong adherent to the Democratic party.  Upon the formation of the Republican party he joined 
its ranks, but has since affiliated with the Greenback party.
	Mr. Welch held the office of under-sheriff in Ionia County for eight years, and served 
as supervisor two years, and member of the Legislature four years.  He is a strict temperance 
man, and is also an abstainer from tobacco in every form.  Religiously, he was brought up under 
Methodist training, but when fourteen years of age became a member of the Christian or Disciple 
Church organized at Ionia, contributing generously of his means towards the erection of the 
house of worship owned by that denomination, and which now stands on Washington Street.
	Mr. Welch is now sixty-four years of age, and resides at Langton, Elk Co., Kan.


This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Pages 169-170.