James B. and Josephine Walker Welch
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| James B. Welch Photo born 11/27/1857 Mercer Co, Ill died 11/15/1930 Rock Island Co, Ill burial: Viola Cemetery, Mercer Co Obituary |
Josephine Walker born 4/17/1860 Cole Co, Mo died 5/23/1926 Mercer Co, Ill burial: Viola Cemetery Obituary |
| Married: 2/15/1883 New Boston, Mercer County, Illinois by Thomas Doughty, Police Magistrate. Witnesses were Lucinda Walker and A. J. Walker, Josephine's sister and brother. (Marriage Certificate)
Children: Frank R. Welch born 3/4/1884 Mercer County, Illinois; married Bertha Brown Flossie M. Welch born 3/4/1884 Mercer County, Illinois; married William Blaine Fred M. Welch born 3/31/1892 Mercer County, Illinois; married Nellie Brown Ira (Ike) Welch born 5/14/1894 Mercer County, Illinois; married Ethel Hillmer Lena Elizabeth Welch born 2/9/1899 Mercer County, Illinois; married Louis William Smith |
More on James and Josephine Walker WelchJosephine Walker Welch's birthdate is given as 1862 in her obituary, but her marriage certificate in 1883 states she will be 23 next birthday and that she was born in Cole Co, Missouri, so we have corrected her information above to match the marriage certificate (Since she gave the information herself for the marriage we assume it is more likely to be correct.) For more on Josephine's family use the return to the Walker family page at the top of this page.Photo of Josephine Walker Welch and Charlotte Brown Photo of James Welch and grandson Ralph Welch Harvey & Rachel Woodward Welch left their farm in Mercer County for James Welch to work after he married. Harvey and Rachel moved in with their son Hartwell Welch. James & Josephine Walker Welch remained in Mercer County all their lives. James raised fine livestock, particularly horses (cf photo of their farm shortly after 1900. Also see photo of daughter Lena Welch with horses. Also see map of farm location.) There are two researchers very familiar with the James Welch family and we have many photos of this family. Much of our information is in the 20th century and we will not post it due to the possibility of identity theft. Contact Site Coordinator Nadine Holder on the About Us Page and she will put you in touch with the right researcher if you are related (if she can - email addresses unfortunately change and we lose track of people). More on Children of James and Josephine Walker WelchFrank R. and Bertha Brown WelchFrank R. Welch was born 3/4/1884 in New Boston, Mercer County and died 12/25/1965 in Rock Island, Illinois. He married Bertha Brown, daughter of John M. and Charlotte Grant Brown, in 1912 in Viola, Mercer County (more on Browns below.) Bertha was born March 1886 in Viola, Mercer County, and died 9/9/1966 in Moline, Rock Island County. Frank and Bertha are buried in Viola Cemetery in Mercer County. Frank Welch was a fireman at Rock Island Mill Works and Bertha worked at the Rock Island YWCA. They had a baby boy who died young and is buried in Viola Cemetery. They had a son Ralph Buster Welch, born 7/10/1917 in New Windsor, Mercer County, Illinois.Flossie M. Welch BlaineFlossie M. Welch was born 3/4/1884 in Mercer County and died 11/6/1949 in Mercer County. She married William E. Blaine, son of James and Barbara Clark Blaine on 10/23/1916 in Aledo, Mercer County. He was born 8/15/1892 in Viola and died 12/26/1948 in Mercer County. They are both buried in Viola Cemetery. William was a coal miner and mechanic (he is listed as a garage owner and manager in the 1920 census). They had one child Phyllis who died young and is buried in Viola Cemetery. Photo of Flossie WelchFred M. and Nellie Brown WelchFred M. Welch was born 3/31/1892 in Mercer County, Illinois, and died 2/5/1952 in Rock Island, Illinois. He married Nellie E. Brown, daughter of John M. and Charlotte Grant Brown, on 6/7/1911 in Mercer County. She was born 6/24/1889 in Rio, Illinois, and died 2/12/1963 in Rock Island, Illinois. (See more on the Browns below.) Fred and Nellie are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Rock Island. Fred Welch worked for the Red Jacket Manufacturing Company and Nellie worked as a cook at the YWCA cafeteria. They had a daughter Frances Welch born 4/19/1913. Photo of Fred WelchMore on Bertha Brown Welch and Nellie Brown WelchBertha and Nellie Brown were sisters. They are found with their parents in 1900 in Greene Township, Mercer County: #211 John M. Brown, 39, coal miner, born March 1861, married 16 years, born Il, parents born Scotland; Charlotte Brown, June 1864, 4 children born, 4 living, born Il, father born Scotland, mother born ?; Bertha B. Brown, March 1886, 14, born Il; Nellie E. Brown,June 1888,11, Il; David R. Brown, Oct 1891, 9, Il; Murl (son Merrill), Jan 1896, 4, Il. We did not find a marriage record for John and Charlotte in Illinois, but they were married about 1884 according to the 1900 census.It appears that Charlotte Grant Brown was daughter of David and Sarah Park Grant of Colona, Henry County, according to the 1880 census. David was a coal miner in Henry County, born Scotland, and Sarah was born Nova Scotia. Betty Welch sent us a small school project done in 1957/58 by an unknown descendant that contains some information on David and Sarah Park Grant and on Charlotte Grant Brown. It gives David Grant as born June 14, 1832 and died Dec 13, 1899. Sarah Park was born May 24, 1844 and died Jan 10, 1896. They were married March 31, 1863 and had children: Charlotte (Lottie); John; Tom; Sarah; Agnes; David; and Jennie. Daughter Lottie was born June 29, 1864 and died July 21, 1935. She married John Brown (no date given) and they had children: Bertha; Nellie; David; and Merrill. We have removed prior information that we had here that John Brown might have been the son of David and Agnes Brown of Boone County, Illinois. There are just too many John Browns in that time period to make any assessment on his parentage. It is likely that he might have been living in Coal Valley, Rock Island County in 1880: #176 James Brown, 28, coal miner, born Scotland, parents born Scotland; Mary, 25, wife, In, parents born England; Ralph, 3, born Il; John Brown, 22, Il, parents born Scotland, brother, works on farm. The age does not match the 1900 census age given but it is close and age in the 1800's was not that carefully calculated. Photo of Bertha and Nellie Brown Welch Photo of Charlotte Grant Brown Joan Schooley furnished photos of Bertha, Nellie, and Merrill Brown in their youth. (Bertha Brown) (Nellie and Merrill Brown) Ira (Ike) and Ethel Hillmer WelchIra Welch was born 5/14/1894 in Mercer County, illinois, and died 2/1/1960 in Mercer County. He married Ethel Hillmer, daughter of Emil W. and Bertha Trenkenschuh Hillmer of Rock Island, on 12/29/1930. Ethel was born 1907 in Rock Island County and died in Mercer County. They had a son James Hilmer Welch, born and died 1934 and buried Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island. They had a daughter Sally Welch.Photo of Ira and Ethel on their wedding day Lena Elizabeth Welch SmithLena Welch was born 2/9/1899 in Mercer County and died 2/26/1949 in Port Byron, Illinois. She married Louis William Smith. We have had much help from descendants including photographs. Lena also had sons James Arthur Smith and Robert Louis Smith. Lena was a great lover of animals and there are two photos of her with her animals - one with horses and one with her pet pig. Site Coordinator Nadine Holder had a pet pig and loves the pig photo.In 1930 Lena and Louis Smith were living in Ward 3 in Rock Island City, and James Welch and Ira Welch, Lena's widowed father and single brother, were living with them. Wedding photo of Lena and Louis William Smith Updates 8/31/2006 Made changes and added information on the Brown family. |
