The Delta independent., 1912-11-01
PIONEER CITIZEN PASSES AWAY.
Life Of James Leroy WeIch.

| James Leroy Welch was born at
Paris, Illinois, December 3, 1880.
Died October %, 1912, at 4:3O p. m.
age 81 years. 10 months and % days.
He was married to Annie Mcmillan
at Knoxville, Iowa. October 2, 1856
His wife died at Chipeta, Delta county
Colorado, December 10, 1888, at the
age of 81 years. There were born of
this marriage six children, viz
Philip Welch. Irene Logan, Leroy
Welch, Milton r. Welch, Matte
Welch and Alva V. Welch. Philip
Welch died in infancy and Matte
Welch died at the age of Is years at
Ainsworth, Nebraska. The other four
children are residents of Delta county
and were with their father during his
last illness until the end came.
He leaves surviving also three
brothers and one sister, viz: Isaiah
NJ. Welch, of Ashland. Oregon, John
A. Welch, Hutchison, Kansas, Celie
Mcconnell, Kansas City, Kansas, and
Stratten Welch, Sterling, Colorado. An
older brother, William Welch. died
few years ago at Salem, Oregon, and
until his death the whole family were
alive, the youngest being 20 years of
age. All of the brothers were soldiers
in the Civil war.
The family were pioneers in Ill
inois and Iowa. They moved from
Illinois to Marion County. Iowa in
1843 when James was 13 years of age.
The first church service held in Iowa
east of the Mississippi river among
the settlers was conducted at the home
of John r. Welch, father of the family.
near the present city of Knoxville,
Marion county, Iowa, he being a Meth
odist
James L. Welch has had an active
career; was raised farmer and cross
ed the plains by OK team in 1854 to
the California gold diggings, the trip
requiring months and 4 days. where
he engaged in mining for more than a
year, and returned by boat by way of
the Panama canal to New York City,
L and thence to his home in Iowa with
was married shortly after his return
and engaged in farming until the out
break OF the Civil war, when he en-
listed as a private in Compang c.
18th regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infan-
try, and was a participant in the bat
tie of Shiloh and numerous other bat
ties. He was later hospital stewart
of the 47th Regiment and later Lieu
tenant of Company *" 47th Regiment
United States Colored Volunteer In
company at the close of the war, be-
ing honorably discharged at Baton
Rouge, Louisiana on the 9TH day of
January, 1866. After the war he en-
gagged in farming and the practice of
medicine. For his medical services he
always refused to accept pay. In the
year 1881 he moved to Alma, Colorado,
where he engaged inf mining and mer-
chandise pursuits. In 1886 he purchas-
ed farm in Delta county. to which
point the family moved, after which
he still engaged for a time in mining.
and ihen settled down on his farm and
ha. been engaged in farming until the
past few years when he retired.
Early in life he united with the
Methodist Episcopal church and was
an active member of the M. E. church
of Victory Iowa, and was well inform
ed on religious questions, having pass
ed the examination and was ordained
as local minister of said church. He
was very much interested and very
active in the church of which he was a
member, and after moving to Colorado
still retained his membership at Vic
tory, Iowa, Of which he was still a
member at the date Of his death.