My Genealogy Hound

DAVID WELCH, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Gridley; was born within four miles of the town of Tipperary, Ireland, in the year 1836. Patrick Welch, David’s father, a farmer and quite a prominent man in his day, died in the year 1847, and his wife, Margaret, soon followed him to the tomb, leaving David an orphan, under the guardianship of his uncle, Michael Stokes, with whom, in the year 1849, he left Ireland and emigrated to America. Mr. Stokes, with his ward, settled in New Haven, Conn., where David learned carriage-painting, and, after serving his time, worked at his trade as carriage-painter, in Litchfield and New Haven Counties, until the year 1861, when he left Connecticut, and went to Peoria, Ill.; here he remained until April, 1862, when he went to El Paso Township, Woodford Co., and, in partnership with his cousin, William Stokes, bought eighty acres of land; they remained there until the spring of 1865, when they sold their land and removed to Gridley Township, March 11, 1865, and bought in partnership 160 acres of land, and, in the summer of 1872, they divided their 160 acres; and David having, in 1868, purchased forty acres of land, the division left him the owner of 120 acres, to which he added eighty more, purchased in 1876, making 200 acres in all, located on Sec. 7, Gridley Township, and all under cultivation, and valued at about $40 an acre. Mr. Welch is a wide-awake, intelligent man, quite prominent in local politics, and has held the office of Assessor of Gridley Township for one term, being elected in the year 1872. In 1875, he was elected to the office of Road Commissioner, and re-elected in 1878, and now holds the office. On the 25th of December, 1859, he was united in marriage at Naugatuck, Conn., to Miss Ellen Cany, who was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in the year 1834, but who emigrated to America when very young; they have had four children, one — Maggie — dead, and three — John, Margaret and Patrick — living.