Biography - James Welty
JAMES R. WELTY, now living on a ninety-acre farm on section 31, Burnside Township, was born in Williamson County, Ill., in 1847. His father, William Welty, was born in the same county, and was a son of Jacob Welty, who was of German parentage and birth, and came from Germany to this part of Illinois at an early day. He then went to California, in 1859, where he is still living, and is now in his ninety-third year. His wife was Mary Keister, who died in California in February, 1892, at ninety-one years of age, and she was the mother of a large family, of whom but three are now living: James, Lewis and Jane, the latter the wife of Samuel Taylor, a farmer of this part of Illinois. The sons are in California.
William B. Welty, father of our subject, was a Virginian by birth and grew up a poor orphan boy. He married Miss Hannah Alexander of Tennessee, daughter of Gideon and Elizabeth (Boram) Alexander, and came to Illinois in an early day from Tennessee. He died in 1865 of malarial fever on his own good farm in Williamson County, supposed to be one hundred years old. His wife died in middle age leaving five sons and five daughters, but one of whom is now living, Wilson Alexander, a farmer of Tunnel Hill.
James R. Welty was brought up on a farm and had but three months' schooling, but he has since become able to read and write. He lived at home until he was twenty-five years of age, and was married December 12, 1872, to Ann Wise, daughter of Ira and Catharine (Howarton) Wise. The former was from North Carolina, and died in 1877, at fifty-three years of age, and the latter was from Tennessee, and still survives. Our subject and his wife came to Illinois at an early day and were married in this State. Mr. and Mrs. Welty have buried one infant daughter, Laura E., and have five children living, viz.: William Ira, nineteen years old; Robert A., seventeen; Thomas H., thirteen; Lewis A., ten, and Nannie Belle, five years of age. The parents of these children, realizing the value of education, are doing their best to give their children the best of advantages in this particular. Mr. Welty has been a stanch Republican all his life, and carries on a general farming business, but is not very strong, having been some years ago overheated. His older children therefore have the burden of the farm work thrown on them, but they are kind and dutiful, discharging their obligations faithfully and intelligently. Our subject is a highly respected citizen, an indulgent father, a good neighbor, and a valuable acquaintance.
Extracted 15 May 2002 by Rick Girtman from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 385-386.
