Looking for information on Welsh / Welch's from Circleville, Ohio (I posted this message on a different website sometime back without any luck. I'm hoping that perhaps someone here might find a connection. I hope so!).
My great great great grandfather was James Welch / Welsh, born about 1831 in Ireland (Possibly County Kerry, but perhaps County Clare as well). He was married to Ellen Kane (or Cain / Cane / Kane etc), also born in Ireland about 1834 (unknown location). They had three children:
1. John Welch born. 26 Nov 1853 Circleville, Pickaway, Ohio, USA - died. 04 Sep 1937 Galena, Delaware, Ohio, USA, Married to Agnes Cecelia McKenzie (b. 08 Feb 1856 - d. 19 Feb 1939). They had no children. They lived on a farm in Galena, Ohio (Delaware County) that was very large and had formerly been known as the Connelly Farm.
2. Edward Welch (my great great grandfather) born. 02 Oct 1855 Circleville, Pickaway, Ohio, USA - died. 09 Aug 1945 Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, USA. Married to Katherine Dodd (daughter of Charles Dodd and Bridget Cahill, also of Circleville, OH) born. 09 Nov 1865 Lancaster, Fairfield, Ohio, USA - died. 11 Dec 1927 Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, USA.
They had four children: Edward Welch (b. 1891, married Helen Cody), Charles Welch (b. 1885, married Mary Dodderman), Nell Welch (b.???, unknown if she married) & Mary Welch (b.1888, married Howard Stowell).
3. Mary Welch (b. ??? Circleville, Pickaway, Ohio - d. ??? likely in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, USA). Married Patrick J. O'Connor / Connor. Mary died young and I believe that Patrick remarred a woman named Anna. I know very little about Mary Welch O'Connor beyond that she died young, likely around 1888 and likely in Columbus, Ohio.
They had four children: Edward O'Connor, James O'Connor, Francis O'Connor, Helene Marie O'Connor.
James Welch / Welsh, father to John, Edward & Mary and husband to Ellen Kane fought in the civil war from 1861 - 1865 with Company E, 73rd Regiment OVI (Ohio Volunteer Infantry). In 1879 his wife Ellen died (for reasons I do not know). His son Edward at the time was at Fort Meade in the Dakota Territory. James remarried a woman named Anna Lyons, who had previously been widowed by a man named William Smith (I do not know why he died). Anna Lyons Smith married James Welch / Welsh on 05 Oct 1879 Circleville, Pickaway, Ohio, USA. James died in 1913 after a fall at a military hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Two obituaries published in Circleville, Ohio after his death read as follows (note that there are some errors in these obituaries):
"1913 Democratic Watchman (Circleville, Ohio) - Aug 31st Welsh. James Welsh, a resident of Circleville, more than sixty years, and a veteran soldier of the Civil War, died at the National Military Home, in Dayton. O., last Saturday night, at 11 o'clock, after a brief illness, aged 83 years. The deceased came from Ireland to Circleville in 1852, and since resided here. He was twice married, his first wife dying years ago, leaving three children, two sons and a daughter, the latter who married. Patrick J. O'Connor, of Columbus, dying some years ago. The two sons are living, Edward Welsh, in Columbus, and John Welsh on a farm in Delaware County. His second wife, Mrs. Anna Smith, maiden name Roberts, survives him. Mr. Welsh served in Co. E, 73rd O. V. I., and was well preserved for his advanced years. Last winter he was admitted into the Military Home at Dayton, returning home on parole in June, and a few weeks ago returned to the Home at Dayton. The remains were brought to his home at Circleville, Monday evening. Funeral services at St. Joseph's church, Tuesday, 9 a. m."
"Union Herald 1913 Obituaries (Aug 24th) SERVED THROUGH WAR
Death of James Welch, Civil War Veteran, Hastened by Fractured Hip James Welch, of this city, a veteran of the Civil war, died Sunday morning at 8 o'clock at the hospital at the Soldier's Home at Dayton, aged 84 years. Mr. Welch was born in County Clare, Ireland. Coming to this country in 1853. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company E, 73d regiment and served until the close of the war. He was in the battle of Gettysburg and expected to attend the celebration there, but was unable owing to feeble health. He went to the hosptial (sic) in Dayton for treatment and some weeks ago fell, fracturing his hip and this hastened his death. It was known last week that he could not recover and his wife was with him at the hospital several days. She had started back to Dayton Sunday, but he died before she reached him. Mr. Welch was twice married. His first wife was Ellen Caine, who died many years ago. Three children were born to them. A daughter, Mary died in childhood. Two sons are living. His second wife was Miss. Anna Smith, and they were married October 5 1879. Besides his widow, he leaves two sons, John Welch, of Galena, and Edward Welch of Columbus, and six grandchildren and one great grandchild. The body will be brought to Circleville this evening and the funeral will be held tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock from St. Joseph's church. Burial will be in St. Joseph's cemetery."
I am trying to find information on where James came from in Ireland and who his parents were. This has proven to be difficult because I have had trouble locating other family members (siblings, cousins etc) in Circleville, Ohio during this era. One potential lead had shown itself. James' civil war pension file is over 400 pages long. After his death there was an affidavit signed by a Mrs. Mary Welch / Welsh indicating that she knew James when he was young, in hsi 20's. Presumptively, since she is a "Mrs", she was married to a Welch. The following page is a similar affidavit signed by a "Julia Tracy". An online search reveals that there was a married in Circleville between a William Welch / Welch and Mary Tracy on 23 February 1857. William Welch / Welsh is listed as being 21 and Mary Tracy is listed as being 18. This would mean that William would have been born about 1836. James Welch / Welsh was born about 1831 (as indicated by his tombstone in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Circleville, Ohio). This could mean that the two were brothers, particularly since the 1913 affidavit (after the death of James) was signed by Mary Welch, presumptively Mary Tracy (signed on the same day as a "Julia Tracy").
I have not been able to find much good information on William Welch / Welsh, although I do find a very interesting One World Tree entry that someone has put on ancestry.com. Their information lines up against what I am looking for, but there is not reference as to who entered the information. The entry reads as follows:
William Welsh & Mary Tracy
- daughter Margaret Welsh born 14 January 1860
Margaret Welsh married John Moore
Margaret Moore (b. 14 Jan 1860 - d. 15 Apr 1946 Circleville, Ohio, USA) & John Moore (b. 10 Oct 1860 - d. 15 Oct 1947 in Circleville, Ohio, USA)
- son Thomas S. Moore
Thomas S. Moore married Elizabeth Cave. They had the following children:
- Catherine Moore
- John P Moore
- Mary Margaret Moore (b. 14 Feb 1914 in Circleville, Ohio, USA - d. 23 Feb 1996 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA )
Mary Margaret Moore married H Sheldon Mader (born: 4 May 1913 in Circleville, Ohio, USA - died: 9 Jan 1997 in Deland, Florida, USA). They have two children that are listed as "living". One of them is listed as having three living children listed as "O'Donnell".
Whoever put this information online obviously has a connection to the William Welsh / Welch I am looking for. I am hoping that by posting this and other information, someone out there will recognize something I've posted and will contact me. Again, I am looking for information on James Welch / Welch, former civil war veteran Company E, 73rd regiment OVI (born 1831 - died 1913) formerly of Circleville, Ohio (one time resident of 213 West Ohio Street, Circlville, Ohio). I am also looking for information on William Welch / Welsh, who I suspect may be a brother or relative of James, former husband of Mary Tracy and father to Margaret Welch Moore and perhaps a son named Patrick.
Thank you for reading my message! I welcome any input and look forward to reading your response.
My Welch's lived mostly in Michigan John Sylvester Welch born right around 1864 Married Eliizabeth Ann Dawdy From Canada. I understand JohnS father came from Scottland or Ireland. Do you think we might be related.
