William Welch
BIRTH
1778
North Carolina, USA
DEATH
1870 (aged 91–92)
Ozark County, Missouri, USA
BURIAL
Stone Cemetery
Hammond, Ozark County, Missouri, USA
Biographical and Historical Record of Putnam County, Indiana (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1887), page 224
William Welch and John Smith built their cabins in section 34, about the year 1825 or 1826, being the first settlers of the township.
There is much speculation that old William Welch's first wife was a Cherokee Indian. His first wife died sometime between 1827 & 1830 in Putnam Co., Indiana. Although many believe her given name may have been Martha there is no proof of that.
In March 1993 I received a letter from cousin Paul Welch [a descendant now deceased] who had done extensive research on his Welch ancestry. He believed William Welch left Wilkes County, NC after the 1797 tax roll, and before the 1799 roll. In 1800 a "Squire" Welch, whom I believe is William's brother James Welch who died 1854 in Jackson County, MO., bought land in Wilkes County, NC on Hunting Creek. The 1805 Feb Court term has both Squire Welch and Daniel Holeman selling their land in Wilkes County, NC. The Wayne County, KY. taxes for 1805-1810 show both James and William Welch. Then in Overton County, Tennessee in what is now Fentress County, Tennessee. We find an 1811-1813 land survey for William "Welsh" and an 1815 survey for a "Squire" Welch, both on Crooked Creek near Allardt, TN.
Later in 1824 and 1826 a William Welch has two more land entries. Crooked Creek (1817) fell into the New Morgan County and the 1820 census is lost for New Morgan. By 1823 Fentress County was formed. There is a great loss of county records in this area before 1865. We know our William Welch was in Putnam County, IN. by Aug 1827 when his daughters Jane and Mary were married on the same day. A William Welch sold land in Fentress County, Tennessee in 1828. I am inclined to believe the 1820's Fentress County, Tennessee William Welch was somebody else. I think our William moved to Indiana from the Bedford or Lincoln County, Tennessee area. The William Welch on the 1820 Lincoln census may be ours except the older girls are not listed, or worked and boarded with someone else??
Matilda Welch married Pleasant McCullough ca. 1825 and the 1830 census has Pleasant McCullough in Bedford County, TN. Two other "Walsh" families from Wilkes County, NC., were also in Bedford County, TN. in 1830!
James "Squire" Welch was in Jackson County, MO. by 1824 or earlier. Just heard from a descendant of James Welch Jr. (1824-1895) Polk County, AR. His brothers Isom and Zack Welch settled in Grayson County, TX. 1857 and in 1876 my 2nd great grandfather Martin Welch moved to Collinsville, Grayson County, TX. where he was the Christian Church Minister until his death in 1878.
I don't know of any of my Welch line ever filed for Cherokee land in Oklahoma. My grandfather always said he thought the Welches had some Cherokee blood but his father never applied, and was dead by 1898.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49977184/william-welch
