Frederick E Welsh M D

WELSH

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/10/2010 at 10:37:55

A well known and prominent representative of the medial profession in Boone is Dr Frederick E Welsh, and his life stands in contradistinction to the old age that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country, for he is a native son of Boone and in the city where the greater part of his life has been passed he is accorded a liberal practice, and by the consensus of public opinion is named as one of the leading physicians of his part of the state. His natal day was December 11, 1874.
His father, George H Welsh, was one of the pioneer settlers of this county and established one of the early drug stores of Boone. He as born in Norfolk county, Canada, West, in 1842, and in 1851 when a lad of about nine yeas accompanied his parents on their removal across the border and into Ogle county, Illinois. After some time he became a resident of Hamilton county, Iowa. In his youth he learned the printer’s trade, which he followed for a number of years, but hen the differences between the north and the south involved the country in civil war, he put aside all business and personal considerations and offered his aid to the government enlisting in the Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, with which he served for three years. Following his return home he again resumed active connection with the printing business and for some time was one of the proprietors of the Marshall County Times. He applied himself so closely and arduously to the management of his business that his health became impaired, necessitating a change of occupation, and in 1867 he removed to Boone, where he established a drug store, of which he was proprietor throughout his remaining days. On October 7, 1869, he wedded Miss Helen Francis Hartwell, a native of Rockford, Illinois. His death occurred on September 11 1911, and his widow, still surviving, now makes her home in Boone. In their family were five children: George H , who was born November 27, 1872, and was American agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company of Mexico, obtained a concession permitting the building of a railroad, which he and his partner built to a distance of one hundred and eighty mils. His death occurred in the City of Mexico July 15, 1909. Frederick E is the next of the family. Charles Aldrich, born February 25, 1881, was a graduate engineer of the Iowa State College and became a prominent building and contracting engineer. He was identified with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St Louis, having taken a contract in connection with the building of the Cases and other important structures on the exposition grounds. He was also identified with the extension of ht Northwestern Elevated Railroad in Chicago through the north shore suburbs. He died March 14, 1907. Marguerite, the next of the family is at home. Helen is the wife of Albert Wieland, manager of the Bettendorf Car & Axel Company of Davenport.
Reared in his native city Dr Welsh passed through consecutive grades in the public schools until graduated from the Boone high school with the lass of 1892. He afterward entered Drake University at Des Moines, there spending a years, and subsequently became a student in the Northwestern University at Evanston, which he attended for four years and was then graduated. He next entered the State University at Iowa City, in which he pursued the medical course, and later he entered the medical department of the Northwestern University in Chicago, from which he was graduated with the class of 1903. IN the meantime he had some practical experience in medical and surgical work. On April 26, 1898, Dr Welsh enlisted as a private in Company, I, Fifty-second Iowa Infantry at Boone and spent one month in Des Moines. The regiment immediately entered the United States service ad Dr Welsh was made a corporal. He as then transferred to the hospital staff as hospital steward, lance hospital steward, acting hospital steward and finally became hospital steward, in charge of the Second Division, Third Corps and the Ambulance Division, which made him an officer of the colonel’s staff. As he had not then graduated in medicine , he could not be advance farther. Owing to illness, he was the last man of his regiment to be mustered out, leaving the army thirty days after the other member of the regiment.
Following his graduation form the Northwestern University Medical School, where he had completed his preparation for medical practice, Dr Welsh went to Rutland, where he practice for eight years, and in 1911 he returned to Boone, where he opened an office and has since engaged in practice. He is well versed not only in the major, but also the minor points of his profession. He makes a specialty of children’s diseases and has become recognized as an authority on the same. He is a among leader among the physicians of this section of the state because of the thorough study which he gives each individual case. His diagnosis is most careful, and he is seldom if ever at fault in anticipating the outcome of disease. He employs the most modern methods in his practice and at all times keeps in touch with eh advanced thought and progress of the profession. His practice is large and gratifying in addition, he has various other business interests. He is now proprietor of the Welsh drug store, the pioneer establishment of the kind in Boone, has been a director of the Rutland State Savings Bank for the last nine years, is ex-president of the Rutland Rolling Mills Corporation, resigning when he removed to Boone, and is a director of the Rutland Cooperative Creamery Association. He manifests keen sagacity and enterprise in relation to business affairs as well as professional interests, and because of the extent and importance of his activities has come to be recognized as one of the leading citizens of this section of the state.
On December 22, 1902, Dr Welsh was united in marriage to Miss Cleve Edna Squires, a native Marshalltown, Iowa , and a daughter of Henry W and Emma (Andres) Squires. Her father who is now living retired in Ames, Iowa as formerly a contractor and builder and erected some of the largest churches, business houses and private residences of his day throughout central Iowa. Unto Dr and Mrs Welsh have been born a daughter Cleve Squires, born June 6, 1904, and a son, Drederick Edwin Jr, born October 14, 1910.
Dr Welsh gives his political endorsement to the republican party by his support at the polls of all of its candidates and its measures, but he does not desire public office for himself. He is a Master Mason, and also belongs to the Easter Star chapter. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the world and the Woodman Circle, while since his college days he has been a member o the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, having joined the chapter at Northwestern University. His religious belief is that of the Episcopalian church and to its teachings he is faithful. In all the relations of life Dr Welsh has been found progressive and loyal. He stands for all that is best in community affairs and in the national life as well, and can justly be termed a typical American citizen, alert and enterprising ,ready to meet any emergency of life with the confidence and courage that comes form a right connection of things and habitual regard for what is best in the exercise offhand activities.

1914 Boone County History Book