Welsh, Edward

WELSH, COOGAN, QUARTER, CUNNINGHAM, KEEVY, DEMPSEY, REED, MAHARMANYON, BULGER, SNYDER, CLEARY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/14/2003 at 20:33:20

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

EDWARD WELSH.

Edward Welsh, deceased, was for many years one of the leading farmers and most highly respected citizens of Washington township. He was born in Kings county, Ireland, on Christmas day, 1827, and was a son of Edward and Lizzie (Coogan) Welsh, the former also a native of Kings and the latter of County West Meath. Throughout life the father followed farming on the Emerald Isle, and died there in 1851, while his wife passed away in 1866. They had a family of ten children, including Edward, of this review; Lizzie, who married John Quarter, and both died in Ireland; Mary, who wedded Edward Cunningham, and both are now deceased; Rosie, who married a Mr. Keevy, and both died in Connecticut; Katie, who died in Ireland; David, who died at the age of twenty-one years; and Thomas, who married Catherine Dempsey and came to America, where he died in 1871, his wife in 1860. The other members of the family remained in Ireland, and little is known of them.

In 1852 our subject crossed the Atlantic on an English sailing vessel, the St. George, which was seven weeks in making the voyage, during which time there were two very severe storms. On landing in New York, Mr. Welsh was met by his brother James, who had come to the United States in 1850. For two years he worked as a stone-mason in New York and then went to Dixon, Illinois, where he was employed as a farm hand for seven years. In 1858 he came to Clinton county, Iowa, and purchased eighty acres of land at thirty dollars per acre, it being a government claim owned by Paddy Flynn. With an ox team Mr. Welsh drove to Maquoketa, where he got his deed made out. At that time there were no houses between his place and Lyons, and the country round about was all wild prairie. Returning to Illinois, Mr. Welsh engaged in farming on rented land until 1861, when he erected a small house upon his farm in this county and located thereon. He broke the land with ox teams and soon had the place under a high state of cultivation. Prospering in his new home, he added to his landed possessions until at the time of his death he had three hundred and sixty acres, to which his widow and son have since added a tract of one hundred and twenty acres on section six, Washington township, while the original farm is on sections seventeen and eighteen. Mr. Welsh died October 4, 1898, honored and respected by all who knew him, and was buried in St. Mary’s Catholic cemetery. He was a devout member of the Catholic church of Deep Creek township, and was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and its principles.

On the 15th of July, 1866, in Center Grove, Mr. Welsh was married by Rev. Father Scallon to Miss Catherine Reed, who was born in Queens county, Ireland, march 17, 1846, and was fifteen years of age when she came to America with her parents, John and Mary (Mahar) Reed, also natives of Queens county. They located in Center Grove, this state, where Mr. Reed bought one hundred and twenty acres of land, to which the family subsequently added two hundred and forty acres. He died September 10, 1896, aged eighty-four years, and his wife departed this life September 11, 1900, aged ninety. They were members of St. Patrick’s Catholic church, and most estimable people. Of their six children Mrs. Welsh is the eldest; Thomas, the second in order of birth, died at the age of thirty years; William married Lizzie Manyon and resides near Lexington, Dawson county, Nebraska; John married Maggie Bulger and makes his home in Center Grove, Iowa; Mary wedded John Snyder and died in Center Grove, June 18, 1900; and Richard died at the age of twenty-two years.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Welsh were as follows: Edward, who is mentioned below; Thomas, who lives near Delmar; John and Richard, both at home with their mother; Mary, who is keeping house for her brother Thomas; James, who is also with Thomas; and Michael, Frank and Charles, who are all with their mother; William is deceased.

Edward Welsh, Jr., was born in this county, April 19, 1867, and attended the district schools near his home until fifteen years of age. During the following five years he assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm. He was married in the Deep Creek Catholic church, February 15, 1896, by Rev. Peter O’Dodd, to Miss Maggie Cleary, who was born on the 24th of August, 1864, and is a daughter of Patrick C. Cleary.

After his marriage Edward Welsh, Jr., commenced farming on his own account, and operated rented land until the fall of 1900, when he purchased one hundred and twenty acres on section seventeen, Washington township, on which he has made a number of useful improvements. He raises a high grade of stock for market, and in business affairs is meeting with well-deserved success. Religiously he is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church at Deep Creek township, and is a young man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.