The mother of our subject departed this life in January, i906, at the age of seventy years. She was a consistent member of the Lutheran church.
There were seven children in their family, namely: Daniel D., who is now living on the farm of his brother; Harvey A., of Spirit Lake, Iowa, who engaged in teaching for a number of years and is also actively identified with agricultural interests; Ira C., of Nevada, who has been county superintendent of schools and is now devoting his attention to his land interests; Dora May, deceased; Bert B., the subject of this review; David Guy, of Nevada, who has also taught school and is a stock-buyer and landowner; and Gertrude V., the wife of A. B. Alderman, of Marion, Iowa, who for some years past has served as county superintendent of schools.
Bert B. Welty was reared on his father's farm and thoroughly instructed by him in all details. pertaining to agriculture and stock-raising. He attended the district schools and taught for several terms. He was a student in the Iowa State Normal School, at Cedar Falls, from which he was graduated in 1896. Having decided to devote his attention to the legal profession, he matriculated at the Iowa State University in the fall of 1896, graduating with a degree of LL. B. in June, 1898. He at once began practice at Nevada and possessing natural adaptability for law and also having made thorough preparation in one of the most noted schools in the west, he has met with gratifying success from the very start. He is the 0wner of a farm east of Nevada of two hundred and forty-five acres, where he maintains a noted herd of Shetland ponies, to which he has devoted a great deal of attention, having made two trips to the Shetland Islands, Scotland, for the purpose of selecting and importing pedigreed stock. He has arranged for a trip to the islands with his family in 1911. He also owns eighty acres in Sherman township and an interest in the Highland Park addition to Nevada, being associated in the latter enterprise with judge C. G. Lee and P. E. Shugart. He has other business connections and has shown a judgment and discrimination in financial affairs which give great promise for his success along those lines in the future.
In June, 1900, Mr. Welty was united in marriage to Miss Alice M. Shoemaker, a native of Indiana and daughter of Daniel and Mattie (Baer) Shoemaker, who came to Iowa in 1880. Four children have come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Welty : Esther M., born September 2, 1901 ; Paul B., February 28, 19o4; Mildred A., July 13, 1906; and Joseph' P., who was born January 9, 1910, and died July 1, 1910.
Mr. Welty is a member of the Story County Bar Association and politically gives his earnest support to the republican party. His religious belief is indicated by his membership in the Lutheran church. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, and he is a strong advocate of the beneficent principles of those organizations. He has attained a high position in professional