Jul-28-2018
Husband: James Welch
Born: Jan- -1815 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 1,2,3
Died: Apr- 4-1865 in Doddridge Co, WV 4,5,6
Buried: in Blockhouse Hill Cemetery (old SDB section), West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 7,8
Cause of death: starvation 2
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Occupation: hotel keeper 3
Military: Aug-14-1862 - Apr- 4-1865 Pvt, Co A, 14th W.Va. Inf, Civil War (POW) 9,2 (see note 1)
Father: Isaiah Welch (1792 - 1860)
Mother: Rachel Ingram (1794 - )
Wife: Margaret "Peggy" Talbott 10,11
Also known as: Margaret Talbert 12
Married: Dec- 8-1834 in Harrison Co, (W)VA 12
Born: Oct-28-1816 1,3
Died: Feb-19-1869 in Doddridge Co, WV 13,6
Buried: in Blockhouse Hill Cemetery (old SDB section), West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 7,8
Resided: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA 3
Father:
Mother:
Notes
F Child 1: Melissa Welch
Born: May- 5-1836 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 14,15,3 (see note 2)
Died: Apr-27-1913 in Washington, DC 16,2
Buried: in Blockhouse Hill Cemetery (IOOF section), West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 7
Census: 1910 in Washington, DC (see note 3)
Census: 1910 in West Union, Doddridge Co, WV (see note 4)
Census: 1870, 1880, 1900 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Husband: Amos Bee b. Feb-28-1828 d. Aug-13-1904
Married: Mar-20-1856 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA 17
M Child 2: Isaiah Welch
Born: Nov- -1838 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 18,3,19 (see note 5)
Died: May- 3-1901 in Mellin, Ritchie Co, WV 20
Buried: in St. Michaels Catholic Cemetery, Co Rd 18/2, near Silver Run, Ritchie Co, WV 8
Census: 1900 in Murphy District, Ritchie Co, WV
Census: 1880 in West Grafton, Taylor Co, WV
Resided: 1876 in Wood Co, WV 19
Census: 1870 in Murphy District, Ritchie Co, WV
Resided: 1863 at Rock Run (West Union), Doddridge Co, WV 21
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Occupation: 1900 farmer
Occupation: 1880 railroad worker 22
Occupation: 1870 farmer
Military: Apr-22-1862 - May- 2-1865 Pvt, Co K, 10th W.Va. Inf, Civil War 20,23 (see note 6)
Wife: Jane "Jennie" Conley b. Apr- -1855 d. 1920
Also known as: Jenny Connley 6
Married: Dec-17-1876 at Silver Run (Cairo), Ritchie Co, WV 24
M Child 3: Elam Welch
Born: ca 1839 3,25
Died: Jun-11-1918 in Taylor Co, WV 25
Buried: in Stanley (aka Antioch) Cemetery, Sherwood, Doddridge Co, WV 26,8
Census: 1880 in Coal District, Harrison Co, WV
Census: 1870 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Occupation: coal miner 25,27
Occupation: 1870 farmer 28
Military: Pvt, Co M, 6th W.Va. Inf (Civil War) 26
Wife: Mary Elizabeth Kinney b. Jan-15-1854 d. Jan- 2-1927
M Child 4: Richard Welch
Born: 1841 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 29,3
Died: Nov- -1907 in Ritchie Co, WV 30
Buried: (no dates) in Wolverton (aka Powell or new Victory) Cemetery, Waldo Run, Doddridge Co, WV 26,8
Census: 1880 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1870 in Grant District, Ritchie Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Military: Pvt, Co M, 6th W.Va. Inf, Civil War 6
Wife: Mary Frances Stutler b. Oct-21-1843 d. Mar-15-1870
Wife: Elizabeth Evaline Davis b. Apr-14-1848 d. May- 3-1880
Also known as: Evaline E. Davis 29
Married: Oct- 5-1871 in Doddridge Co, WV 31,32
F Child 5: Floreed Welch
Census name: Florend Welch
Born: May-22-1843 25,3
Died: Nov-30-1918 in Parkersburg, Wood Co, WV 25
Buried: in West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 25
Census: 1870 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Husband: Henry Tucker Kinney b. ca 1834
F Child 6: Lenora Welch
Census name: Leonora Welch
Born: Mar- 7-1845 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 14,29,33
Died: Dec-21-1923 in Clarksburg, Harrison Co, WV 34
Buried: in Blockhouse Hill Cemetery (old SDB section), West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 35 (see note 7)
Census: 1900 in Pleasant District, Barbour Co, WV
Resided: 1885 in Barbour Co, WV 33
Census: 1870, 1880 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Husband: Benjamin Kinney b. Nov- 5-1829 d. Mar-23-1879
Married: Sep-23-1867 in Doddridge Co, WV 36
Husband: Thomas Clevenger b. ca 1830 d. bef Jun 1900
Married: Apr- 9-1885 in Barbour Co, WV 33
M Child 7: Ephraim Welch
Born: ca 1847 in Barbour Co, (W)VA 3
Census: 1910 in Pleasant District, Barbour Co, WV
Resided: 1908 in Fairview, Barbour Co, WV 37
Census: 1870, 1880 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV (see note 8)
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Occupation: farmer 38
Wife: Icie May Ruckman b. ca 1874
Married: Oct- 1-1908 in Clarksburg, Harrison Co, WV 37
F Child 8: Rachel Jane Welch
Born: Oct-30-1850 in Jefferson Co, IN 20,39,28
Died: Jul- 4-1917 in West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 40,41
Buried: in Blockhouse Hill Cemetery (IOOF section), West Union, Doddridge Co, WV 7,8
Census: 1870, 80, 1900, 10 in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV
Census: 1860 in Doddridge Co, (W)VA
Husband: Ezekiel Bee Davis b. Aug-21-1846 d. Nov-25-1925
Married: Sep-24-1870 in Doddridge Co, WV 42
Sources:
(1) Headstone - Date calculated from age at death.
(2) Doddridge County Death Records, West Union, WV.
(3) 1860 Census, Doddridge County, (W)VA.
(4) Doddridge County Death Records, West Union, WV, Identified as James Welch, while male, age 50, born in Barbour Co, son
of Isyah & Rachel, husband of Margaret, occupation soldier; died Apr 4 1865 in Doddridge County, cause of death
starvation. Informant: Ealeam Welch, son. DR p. 9 :
www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=5051340&Type=Death.
(5) Civil War Service Records, .
(6) Headstone.
(7) West Union WV Cemeteries (Doddridge County), Wes Cochran, 2515 10th Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (July 1990)
(8) Findagrave.com.
(9) Civil War Service Records, , Muster-out Roll of Jun 17 1865, Cumberland, Md, contains the following entry
regarding James Welch, Pvt, Co A, 14th W.Va. Inf: "Died of disease at his home in W.Va.. while on furlough as a paroled
Prisoner of War. Was captured at Cedar Creek, Va., Oct 19, 1864. Date of death, Apr 4, 1865."
Muster Roll of Mar/Apr 1865 states under Remarks: "Died Apr 4, 1865, of disease contracted in Rebel prison."
Muster Roll of Jan/Feb 1865 and Nov/Dec 1864 contain identical entries: "Absent. Missing in action Oct 19,
1864."
Muster Roll of Sep/Oct 1864: "Absent sick since Oct 19, 1864. Said to be at Winchester, Va."
Muster Roll of Jul/Aug 1864 and May/Jun 1864 contain identical entries: "Absent sick in Gen'l Hospital at Grafton,
W.Va., since Apr 3, 1964."
Muster Roll of Mar/Apr 1864: Absent. "Sick in hospital since Apr 5, 1864."
Muster Roll of Jan/Feb 1864: Absent. "Detached service in Commissary Dept at New Creek, W.Va., from Feb 2 of
64."
Muster Rolls of Nov/Dec 1862 thru Nov/Dec 1863 state only that he was present for duty, with no other remarks.
Muster Roll of Oct 31, 1862: Absent. Sick.
Muster Roll of Aug 23 1862, Wheeling, Va., states that James Welch, age 44 [sic], enlisted as a Private in Co A, 14th
Inf Regt, at West Union on Aug 14 1862 for a term of 3 years.
A medical record shows that he was admitted to a hospital at Grafton on Apr 3 1864, suffering from rheumatism. He
returned to duty on Sep 1 1864.
Memorandum from Prisoner of War Record states that he was captured at Shenandoah on Oct 19, 1864, confined at Richmond,
Va. He was paroled at (illegible) Landing, Va., on Mar 9 1865 and reported at (illegible), Md, on Mar 11 1865.
Another more detailed POW Record states that he was captured at Cedar Creek, Va, on Oct 19 1864, and was confined at
Lynchburg and/or Richmond (entry not clear; Confederate POW camp in Richmond was Libby prison), later at Salisbury,
North Carolina. He contracted a fever and on Feb 23 1865 was admitted to the 12th General Hospital in Richmond. He was
paroled at Cox's Wharf, Va, on Mar 10 1865, and reported to Camp Parole, Md. Identified as James Welch, Pvt, Co A, 14th
W.Va. Inf, a farmer, age 50.
James Welch's wife Margaret filed for a Civil War widow's pension on Feb 23
1866.
(10) Marriage record of daughter.
(11) Death record of daughter.
(12) West Virginia Marriages Index, 1785-1971 [database on-line], Ancestry.com.
(13) Doddridge County Death Records, West Union, WV, Identified as Margaret Welch, white female, died Mar 15 1868, age 51y 4m
17d, cause of death "Change of Life." Unlike all other deaths recorded on this page of the ledger-style record, there
was no entry made for the deceased's parents, birthplace, occupation, marital status, or source of information. (NOTE:
This age and death date calculates to a birth date of Oct 26 1813. But her headstone states her death date as Feb 19
1869, at age 52y 3m 22d, which calculates to a birth date of Oct 28 1816. Her age in the 1860 Census was 44, lending
credence to the 1816 birth date. Her death record is part of an alphabetized ledger, with the entries having been
hand-copied from other sources. Other instances have been found of incorrect entries in this style of document. The
incompleteness of her entry, along with the discrepancy with her headstone, lead to the conclusion that this is yet
another clerical error. The information on her headstone is therefore considered to be the more reliable of the two.),
DR p. 15 : www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=5051216&Type=Death.
(14) Death Record - Birth date calculated from age at death.
(15) Susie Davis Nicholson, Davis - The Settlers of Salem, West Virginia, Gordon Printing Co, Strasburg OH, 1979 (Revised &
Enlarged) < www.wvgenweb.org/harrison/books.htm >, p. 106.
(16) Obituary.
(17) Doddridge County WV Marriages 1845-1937, Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (Jan 1993),
Identified as Amos Bee, 27, b. Harrison Co, res. Doddridge Co, son of Ephraim & Catharine; and Melissa Welch, 26, b.
Harrison Co, res. Doddridge Co, dau of James & Margaret. Married Mar 20 1856. (NOTE: Age 23 at 1860 Census would put
Melissa Welch's birth in about 1837. "Davis - The Settlers of Salem WV," p. 106, reports Melissa Welch's birth as May
1836 in Barbour County.)
(18) 1900 Census, Ritchie County, WV (Murphy District)
(19) Wood County Marriage Records, Parkersburg, WV.
(20) Historical Military Records, www.fold3.com.
(21) U.S. Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 [database on-line], Ancestry.com and National Archives.
(22) 1880 Census, Taylor County, WV.
(23) U.S. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line], Ancestry.com and National
Archives & Records Administration.
(24) Wood County Marriage Records, Parkersburg, WV, Identified as Isaiah Welch, 35, b. Barbour Co, res. Ritchie Co; and Jane
Conley, 22, b. & res. in Ritchie Co. Married Dec 17 1876 at Silver Run.
(NOTE: Husband's age appears to be understated, as compared to most census records. Silver Run is located in Ritchie
County, near Cairo. Reason for this marriage being recorded in Wood County in not known, but probably is related to the
husband's residence being there at the time.), MR p. 74, Line 169 :
http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=10741035&Type=Marriage.
(25) WV State Dept of Health, Div of Vital Statistics, Death Certificate (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx)
(26) Donald Edward Ramage, Doddridge County Cemeteries, Vol. I, 4117 Almaville Rd, Smyna TN 37167 (1988, rev. 1999)
(27) 1880 Census, Harrison County, WV (Coal District).
(28) 1870 Census, Doddridge County, WV (West Union Twp).
(29) Doddridge County WV Marriages 1845-1937, Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (Jan 1993)
(30) Ritchie County Death Records, Harrisville, WV.
(31) Doddridge County WV Marriages 1845-1937, Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (Jan 1993),
Identified as Richard Welch, widowed, 30, b. Barbour Co, res. Doddridge Co, son of James & Margaret; and Evaline E.
Davis, 22, of Doddridge Co, dau of Joel H. & Charlotte S. Married Oct 5 1871.
(32) Doddridge County Marriage Records, West Union, WV, Identified as Richard Welch, widowed, age 30 yr 7 mo, b. Barbour Co,
res. Doddridge Co, son of James & Margaret Welch; and Evaline E. Davis, single, 22, b. & res. in Doddridge Co, dau of
Joel H. & Charlotte S. Davis. Married Oct 5 1871 in Doddridge County. MR p. 182 :
http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=11791305&Type=Marriage.
(33) Barbour County Marriage Records, Philippi, WV, http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=11633431&Type=Marriage.
(34) Harrison County Death Records, Clarksburg, WV, Identified as Mrs. Lenora Clevenger, widowed, dau of James Welch &
Margaret Talbott, died in Clarksburg on Dec 21 1923 of thyroid cancer, age 78y 9m 14d. Buried in West Union.
Informant: Charles Kinney. DR p. 36.
(35) Harrison County Death Records, Clarksburg, WV.
(36) Doddridge County WV Marriages 1845-1937, Wes Cochran, 156 Gihon Meadows, Apt 150, Parkersburg, WV 26101 (Jan 1993),
Identified as Benjamin Kinney, widowed, 36, b. Harrison Co, res. Doddridge Co, son of Snowden & Mary; and Leanora Welch,
22, b. Barbour Co, res. Doddridge Co, dau of James & Peggy. Married Sep 23
1867.
(37) Harrison County Marriage Records, Clarksburg, WV, http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=18730&Type=Marriage.
(38) 1910 Census, Barbour County, WV.
(39) 1900 Census, Doddridge County, WV (West Union District)
(40) Doddridge County Death Records, West Union, WV, Identified as Rachel Jane Davis, married, died Jul 4 1917 in West Union,
cause of death cancer. Age at death given as 66y 4m 9d, which calculates to a birth date of Feb 25 1851. But this is
in conflict with the 1850 birth date on her headstone, with the Oct 1850 birth date in the 1900 Census, and with her
mother's Civil War widow's pension claim, in which she reported Rachel's birth date as Oct 30 1850. Adding to the
confusion is the death certificate generated at the WV Dept of Vital Statistics, which states her death date as Aug 4
1917, age at death 66. All evidence taken into account, however, it appears certain that she was born on Oct 30 1850 in
Jefferson County, Indiana. DR p. 35 :
http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=5044473&Type=Death.
(41) Headstone (year only)
(42) Doddridge County Marriage Records, West Union, WV, Identified as Ezekiel B. Davis, single, farmer, age 24y 1m, b. & res.
in Doddridge Co, son of Alfred & Rebecca Davis; and Rachel Welch, single, age 20, b. Jefferson Co Virginia (sic), res.
Doddridge Co, dau of James & Margaret Welch. Married Sep 24 1870 in Doddridge Co.
(NOTE: Wife's stated birthplace is incorrect. According to Civil War widow's pension records filed by her mother after
her father's 1865 death, Rachel was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, on Oct 30 1850. The 1870 Census also shows her
birthplace as Indiana, although other census records incorrectly indicate Va/Wva.), MR p. 174, Line 2 :
http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=11791703&Type=Marriage.
Event Notes
Note (1) Military records show that James Welch was a Private in Co A, 14th W. Va.
Infantry. He was captured October 19, 1864 at the Battle of Cedar Creek in
Virginia. He was first sent to Richmond, Virginia and then to Salisbury Prison
in North Carolina. In February 1865, because of overcrowding at the prison,
James was among 1,420 prisoners that were transferred back to Richmond,
Virginia. On March 10, 1865 James was paroled in a prisoner exchange at Cox’s
Wharf, near Richmond, and sent home with advanced typhoid fever and suffering
from starvation and exposure.
Note (2) Marriage record indicates that she was born in about 1830 in Harrison County.
But age 23 at 1860 Census and 33 in 1870 Census would put birth in about 1837.
"Davis - The Settlers of Salem WV," p. 106, reports Melissa Welch's birth as May
1836 in Barbour County.
Note (3) in household with daughter Catherine and son-in-law Warner Stutler
Note (4) in household with daughter Clara and son-in-law Benjamin Foley
Note (5) Birth date on headstone is Dec 23 1840, inconsistent with
Note (6) Joined for duty in West Union on Apr 14 1862. Mustered in on Apr 22 1862,
also in West Union. Mustered out with his unit as a Private on May 2 1865 in
Richmond, Virginia.
Note (7) Death record gives burial location only as West Union. Since her parents,
husband and son are all buried in the same plot at the old SDB section of
Blockhouse Hill Cemetery, it is presumed that she was buried with them.
Note (8) In 1880, listed as brother Ephraim Welch, 33, single, farmer in household of
his widowed sister Lenora Kinney.
Name Index