The attached is a photograph of Dr. Welton Neville O'Bannon, first
Mayor of New Madrid, New Madrid Co., MO. A similar photo can be found
in the New Madrid Museum. Dr. O'Bannon had unusual given names and the
following indicated the origin. William O'Bannon, 1730 - 1807, married
Anne Neville. William was a captain of some unit during the
revolutionary war period and Anne is purported to be the daughter of a
General Neville. One of their sons, Joseph Neville O'Bannon' 1758 -
1824, married Martha Jane Welton daughter of William Welton a
certified Revolutionary Patriot. A son of Joseph and Martha was named Welton
Neville O'Bannon, 1798 -1863, this Welton came to New Madrid County from
Cape Girardeau Co., MO about the year 1854 with a son named
William Neville O'Bannon who married Virginia LaForge in New Madrid
Co.
They named a son Welton Neville O'Bannon, 1854 - 1910. The latter
Welton became a physician, married Mary E. Williams, and later in life
became the first mayor of New Madrid. Welton and Mary named one
of their sons William Neville O'Bannon, 1888 - 1964, who would also
became a physician, business man and farmer. William married Elsie
Lucille Robbins and they had a son named Welton Neville O'Bannon, 1917 -
1997. Welton married Louise Morgan and there was no issue from the
union.
