Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 
1887, Jessamine Co.

JOHN C. WELCH, A.M., M.D.  This name is familiar to every man, woman and
child in Jessamine County.  It designates a good and useful man, who has
entered into rest after a long life of labor and self-denial in doing
good to his fellow men.  Dr. Welch died on Wednesday night at 10 
o'clock, February 2, 1887, in the sixty-fourth year of his age.  He was 
the third son of John Welch, an enterprising farmer of Jessamine County,
who died in 1842.  His grandfather, John Welch, was a native of Ireland 
and served in the Revolutionary war under Gens. Washington and Greene.  
Soon after the close of that war he immigrated to Lincoln County, Ky., 
but in 1784 removed to Jessamine County, opening a farm one mile south 
of Nicholasville.  Here, on this old home place, were born Dr. Welch and
all his brothers and an only sister.  It is now the property of the 
widow and children of the late Samuel R. Welch, his eldest brother, who 
died November 1, 1883.  Dr. Welch was a long leading physician of 
Nicholasville, whose career of professional usefulness runs back 
forty-one years, linking his name with the chief events of the place, 
and uniting a generation now dead with the actors of the present.  The 
mother of Dr. Welch was Elizabeth Rice, daughter of Samuel Rice, cousin 
of the distinguished Presbyterian minister Nathan L. Rice.  The late 
Rev. Thomas R. Welch, D.D. of Little Rock, Ark., American counsul [sic] 
to Canada, 1885-86, who filled the office with signal ability, was his 
brother.  His nephew, W. R. Welch, still holds the place of deputy 
counsul [sic] at Hamilton, Canada.  His brother, James A. Welch, was 
postmaster of Nicholasville during the administration of James K. Polk, 
and died in 1850.  Judge William R. Welch, of Carlinville, Ill., is the 
only member of the family living.  When a very young man, Dr. Welch
began his medical studies at Nicholasville under Dr. William Johnston, a
prominent physician of St. Louis.  Dr. Welch's name is intimately
associated with the benevolent institutions of Kentucky.  To the poor,
the sick and afflicted he was truly a benefactor.  He did more gratis 
practice than any physician ever in Jessamine County, and could have 
amassed a large fortune, yet he died poor.  The following facts in his 
history will give the reader a fair estimate of his services and the 
positions he has filled with signal ability.  On the 5th of September, 
1844, he graduated in the collegiate department of Transylvania 
University, then under the distinguished Dr. Bascom, receiving his 
degree of bachelor of arts.  He attended lectures at the Louisville 
Medical School and also in the medical department of Transylvania 
University; graduated at the latter university March 6, 1846, and 
immediately entered into practice at Nicholasville.  He at once gained 
a reputation for medical skill, and in due time secured an extensive 
practice, which was still extensive up to the very time he died.  In 
1861, when the dark cloud of civil war was preparing to burst over the 
land, Dr. Welch entered the Federal Army as surgeon of the Twentieth
Kentucky Infantry, and from 1863 to the close of the war was a brigade
surgeon.  He was in the battles of Shiloh, Dalton, Siege of Atlanta,
Lebanon, Ky., and Perryville, and in Gen. Sherman's march to the sea. 
In 1859 and 1860 he was editor of the Nicholasville Democrat and proved
himself a writer of ability.  He was a distinguished member of the Odd
Fellows, and the first time he attended the Grand Encampment, I.O.O.F,
at Louisville, in 1868, he was elected Grand Patriarch.  In October, 
1874, he was chosen Grand Master of the order without opposition, the 
second occurrence of the kind that has happened since the order was 
introduced in Kentucky in 1833.  He was the Kentucky editor of the Odd 
Fellow's Companion for eight consecutive years.  Few men have ever done 
more in the defense of Odd Fellowship in Kentucky than Dr. Welch.  When 
Grand Master, I.O.O.F., he gave thirty decisions, all of which were 
approved by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, although one was in direct 
conflict with a former decision of the Grand Lodge, having since been 
reversed by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United States, thus showing
not only his sound judgment but thorough acquaintance with the laws of 
the order.  He served his subordinate lodge as permanent secretary over 
twenty years.  As a Mason he filled all the offices in the subordinate 
lodge, served five years as Worshipful Master and was appointed High 
Priest of Jessamine Chapter, and filled the office for eight consecutive
years.  He was also a Sir Knight in the Masonic Fraternity.  As county 
superintendent of common schools he visited them all, which had never 
been done before by any one of his predecessors in office.  He was at 
the time of his death, and for sixteen years, one of the examiners of 
common school teachers.  August 6, 1877, he was elected a member of the 
Kentucky Legislature, and was appointed chairman of the committee on 
charitable institutions, also served on the committee of education.  
During the session a bill organizing a State board of health was passed 
with limited powers and still more limited finances, trusting to future 
legislation to amend as occasion or necessity might require.  He was 
re-elected in 1879, and was appointed chairman on the standing committee
made necessary by the establishment of a State board of health.  In 
behalf of his benevolent efforts he mad all his legislation conform to 
benevolent purposes, which were characterized by equal justice to all 
and exclusive privileges to non--the greatest good to the greatest 
number.  He opposed the reduction of the salaries of the judges, and
favored the reduction of the rates of interest, and was glad to see it
become a law.  Dr. Welch was first married in 1847 to Miss Susan
McBrayer, of Jessamine County, who died July 27, 1855. Miss Ella, Dr. 
John S. and Dr. Henry A. Welch are the children by the first marriage.  
In May, 1857, he was married to Mary E. Downing, of Mercer County, Ky., 
daughter of Armistead Downing, unto whom were born three children: Mrs. 
Lizzie S. Wilds, Dr. Thomas R. Welch and Samuel R., who died in infancy.
The three sons surviving are graduates in medicine and succeeding 
nicely.  He sprang of the best stock of people and was naturally endowed
with a refined mind.  In spirit, in manner, in all his deportment, he 
was a gentleman.  There was nothing coarse or common about him.  He was 
born July 3, 1823, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  
No man today is more missed than Dr. Welch.

Welch Rice Johnston Bascom McBrayer Downing Wilds
=
Lincoln-KY Mercer-KY Fayette-KY Louisville-Jefferson-KY MO AR IL
Canada Ireland

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