My Genealogy Hound

John Welch is a farmer of Gap Township, Montgomery County, Ark., but was born in Overton County, Tenn., in 1833, to Thomas F. and Elizabeth (Oliver) Welch, the former born in Tennessee in 1812, and the latter in Georgia in 1810. They were married in Overton County, Tenn., and when their son John was six months old they moved to Hardeman County, West Tenn., and in 1853 to what is now Montgomery County, where the father died in 1871, and the mother in 1883, the former a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church, of which the mother was also a member. He was a farmer also, and socially was a Royal Arch Mason. His father, who was of Irish descent, died in Hardeman County, Tenn., having lived the honest and independent life of the farmer. George Oliver, the maternal grandfather, was also a worthy tiller of the soil, was a soldier in the War of 1812, being with Jackson at New Orleans, and died in Mississippi. John Welch is the second of nine children, five now living, and all the sons with the exception of himself are ministers of the Missionary Baptist Church. John was reared on the farm with the advantages of a common-school education, and was married in 1852 to Miss Nancy J., daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Vaughn, who were born, reared, married, and spent their lives in Hardeman County, Tenn. The death of Mrs. Welch occurred in 1867, she having borne Mr. Welch ten children, all of whom are living but one. In February, 1868, Mr. Welch took for his second wife Mrs. Cynthia A. E. Gist, daughter of Judge James H. and Mary West, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively, their union taking place in the latter State. Their removal to Arkansas dates from 1857, but since 1859 they have been residents of Montgomery County. Judge West was judge of the county and probate court of Montgomery County two terms, was at one time tax collector, and in 1866 represented this county in the General Assembly of the State. He is also a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Welch was born in Hamilton County, Tenn., in 1843, and by her first husband became the mother of four children, and by Mr. Welch the mother of two daughters. In 1853 Mr. Welch came to what is now Montgomery County, and has since lived in Gap Township, being the owner of 480 acres of land in different tracts, all of which he has earned by his own efforts. In 1862 he joined Company C, Forty-second Arkansas Infantry, and fought at Iuka, Corinth, being captured in the last named battle, but was soon after paroled and came home, where he remained until the spring of 1863 when he rejoined his command at Port Hudson, where he was again captured after a siege of forty-eight days. After being paroled this time he returned home to enter the army no more. During his service he was twice wounded. He has been a member of New Hope Lodge No. 42, of the A. F. & A. M., in which he has held nearly all the offices. He belongs to the Farmers’ Alliance, has been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church since 1852, in which he has been a deacon for some years. He has also held the office of justice of the peace for the period of six years.