My Genealogy Hound

Welcome Letchworth was born in Claiborne County, Tenn., January 20, 1813, and since 1832 has been a resident of Missouri, his parents, Aaron and Elizabeth Letchworth, having come to the State at that date. The father was born in Virginia, but was reared and married in Tennessee, and resided in that State until his death. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Welcome Letchworth went to Hamilton County at the age of seventeen years, and was there married and remained until 1832, when he resided from that time until 1850 in Mississippi County, Mo., and since the latter date has been a resident of Webster County. His first purchase was forty acres of land, but he is now the owner of 200 acres in the home place, and eighty acres in another tract, with over 140 acres under cultivation. Game was very abundant when he first located here, and hunting has always had considerable fascination for him, and many are the deer, bear, wolves and other wild animals that have fallen victims to his skill as a marksman. While residing in Mississippi County he was engaged in trapping, also, but never followed that occupation after coming to Webster County. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the first company of Home Guards that was organized in the county, and although he participated in a number of skirmishes was in no general engagements. Elizabeth Gower, whom he married on the 17th of August, 1832, died on the 17th of February, 1886, having been a faithful help-mate for nearly fifty-two and a half years. They have one child living, Isabella Catherine, wife of T. M. Stone. Thompson, a son, died at the age of twenty-two years, and John M. died in the hospital in St. Louis in the fall of 1861, aged twenty years. Other children died in infancy. Mrs. Lydia C. Plank, widow of Henry Plank, who died in 1875, and daughter of Joseph Williams (deceased), became the wife of Mr. Letchworth in 1889. Four children were born to her first marriage: Delia, wife of Joseph, Kilburn; Sarah, wife of Sigel Owen; Laura and Amanda. Mr. Letchworth and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he has been a deacon in the same for a number of years.