Washington County ArArchives Biographies.....Welch, W. B. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 17, 2009, 12:08 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) W. B. WELCH, M. D. In the passing of Dr. W. B. Welch, Fayetteville lost a distinguished citizen and the medical profession a most able representative. He began active practice at the age of twenty-one years and he ever remained a deep student of his profession, taking frequent postgraduate courses. He took an active interest in all medical societies, at one time serving as first vice president of the American Medical Association, and he was a dominant factor in the organization of the State Medical Society. He made a specialty of surgery, being one of the few men to concentrate on that particular branch of the profession in his day, and he performed some remarkable operations. He was born in Scottsville, Kentucky, in 1829, a son of Christopher and Elizabeth (Lyle) Welch. The father was a native of Virginia and removed to Kentucky at an early day. He was postmaster at Huntsville, Alabama, a number of years, to which state he removed after the Civil war. Both Mr. and Mrs. Welch died at the home of their son, Dr. Welch. They were the parents of six children, two of whom are living. Dr. Welch was the third in order of birth. The family was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, and the father gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, having firm belief 'in the principles of that party as factors in good government. Dr. Welch received his early education in the schools of Huntsville, Alabama, and later went to Nashville, Tennessee, and entered the medical department of the State University, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1849. He began the practice of medicine in Somerville, Alabama, and remained there until he came to Arkansas and located at Canehill. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, his sympathies being with the south, Dr. Welch enlisted in the Confederate army as surgeon and was in active service for four years. After the surrender of his command at Fort Smith he received his honorable discharge and returned to Canehill, where he resumed his practice until 1881, when he came to Fayetteville. He represented the medical profession in Canehill for some thirty-two years, and was a representative citizen of that community. He practiced in Fayetteville until his demise in 1917. Dr. Welch was one of the few men in his day to specialize in surgery, and he performed some remarkable operations. He operated on a child of eight years who had never talked nor walked, and the child was completely normal at the age of eleven years, walking, talking and reading. He gained recognition as one of the able and successful surgeons of Arkansas and by his labors and high professional attainments and his sterling characteristics justified the respect and confidence in which he was held by the medical fraternity and the local public. Dr. Welch was twice married, his first wife being Laura McClellan, whose demise recurred in May, 1901. On June 5, 1902, he was again wedded, taking Miss Julia A. Garside, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, for his wife. She was a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Dickens) Garside, both natives of England, who came to Memphis, Tennessee. at an early day. The father was a builder and an architect. They are both deceased. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Garside nine children were born, four of whom are living: Robert, a contractor of Memphis, Tennessee; Margaret, the widow of Rev. J. J. Vaulx and a resident of Fayetteville; Mrs. Welch, and Mary, the wife of W. E. Turley, an architect in California. Mr. and Mrs. Garside were both members of the Episcopal church, and he was a democrat in politics. Dr. Welch always gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, and although he was active in its affairs, he neither sought nor desired public preferment. He was never too busy to aid in the development and improvement of the commuuity, and he was a public-spirited citizen in every respect. He was one of the founders of the City Hospital and he willed that institution a substantial sum upon his demise. Mrs. Welch survives her husband, and she has many friends in Fayetteville, where she continues to make her home. After the Doctor's death, Mrs. Welch gave to the medical department of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock the Doctor's medical library, and Dean Morgan Smith, in acknowledging the gift, said the library was such as only a man of Dr. Welch's temperament and advanced thought would accumulate. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/washington/bios/welch205bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 5.2 Kb