WELCH, Judge Milton R., b 1865; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/welchmr.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 14, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Judge Milton R. Welch To the position of prominence and distinction which he now holds in the legal profession of this state, and to the wealth of legal learning, practical astuteness and eloquence and force as an advocate, which make him an ornament on the bench and gave him a leading place at the bar before his elevation, Judge Milton R. Welch, the county judge of Delta county, now serving his third term as such, came by a long, interrupted and trying course of effort and study. But as he was obliged to fight for every foot of his advance, so he made sure of the ground as he proceeded, and secured solid as well as showy attainments. He was born at Knoxville, Iowa, on April 13, 1865, and is the son of James L. and Annis (McMillen) Welch, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Ohio. They moved to Iowa in childhood with their parents, and in that state they were reared, educated and married. The parents were pioneers there, and the Judge's father won a good farm from the wilderness by assiduous effort. He now resides in Delta county, where the mother died in 1888. The father served in the Civil war from 1861 to 1865. Six children were born in the family, of whom four are living, the Judge being the third in the order of birth. He grew to manhood on the home farm near Knoxville, Iowa, and was educated in the public schools and a good academy at that town. After completing his course he came with his parents to Colorado in 1882, they locating at Alma. Here the father opened a mercantile establishment and the son assisted in the business. He also did some prospecting in Park and Summit counties. At odd times he read law with a view to entering the profession. In the fall of 1886 he moved to Delta and soon afterward located a claim to a tract of land four miles south of the town. He taught school three years, in the meantime continuing his law studies as he had opportunity. He then engaged in farming on his ranch and also took charge of one owned by his father, continuing this work until the fall of 1892, when he entered the law department of the State University at Boulder, from which he was graduated in 1894, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In that year a gold medal had been offered to the students of all the law schools in the state by Judge Moses Hallett for the one passing the best final examination, and this distinction was won by Judge Welch, an honor of which he is still justly proud. Having been admitted to the bar at Boulder, he returned to Delta and began his practice, which he continued successfully and with growing reputation and patronage until he was elected county judge in the fall of 1895. He was re-elected in 1898 and again in 1901. During the last nine years he has also been United States commissioner. In political faith he is an unwavering Republican, and in the service of his party he was always active and effective until he went on the bench. Prior to that he attended all the state conventions and other important gatherings of his party friends and took an earnest and intelligent part in their proceedings. On June 5, 1898, he united in marriage with Miss Maud Newland, a native of Ionia, Michigan, and daughter of D.M. and Mary (Baittie) Newland, the former now living at Los Angeles, California, and the latter deceased. The Judge and Mrs. Welch have three children, Iona, James Le Roy, and Catherine. He belongs to the order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. A man of high character, breadth of view and decided public-spirit, the judicial ermine well becomes him and he wears it with grace and dignity. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.