Charles Augustus WELTER, bio

                         Biography of the
           Ethel May Archer and Charles Augustus Welter
                              Family

Ethel Mae Archer, born 27 Sept 1884 in Tracy, MN was the daughter of
Wilbur (William) Franklin and Ida Frances Pierce Archer. She married
Charles Augustus Welter on 22 June 1904 in her home in Lamberton, MN.
Charles was born 25 Sept 1879 in Medo Township, MN. He was the son of
Nickolas and Emily Marie Will Welter. Nickolas was of Dutch descent and
Emily of Scottish descent.

Charles and Ethel moved to Lucan, MN in 1904 where Charles was in the
Livery and Dray business. They were active in public and church affairs.
They had six children, all born in Lucan. During the 1900’s there were
few high schools in the area and children had to be boarded out to
families in towns that had a high school in order for them to get an
education. They wanted their children to have an education but to also
live with them while going to school, so they decided to move to Gary,
IN in 1919.

They bought a candy store called "The Sugar Bowl" when they arrived in Gary
and while Ethel ran the store, Charles joined his brother, William welter,
in the contracting business. They build the following buildings in Gary:

    1. Ardel Apartments, named after William’s daughter.
    2. Elaine Apartments, named after Charles’ daughter (my grandmother),
           located on Virginia Street.
    3. Webber Apartments, named after one of the investors.
    4. Archer Hotel, named after Ethel’s family.
    5. Kelvinator Store, appliance store run by Charles and Ethel.
    6. Alexander Apartments, named after William’s wife.
    7. Retlew Apartments, Welter spelled backwards, located at 5th &
           Polk.
    8. Pierce Apartments, named after Ethel’s mothers family, located
           at 4th & Pierce.
    9. Cressmoor Country Club in Hobart, IN, built in 1924-25. The
           first and largest golf course built in Northern Indiana. It was
           a 36 hole golf course with 18 holes of sand greens and 18 holes
           of grass greens. (I have copies of the original year book for
           Cressmoor that I could copy and send to you.)

Charles and Ethel sold the Kelvinator store during World War II as
appliances were not being manufactured during the war. They bought the
Ardell Apartments which consisted of 50 apartments and managed them until
they retired to Sarasota, FL in 1957. Charles died 23 Oct 1963 in Sarasota
and Ethel died 4 Mar 1984 in Darlington, WI, just six months before her
100th birthday. They are buried in Manasota Memorial Park, Bradenton, FL.


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Submitted By Linda (Walter/Eldridge) Wells
Email - WhisperW@aol.com