Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Welch, Vine 1885 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: LaVonne I. Bennett lib@dogsbark.com June 5, 2010, 3:16 am Ionia Sentinel WELCH, VINE: Per THE IONIA SENTINEL, IONIA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29th, 1885: "Obituary. In the death of Vine Welch, which occurred in the city on the 11th inst., we have to mourn the departure of one whose life entered very largely into the early history and development of this country. Those pioneers were a brave and vigorous class of men, the worth of whose lives to the history of the state can scarcely be too highly valued. Not the least among these was the one whose death is referred to above, and whose life we proceed briefly to sketch. He was born in Schoharie county, in the state of New York, Oct. 9th, 1819. At the age of seventeen he came with his father to Michigan. This was in the autumn of 1836. The rest of the family came in the following spring. They settled in the township of Easton in this county, on what is now known as the Pike farm, about 6 miles from the city. He was married to Miss Parnal Sprague on the 6th of February, 1853. The fruits of this marriage were seven children, five boys and two girls, four of whom are still alive. In his earlier life, he followed different occupations at different periods. At one time he did a good deal of boating on Grand river. Is said to have been the first man to run a steamer from Lyons to Grand Rapids. At another time he followed blacksmithing in Ionia. About twenty-nine years ago he settled on his farm in Keene, and began the work of clearing it up. Here the really hard work of his life was performed. To take a farm of 210 acres in a state of nature and clean it of its forests, and bring it under cultivation, to erect its houses and barns, etc., etc., must of necessity involve a large amount of weariness and toll. He was also a contractor in the building of the Detroit and Milwaukee railroad bed. So you see that his life was an active, and energetic one, the fruits of which will remain as a blessing to society for generations to come, yes, for ALL the generations of the future. He not only contributed much to the material prosperity of the community, but much also to her social, moral and religious interests. He was converted in the fall of 1855, and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he remained a constant member until his death, and much of the time was an efficient official member of the same. And thus for nearly half a century has he lived among this people. For the major part of this time he has gone in and out among them as a Christian man. His life was active, energetic and upright. He possessed the sturdy vitrues of the better class of pioneers. As a neighbor he was kind, as friend ever true, as a businessman he aimed to be just, as a husband he was loving and true, as a father, affectionate and tender. The loss of a daughter a few years ago, one who had grown into beautiful young womanhood in his home, was an overwhelming grief to him. His soul never passed fully out from beneath the shadow of that great sorrow until it passed out of this life into that other and better life, where the shadows never fall and where sorrow never comes. The only remaining members of the large family to which he belonged are John B. and Ezekiel Welch of Ionia township, and Mrs. Polly Dye of this city. Thus the pioneers are going, one by one they are gathering home. Soon the last one of that heroic race will be gone, but may their memories never die." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/welch5204nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb