Welch, Osee

ca. 1807–19 Sept. 1853. Hardware merchant, financial speculator. Born in New York. Married Rachel McCully, 20 Aug. 1836, in Stark Co., Ohio. Involved with Universal School and Orphan’s Institute, two unsuccessful attempts to use school charters to create banking institutions, 1836, 1839, at Massillon, Stark Co. Filed for bankruptcy, 1841. Moved to Galena, Jo Daviess Co., Illinois. Opened hardware store with Warren Parrish, before July 1843. Changed Parrish and Welch Hardware to McCully, Welch, and McCully Hardware, July 1843. Member of Galena Masonic Lodge, by 1846. Elected alderman of Galena Second Ward, 1847. Spoke at meeting of Democratic Unionists of Galena, supporting land reform and free homesteads, 12 Oct. 1849. Buried in Galena.