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HENRY E. WELTON, a prominent stock farmer of Benton county, was born in Iowa City, Iowa, January 28, 1864, and remained in his native town until he reached the age of eighteen years, when he located in Benton county. He is a son of Henry S. and Julia (Paulina) Welton.
Henry S. Welton was born in New York, and after attending public school, went to Hamilton College. After finishing his course he became professor of Latin and Greek at Hamilton College, and in 1854 removed to Davenport, Iowa. Here he became a shoe dealer, and later removed to Iowa City, where he also had a shoe store. He was the first president of the state university at Iowa City, and held the position a number of years. He continued in the shoe business until 1881, when he sold out and located in Mount Auburn, where he retired and became a justice of the peace. He taught a few years in the county normal school at Vinton, and later retired also from teaching. He held the office of justice of the peace until his death, July 5, 1902. Mr. Welton was a very well educated man, and met with unusual success in all his undertakings. He was very well liked by all who knew him, and was widely mourned. His wife, a daughter of Eugene Grinnell, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, July 11, 1831, and later came to New York, where she was married. She died April 9, 1909. Their children were: Orlo D., foreman of a jewelry firm in Iowa City, Iowa; Kate E., wife of Dr. S. A. Oren, of Lewiston, Illinois; Etta Gr., wife of William Jadwin, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Henry E., of Mt. Auburn; Westel S., of Traer, Iowa; Ernest, of Mt. Auburn, Iowa; and Mae, wife of Frank Lormor, of Mt. Auburn.
After leaving Iowa City, Henry E. Welton spent a short time in Rock Island and Davenport, and became clerk in a shoe store in Moline, Iowa. In 1881 he settled in Mount Auburn, where he spent a number of years, and then went on a farm with his father-in-law. Ten years later 4ie bought the place, where he has remained ever since, about twenty-five years. He has two hundred and forty acres of land in sections 23 and 26, Cedar township, and makes a specialty of breeding Norman horses, thorough-bred shorthorn cattle and fine hogs. He is an enterprising and industrious farmer, of high character, and stands well in the community. He takes an active interest in public affairs, and has served eight years as township trustee. Politically he is a Republican and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Welton married Emma L., daughter of Oscar B. and Lorenca (Boyd) Whitcomb, who came from New Hampshire in 1854 and settled on the farm now occupied by Mr. Welton. Here Mr. Whitcomb remained until his death, June 3, 1903; his wife died December 18, 1892. Mr. Welton and his wife have four children, namely: Bernice Merle, Helen Leona, Ruth Adelma, and Audrey Mildred. In March, 1910, Mr. Welton sold his farm in Cedar township and removed to Vinton, Iowa, and he has since been dealing in real estate. He owns three hundred and twenty acres in Canada and one hundred and sixty in Kansas.
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