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William Welch - Page 144 and 145
Among those whose names are more or less identified with the early history of Marion county is William Welch, at present a citizen of Pella. As such, his biography deserves a place among these pages.
Mr. Welch was born in the little village of Huntsville, on the Yadkin river, N. C., Jan. 1st., 1800, being a little more than seventy-two years of age at this present writing. Went to Wilkes county, same State - date not mentioned - and from thence to Richmond, Indiana, in 1827; thence to Machonaugh, Illinois, in '31; from thence, in consequence of the breaking out of the Black Hawk war, he, together with many other settlers, went further south, leaving their claims and some other property for whoever might succeed them. Then, in '36, Mr. W. immigrated to Iowa, and settled at what is now Bonaparte, Van Buren county. At that time the territory was under the political jurisdiction of Wisconsin, and was known only by that name. Here Mr. W. (being a potter by trade), erected the first pottery in the territory, the slight remains of which may still be seen in that locality. At one time during his residence there he was also employed as recorder, and was compelled to find his own stationery, which, owing to its exhorbitant price and difficulty of obtaining it from a distance, together with his own extreme poverty, he finally supplied himself with it at considerable sacrifice. Then it was after much delay and difficulty that he obtained only a part of his fees for this service.
In 1844, Mr. Welch came to Lake Prairie, and settled in the timber, about four miles south of the present site of Pella. Here in connection with Mr. Nossaman, as already stated in this chapter, he erected a pottery and a mill in the locality. In 1845, Mr. W. was elected to the office of County Commissioner, in which office he served one year. See chapter IX.