Samuel M. Welton, one of the substantial citizens of
Macoupin County, and a prominent farmer and successful stock raiser of South
Otter township, owns a fine farm of more than 150 acres which is located in
section 21. Mr. Welton was born in 1845 in Bird township, Macoupin County,
Illinois, and is a son of the late Samuel and Emeline (Stoddard) Welton.
The parents of Mr. Welton were both born in Connecticut, and came to
Illinois at an early date, locating in Bird township with the pioneers. Here
their worthy lives were spent, both attaining great age, the father dying in
1898, aged 93 years, and his widow one month later, aged 85 years. Some
years previous to 1898, they continued farming and moved to Carlinville,
where they led a retired life. They were survived by two children: Emma, who
is the widow of Theodore Morse of Carlinville, and the mother of one son,
Theodore; and Samuel M., of this sketch.
Samuel M. Welton attended
the schools of Carlinville township and through work on his father's farm
grew up to be a practical agriculturist. At the outbreak of the Civil War he
loyally offered his young life in defense of his country and two years
later, in 1863, although still but a youth, he was accepted when he enlisted
in Company F, 133d Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., with which regiment he served
until mustered out in 1865. After these years of faithful and arduous
service, followed by an honorable discharge, he returned to the homestead
farm. About the time of his marriage he bought a tract of 80 acres in
section 16, to which he added 80 acres more in 1873. In 1883 he purchased
his present fine farm in South Otter township, where he is engaged in
extensive farming and stock raising, and has proved himself as capable an
agriculturist as he was a faithful soldier.
In 1869 Mr. Welton
married Helen Robley, who is a daughter of the late Henry Robley who was a
prominent farmer of Shaw's Point township, Macoupin County, and eight
children have been born to this marriage. The family record is as follows:
Neva, who married William Johnston, has three children, — Theodore, Perry
and Luke M., — and lives in Oregon; Charles, who married Mary Ford and is
engaged in farming in South Otter township; Frederick, who resides in
Rockford, Illinois; Carrie, who married John Sells, a farmer of South Otter
township, and has two children; Samuel, who is still attending school; and
William, Grace and an infant, who are deceased.
In his political
attitude, Mr. Welton is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, although
in no sense a politician. In his religious belief he is a Baptist. Mr.
Welton is a man of exceptionally good business ability and his judicious
investments have made him one of the capitalists of his part of the county.
As a representative of one of the old pioneer families of Macoupin County,
as well as a survivor of that noble body of men who were heroes in the
greatest strife the world has ever known, who fought for principle and not
for conquest, his name should be included among the leading ones of this
portion of Illinois.
Extracted 2018 May 04 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 63-64.
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