Settler of township lots: Lot 8 & 9, Conc. 9, Stanhope

Location: Map point is the approximate location within Lot 9, Conc. 9 west of Halls Lake

Land acquisition: Son James Welch received these two 100 acre properties by Patent from The Crown in 1879. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Images 34 & 36).

Dates of residency:

• 1852 Marriage, England: Samuel's father is John Welch, shoemaker; Betsy's father is James Durrant, groom. One of the witnesses is Catherine Welch.
• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Samuel Welch (b. 1817, Mrs. Samuel (b. 1839) along with children James, Wm, Harry, Augusta and Minnie
• 1907 Death: Minden

Interesting facts:

• Samuel Welch, his wife and five youngest children (Mary, Augusta, William, Henry, Minnie) arrived in Quebec City on board the S.S. Sarmation in July 1875. The two oldest sons - James and John - were not on this passenger manifest. Source: Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865 - 1935, Library and Archives Canada, Ancestry.com.
• Welch Lake and Lower Welch Lake are named after this settler. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973
• This family came in 1874 and are listed at the time of the 1881 census on Lots 8 & 9, Conc. 9. Samuel may have found himself a little old to begin clearing land. He would have been almost fifty. By the 1901 Census, the family, reduced in number, was living in Minden Township, having bought land on Mountain Lake. Samuel was listed as an agricultural labourer, as was his youngest son, Henry, though the later had been a blacksmith and living with his brother, John (mentioned in the 1891 Census.) Sons James (b. 1853) and William (b. 1865), known as the “Country Welches” (Stanhope) were Conservatives; son John, daughters Mary and possibly Augusta lived in the Town of Minden, the “Town Welches” and were Liberals. Source: Town and Country Welches in Haliburton by Merrium Clancy. Pro Familia Publishing. 2000
• According to son Harry Samuel Welch's 1932 obituary, his parents are said to have taken up land near Hall's Lake, later moving to Mountain Lake, then after being burned out there, they moved nearer to the village. About 1907, his parents took up residence in Minden village where they passed away.

Preceding landowner: 1879 The Crown to son James Welch

Succeeding landowner:

• Lot 8, Conc. 9: 1905 George Fader Free Grant for $200; 1937 Thomas Jones for $100; 1955 Maurice Windson for $110.
• Lot 9, Conc. 9: 1905 George Fader; 1931 Hugh M. Digman by tax deed for $325; 1931 Oscar Kretschmar; 1942 James Herbert Watters.

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• Samuel Welch, b. 18 Feb 1825, England d. 24 Sep 1907, Anson, (Age 82 years) COD: Heart failure, old age. Buried: Minden Village Cemetery
• Elizabeth Betsy Durant, b. 07 Jul 1829, England d. 13 Dec 1915, Anson, Age 86 years)
• Children:
  1. James Welch,b. 17 Jun 1853,  England d. 20 May 1935, Stanhope, (Age 81 years)
  2. John Welch, b. 18 Jan 1856, England d. 07 Jul 1937, Minden, (Age 81 years)
  3. Mary Jane Polly Welch, b. 07 Mar 1859, England d.15 Feb 1924, Toronto, (Age 64 years)
  4. Augusta Maria Welch, b. 16 Nov 1861, England d. 15 Feb 1944, Minden, (Age 82 years)
  5. William Welch, b. 27 Sep 1865, England d. 16 Jul 1937, Stanhope, (Age 71 years)
  6. Henry Samuel Welch, b. 19 Mar 1868, England d. 13 Aug 1932, Minden, (Age 64 years)
  7. Minnie Kate Welch, b. Abt Jun 1873, England d. 29 May 1884, Stanhope, (Age ~ 10 years) COD: Dropsy about 10 months.