Individual Details

FindAGrave #80672685
Buried at Butler cemetery [Grove, Delaware Co, OK] according to the obituary in the Grove Sun. Cherokee Tribe member, Confederate Soldier who came to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears from North Carolina. One of John's brother's was the Chief of the Eastern band of Cherokees, Lloyd Welch.
Four wives are listed on FindAGrave - none of them Artemesia Biswell.
Son George T. Welch, said b. 1875 to John and Rebecca F. Morris - yet she died three years earlier - grave marker can be read.  It is suggested elsewhere that they were married about 1873 in the Cherokee Nation and there may have been three sons including George. George was on the Cherokee rolls, 1880 and 1896.
Supposedly had son Edward, b. 1869, and James Alvin, b. 1872 by  wife Mary Ann Speer who lived until 1925 and is buried as Mrs. M. A. Lindsay. [I find no evidence beyond a possible census in 1870 that lists no son born in 1869]
Son Charley, b. 16 Oct 1885 - on the Chrokee Roll and said to be son of John & Johnanna Hensley, raised by his father.  Johnanna is buried with husband George "Bed" Parris, d. 1928. (John will testify that Johnanna was Cherokee and that he was never married to her but sons Charley & Jesse were her children by him.)
Son Joseph Vannoy Welch, b. 1897, to John and Susan Andrews.  On his FindAGrave entry is a snippet of a Cherokee roll showing
John E. Welch, Bartlesville, OK, age 62 with Jessie, 17,, Jos. V., 9, Hoolie, 4, and Esther M., 2
Son Hoolie B., Welch, b. 1902.
A 4th wife - Susan Andrews, twenty years younger is not shown on FindAGrave with children, yet in the 1900 census, it appears she has had at least two - Joseph and a daughter, Addie.  Hoolie would have been hers as well.

1860 Census. Valley Town, Cherokee, NC, Hh 1364
Edward Welch, 41
Emily, 36
Eleanor, 18
John, 15
Adalade, 13
Alfred, 11
Richard, 8
Mary, 6
George, 5 months

The 1850 census in Cherokee Co, lists Edward, Emily, a daughter Laura E, age 10, Eleanor and "Tom" age 5, Adalade & Alfred.

4 Sep 1861. John E. Welch, age 17 (b. about 1844) elisted from Cherokee Co, NC as a Private in the infantry - Company A, 39th Infantry, CSA. Transfered to Company B, Thomas Legions' Infantry. He was mustered out 9 Apr 1862.

20 Nov 1869. Voter Registration. Parker Co, TX
John E. Welch, b. NC. Has lived there for one year.
If this is the same John E Welch - there is no son b. 1869.
1870 Census. Parker Co, TX, Hh 148
J. E. Welch, 26, Farmer, b. NC
M. A., 26, b. AR (Mary Ann Speer?}
Kate, 8, b. TX
Mollie, 5, b. TX
Gussie, 2 months, b. TX

Cherokee Marriages, Flint District, Indian Territory
I hereby certify that I joined John E. Welch and Clary Willis in the holy bonds of matrimony this 8th day of June 1884.
Eld. E. P. Morris
Officiating Minister of the Gospel
Recorded on this the 29th day of May A. D. 1886
William J. McKee
Clerk, Flint District
Cherokee Nation
It would seem that Clary would have been the mother pf Joseph V.
(and Joseph was never enrolled on the Cherokee rolls)

Then on 12 Jan 1888, John was married to Artie Biswell - recorded in Flint District - see her notes.

US Criminal Case Files Index, 1866-1900, Fort Smith.National Archives, Southwest RegionCriminal Defendant Case File for John E. Welch,  Start Date, 1888; Crime:  Bigamy, Jacket Number: 199Judge Parker sentenced him to two years for bigamy.
Case was brought by Artie - she received her divorce from him while he was in prison.

1900 Census.  Cherokee Nation, IT, Hh 64
John E. Welch, b. Apr 1844, 36, married 7 years, b. NC
Susan, wife, b. Aug 1866, 33, 3 children - 2 are living, b. MO
Jesse, son, b. Nov 1885, 14 (children all born in IT)
Charlie, son, b. Oct 1883, 16
Joe, son, b. Aug 1897, 2
Addie V., dau, b. Feb 1900, 3 months old
In the Indian additional information, John E. Welch is noted as Cherokee, his father as Cherokee, his mother as white.  He is 1/2 Indian.  He lives in a fixed dwelling.

#6897 John E. Welch. Filed 16 Jan 1901
Application for Enrollment.
Doubful as to wife, Sue and youngest Child, Joseph V.
Copy of interrogation: He was about 56 and wished to enroll himself, wife and three children. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation by blood. He was married to his wife Sue, age 33. she iw a citizen by adoption. She was Sue Andrews - they married 3 May 1893. Children are Charley, 14, Jesse, 12 and Josephe V., age 5. She was not his first wife - he supposes is 1st wife is living. He married her in Texas, they separated, she was divorce. She married again. The mother of Charley & Jesse was Johnanna Hensley. He has letters of guardianship for them. They were enrolled on the 1896 roll. Have had them in my custody since they were little. He doesn't know if Johnanna is living. He had no proof of divorce but was told she had by her sons. He was married twice since then but was arrested, tried & sent away on the charge of bigamy. The last women, that I was off for, she married soon after I left - was married when I came back from prison. Sue is my 4th wife - they claim that the third time I married it was illegal. He had one child by the wife that was married when he came back from prison. He doesn't know anything about that child. She was a white woman & married a whte man at Ft. Smith. I came back from prison in 1892. John Anna Hensley was enrolled as native Cherokee. They asked about a boy Dennis - John said he was enrolled at Chelsea on the 1880 roll. [NOTE: where did this come from??? - not mentioned any where else. I think the scribe wrote something down wrong.]
Summation determined John E. and sons sons Charley & Jesse would be duly enrolled. Wife Sue, and child Joseph would be placed on a doubful card due to his former marriage.
Supplementary testimony. John E. Welch, age 56, lived at Edna Kansas but a citizen by blood. His wife Sue was notified to appear. Children Charley & Jesse were by another woman - a Cherokee. She was their mother but not my wife - her name was Johnanna Hensley and is now married to a Parrish. The children live with me and I am their Guardian. Hoolie is a child of my present wife, Sue. I have lived in the Cherokee Nation since 1880 - I am 8 miles from Edna, Kansas, three and a half miles in the Indian Territory. That is my trading town - I have never lived in Kansas.
Hoolie Welch was enrolled. Born 11 Apr 1902 to John E. Welch and Sue Welch, age 35. Certified by midwife Louise Kartler.

Cherokee Rolls - 6 May 1903
#25372 John E. Welch, 58, 1/4, Cnnsus Card 6879
#25373 Charley Welch, 16, 1/4
#25374 Jesse Welch, 14, 1/4
#25375 Hoolie Welch, 1, 1/4

Texas Death Certificate #54412 for Hoolie B. Welch who died 24 Jun 1977 in the VA Hospital in Amarillo, Potter Co, TX from pneumonia and sepsis complicated with heart problems. He was in the hospital for 143 days. His home was Dumas, Moore Co, TX. He was born 11 Apr 1902 in Oklahoma and was a steamfitter at a boiler plant. His father was John Welch; his mother, Sue. The information came from hospital records. Body was removed for burial, Llano Cemetery.

Birth	9 Jan 1844	North Carolina
Marriage	12 Jan 1888	Flint District, Cherokee County, Oklahoma - Artimesia "Artie" Biswell
Divorce	16 Jul 1891	Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas - Artimesia "Artie" Biswell
Death	10 Sep 1925

Spouse	Artimesia "Artie" Biswell (1866 - 1943)
Child	Stella Mae Welch (1895 - 1984)