John Welch was a U.S. Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

.

Biography

Born near New Athens, Ohio

New Athens, Ohio

New Athens is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 342 at the 2000 census.During Morgan's Raid, a decisive Union victory in the Civil War in 1863, Confederate Brid. Gen...

, Welch received a liberal schooling and was graduated from Franklin College

Franklin College (New Athens, Ohio)

Franklin College was a college in New Athens, Ohio, founded by abolitionist John Walker, a Presbyterian minister. The college was called Alma college from 1818 until 1825, when the name was changed to Franklin College. The college ceased operation in 1919, and became associated with Muskingum...

.
He moved to Athens County

Athens County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...

 in 1828 and settled in Rome Township

Rome Township, Athens County, Ohio

Rome Township is one of the fourteen townships of Athens County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,400 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the eastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Bern Township - north...

.
He engaged in the milling business.
He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar

Admission to the bar in the United States

In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...

 and commenced practice in Athens, Ohio

Athens, Ohio

Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...

, in 1833.
He served as prosecuting attorney of Athens County 1841-1843.
He served as member of the Ohio Senate

Ohio Senate

The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...

 1845-1847.

Welch was elected as a Whig

Whig Party (United States)

The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...

 to the Thirty-second

32nd United States Congress

The Thirty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853, during the third and...

 Congress (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1853).
He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1852.
He served as delegate to the Whig National Convention in 1852.
He resumed the practice of law.
Presidential elector for Republicans Fremont

John C. Frémont

John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...

/Dayton

William L. Dayton

William Lewis Dayton was an American politician.A distant relation of U.S. House Speaker and U.S. Constitution signatory Jonathan Dayton, he was born in Basking Ridge, New Jersey to farmer Joel Dayton and his wife...

 in 1856
He served as judge of the court of common pleas

Ohio Courts of Common Pleas

The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...

 1862-1865.
He served as associate justice of the supreme court of Ohio 1865-1878 and was chief justice in 1877 and 1878.
He died in Athens, Ohio

Athens, Ohio

Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...

, August 5, 1891.
He was interred in West Union Street Cemetery.

Publications

Source