WELKER FAMILY
INFO TO DATE
George WELKER, Born 1836 , Rhenish,
Bavaria, Germany, as were his parents, according to the
1880 Census ,Wetmore Township, McKean Co, PA
Rosa (Rosana) RICHLY ,1st wife of George, Born 1834 ,
Baden,Germany , as were her parents, according to the 1880 Census, Wetmore Township, McKean Co., PA
According to a
Biographical sketch, George learned
the shoemaker's trade, in Philadelphia. In 1857 George & Rosa
moved to Williamsport, Lycoming County, PA. George worked at his
trade there, until 1864, in which year , he came to Renovo,
Clinton County, PA. He bought The Ulrich House, which he conduted
about a year. In 1865, they
moved to Kane, McKean County,PA. George purchased the first lot,
after the town was laid out and surveyed, he built the first
house on the town site. He opened a hotel (SEE PAGE), "The Mountain House" also engaged in
the boot and shoe business until 1886; he next became a member
of the firm, Smith and Welker , dealers in hardware , with his
son - in - law, Walter B. Smith : who was married to George's
daughter , Rosa Welker. According to the old city directories of Kane, McKean
Co.,PA , held at: in: 1908 - lists George & Mary Welker , lists daughters, Roxie & Rosa
: as "boarders"; at: 1908 - lists Nelson & Anna Welker , Nelson's
occupation , listed as glass worker Residing at
308 Poplar ( which is now the site of the Kane Fire Dept.) 1912 - lists Mrs. George Welker as, widowed : 1914-1915 - lists Mrs. Mary Welker , Henry , Christine and Katherine at: 1918 - lists a Mrs. Mary Welker as, widowed : includes
as "boarders" ( Who are actually , 2 of the daughters, of George
Sr. & Mary Sullivan Welker, at City directories, for the years 1921
on, show no more WELKERS in Kane. I have information that finds
Katherine to have been married in Oklahoma in 1921 .
by J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers,
Chicago; dated 1890, in the book, The History Of The Counties of
McKean , Elk, Cameron & Potter ,
George & Rosa, came to
America, in 1853. They settled in Philadelphia. George was the
son, of Michael WELKER. (Germany )
George C. Welker & Rosa ( nee Richly ) had 4 children
together:
George Jr. , b. Feb 28 , 1863 , in Whitehall, Lehigh Co., PA
Rosa , b. Sept 23 , 1865 in Kane , McKean Co., PA
Elizabeth ( Lizzie ) , b. Jan 1868 in Kane and
Emma , b. abt. 1873 in Kane.
George's wife Rosa ( nee Richly ) , died young , on May 5 , 1883
, in Kane, age abt. 49.
Two granddaughters :
Roxanna Smith ( Daughter
of young Rosa & Walter B. Smith ) died on Aug 18th of the
same year, 1883, age a little over 1 month.
Edna Smith , the other daughter of young Rosa & Walter B.
Smith ,was born on May 15 , 1886 and died Aug. 16 , 1886 , a few
months old.
George Welker Jr. died April 11, 1886 age 23.
Young Rosa ( Welker ) Smith , died June 25, 1890 , age 23.
George C. Welker Sr. , remarried in 1885 , to Mary Sullivan, 22
years his junior. She was born in Ireland , in May of 1858.
They had 8 or 9 children together.
Friends Memorial Library, 230 Chase Street, Kane.PA
401 Elk Avenue (Street address no longer
exists , homesite address is now 302 Poplar, addressed the same on the Elk Street side)
George is listed as retired.
133 Fraley Street
133 Fraley ( next to present day Post Office (2002) Henry employed by P & R Railroad. Henry died Nov. 7, 1914 in horrible death on railroad.
423 Haines Street ( house no longer there ) ; Christina Welker , Telephone Operator &
Katherine Welker ( age should be 15 - no occupation )
Bradford Era - October 20, 1915 -
George Welker, formerly a prominent citizen of Kane, died Saturday
afternoon at the home of his daughter , Mrs. W. B. Smith at Narbeth near
Philadelphia., where he had made his residence for a several years. Deceased
was 79 years old and was a pioneer hotel man of Kane, later entering the
hardware business in company with his son-in-law under the firm name of the
Smith-Welker company. Mr. Welker was a charter member of the Smethport Mason
lodge, of the Odd Fellows lodge at Williamsport and of the Kane lodge of Elks.
The funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the home of his daughter,
Mrs. Alf Evans, in Kane, and burial was made in Forest Lawn cemetery in that
borough. ( My deepest thanks to C. Burlingame for finding this for me - in a
place we searched previously at Pitt Library - in the cage) NEVER give up!