Surnames: Welsch, Schwartz, Brickl, Schulz, Tennis, Steinwand, Firnstahl, Foster, Umhoefer, Becker, Mais, Dessloch, Barber, Selves

Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 12/09/1954

Welsch, Henry J. (9 May 1869 - 5 Dec. 1954)

Henry J. Welsch, fuel dealer and operator of a cartage service in Colby the past 44 years, died of a heart attack at his home at the age of 85 years, six months and four days. Funeral services are being held this Thursday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic church, Rev. Vincent Schwartz of Colby officiating with Rev. Frank Brickl of Athens as deacon and and Rev. Raymond Schulz of Abbotsford as sub deacon. Pall bearers are Bernard Tennis, Joseph Steinwand, I. M. Firnstahl, Marcellus Foster, Paul Umhoefer and Wilbur Becker. Burial will be made in St. Mary’s cemetery, Colby, Wis.

Mr. Welsch was born in the town of Mosel, Sheboygan county, on May 9th, 1869. He moved to the town of Green Grove when a young man and owned and operated a cheese factory five miles west of Unity, Wis. He operated the farm for two years and the cheese factory for five years after which he was a lumber manager and foreman for H. A. Bright of Bright, four miles west of Colby, for six years. He moved to Colby 44 years ago. His marriage to Emma Mais took place in Colby, Wisconsin on May 10, 1899.

Surviving are his wife; a son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel L. Dessloch; a brother, Louis Welsch of North Chicago, Ill.; two sisters, Mrs. Pauline Barber of Minneapolis, Minn., and Mrs. Minnie Selves of Colby, Wis.

Like all our early settlers, Mr. Welsch was a good Christian of a kindly and congenial disposition so he had many friends, many of whom have already passed away. He was a devoted husband and a kind and indulgent father; to his friends the soul of fellowship. But the greatest of all, he was a man. And as a man it is that those who knew him best most loved to contemplate him.