Washington County ArArchives Biographies.....Welch, W. B. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 17, 2009, 12:08 pm

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

W. B. WELCH, M. D.
     In the passing of Dr. W. B. Welch, Fayetteville lost a distinguished
citizen and the medical profession a most able representative. He began active
practice at the age of twenty-one years and he ever remained a deep student of
his profession, taking frequent postgraduate courses. He took an active interest
in all medical societies, at one time serving as first vice president of the
American Medical Association, and he was a dominant factor in the organization
of the State Medical Society. He made a specialty of surgery, being one of the
few men to concentrate on that particular branch of the profession in his day,
and he performed some remarkable operations.

    He was born in Scottsville, Kentucky, in 1829, a son of Christopher and
Elizabeth (Lyle) Welch. The father was a native of Virginia and removed to
Kentucky at an early day. He was postmaster at Huntsville, Alabama, a number of
years, to which state he removed after the Civil war. Both Mr. and Mrs. Welch
died at the home of their son, Dr. Welch. They were the parents of six children,
two of whom are living. Dr. Welch was the third in order of birth. The family
was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, and the father gave
his political allegiance to the democratic party, having firm belief 'in the
principles of that party as factors in good government.

    Dr. Welch received his early education in the schools of Huntsville,
Alabama, and later went to Nashville, Tennessee, and entered the medical
department of the State University, from which institution he was graduated with
the degree of M. D. in 1849. He began the practice of medicine in Somerville,
Alabama, and remained there until he came to Arkansas and located at Canehill.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, his sympathies being with the south, Dr.
Welch enlisted in the Confederate army as surgeon and was in active service for
four years. After the surrender of his command at Fort Smith he received his
honorable discharge and returned to Canehill, where he resumed his practice
until 1881, when he came to Fayetteville. He represented the medical profession
in Canehill for some thirty-two years, and was a representative citizen of that
community. He practiced in Fayetteville until his demise in 1917. Dr. Welch was
one of the few men in his day to specialize in surgery, and he performed some
remarkable operations. He operated on a child of eight years who had never
talked nor walked, and the child was completely normal at the age of eleven
years, walking, talking and reading. He gained recognition as one of the able
and successful surgeons of Arkansas and by his labors and high professional
attainments and his sterling characteristics justified the respect and
confidence in which he was held by the medical fraternity and the local public.

    Dr. Welch was twice married, his first wife being Laura McClellan, whose
demise recurred in May, 1901. On June 5, 1902, he was again wedded, taking Miss
Julia A. Garside, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, for his wife. She was a
daughter of Samuel and Mary (Dickens) Garside, both natives of England, who came
to Memphis, Tennessee. at an early day. The father was a builder and an
architect. They are both deceased. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Garside nine
children were born, four of whom are living: Robert, a contractor of Memphis,
Tennessee; Margaret, the widow of Rev. J. J. Vaulx and a resident of
Fayetteville; Mrs. Welch, and Mary, the wife of W. E. Turley, an architect in
California. Mr. and Mrs. Garside were both members of the Episcopal church, and
he was a democrat in politics.

     Dr. Welch always gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, and
although he was active in its affairs, he neither sought nor desired public
preferment. He was never too busy to aid in the development and improvement of
the commuuity, and he was a public-spirited citizen in every respect. He was one
of the founders of the City Hospital and he willed that institution a
substantial sum upon his demise. Mrs. Welch survives her husband, and she has
many friends in Fayetteville, where she continues to make her home.

    After the Doctor's death, Mrs. Welch gave to the medical department of the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock the Doctor's medical library, and Dean
Morgan Smith, in acknowledging the gift, said the library was such as only a man
of Dr. Welch's temperament and advanced thought would accumulate.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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