My Genealogy Hound

Joseph R. Welborn, successful farmer, influential citizen, and member of the council of Posey county, was born on his father’s farm in Montgomery township, Gibson county, Indiana, December 11, 1849 a son of Samuel P. and Mary (Waters) Welborn. The family was founded in Indiana by Moses Welborn, a native of North Carolina, who was born in Guilford county, near Guilford court house, July 4, 1783. He came to Posey county in 1833 and located at Mt. Vernon, subsequently entering land at the forks of Big creek, which he cleared and developed into productive farm land. He died in 1851, a victim of the cholera scourge of that year. He married, about 1808, Deborah Chipman, born on November 3, 1787. They reared a family of eight children, of whom Samuel P. Welborn was the third in order of birth. The latter was born in North Carolina in 1814, and came to Posey county with his parents Shortly after arriving in Mt. Vernon, he engaged in flat boating, the one means of transportation at that time, his cargoes consisting of grain and provisions, which he carried to the New Orleans market. While visiting in Gibson county he became acquainted with Mary Waters, a daughter of James Rice Waters, a native of North Carolina, and pioneer settler of Gibson county, where she was born in 1816. They were married shortly afterwards and located on land in that county, at the time densely wooded, which he cleared; and for a time continued, during the winter months, the transportation of produce to the New Orleans market by flat boat. He became not only a successful farmer and man of means but was a citizen of influence in his county. He served as treasurer of Gibson county from 1857 to 1861. His death occurred in 1875, and that of his wife in 1887. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom reached their majority, and six of whom are living at this writing, 1913. They are as follows: William P., James F., Francis M., Oscar M., Ellen, Sarah, Mary, Joseph R., Eliza, Alice and John. Joseph R. Welborn acquired his education in the schools of his native township held in the primitive school buildings of that period, later attended the graded school in Owensville, and during the winter of 1868-60 was a student in the Indiana State University at Bloomington. With the exception of two years, in which he was engaged in the general merchandise business in Poseyville, his occupation has been that of a farmer and stock raiser. The Welborn farm, situated one mile west of Cynthiana consists of 150 acres, and is known as “Homeland.” Mr. Welborn has retired from active business cares and the farm is conducted by his son, Ernest P. Welborn, a graduate of the Wisconsin State Agricultural College, who as a breeder of registered Poland China hogs has attained wide prominence. Animals from his breeding farm, known to breeders as “Homeland’s” stock, have a ready sale over a wide area and bring attractive prices. As regards improvements and farming methods the property represents all essentials known to the scientific agriculturist, and is one of the model enterprises in this line of Southern Indiana. As a citizen, Mr. Welborn has always taken an active interest in the political life of his county and State. He is a Democrat, and has been honored by his party with public office, in which he served with credit to himself and his constituents. He was elected trustee of Smith township in 1882, a member of the council of Smith township in 1900, and to the Posey county council in 1910, in which capacity he is still serving. Mr. Welborn married on June 3, 1874, Miss Rebecca Calvert, a daughter of William and Martha (Endicott) Calvert. Mr. Calvert was born in Vanderburg county, Indiana, of which his father, a native of Ireland, was a pioneer. Martha Endicott was born in Posey county, and is descended from Colonial stock, and members of the family have held positions of prominence in the town, State and Nation. Rebecca Calvert was born in Posey county, Indiana, June 14, 1847, and died September 15, 1907. They were the parents of four children, who are as follows, viz.: Edgar C. Welborn, a graduate of the literary department of the Indiana State University of the engineering department of Cornell, Ithaca, New York, and who is now a mechanical engineer, residing in Milwaukee, Wis.; William C. Welborn, a graduate of both the literary and law departments of Indiana State University, and junior member of the firm of Veneman & Welborn, attorneys, Evansville. He married Miss Edith Gauntt, a daughter of Jasper Gauntt, of Marion, Ind. They are the parents of four children, Marion, Ruth, Dorothy and Francis. Alice Welborn, the third child, is deceased. Ernest P. Welborn, the youngest of the family, born December 12, 1881, received his early educational discipline in the schools of Cynthiana, later attended Indiana State University, and subsequently was graduated from the Wisconsin State Agricultural College at Madison. He married on April 12, 1903, Miss Ethel Emerson, a daughter of Benjamin F. Emerson, president of the Cynthiana Banking Company. They are the parents of two children: Joseph E. Welborn, born October 4, 1905, and Virginia C. Welborn, born July 4, 1908. Mr. Welborn is manager of the “Homeland” property. The family are popular in the social circles of their county and are members of the Baptist church.