From Roots of Roane County, TN by Snyder E. Roberts
The Welcker family's story begins with John Henry Welcker born December 4,1776 in Darmstadt, Germany. He married (1805) ELIZABETH INMAN (1790-1840) of Jefferson County, Tennessee. They established their home "Laurel Banks" on their farm in Roane. The home commanded a view of a sweeping bend in Clinch River from its position on the side of a hill near the present K-25 Steam Plant. The Welcker-Gallaher cemetery is located on top of the hill. In this cemetery may be found today the famous Welcker family monument which has recorded on it the names and accomplishments of the members of this prominent Roane County family.
The original Welcker farm adjoined the farms of WILLIAM GARDENHIRE and ELIAS ROBERTS. Henry and Elizabeth were industrious, acquired more land and slaves, sent their children to school, and enjoyed general prosperity. Henry and Elizabeth Welcker had nine sons and two daughters as follows:
1. WILLIAM LEWIS WELCKER
William Lewis Welcker (1807-1831) married (1823) MALINDA MITCHELL, daughter of JUDGE JAMES C. MITCHELL. He and his friend RETURN J. MEIGS, JR. read law under Judge Mitchell, and later practiced in Athens, Tennessee. William L. and Malinda had three children: MARGARET E. (1826-1846), JAMES H. (1828-1841), and WILLIAM THOMAS (1830-1900). William Thomas married KATY ADAIR, daughter of Gen. JOHN D. ADAIR. William T. attended the Rittenhouse Academy at Kingston, and graduated 4th in his class at West Point Military Academy in 1849. He served as a Captain in the Confederate Army. After the War, he was Head of the Dept. of Mathematics at the University of California, and was elected as State Superintendent of Public Education in California. He died in California in 1900.
2. CHARLES FREDERICK WELCKER
Charles F. Welcker (1809-1861) was a farmer, trader, millwright and mill operator. He acquired the large mill and considerable acres of land at the confluence of East Fork and Main Poplar Creeks. The Post Office and community was known as Welcker's Mill as shown in the Roane 1850 census. After Charles F.'s death, his heirs sold the mill and 600 acres to the well-known. J. H. ADAMS in 1883. Charles F. married (1838) CAROLYN V. MITCHELL, daughter of JUDGE JAMES C. MITCHELL. They had ten children among whom was Margaret who married, first 1855, WILLIAM C. ROBINSON and, secondly 1862, COL. WILLIAM B. HOPE [See below]. Two of the sons, William L. and James H. were graduates of Cumberland University and later served as Judges in Knoxville.
3. GEORGE LEWIS WELCKER
George L. Welcker was born April 6, 1811. He was first in his class at West Point Military Academy from which he graduated June 30, 1836. Poor health shortened his military career and brought an early death at Savannah, Georgia May 24,1848. His body was returned to Laurel Banks for burial. He was unmarried.
4. HENRY INMAN WELCKER
Henry I. Welcker (1813-1893), lawyer, surveyor, businessman, and military officer was never married. Roane County records are replete with his name as Solicitor, surveyor, and trader. His life was very closely associated with his brother Benjamin F. in business and in war. At one time, they were associated with JOHN A. PATTON in Kingston. Mining and land trading occupied much of their time. Henry I. served in the Tennessee House of Representatives 1855-56, and in the Senate 1857-58. He was a prolific letter writer. He corresponded with his close friend COL. ROBERT K. BYRD during the Civil War although they fought on different sides. His military career closely paralleled his brother's and will be discussed below.
5. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WELCKER
Frederick A. was born April 5,1815, and died in Nashville, Tennessee May 27,1841. He never married. He graduated from East Tennessee University (U. of Tenn.) and became a surveyor for the federal government.
6. JAMES MONROE WELCKER
James M. Welcker (1817-1858) married (1843) MARGARET PARK of Knoxville. He was admitted to the bar in 1848 and practiced law in Knoxville and Kingston with his brother Albert G. Later he practiced in Chattanooga with DAVID M. KEY until James M. became Chancellor for the Third District of Tennessee.
7. CATHERINE FREELING WELCKER
Catherine F. Welcker (1819-1889) married (1837) ALBERT S. LENOIR, son of WILLIAM B. LENOIR. Their home near Loudon is the present [1981] showplace home of Mrs. William Butler. They had ten children, one of whom was Elizabeth who married COL. DAVID M. KEY. David M. Kev was a Col. in the Confederate Army, practiced law in Chattanooga, Judge of the Chattanooga Chancery Division, U.S. Senator from Tennessee, and served as U.S. Postmaster General under President Hayes until August 1880.
8. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WELCKER (Photo on Civil War page)
Benjamin F. Welcker (11821-1884) attended Rittenhouse Academy and graduated from East Tennessee University (UT). He married first (1843) SARAH REAGAN, daughter of GEN. JAMES H. REAGAN. He married secondly (1852) HESTER A. ISH. He and his brother, Henry I., established a mercantile business in Kingston, traded extensively in land and slaves, and engaged in an iron ore operation. They owned a large farm four miles south of Kingston on Riley Creek.
With the start of the Civil War, the two brothers recruited a company of men who were subsequently mustered into Confederate service as Co. I, 26th Reg. Of Vol. Inf., with Benjamin F. as Captain. After action at Knoxville and Bowling Green, KY, the Company was taken prisoner at the fall of Ft. Donelson. Benjamin and Henry were released in a prisoner exchange at Vicksburg. They returned to Roane County and raised a battalion for Cavalry Service. Benjamin F. was elected to command the battalion as Major. This battalion, known as Welcker’s Silver Greys, saw much action in Roane and Loudon counties. After the War, the Welckers engaged in length litigation in order to regain their property confiscated during the war. Benjamin F. is buried in Bethel Cemetery at Kingston.
9. ALBERT GALLATIN WELCKER
Albert G. Welcker (1823-1868) married (1847) NANCY PARK of Knoxville. After graduating from East TN University, he practiced law at Kingston. In 1852 he moved to Chattanooga and formed a partnership with DAVID M. KEY. In 1860, he was chosen Chancellor. During the War, he removed to a farm near Cleveland, but after the War he resumed his partnership with KEY in Chattanooga.
10. MARY JANE WELCKER (1826-1854) died at early age in Knoxville
11. DEWITT CLINTON WELCKER
Dewitt C. Welcker (1829-1856) was never married. He was a graduate of East TN University and Cumberland University at Lebanon. Died at early age.
The accomplishments of this remarkable family are not only recorded on their family monument at Laurel Banks, but Roane County and State of Tennessee official records are replete with the Welcker name. It is sad to note that this family which was once so active in making Roane County history has no representative alive today in Roane who bears the Welcker name.
Randy Winch has information about some of the Welcker descendants at http://www.rootsweb.com/~gumby/cgi-bin/igmget.cgi/n=Winch?I00444
Contribution by Regina Roper, shkgclmt@gnv.fdt.net
I am trying to locate living desc. of the marriage between Sarah Katherine Welcker (who you have as "Margaret") and William Blackstone Hope.
I have from pictures of tombstones at the Hickory Creek Cemetery in Knox Co TN the following:
William Blackstone Hope born 11 Feb 1820 died 31 March 1905
Katie Welcker Hope born 20 Jan 1838 died 15 Dec 1918
Henry Welcker Hope 29 Jan 1863-5 July 1936
John Baxter Hope son of WB and KW 23 Mar 1869-13 June 1879
Albert Lenoir Hope ditto 20 Sept 1871-26 Oct 1871
James Mitchell Hope ditto 23 Jan 1887-14 May 1893
Thomas Frederick Hope 11 June 1880-25 Apr 1916
Julia Eaton Hope (do not know if she is a dau or dau in law) 24 Nov 1875-5 Oct 1948
William B Hope also had at least one son by his first marriage to Mary
Ann Foute: Milton M Hope born in 1848.
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