MRS. MARGARET D. WELTY, widow of the late Charles E. Welty, of Waddams Township, is the daughter of one of the oldest pioneers of Stephenson County, and was born near Portsmouth, Ohio, Oct. 6, 1834. Her parents were Isaac and Elvira (Graves) Diveley. She was two years old when they removed from the Buckeye State to Illinois, and was reared on a farm, receiving her education in the district school. She possessed more than ofdinary intelligence, and at an early age became qualified for a teacher, which calling she pursued for some years before her marriage. This event occurred jan. 2, 1872. The main incidents in the history of her husband are as follows: Charles E. Welty, a native of Adams County, Pa., was born March 2, 1825, and was the son of Daniel Welty, also a native of the Keystone State. The latter spent most of his life upon a farm near Gettysburg, where was fought one of the great battles between the North and South during the late war, the land included in the farm having resounded with the tramp of soldiery and the roar of cannon.

The wife of Daniel Welty was formerly Miss Catherine Slothower, also a native of Pennsylvania. She became the mother of thirteen children, who in common with her son Charles were reared on the farm and received a common-school education.

Charles remained a resident of his native county until about twenty-five years of age, and in the spring of 1850, repaired northwestward into Wisconsin, where he located in La Fayette County, and lived for six years following. He had in the meantime secured possession of a tract of good land which he now sold and with the proceeds came to this county and purchased a farm in Waddams Township. He proceeded with the cultivation and improvement of this until the outbreak of the late Civil War, then, laying aside his personal interests enlisted as a Union soldier Sept. 5, 1861, becoming a member of Co. B. 7th Ill. Vol. Cav. He served until October, 1864, and when his term of enlistment had expired he received his honorable discharge and returned home. Mr. Welty soon afterward sold his farm and purchased the land now included in the family homestead, which is well improved and provided with good buildings. The house is a commodious brick structure and the barn a frame building of ample size, and convenient for the purposes to which it is devoted. Mr. Welty, after returning from the army continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits. In politics he uniformly upheld the principles of the Republican party, and was a member of the Lutheran Church. He died March 9, 1863.

Mr. Welty was first married, in 1849, to Miss Amanda A. Steck, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and the daughter of Rev. Michael John Steck, a prominent minister of the Lutheran Church. This lady became the mother of eight children, and died at the home of her husband, Dec. 22, 1868. The offspring of this marriage are recorded as follows: John S. is a resident of Seward County, Neb.; Henry lives in Osborne County, Kan.; Lavina L., in Fayette County, Pa.; Daniel and Gilbert M., in Seward County, Neb.; Bessie died when nineteen years of age; Charles E. is farming in Nebraska, and Amanda H. lives on the old homestead with her step-mother. Of the second marriage, with Miss Margaret Dively, there were no children.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portraits & Biographical 1888 Stephenson Co IL Pg 217-18