William Moses Welch papers , 1858-1919

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Welch, William Moses
Title
William Moses Welch papers
Dates
1858-1919 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.75 linear feet, (2 containers)
Collection Number
Ax 173
Summary
William Moses Welch (1837-1914) was a Methodist clergyman, serving congregations in the Midwest and the West. The collection consists of diaries, and letters to his son, Eldred. There are also letters from Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Duncan, missionaries at Canton Christian College, Canton, China, 1914-1917.
Repository
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.

Additional Reference Guides

See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

William Moses Welch (1837–1914) was a Methodist minister in Hillsboro, Indiana. He and his wife Mary (?–1931) were farmers. The Welches raised chickens, potatoes, raspberries, and blackberries, and had an orchard. One of their sons, Raymond, lived on the farm with them. Another son, Eldred, lived in Portland, Oregon, where he worked as a clerk for a railroad. His wife's name was Lulu. He was the president of the Men's Brotherhood of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The William Moses Welch Papers consist of the diaries of Welch and the letters of he and his family. Most of the material is fairly personal, some of the most informative reflects on the family's doings in the world of agriculture, religion, and business.

Series I, the William Moses Welch Diaries, contains two diaries from 1858 and 1872. In the earlier diary, Welch describes his daily events, predominately work and religion related, and he expostulates on his personal religious ideas and growth. The latter diary consists of strictly descriptive notes describing the day's events.

Series II, Correspondence, consists of the outgoing and incoming correspondence of members of the Welch family, organized by date, from 1892 to 1919. The letters consist of correspondence between family, friends, and associates, and are addressed from all over the United States. Most of the letters were written and received by Eldred and Lulu Welch. There are many letters written by William from his farm in Indiana and many written from all over Oregon. Eldred's friends Burton and Addie wrote letters from Fresno, Los Angeles, Washington state, and North Dakota. The Mayor of Portland sent Eldred a letter, written May 7th, 1915, regarding his interest in movie censorship. Eldred received a couple of reports from a Chinese missionary, one concerning a furlough voyage from October 5th, 1916, and the other a report from Canton Christian College from March 25th, 1913.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Methodist Church--Clergy--Correspondence
  • Methodist Church--Clergy--Diaries
  • Missionaries--China--Correspondence

Corporate Names

  • Canton Christian College

Form or Genre Terms

  • Correspondence