Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

This is a continuation of Block 4 of St. John's Cemetery. This part includes the final five of the seven unmarked graves in Block 4 – Charles Michaels, Mrs. Tom Welsh, Veronica Esther Welsh, Mrs. J.P. Welsh, J.P. Welsh, Ned Walsh, Mary Walsh and Denver Black.

Mrs. J.P. Welsh: Proper name is Mary (Hynes) Welsh. Mary Hynes was born on Aug. 16, 1863 in Ireland to Martin and Mary Hynes. Her obituary as taken from the New Rockford Transcript tells her life history and reads as follows: "Heart failure causes death on Monday night (March 13, 1933). Mrs. John P. Welsh passed away at her home here following a long illness. Was well known in city and Tiffany community. Funeral services conducted at St. John’s Catholic Church by Father O’Donovan. Death claimed Mrs. John P. Welsh Monday night at her home in this city following many months of illness, heart failure being the immediate cause of her death. Funeral services were conducted at St. John’s Catholic Church in this city yesterday morning at 10 o’clock; the requiem mass being read by Father J.J. O'Donovan with a large concourse of sorrowing friends of the deceased and her family attending the last sad rites. Pallbearers were six of her sons, William, Martin, John, Thomas, Joseph and Terry, and the remains were laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery (St. John’s Catholic) north of this city.

"Deceased was born in County Galway, Ireland, on Aug. 16, 1863, and came to Minnesota in her early girlhood days, being united to John P. Welsh at Savage, Minn., on Oct. 17, 1882. The couple lived in St. Paul from that time until 1894, when they went to Barnesville where they resided until 1902; coming to a farm in Tiffany Township, Eddy County, N.D. in 1902.

"They spent 18 years on the farm and then came to New Rockford where they made their home since with the exception of four years – 1925 to 1929 – which were spent in California. Eleven children were born to the couple, all of whom survive – William, Martin, Thomas, Terry and Mrs. George Warner being residents of this county; John of Minneapolis, Minn.; Joseph of Fonda, N.D.; Nicholas of Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Thomas Gainey, Miss Katherine and Mrs. Thomas Cooney of Los Angeles, Calif.; all the children with the exception of Mrs. Tom Gainey, Nicholas and Mrs. Thomas Cooney being present at the obsequies.

"A kindly Christian woman has gone to her rest and a large concourse of friends will sincerely regret her passing away and will extend to the husband and father bereft their sincere condolences in their hour of deep sorrow."

Sometimes obituaries are not alway accurate, as it is documented in the Catholic records that J.P. and Mary Welsh had a 12th child named James B. Welsh born on Aug. 6, 1895 and died at 10 years old on Nov. 13, 1905. James B. Welsh is buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, New Rockford, N.D. and has a stone marking his grave. Mary Welsh does not have a marker.

J. P. Welsh: Proper name is John Peter Welsh. John Peter Welsh was born on June 19, 1858. His obituary as taken from the New Rockford Transcript reads as follows: "John P. Welsh, a former resident, dies in California. Death from old age, complications came early Tuesday morning (May 21, 1940) at Van Nuys, Calif. Was a resident of Eddy County for many years. Funeral service to be conducted at St. John’s Church Saturday morning at 10 o’clock.

"Death came to John P. Welsh, 81 years, at three o’clock Tuesday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Gainey, in Van Nuys, Calif., dissolution occurring from old age and complications following an illness of three months, although he had been in feeble health for several years past. Funeral services will be conducted at St. John’s Catholic Church in New Rockford Saturday morning at 10 o’clock with Rev. Father O’Donovan reading the requiem high mass of the church and burial will be in the family lot in Calvary Cemetery (St. John’ Catholic) beside the remains of Mrs. Welsh, who passed away on March 13, 1933.

"John Peter Welsh was born in Barnesville Township, Dakota County, Minn., on June 19, 1858, and received his education in that community. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Hynes at Savage, Minn., on Oct. 17, 1882, and the couple moved to St. Paul, where they made their home until 1894, spent four years in Barnesville, Minn., and came to Eddy County in March, 1902, having purchased what was known as the William Woodward farm in north Tiffany Township where they spent 18 years. Moving to New Rockford in 1920 they made their home here until the death of Mrs. Welsh, with the exception of the period from 1925 to 1929 which they spent in Oregon and California. Since the death of his wife, the deceased has been making his home with his children in California and Eddy County, having passed the greater portion of the past four years in California.

"Eleven children were born to the union, all of whom survive – William, Martin, Thomas and Molly (Mrs. George Warner), residing in this county; John, Helena, Mont.; Terry and Katherine (Mrs. Arthur Harrold), Los Angeles, Calif.; Nicholas and Joseph, Fairview, Oreg.; Ella (Mrs. Thomas Gainey) Van Nuys, Calif., and Ita (Mrs. Thomas Cooney), Sacramento, Calif. Twenty-four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren also survive.

"A fine citizen, neighbor and friend has passed on in the person of John P. Welsh, and the many friends he made during his many years of usefulness will mourn his passing away and will extend to the children, who have lost a wise counselor and a devoted father, their sincere sympathy in the great loss they have sustained."

As I stated in the life history of Mary Welsh, John and Mary had a 12th child James B. Welsh born on Aug. 6, 1895 and died on Nov. 13, 1905 and is buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in New Rockford, N.D. James B. Welsh has a stone marking his grave but John Peter Welsh and Mary Welsh do not.