Franklin Valentine Welch

Orphaned at his father's death in 1858, he went from Virginia to Indiana and in 1860 was a farm worker living on William Sweeney's place at Rockville in Parke County, IN. He enlisted and mustered on 7 June 1861 as a Private in Company A, 14th Indiana Infantry. He was promoted to Corporal, date not given.

He was wounded by a gunshot to his lower right leg in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was admitted to US Army General Hospital #1 in Frederick, MD on 27 September and returned to duty on 9 April 1863. He was promoted to First Sergeant, date not found, and mustered out with his company at Indianapolis on 6 June 1864.

By 1870 and to at least 1900 he was a farmer in Parke County, IN. He was also "licensed to preach" in the Methodist Episcopal Church in January 1890. He had retired, still in Parke County, by 1910.

Service basics from the Adjutant General.1 Wound and hospital details from the Patient List.2 Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860-1910, and his obituary in the Rockville Tribune of 19 March 1912. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Mary Allen (1840-1880) in August 1864 and they had 5 children. He married again, Martha A "Mattie" Swaim (1852-1934) in December 1881 and they had 2 more.

11/17/1840; Rockbridge County, VA

03/03/1912; Parke County, IN; burial in Rowe Cemetery, Parke County, IN