Seventh Generation
Family of Charles C. Pinckney PRIOR (6) & Harriet Ameilia LATHAM

7. Fannie Fidelia PRIOR. Born on 16 Jan 1832 in Summit Co., OH.[4] Fannie Fidelia died in LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas on 7 Jan 1918; she was 85.

There is confusion about the spelling of Fanny's First name and middle name. Her death certificate states Fannie Fadelia. An invitation to a Prior reunion in 1901 from Henry Prior, (which is in the possession Sharon Rae Darr Jones), states her name as Fanny Fidelia Welch. A picture of her tombstone (from Virginia Baldwin) says Fannie F. So it really is a mystery until we can prove it one way or the other.

Fanny Fidelia Prior was the fourth child of Charles C. Pinckney Prior and Harriet Latham. In her youth she married Decatur Skinner. Two children were born to them. Albert Otis was born in Summit County Ohio, May 12, 1852. Albert was a toddler when the family moved to Jackson County Iowa. He had a sister, Lillian born about 1853. In 1881, she was at Humbolt, Iowa. She had a daughter Lottie who married Zachariah Poindexter--no other information available.

Albert Otis (O.A.) married 29 December 1875 to Lucy L. Kimball, daughter of Nelson Kimball. They had four children. Dale and Roy were in Oregan when their father died. Bessie was born August 1878 and Ida L. was born September 1880, she married a Mr. Woods.

Lucy died 20 January 1891 at Miles, Jackson County, Iowa, she was 35 years old. Albert never remarried. He died 23 August 1925. Both are buried in the Miles cemetery in Lots 8 and 81/2, in unmarked graves.

Albert had two half-brothers, born to Fannie and William Willard Welch. Henry Walter was born 3 January 1863 at Van Buren, Jackson County, Iowa. His brother Jesse Danforth was born at Van Buren on 16 January 1869.

Source: "History of Jackson County 1900-1989," p. 415. Article written by Jana Freed, great granddaughter.

Source: "Death Certificate for Fannie Fadelia Prior," No. 83 401, State Board of Health--Division of Vital Statistics, Topeka, Kansas.

On 4 Aug 1850 when Fannie Fidelia was 18, she first married Decatur C. SKINNER, in Summit Co., OH. Born abt 1831 in Ohio. Decatur C. died in 1856 in California.

They had the following children:
i. Albert Otis. Born on 12 May 1852 in Summit Co., OH. Albert Otis died in Miles, Jackson Co., IA on 23 Aug 1925; he was 73. Born on 12 May 1852 in Summit Co. OH. Albert Otis died in Miles Jackson Co, IA on 23 Aug 1925; he was 73.

On 29 Dec 1875 when Albert Otis was 23, he married Lucy L. KIMBALL, daughter of Nelson KIMBALL, in Jackson Co., IA. Lucy L. died on 20 Jan 1891 in Miles, Jackson Co., IA. Lucy L. died on 20 Jan 1891 in Miles Jackson Co, IA.
ii. Lillian. Born abt 1853 in Summit Co., OH. Born abt 1853 in Summit Co. OH.

Lillian married Zachariah POINDEXTER.

On 23 Sep 1861 when Fannie Fidelia was 29, she second married William Willard WELCH, in Van Buren, Jackson Co., IA. Born on 20 Mar 1823 in Portsmouth, England. William Willard died in LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas on 31 Jan 1918; he was 94. Born on 20 Mar 1823 in Portsmouth Eng. or Table Rock, NY. William Willard died in LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas on 31 Jan 1918; he was 94.

Orrie B. Greenway's Notes of January 11, 1963 to daughter Virginia Baldwin.
William Willard Welch was born at Portsmouth, England March 20, 1823 and was one of 13 children and had a twin sister, Phoebe. He came to the U. S. at the age of 16 and his first work was for a stone mason on the building of the Erie Canal. One brother, Jesse, and his twin sister, Phoebe were the only others to come over from England.

He had seen Queen Victoria many times while in England. He followed the mason trade all thru his lifetime, in Iowa, and on into Kansas. His mother was a Dr. of Medicine ( this being during Queen Victoria's time she probably was a mid-wife) in England; her name was Bone, Boen, Bowan or Bohan. (On his death certificate her name is spelled Bone). He married Fannie Fidelia Pryor, daughter of a furniture and cabinet maker, in Iowa where the two children were born. They came to Kansas and homestead a quarter of land 6 miles south of Nekoma in Rush County.

William and his son Henry at 16, left Iowa and walked to Kansas, stopping on the way doing mason work in Bennington, Salina, and Elsworth, Kansas. Henry and Jesse were born at Makoqueta, Iowa
(Henry's death certificate has just Jackson County, Iowa, but the History of Jackson County has Van Buren as place of birth.) As boys they ice skated on the Mississippi River.

William and son Henry followed the stone mason trade and built many homes in the area and stonework on many store buildings including what was called the Rush County Poor House and laid out the footing by the North Star. William was an expert stone dresser and much of his work still stands including the Poor House.

William was brown eyed and small of stature, could see without glasses only to read and had cut his third set of teeth. He died in March 1918 and his wife preceeded him about 2 weeks.

Source: "Grand daughter Orrie B. Greenway's Notes to Virginia Baldwin, daughter," contributed by Sharon Jones, Great Granddaughter, Oklahoma City.

Source: "Death Certificate, William Willard Welch," No. 83 399, State Board of Health--Division of Vital Statistics, Topeka, Kansas.

Source: "Death Certificate, Henry Walter Welch," No. 83 1992, State Board of Health--Division of Vital Statistics, Topeka, Kansas.

Source: "Jackson County History, 1900-1989, " page 415. Article written by Jana Freed great great granddaughter.


They had the following children:
8 i. Henry Walter (1863-1942)
ii. Jesse Danforth. Born on 16 Jan 1869 in Van Buren, Jackson Co., IA. Jesse Danforth died in LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas on 16 Jul 1927; he was 58.

Jesse was born 16 January 1869 in Van Buren, Jackson County, Iowa. He was a dedicated famer and good businessman and accumulated considerable wealth. He was unmarried but devoted to his aged parents who both died in January of 1918. His loss and bad health caused him to take his life on 6 July 1927.

Jesse had no family of his own. When his parents were no longer able to stay on the farm he got a house in LaCrosse and the three moved to town. Both of the elder Welchs had died in 1918. In Jesse's last years he made his home with his nephew, Ray, who was a barber and lived in Hays, Kansas.

Source: "Jackson County History, 1900-1989, " page 415. Article written by Jana Freed great great granddaughter.

Source: Margaret Hain Houser, THEY DARED TO COME A biography of the first settlers in LaCrosse, page 64.

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