52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Roland A. Welch

Raynor Park, Mason, Michigan

more photos from Mason, Michigan here.

People have been enjoying this park since 1872.

This week I'm skipping over to my grandmother's family on my father's side.  May I introduce,

Roland A. Welch, born in Mason, Michigan on 15 June 1892.

He also happens to be my grandmother's first cousin (on her mother's side of the family) and this photo (on the other side) declares he was her first school teacher.  

             My grandmother, Ada Harriet, is my father's mother.
This photo of her, could very well be a photo from about the time Roland Welch was her teacher.

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS

This ancestor challenge is
Sponsored by Amy Johnson Crow, from "No story too small" at this link

Where each week we write about one of our ancestors.


I've always known that he was a teacher, but I had no idea, until reading his draft registration that he was also, a truant officer. I find that very interesting.  Of course, when school was out during the summer, he was busy working as a farmer, as many did back then.

Holt, Michigan is where he first taught.

A brief bit of history about Holt, Michigan,  about the time he became a school teacher, and more here, thanks to Face book.




Apparently, his home town of Mason, and the city of Holt, where he eventually lived, weren't suitable enough for him and he moved his family to the much larger city, Detroit, Michigan.  I'm not entirely sure what date, but sometime before his marriage to, Vera L. Connell on July 28, 1920.   They had a daughter, Patricia A. born in 1928, also listed as being in Wayne, Detroit City, Michigan. The 1940's census lists them still living in Ward 16, Detroit, Michigan, with their one daughter, Patricia at the age of 12.

Later, they did something quite different from their other relatives.   They moved to Florida.

Dated from June 5, 1917 is Roland's draft registration can be seen here.

From World War 1 1917-1918  the actual photo of his draft registration can be seen here.

His draft registration is rather interesting and worth a look. He is described as tall, and slender, with blue eyes and light brown hair.  His present trade is listed as, Truant Officer and teacher in the city of Detroit, and that he works on a farm in the summer.  The farm, is quite possibly part of the family acreage in Delhi Township, Michigan.

I discovered this little poem on the Ingham County and Delhi Township ancestor's site, written possibly by a student?  The author is unknown, but the poem is very fitting for their day.

School days, school days,

Dear old Golden Rule days,

Readin' and Ritin' and Rithmetick,

Taught to the time of a hickory stick.

You were my queen in Calico,

I was your bashful barefoot beau,

and you wrote on my slate,

I love you, Joe.

When we were a couple of kids.

-Author unknown.

I hope to research more regarding Roland, as it seems further depth is required to fill in the blanks from their leaving Michigan, and eventually taking up roots in Florida.

As it appears, he died on February 1, 1972 in Pinellas County, Florida.

I have yet to discover the location of his grave.  So far, he isn't listed in any of the cemeteries in the link below, but some of the cemeteries were not available during the update process.

A complete Cemetery listing in Pinellas County here.



I present this question to you.  Roland A. Welch, is my grandmother's first cousin, so what would you say his relation is to me?

I welcome your thoughts.