Mahala (Allen) Welch (1855 - 1887)

Born 7 Feb 1855 in Tallapoosa, Alabama, United States

Ancestors

Wife of James Alexander Welch — married 9 Dec 1872 in Chambers County, Alabama, United States

Died 16 Aug 1887 at age 32 in Tallapoosa, Alabama, United States

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Research Notes

James Alexander Welch and his wife Mahala Allen were both grandchildren of Charles S H. Goss and Mahala Smith Goss. James was the son of their oldest daughter Elizabeth and Mahala was the daughter of their second daughter Mary. James Alexander and Mahala Allen were first cousins.

Biography

Mahala was the daughter of Beverly Allen and Mary Goss Allen. She was apparently named for her maternal grandmother Mahala Smith and was often called Harley or Haley. She was born in Tallapoosa County, Alabama in 1855. ^[1] Her birthdate has been shown as 7 February 1855 but no documentation has been located. Her mother died in the same year so perhaps she died in childbirth.

In the 1860 U. S. Census (14 August 1860) ^[2] Mahala was five years old. The family included her father, (aunt / step-mother) Marina Goss Allen, her two older brothers and three younger half siblings. Her father had real estate valued at $6000 and a personal estate of $3000. They lived in Milltown, Chambers County, Alabama. Tallapoosa and Chambers counties share a common border so if they moved it was not necessarily a great distance.

Her father, Beverly Allen, died on December 20, 1862 ^[3] leaving Marina to raise eight children.

In the 1870 U. S. Census (28 July 1870) ^[4] Marina (Serina listed as Sterem) was head of the household that included: Churchill age 19 (listed incorrectly as 28), Charles age 18, Harley age 16 (listed incorrectly as male), Elizabeth age 14, Fleming age 12, Lucy age 10, and Jane age 8.

Mahala married James Alexander Welsh ^[5] on December 9, 1872 in Chambers County. James was the son of James Russell Welsh and Emily Goss who was the sister of Mary and Marina Goss. James Alexander Welsh and Mahala Allen were first cousins.

In the 1880 U. S. Census (17 June 1880) ^[6] the family lived in Duffers, Chambers County, Alabama. Neither James nor Mahala could read or write. James was a farmer. They had two children: James age 5 and Mary Jane age 3.

Mahala (name spelled Mahaley) Welsh died 16 August 1887 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Brack, Glenda, Research on the Allen Family in Alabama
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [1]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Northern Division, Chambers County, Alabama, BEVERLY ALLEN FAMILY
3. ↑ Find A Grave; Churchwell, Find A Grave Memorial# 40917178, [2], Aug 20, 2009, Accessed Sept 2016, Allen Cemetery, Milltown, Chambers County, AL; BEVERLY ALLEN.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1870 "United States Federal Census" [3]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Beat 4, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: M593_6; Page: 57B; Image: 117; Family History Library Film: 545505, Dwelling 163, Family 163, lines 31-39 , STEREM ALLEN FAMILY
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 [4]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. microfiche, or book format, located at the Family History Library. Dodd, Jordan R., comp. Early American Marriages: Alabama, 1800 to 1920: 1872; M ALLEN & J A Welsh MARRIAGE
6. ↑ Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [5]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Duffers, Tallapoosa, Alabama; Roll: 33; Family History Film: 1254033; Page: 347D; Enumeration District: 143; Image: 0299; Dwelling 193, Family 193, Lines 22-25; JAMES WELCH
7. ↑ "Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952," database, FamilySearch [6] : 5 January 2015, Mahaley Welch, 16 Aug 1887; citing reference p 78 cn 11; FHL microfilm 1,304,545. Accessed June 2017 by C Duve.