NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Biographical and Genealogical History of Morris County New Jersey. Illustrated. Vol. II., Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1899.

Many of the most important interests, business and otherwise, of the town of German Valley, New Jersey, have an able representative in the gentleman whose name forms the heading of this article, Matthias T. WELSH, who is known for his enterprise and business acumen.

Mr. WELSH is a native of "the valley" with which he is so prominently identified, having been born in the town of Middle Valley, July 27, 1857. His early years were passed at Middle Valley, where his father, the late John C. WELSH, was engaged in merchandising; and his education was obtained at one of the well known seats of learning in New England, Phillips' Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, of which he is a graduate with the class of 1880. During his vacations young WELSH devoted his time to assisting his brother in the store, and thus by the time he reached manhood he had acquired a knowledge of men and business as well as books. Soon after his graduation, in 1880, he engaged in the lumber and coal business on his own account, in German Valley, purchasing the interest of William Dalrymple & Son. For eleven years he dealt exclusively in lumber and coal, doing a prosperous and increasing business, and in 1894 he purchased property adjoining the station grounds, and added hardware and paints to his stock.

Mr. WELSH is also interested in banking and insurance. He is vice president of the Hackettstown National Bank, with which he has been connected as a director for the past ten years, and of which he is now one of the heaviest stockholders; and he is also a member of the board of directors of the Morris County Insurance Company. A warm friend of the public schools and deeply interested in higher education, his influence has for years been of vital importance in educational lines. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the board of education of Washington township, and at this writing is president of the board.

Referring briefly to his family, we state that he was married September 1, 1882, to Miss Mary E., daughter of the late Jacob M. HAGER and his wife, nee Adaline HUNT. His four children are

• Christy,
• J. Miller,
• Harrison and
• an infant son.

This biography was scanned and contributed by Catherine Smith DeMayo.

Copyright ©1999-2018 by Brianne Kelly-Bly, all rights reserved.