Early Life
Thomas Vincent Welch was born in Camillus, Onondaga County, New York (near Syracuse), the third of six children of Thomas and Honora (Holland) Welch, both Irish immigrants (from Kilmeena and Aghagower, respectively, both in County Mayo). His parents originally immigrated to Canada and were married in Cornville, Ontario on Aug.31, 1842 and later moved to Onondaga County. Sometime after his birth in 1850, his parents moved to the Niagara Falls area along with his two brothers - Edward and John. A sister born in 1848, Honora, died when she was eight months old. Once in the Niagara Falls area, however, his parents had two more children, Ellen in 1852 and Anne in 1856.
He was educated in the public schools in Niagara Falls and at an early age was employed at the New York Central Railroad Company as timekeeper in the shops in the village of Niagara Falls. In 1873 he was promoted to be freight agent of the Central Railroad there, a position he occupied for three years.
In 1876 he left the Railroad to enter into the mercantile business. He continued to be involved in public affairs, but opened a dry goods store on Falls Street with Michael Ryan and later with James E. Rock, under the firm name of Welch & Ryan and Welch & Rock.
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