Wilhelm Eduard Christlieb Welke

     Wilhelm Eduard Christlieb Welke, son of Christoph Daniel Welke and Johanna Karoline Wenski, was born at 3 o'clock in the morning on 17 December 1826 at Plötzmin, Deutsch Krone, Marienwerder, Westpreußen (German Confederation).^1,3,9,6 He was baptized on 26 December 1826. His godparents were Jacob Busze, estate owner, Ludwig Wilhelm Rehmus, and Auguste Fenske.¹

On 22 February 1855, Wilhelm acquired the mayoral estate Schwente Nr. 2, at Flatow, Marienwerder, Westpreußen (German Confederation), from his father-in-law for 17000 Taler, and gave his parents-in-law a life estate. Schwente No. 2 consisted of 700 morgen of land and 120 morgen of forest. Livestock consisted of about 280 sheep, 28 cattle, 4 horses, 2 foals and some pigs, etc. There were also four wagons, two with iron axels, which was unusual at that time, two harrows with iron teeth and two of wood, and five plows.^10,9,3

Wilhelm married Augusta Bertha Wenski, daughter of Samuel Wenski and Wilhelmine Timm, on 15 March 1855 in the protestant church at Flatow, Marienwerder, Westpreußen (German Confederation).^9,11

The farmstead was originally in the village. For convenience, in 1856 Wilhelm began to build a new farmstead on his land. As time went on, he enlarged his farm by about 300 morgen by buying out neighboring farms for a total of 13000 Taler.¹²

Augusta Bertha Welke died on 6 March 1864, at Schwente (Święta) at age 26, leaving Wilhelm as a widower at the age of 37 years.^9,13

Later, Wilhelm Eduard gave his son Otto about 1000 morgen of his land.¹⁴

On 22 December 1896, Wilhelm conveyed the Hof Nr. 2 at Schwente (Święta) to his son, Otto, for 79000 Marks, with the commitment that Otto would support his father for the remainder of his life. Along with the land, Otto received about 450 sheep, 18 horses, about 40 cattle, 10 wagons, various harrows, iron barrels, two grain threshing machines, two grain rakes, a sowing machine, two clover sowing machines, a machine to cut chaff, ten iron plows and four two bladed plows, a three bladed plow, a four bladed plow, two carriages, two basket-carriages, two hunting sleds, four work sleds, and much more.

During his time on the farm, Eduard had built several new buildings, drained a portion of the land, and in general raised the value of the property. The buildings were insured against fire in the amount of 78000 Marks, the inventory for 97000 Marks, making a total of 175000 Marks.^15,16

Wilhelm died on 18 January 1905 at Schwente (Święta) at age 78 years, 1 month and 1 day.⁹