Leonard Welker was probably born in Germany around 1750. Welker was married to Catherine Edlinger and, by 1771, they lived on the Pennsylvania frontier in Northumberland County, which is present-day Union County.
The long northern boundary of Northumberland County was vulnerable to attack. This became tragically obvious when over 200 patriots died in an attack in the Wyoming Valley on July 3, 1778, by a force of Tories, Iroquois, and British.
Gen. John Sullivan organized an expedition to attack Iroquois villages from June to October of 1779. While the force was gathering at Wyoming, the British force attacked by coming down the west branch of the Susquehanna River into Northumberland County. These encounters are referred to as the “Runaways” because so many settlers left northern Pennsylvania at the time. Gen. Sullivan did conduct the expedition, which broke future large-scale attacks, but the raids continued.
These raids led to the county recruiting special rangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier to counter Iroquois attacks. Leonard Welker enlisted as a ranger. Although surviving records include no exact dates, his name is on a payroll and on muster rolls for two units during 1779-82.
Welker stayed in Northumberland County after the war, operating a saw and grist mill for a time. However, the family moved on to Rowan County, North Carolina, by 1789. The couple had five sons and two daughters at the time of the 1790 census. The sons were Henry Welker (who married Catherine Cook), Jacob Welker, John Welker, Daniel Welker and Peter Welker (who married Sarah Yount). The daughters were Catherine Welker (who married Christopher Edinger) and Anna Maria Welker (who married Peter Hahn).
The family was in Lincoln County, North Carolina, in 1800, when two sons and a daughter had established independent households. Traditionally, it is reported that Leonard Welker came with the Bollinger party in1799-1800. However, his presence in Lincoln County for the census in August 1800 suggests he actually immigrated to Missouri later.
Welker settled on a tract on Caney Fork near Whitewater River in 1802, purchasing rights to it in 1805. Testimony by George Frederick Bollinger before the Board of Land Commissioners charged with confirming Spanish land grants established his settlement date. Bollinger stated, "... [Leonard Welker] settled the said tract of land in 1802 and did prior to and on the 20th day of December 1803 actually inhabit & cultivate the said tract of land and had then a wife and 4 children."
After living in Missouri for 14 years, Leonard Welker wrote his will and passed away shortly after in November 1816. A soldier of the Revolutionary War, his principal legacy is the hundreds of descendants living in the area today.
The Allen Laws Olivers Chapter, National Society Sons of the American Revolution will be marking the grave of Private Leonard Welker on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM. Location Old Salem Cemetery, 547 County Road 478, Millersville, MO.
Sources:
Primary article was written by Bill Eddleman with the State Historical Society of Missouri located in Kent Library on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University for the Southeast Missourian.
https://www.semissourian.com/features/leonard-welker-frontier-ranger-and-southeast-missouri-settler-2937527
Edits and addition of family information was done by Pamela Johnson, John Guild Chapter, NSDAR
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9071
https://genealogytrails.com/mo/bollinger/hist_county.htm
https://mossar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ste-Gen-Grave-Marking.jpg
