H. B. Welch

H.B. Welch came into the country during the gold rush but was not successful at mining so decided to try farming. He occupied Thom's Location, 5 km downstream from Minto Landing, at the turn of the century. He had two acres just downstream from two acres owned by G. G. Steele. In 1903, he acquired 160 acres six miles from the river and twenty acres three miles from the river.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.)) Welch had a roadhouse, barn and stable just upstream from the present site of Minto in 1903, but the roadhouse was soon acquired by George Steele.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.))

Welch applied for a homestead in 1909.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.)) He had remarkable success in growing potatoes on 100 acres at Minto.((“Yukon Farmers.” //The Weekly Star// (Whitehorse), 25 May 1917.))

Welch left the country in 1916 saying the war had stagnated everything and there was no future in his farm.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.)) The Whitehorse newspaper reporter did not know Welch’s intentions for 1917.((“Yukon Farmers.” //The Weekly Star// (Whitehorse), 25 May 1917.)) In 1927, Welch wrote to the government and expressed an interest in coming back to the Yukon and raising reindeer, but this scheme never developed into anything.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.)) 

Sometime after 1927, Leslie Thom established himself in some of Welch's old buildings and built some new ones.((Mike Rourke, //Yukon River: Marsh Lake to Dawson City.// Houston B.C.: Rivers North Publications, 1997: 113; Yukon Archives, YRG 1 Series 1 Vol. 35, file 24551.))