Victor Hazen Welker

Victor Hazen Welker was born January 25, 1890 in Freedom, Lincoln, Wyoming, to Charles Wesley Welker and Margaret Ann Ward. Charles Wesley Welker was the son of Jacob Stoker Welker and Harriet Angeline Lish Welker. Margaret was the daughter of Thomas Ward and Ann Reese Ward.

Ten years later in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Woodruff, Rich County, Utah, Victor was living with his mother, Margaret, 33, who was divorced from Victor's father, Charles. Also in the home were Victor's two sisters, Mary, 14, and Exeriel, 12, and brother Lubin A., 7. Margaret was working as a farmer, and she owned her farm free from a mortgage. She had been born in Idaho, and her father in England and mother in Wales. All of her children were born in Utah. Victor's father, Charles, was born in Willard, Box Elder, Utah.

In 1908 Victor married Bertha Mae Phipps and in 1910 they were living in a rented home located at 586 Centre Street in Evanston, Uinta, Wyoming, with their son, Hazen Victor, one month old. Victor was working as a locomotive fireman for the railroad. They had another son, Ellsworth Charles, in 1913, and sadly six days later, Bertha Mae Phipps Welker passed away. Three years later, Victor Hazen Welker married Myrtle Eliza Rhees in 1916.

When Victor Hazen Welker completed his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card on June 5, 1917, in Ogden, Utah, he described himself as being tall with a medium build, brown eyes and hair. He was 27 years old at that time and was living at 3317 Woodland in Ogden and was working as a locomotive fireman for the Union Pacific Railroad in Ogden. He was supporting a wife and two children.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Ogden, Victor, 30, and Myrtle, 22, were living with his children, Hazen, 10, and Elsworth, 7, and their daughters, Marjorie, 2 years 3 months old and Phyllis, one year old. They were living at 3321 Child Avenue in a rental home, and Victor was working as a hostler at the railroad power house. In 1928, they were still living in Ogden, but then at 2130 Pingree Avenue, and Victor was working as a machinist.

In the 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Ogden, Weber County, Utah, they were listed as Victor, 40, Myrtle, 32, and Victor's children with Bertha, Hazen Victor, 20, and Ellsworth, 16, and Myrtle's children, Marjorie, 12, Phyllis, 11, and Gerald, 7. Victor was working as a machinist for the railroad, and Myrtle was working as a piano teacher. They were living at 2130 Pingree Avenue, a home they owned valued at $3,000. Sometime after 1930, Victor and Myrtle must have divorced because two years later, Victor married Ella Cleone Grix in 1932 in Box Elder, Utah. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ella Grix. Victor and Ella had one son, Richard Grix Welker.

In 1933 Victor and Cleone were living at 709 22nd Street, Ogden, and he was working as a machinist for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and in 1934, they were living at 2337 Jackson Avenue, Ogden, and Victor was still working as a machinist.

Victor's former wife, Myrtle Eliza Rhees Welker, passed away in Provo, Utah, on August 9, 1937, and was buried in the Ben Lomond Cemetery in North Ogden, Weber County, Utah.

Victor and Bertha's son, Ellsworth Charles Welker married Naomi Lorraine Paxton July 3, 1931. Naomi was born April 25, 1915, to Claude Kessler Paxton and Edith Yocum Paxton. When Claude died, Naomi was given up by her mother and adopted by her aunt, Marie Rebecca Paxton Baseman.

In 1938 and 1939, Victor and Cleone, were living at 366 32nd Street in Ogden, and Victor was working as a machinist for the Southern Pacific Railroad. They were at the same place in 1941, and Victor and Myrtle's son, Gerald was living with them and working as a salesman at Penney's. By 1942, Gerald was still living with his father, and was working as an attendant at a Standard Oil Gas Station. Also in the same U.S. City Directory was Victor's brother, Lubin A. Welker, a real estate agent, and his wife, Laura S., who was working as a clerk for the U.S. Selective Service Board. They were living at 122 2nd Street.

In 1946, Victor and Cleone were still living at 366 32nd Street, Apt. 2, in Ogden, and Victor was still working as a machinist for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Victor's son, Ellsworth C., and his wife Naomi, were listing at the same address, and Ellsworth was working as a salesman.

In 1954 and 1958, Victor and Cleone were still living on 32nd Street in Ogden, and he was still working as a machinist. In the same 1959 U.S. City Directory was a listing for a company called Welker's Inc., with Lubin A. Welker, as the President and Manager and his wife, Mrs. Laura S. Welker, working as the Secretary/Realtor, and their company was a real estate company also offering home loans and building, which was located at 2420 Kiesel Avenue, with a telephone number of EXport 3-7644.

Victor Hazen Welker passed away July 10, 1965, in Ogden, Weber, Utah, and was buried in the Ogden city Cemetery. Victor and Bertha Mae's son, Ellsworth Charles Welker, passed away August 28, 1974, in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, and was buried in the Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose. His wife, Naomi, passed away 5 years later and was buried with her husband in San Jose.

Victor and Bertha Mae's son, Hazen Victor Welker, born April 9, 1910, married his first wife, Felice Marie Cilento, sometime after the 1930 census was taken on April, 1930, because in that census Hazen, 20, and his 16 year old brother, Ellsworth C., were living in San Francisco, with a divorced woman named Mrs. Olphouine Hessel, 49, who was from Belgium. Mrs. Hessel was working as a chamber maid in a hotel and Hazen Victor was working as an interior decorator. Ellsworth was not working. Mrs. Hessel was renting the home for $20.00 per month.

By the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Hazen and Felice were living at 970 East Lincoln Court, San Jose, Santa Clara, California. They owned their own home which was valued at $5,000, and Hazen was working as a painter for a construction company. For the 50 weeks he worked in 1939 at 48 hours per week, his income was $1,700. They were listed in the census as Hazen, 30, Felice, 29, and their children, Robert, 7, and Shirley A., 5. Hazen had 4 years of high school and Felice had 2 years. Felice was born in New York and their children in California. A U.S. City Directory for 1940 San Jose, shows that Hazen was working as a salesman for The Drapery House.

Hazen and Felicia were living at 1065 Lincoln Court in San Jose in 1943 and he was working as a machinist for Campbell & Budlong. By 1944, they were at the same address, but Hazen was working as a salesman. In 1945 he was again working as machinist but they were living at 1062 Lincoln Court, just a few doors down from their former address.

Hazen's brother, Ellsworth C. Welker, was working for a business located in Ogden, Utah, in 1948, known as Welker Bro's Draperies and Venetian Blinds, Inc., and Ellsworth was the Vice President and General Manager. They did custom built venetian blinds, and quality upholstering, and had an office and show room located at 418 26th Street, with a shop at 2651 Washington Blvd., and a telephone number of 2-7601.

At the time, Ellsworth C. and his wife Naomi, were living at 366 32nd Street, Hazen and Felice were living at 431 32nd Street, and Gerald and his wife Betty at 3125 Ogden Avenue. Their uncle, Lubin A. Welker, and his wife, Laura S., and their son, Mark L., were living at 122 2nd. So perhaps Hazen had left California to work with his brother and their uncle in their business in Ogden.

But by 1949 Hazen and Felice were living in San Jose again at 508 Patton Street and they had a business Welker Bros. (G.C. and E.C.) doing draperies located at 2326 Stevens Creek Road. Ellsworth was living in Santa Clara, as was Gerald. They were still there in 1956 and 1957, and Hazen was listed as President and Robert G. Welker, Vice President, and Stanley F. Patten as Secretary-Treasurer, and their upholstery and drapery business was located at 1451 W. San Carlos Street. They still had the same business in 1960. Sometime after that, Hazen and Felice divorced, and seven years later he was married to Margaret J. Jacobs.

Hazen married Margaret J. Jacobs on May 15, 1967, when he was 57 and she was 47, but they were divorced ten years later in 1977. Three years later, Hazen married Mildred C. Antonelli in Reno, Nevada, on January 24, 1979 when he was 68 years old.

Ten years later, Hazen Victor Welker passed away March 1, 1989, in Alameda County, California, while living in Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California. He was one month shy of his 79th birthday. Hazen was buried in the Evanston City Cemetery. His headstone reads as follows: "Beloved Father and Grandfather, Hazen Victor "H.V." Welker, April 9, 1910 to March 1, 1989. Founded Welker Bros. San Jose, California. Watch and Pray."

Victor Hazen Welker's third wife, Ella Cleone Grix Welker, passed away May 28, 1992, in Ogden, and was buried in the Ogden City Cemetery.