Rick Welch:  

The Welch family came to Chicago in 1734 or 1743. (I've heard both). Most of the clan had to leave the Orkney Islands, (Do any of my Classmates recall The Ancient Order of Hybernians? Hybernian Clubs? Marty Malloy? Tom Ryan?), under threat of death from the British Crown, for the failed, "First Rising of The Moon". Albert Welch 1, 12 years old, participated in this rebellion and came directly to Chicago, French & Ponca-Pottawatomi-Lakotah territory (aka Mandan/Anishinaabe 3 Council Fires People). At least three generations of Welchs fought in Our "War of Independence." In, 1775, these French Welch's marched, (Boated?) from Chicago, Duquesne Parish or Province, New France, to western New York, (Until the Articles of Capitulation were signed at Quebec in 1759, English and the British Crown paid rent and taxes to the Tribal Nations and the French, Spanish and Dutch Crowns). Before 1775, New York ownership was contested, sometimes violently. In 1803, The United States of America officially admitted French/Indigenous ownership, by Act of Congress, called The Louisiana Purchase Act. Remember, Quebec was established 1543. 1759 - 1543 = 216 years. 1775 to 2015 is how many years? Well, you do the math. The point I'm making is there was a Chicago, (1589), before The United States has existed. I think it ironic, English Americans paid taxes under the French "pastoral" system of taxation from 1607 to 1759, or 152 years with no problem but could not tolerate the brutal British taxation system for a full generation! 1759 to 1774, being only 15 years. So? What does this have to do with my story on Classmates? I personally inherited the Welch/Kellogg/McCormick families Trusts res with the invention of the nickel cadmium & lithium ion or polymer batteries, (Patent Pending document #218544, published in 1838), All of my classmates will remember...the world didn't have electric wristwatches until after 1970. Prior, there was self-winding watches. My Hubbard Classmates might remember Dr. Florian Alev, he was my first CEO of American Battery Co., Chicago, IL. Why should the sole producer of lithium ion (aka polymer) Batteries go BK? Crooked Lawyers! I've always been good at inventing things. "Big Maggie" and Theresa "Tess" McManomon and Greg Mower of Fernwood Grade school & St. Helenas of The Cross(es) will remember my inventing the Star Gear and Rotary Engine after the field trips to Tootsie Roll and Science&Industry. Of Course, all Classmates and Attendees of St. Ethelredas should remember my inventing the Neutron Bomb and POTUS L.B. Johnson and J.E. Hoover appointed me ETA to FBI and Licensed Attorney, especially Jim&Joe Hartnett and Len Swatkowski. To all Classmates and Attendees of St. Ethelredas, if you signed a confidentiality agreement with CIA/CPD's Brennan-Welch for National Security it is not a binding agreement as I am no longer keeping it Secret, (neither did POTUS Reagan), and CIA action inside U.S. Territory is Mandatory dissolution of CIA from day one, (Waterboarding at Guantanamo Military Base?). All of my Classmates or Attendees as Greeley, (NE), '73 Bulldogs, especially Mike Woods, (next U.S. VP?), Ellen Warner, (my best girl), Jane Curran, Mary Lammers and Joy Dugan, (technically a Wolbach graduate), should remember my invention of the Sliding Scale, (a Time Machine), as all friends & associates at one time or another should remember, this invention really confuses things for a number of my Classmates, (CA7 Judge Joel Flaum?). Most High School Classmates will remember the fear of "the draft" and going to Vietnam. I and Joe Burke, (only at St. Ethelredas 50th did I learn JoJo didn't attend class but just waited for a bus), enlisted at 13 years of age and went to Vietnam with 3rd Marines, Indian Co., myself as Company Corpsman or "DOC". For more than 40 years by DoD Standing Orders, no Medical Department personnel could speak of their "Kills", ordered to keep SECRET, and DoD Action Reports stated "...as yet unidentified member of...", but August 2016 the law was changed. So as all Classmates should remember I NEVER joined any "Anti-War Protests." I have learned the truth about Vietnam, (some day I'll explain it), but here goes, (Marc Hundt pay close attention Hubbard Classmate), as Company Doc, I & a Sergeant McHaney(?) were forgotten in NVR tunnels for 5 days, we did not surrender but hid in there, slicing the throats of the enemy, hundreds perhaps thousands. My Company Commander was Robert S. M...Expand for more