Robert W. Welch Jr.
| Robert W. Welch Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Henry Winborne Welch Jr. December 1, 1899 Chowan County, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 1985 (aged 85) |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater |
University of North Carolina United States Naval Academy Harvard Law School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Employer | James O. Welch Company |
| Known for | John Birch Society |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Marian Probert Welch |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Henry Winborne Welch Jr. (December 1, 1899 – January 6, 1985) was an American businessman, political activist, and author. He was independently wealthy following his retirement and used that wealth to sponsor anti-Communist causes. He co-founded the conservative group the John Birch Society (JBS) in 1958 and tightly controlled it until his death. He became a highly controversial target of criticism by liberals, as well as some conservatives, including William F. Buckley Jr.
Welch was born in Chowan County, North Carolina, the son of Lina Verona (née James) and Robert Henry Winborne Welch Sr.
As a child, he was considered "gifted" and received his early education at home from his mother, a school teacher. His boyhood home was in . Welch enrolled in high school at the age of ten and was admitted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at the age of twelve. he was a fundamentalist Baptist and, by his own admission, was "insufferable" in his attempts to convert his fellow students to the cause of Jesus Christ.
He later became a Unitarian, remaining so for most his life. Welch attended the United States Naval Academy and Harvard Law School but did not graduate from either one.
Welch founded the Oxford Candy Company in the Brooklyn, New York, a one-man operation until he hired his brother James to assist him. James Welch left to start his own candy company in 1925. The Oxford Candy Company went out of business during the Great Depression, but his brother's company, the James O. Welch Company, survived, and Welch was hired by his brother. The company began making caramel lollipops, renamed Sugar Daddies, and Welch developed other well known candies such as Sugar Babies, Junior Mints, and Pom Poms. Welch retired a wealthy man in 1956.
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