Welch, Joseph W.

Joseph Warren Welch Sr. (no actuarial info found at Find-a-Grave) purchased 350 acres of old-growth redwood forest in 1867 (according to the Henry Cowell Redwoods SP), or 1869 (according to Santa Cruz Trains), saving the trees from being logged. As most other redwood forest was logged, the preserved old-growth grove became a tourist attraction, becoming known as "Welch's Big Trees" and/or the Welch Big Trees Grove.

According to the State Park website, after Welch died in 1876, his widow Anna Isabella leased the land to entrepreneur J.M. Hooper.