Robert W. Welch Jr.

Robert Henry Winborne Welch Jr. December 1, 1899 – January 6, 1985 was an American businessman, political organizer, as well as conspiracy theorist. He was wealthy coming after or as a the thing that is said of. his retirement from the candy corporation in addition to used it to sponsor anti-communist causes. He co-founded the far right office the John Birch Society JBS in 1958 in addition to tightly controlled it until his death. He was highly controversial and criticized by liberals, as well as some mainstream conservatives, including William F. Buckley Jr.

Early life

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 domestic was in Stockton, North Carolina. 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.

Welch attended the United States Naval Academy and Harvard Law School but did not graduate from either institution.