13 things about Norwich, Vermont’s Peter Welch

Peter Francis Welch is a resident of Norwich, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The town is part of the Dresden School District, the first interstate school district in the country.

BIOGRAPHY

Welch is an American lawyer and politician born in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA to Edward Joseph Welch Sr. and Mary Tracy Welch. Edward was a dentist and Mary was a homemaker.

Born in Massachusetts to Michael Joseph Welch and Mary H. Burke, Edward turned 70 on September 9, 1985 and died in Springfield on December 14, 1985. Aside from Peter, Edward Sr. and Mary Tracy have three other songs namely Edward Joseph “E.J.” Welch Jr., John F. Welch and David M. Welch.

Born in Springfield to J. Frank Tracy and Mary Grace King Tracy, Peter’s mother attended Cathedral High School in Springfield, which was renamed Pope Francis High School in 2016. Peter’s mother turned 89 on December 16, 2005 and died in Springfield on February 28, 2006.

Peter also attended Cathedral High School. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In 1969, he graduated magna cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts with a bachelor’s degree in history.
2. In 1973, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in Berkeley, California, USA with a Juris Doctor.
3. From January 7, 1981 to January 4, 1989, he was a member of the Vermont Senate from the Windsor district.
4. From January 5, 1983 to January 8, 1985, he was the minority leader of the Vermont Senate.
5. From January 9, 1985 to January 4, 1989, he served as the 73rd president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.
6. From January 8, 2003 to January 3, 2007, he served as the 78rd president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.
7. From December 13, 2001 to January 3, 2007, he represented the Windsor district. again in the Vermont Senate.
8. From January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2023, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the at-large district of Vermont.
9. In 1986, he married Joan Mary Smith Welch.
10. In 2004, his wife Joan died of cancer.
11. In 2009, he married Margaret Cheney.
12. In 2023, he started serving as a U.S. senator from Vermont along with Bernie Sanders.
13. On May 2, 2025, he turned 78.

TIMELINE

Peter is a Democrat. He has five stepchildren from his first marriage and three stepchildren from his second marriage.

2023

• On January 3, 2023, he assumed office as a U.S. senator from Vermont.

2024

• On March 14, 2024, he spoke to World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres during a meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., USA about getting humanitarian aid to Gaza.

2025

• On April 5, 2025, he spoke at a 50501 Hands Off! anti-Trump protest at the Vermont State House in Montpelier, Washington County, Vermont.