The Wells Family
Extra's
The Colonel
James Wells Family
By Jane Anderson-Bradburn, 1953
The following is a document that
was written in 1953 by Jane Anderson-Bradburn, my great-grandmother's sister. I
assume this copy was either my great-grandmother's, Bonnie Fenstemaker, or my
grandfather's, Stanley
Fenstemaker. My grandmother gave it to me after my grandfather died in 1984. I
have tried to type it word for word. It became rather difficult to understand
the descendants of James and Polly Wells and I did make some minor changes in
regards to numbering the generations. I am not absolutely positive that I
interpreted it correctly. The copies I have were hard to read and the spellings
are also probably in error. The original photo of the Wells Cathedral was barely
visible and I have substituted a different photo. Also, I have found some errors
in the information recorded here but I left it as is to keep the integrity of
the document intact. It, in itself, errors and all, is truly a valuable piece of
history. L. Humphrey, 1999.
Feb. 4, 1953
It took me
longer than anticipated to do this work. As you can see I'm not a professional
typist. At the beginning, I didn't contemplate making the work into booklets nor
writing the Interlude. Neither did I know about the Cathedral information at the
public library.
The girl,
who typed the stencils and did the mimeographing, is a polio victim sufficiently
recovered to attend Business College. Both of us have made mistakes.
When this
reaches you please write and let me know. It will be a great relief to me when I
know they have been delivered. Orders were received for 53.
Some of us
have never met on earth, but what a joy it would be if we could assemble in
heaven as an unbroken family. It is an individual matter with each of us whether
we accept or reject the offer. Christ said, "I am the door. No man cometh to the
Father but by me."
Janie
Anderson-Bradburn
Address Mrs. Jane Bradburn
5423 So. Cedar St.
Tacoma, Washington
Part I, Page
I
WELLES
ENGLAND AND
NORMANDY
From "Welles
Family England and Normandy", by Albert Welles, published in New York: A.P.V.N.Y.
Public Library, Genealogical Department.
The early
names seem to have been changed from time to time by events and living in
different places. De Montford was known as Evereaux in Normandy. The Welsborne
Montfords of England returned to this identical name and are known in full
recognition of their relationship to the first Simon of Montford, Earl of
Leicester. They bore the same arms with slight variations that bears the same
analogy to the discerning eye.
The name
ramified in many directions as daughters married and among the different
families are Vaux, Vallibus, Welles and Wells, Lee, Millburn, Molbeck,
Mollineaux, (or Miller), D'Evereaux, Nassa, Washburn, (afterwards Washington)
Burn, Butthburn, Reburn, Waterton, Watersbe, Beck, Euills and others. All have
been historical.
Richard de
Welles or Euille (or Evereaux, a spring of water) took the name Welles in
England.
Early as 794
of the Christian Era, Vaux derived name from a district in Normandy. This early
a branch of Vaux is found in Provence, and then allied to most of the Sovereigns
of Europe. They are mentioned in the records of that and subsequent periods by
the name of Beaux, Vaux and Beaux (B and V being used indiscriminately in the
south of France); and the ancient possessions of the princes of Beaux in the
country are still called "Les Tarros Baussengaes" comprising Aix, Marseilles,
etc.
Welles,
England and Normandy
In 1140 the
Vauxes disputed the sovereignty of Provence with the house of Barcelona; and in
1173 they acquired the Principality of Orange by marriage with Tiburge, heiress
of Orange.
In 1214,
William, Prince of Beaux and Orange, assumed the title of King of Arle and
Vienne, which dignity was acknowledged and confirmed to him by Frederick the
II.
In 1393,
Raymond (king of Arles, Prince of Baux and Orange) left by his first wife (Joane
Countess of Geneva) an only daughter who married John de Chalons, Great
Chamberlain of France and conveyed the title and possessions of the house of
Baux into that family, from which by marriage with the heiress of Chalons, they
came to the house of Nassear, in 1530. From the alliance the members of that
house bore the title of Prince of Orange.
Bertram,
second son of William Prince of Baux and Orange, went with Phillip of Anjou into
Italy when that Prince ascended the throne of Naples. A son of this Bertram,
another Bertram de Vaux, was Count of Montescaziosi, etc. and married Beatrix,
daughter of Charles II, King of Naples and Sicily.
His son,
Francis de Vaux, espoused Margaret de Anjou, widow of Edward Baloil, King of
Scotland, and granddaughter of Philip of Anjou, Emperor of Constantinople etc.
in right of his wife, the daughter of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders (Father- in-law
of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy) and Emperor of Constantinople.
Upon this
marriage, Francis de Vaux, was created Duke of Andres in the kingdom of Wellos,
England and Normandy, Naples, etc. and his descendants enjoyed the highest
offices, as the following inscription translated from the monument erected in
1615 in the Church of Saint Claire at Naples, Sicily, fully attests.
"This
monument is dedicated to the most illustrious family of Vaux, a potent race,
decorated with the royal insignia in the Kingdom of Vienne and Arles, Prince of
Orange, Count of Geneva, and great rulers within the sovereignty of Provence
which they frequently subjugated to their dominion by force of arms.
Part I, Page
2
They were
Emperors of Greece, Despots of Romania, Princes of Archaia, Premier of Dukes of
the Kingdom of Naples, Princes of Tarento and Altemard, Dukes of Andrea, Uraino
and Naro, Counts of Montescaziosi, Avallino, Saleto, Castro, Ugento, Nola,
Aloxana, and Accerraro: Great Constables, High Chamberlains and Stewarts of the
Papal armies. Hieronymus de Vaux has here deposited the bones of as many of his
name and lineage as he has been able to collect, and out of piety to them has
erected this monument to their memory."
VIDELICETT
TO THE MEMORY OF
Antonia de
Vaux, Queen of Sicily.
Isabella de
Vaux, Queen of Naples.
Cecilia de
Vaux, Countess of Savoy.
Sibella de
Vaux, Countess of Piedmont.
Maria de
Vaux, Daupheness of Vienne.
Isabella de
Vaux, Despotisses of Servia.
Welles,
England and Normandy
The Prince
of Joinvills derived from Stephen de Vaux who married the heiress of the Count
de Joigny in Champaigne and assumed the name of Joinville or Joignville.
His
successors bore for arms, "Au., a bend gu" (nearly same coat as the English
Vauxes of Try er mayne); viz. "Ar., a bend chequey, or gu" of the house of Vaux
of Champaigne.
Welles -
English.
Arms - a
lion rampant double queued sable.
Motto -
Semper paratus (Always ready).
Part II,
Page 1
WELLS FAMILY
IN ENGLAND
The Wells or
Welles family have been traced to Vaux family in Normandy-Norman-French val or
vala, plurals vallor vaux from Latin vallis. Vallys (1220), Wellys (1475),
Wyllys (1463), de Well (1461-89), de Wells, Welles (1298) and Wells.
Vaux family
in Provence as early as 794, and recognized as one of the most illustrious in
history, having from that period held the highest rank in its own right, and by
royal intermarriages.
A Richard de
Welles came to England in 1060, with William the Conqueror.
Harold de
Vaux, a near connection of William the Conqueror, founded the family in England,
1120. He was accompanied by his three sons, Baron Hubert, Baron Ranuoph, and
Baron Robert, all surnamed de Vallibus.
Robert de
Welles, born about 1145, was the great-grandson of Robert de Vallibus. He held
the manor of little Rayno, in Essex, England, and was the founder of the Welles
family in that country. Numerous branches of the family founded in England were
wealthy and powerful in their own right, made marriages with leading families of
the realm. Among these, was that of Dymoke, in which is held the title of
Hereditary, Champion of the King of England.
Hugh de
Welles, a descendant of Jocelyn de Welles, the Fleming, became one of the most
important men in England. Advanced to the See of Lincoln as Archdeacon and Lord
Chancellor of England, his power became very great. He was Chief of the Barons
and was instrumental in obtaining from King John in 1215; the great Magna Charta
prepared by the Barons and signed by John. Hugh de Wells appeared to have been
in very close alliance with and in confidence with King John.
Wells
Cathedral in Somersetshire, in its present form was begun under the leadership
of Bishop Jocelyn de Wells, brother of Bishop of Welles, before the middle of
the 13th century. (see INTERLUDE Page D.)
Recorded
history and family traditions agree in stating that all of Welles and Wells who
immigrated to the American colonies during the 17th century were from County
Essex in England.
Arms: a lion
rampant, double queued sable. Crest: a demi-lion rampant, a double queued
sable.
Motto:
Semper Paratus (always ready)
WELLS IN AMERICA
James Wells,
migrated from England to America (date unknown) and first settled in Maryland.
He married Ann _____.
Names of
children as recorded in the record of Saint Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church,
Baltimore, Md., Vol. I, page 56.
James, son
of James Wells and Ann his wife, born Mar. 18, 1720
Prudence,
dau. of James Wells and Ann his wife, born Mar. 18, 1720
Richard I,
son of James Wells and Ann his wife, born Mar. 15, 1722
Honour, dau.
of James Wells and Ann his wife, born Oct. 1724
Alexander,
son of James Wells and Ann his wife, born Mar. 12, 1727
Ann, dau. of
James Wells and Ann his wife, born Feb. 17, 1729
Richard I is
also called Richard Senior. It is from him we begin to trace our family and also
Revolutionary Record.
Before
beginning this page of record, let me remind you there was no State of West Va.
Until June 19, 1863. The Panhandle or Northwest section of Va. did not want
to secede from
Union. It
was admitted as a state.
Part II,
Page 2
Richard
Wells I, or Sr., migrated from Maryland to Cumberland Co., Penn. As early as
1763. He owned 200 acres of land surveyed for him Aug. 1, 1766 (reference from
archives). Later part of this County was called Bedford. (as Cumberland and
Bedford Counties are miles apart, I imagine he moved to Bedford Co.) In 1771-72
Richard Wells Sr. lived and paid taxes in Brothers Valley Township, Bedford Co.,
Pennsylvania.
Family
tradition says that Richard Wells left Somerset County in 1774 with "eight
sons old enough to bear arms" and went to the Panhandle Section of what is
now West Va. (this is near Wheeling , WV and near Ohio.) On this trip the
Indians stole all his horses. He and his sons trailed the thieves, killed two
Indians and one horse and secured other horses. We don't know how they got the
horses; hope they bought.
NOTICE:
Richard Wells I, fought in the Revolutionary War.
He was a member of Captain Edmund Baxter's Co., Pa. (note that country was then
part of Va.) Later he moved from Panhandle section to Bourbon Co., Ky., near
Millersburg, and then to Ohio. He and his sons George and Joseph Wells, were
early settlers of Licking Co., Ohio in 1801-1802.
Richard
Wells Sr. is buried in Licking Co., Ohio, in George's Chapel Cemetery near town
of Luray. His headstone reads "Richard Wells, died Sept. 12, 1816." He was
married twice. His first wife was Nancy Brown born in 1743, daughter of George
Brown. Name of second wife is not known Richard Wells Sr. had 24 children, six
sons and six daughters by each wife.
Some of
those by first wife were named George, Mary, James, Richard Jr. or II, Thomas,
Patience, and John. (These have been located.)
I, Janie
Anderson-Bradburn, who was born and lived to the age of 15, in Pike Co., Ill.
Saw Uncle John Wells and knew his grandson Wilson Wells. We used to visit them
and they visited us. Richard Wells Jr. had a son Perry Wells, and daughter
Patience McElfresh, who were near neighbors of ours. Uncle John, had a son named
Joshua, who was a Christian preacher. He married my Father James W. Anderson,
and was Mother Ruth Elizabeth (Betty) Wells. Wilson was Joshua's son.
And now I'll
resume record.
Children of
Richard Wells, sr. and his second wife are recorded only as Joseph and
Elizabeth. Other children not certain to which wife they belonged, were
Nicholas, Hugh, Joshua, Charles, Nancy, Ruth and Alexander. This leaves several
unlocated and unaccounted for.
And now, I,
Jane Bradburn will add some more.
Many of
these Wells descendants gradually moved into the states of Ill., Mo., Wash., and
Calif. Most of the older generations were farmers, but the younger ones are
found in many occupations.
A Mr. John
Shively, of Coatesville, Mo., said: 'I have migrated from the eastern part of
the U.S. to this location. On the way I stopped and settled in different
localities for a few years. It seemed wherever I located, whether in Pa., Ohio,
or here I found some of the Wells tribe. There were a few things characteristic
of the family. Most of them were prosperous and were leaders in their
communities. People respected them and sought their advice. They were clean
moral men and took part in the civil and religious activities of the
neighborhoods where they lived." This is a fine heritage; and I hope the coming
and present generations will appreciate and follow their example.
INTERLUDE
Page A
Jan. 10,
1953
I, Jane
Bradburn, 5423 So. Cedar Street, Tacoma, Wash. am 84 years old today. So far as
I know my sister Bonnie Fenstemaker, my brother, James T. Anderson, and I are
the only living grandchildren of the Colonel James Wells family. It is possible
Frank or William Wells may be alive in Berkley or San Francisco, California, but
if they are they must be in their nineties. They were sons of John.
When James
Wells, son of Richard Sr. was married he took for his wife, Mary (Polly) Wheldon
or Weldon. They were married in Va. and her father must have been a man of means
as he gave her five slaves as a wedding present. My Mother and other members of
the relatives said, she was from Pa. And called the family "Pennsylvania Dutch"
which means in reality, they were German. When I lived with Uncle Jim Wells he
had an oak chest painted red. He said, "My grandfather, made this chest in
Germany and brought his clothes to America in it. One of his neighbors said,
"Mr. Wheldon, why don't you teach your children to speak German, so they will
know two languages?" My great-grandfather replied, "I was reared in Germany; it
was a despotic government, and the citizens have so little freedom. When I was a
young man, I heard and read about this country, I studied about its form of
government and admired it so much I resolved to leave my Fatherland and come to
America, the United States.
I am a
citizen now and I don't want my children to have any more ties than are
necessary to link them to Germany. If I had wanted them to be German, I would
have remained in that country. We speak the English language here and that is
all I want them to know."
I admire him
for his loyalty, but I wish I could speak half a dozen languages instead of one;
the ability to speak and write foreign languages, especially in this day,
enables many persons to secure high priced jobs, as well as to be able to
befriend foreign immigrants who like Mr. Wheldon, come here to become useful and
loyal citizens.
Some of the
Wells relatives seemed to belong to the Episcopal or Presbyterian Churches. Many
of them were Methodists; but Co. James Wells and his brother, John were deeply
impressed by the preaching and teachings of Alexander Campbell, who founded the
Christian or Disciples Church in 1811. They, at least, and I do not know whether
any others of the family did or not, left the Methodist and united with the
Christian.
When they
made their last move and settled at what is now Hilltown, Iowa, they helped
establish the Christian Church, in that community. James and Polly Wells, were
charter members no doubt, for he was one of the Elders, even if he did
manufacture whiskey for a few years. Religious services were held in homes. His
son, James W. Wells, was one of the leading men in subscribing the money to
build the Hilltown Church in 1889. It is just beside the Cemetery where James
and Polly Wells, their sons William and James and Margaret, the oldest daughter,
are buried. A number of grandchildren are also resting there, as are great and
great, great ones.
When James
and Polly left Va., they went to Ohio, but after two or three years the people
said, "Mr. Wells, you are a good citizen, but you will have to give up your
slaves if you remain in Ohio. It is a free state you know." So they moved to
Pike County, Ill. Where they had so many relatives, but in a short time, not
more than two or three years at the most, I suppose it was the same experience.
Then they moved to St. Charles County, Mo. where slavery was legal. I do not
know the dates of these migrations nor where all the children were born, but I
heard Uncle James W. say he was born in St. Charles Co, Mo. They must have moved
from there not long after, for Robert just two years younger, was born in
Randolph County, Mo. in December, 1849.
INTERLUDE
Page B
Mrs.
Catherine Wells-Donaven, a sister of Perry Wells in Pike County, Ill. and niece
of my grandfather said to me, "Your Grandfather was the typical pioneer. He
loved to go to new places, clear land, make a farm and let his livestock eat
blue grass and his hogs fatten on the mast. (mast was acorns and nuts so
abundant in the autumn in those early days. Even in my time they were plentiful
till I was a young woman.)
By the year
1840 or 41, grandfather and his wife's slaves had increased to 21, while they
themselves had 9 children all living. The territory of Iowa was beginning to
attract many settlers to other localities than the Catholic Missions along the
Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Again, James and Polly decided to move, they
didn't have the hardness of heart to sell human beings into slavery to some one
who might mistreat them. They were noted for their kindness to their slaves. So,
they gave the entire 21 their papers of Freedom. I have always been very
proud of that fact, it showed sympathy and a Christian conscience. Grandfather
said he never did feel exactly at ease owning another human being no matter what
his color might be.
I imagine
they probably were in Ohio or Penn. when the Indians uprose and the Blackhawk
War was fought in 1832, James Wells volunteered and was a Colonel. From that
time on he was called Col. James Wells, to designate him from other relatives of
the same name. At one period of the campaign, the man above him in authority
chose four men and made him the spokesman and leader of the group. They crossed
the Ohio River in a canoe, while hundreds of Indians were lined upon the
opposite bank. But, the Indians fortunately, respected the flag of truce, and
permitted them to come ashore and return in safety after the conference was
over.
It certainly
speaks well of a man to be chose leader for such a dangerous mission and to win
the confidence and respect of the Indians. For they had just cause for feel
bitter toward the white man. Hitler and Mussolini and Stalin are not the only
men who have driven people from their native lands and taken the best of them
for themselves and their subjects. But I'm flying the track, and preaching.
Back to my
subject:
James Wells
went to Centerville, I suppose or wherever the land office was and entered land
in the Southeast corner of Appanoose County, Iowa. He also got land for his
niece, Polly Evans, a short distance away. The Evans schoolhouse is built on one
corner of what was her home place. He chose for his own location a place about a
half-mile above the Iowa-Missouri state line. He chose that spot for he wanted
to build a dam across the Chariton River and put in a grist mill.
He moved his
family in the autumn of 1841, and in April his last and tenth child was born.
She became my Mother. They named her Ruth Elizabeth and the whole family died
thinking she was the first white child born in the county; for Col. James Wells
and his family were the first white family in the county of Appanoose.
A family
named Montgomery, lived across the state line in Schuyler County, Mo. and one or
two families lived about ten miles away in Putnam County, Mo. near where the
little settlement called Omaha, sprang up later. Otherwise there were no white
families for miles around.
But, during
the winter a family moved in West of Centerville. When a history of the county
was written many years later, it was found they had a child born before Betty,
the Wells baby was. Then next family to move to the Wells Mill locality was that
of William Cooksey. Later, he was known as "Grand-daddy Cooksey". The Horn
families were probably next, and Scurlocks came soon after. Thomas and Polly
Evans soon came and built their home and so the settlers came.
INTERLUDE
Page C
The first
thing after James Wells cut logs and built a home, was to put the dam across the
Chariton River and make a water wheel furnish power for grinding. His was the
only mill for many, many miles. People used to come as far as 50 miles and have
to wait their turn. So the Wells home became almost a pioneer hotel.
The sons had
cleared land and raised their 0wn corn for the family use. Soon the tolls of
one-eighth left quite a surplus of corn. It was then the miller put in a still
and made whiskey . He could put a small quantity in a glass, stir in little
sugar, fill it with water and have "the sweetened dram" so common in those days.
He and his sons could take one, put the jug away and let it alone till the next
bad cold or some other excuse caused them to repeat the act.
Polly, the
wife, never wanted it put in at all, and when customers would have to wait, some
of them would buy and drink till they were really drunk and disgusting. He said
if a man could not take a little whiskey and then go about his business without
making a hog of himself, they would have to go somewhere else to get it. He was
through with the business, so he tore out the still and quit making it. I'm
proud of him for that reformation also. My Mother saw enough of the bad effects
of liquor when she was a child, that she became a strong temperance advocate.
Col. James
Wells was one of the wealthiest of the early settlers; when news of the gold
discovery in California in 1848, reached Iowa, three of the Wells sons John,
Alec and Brown, decided to go. Their Father helped outfit them. Besides he
helped to outfit three or four other men with the understanding they would give
him half of their earnings. All traveled together across the plains and desert.
None of the crowd became rich. Alec returned to his family and settled land in
Schuyler County, Mo. The town of Coatesville is on one corner of the Alexander
Wells home. (It cost $1.25 and acre to enter land. I think the limit was 320
acres. Not one of the four men who received help from Grandfather, ever paid him
back a dollar. I don't know if the sons did or not.
A few years
after there came a long rainy spell or melting snow that sent Chariton River on
the rampage, it can stage at times. The mill dam and mill were so badly torn
down that he never rebuilt. All four of the oldest sons were gone from home, the
Father was getting too old for strenuous work and his son, William, died leaving
his wife Mahala Cooksey Wells, alone with 6 children. The family moved into one
of the houses which William had built on his place. It is the place known as the
"Andy Guinn" farm.
John Wells,
returned from California, sold his home and with his wife, Elizabeth Rose-Wells,
and their children returned to California where he died about 1879.
Brown
remained in California, and made several thousand dollars; first at mining and
later he bout or entered land, put up a house and went into the cattle business.
He never married and died in 1899 or 1900.
I hope this
information pleases, instead of boring, the descendants who have so heartily
responded to my offer to compile a record of our branch of the Wells family in
America, to add to the official one on the first four pages. That ancient record
came to me from a third cousin in California in October, 1952. I decided to add
to it and pass it on.
INTERLUDE
Page D
"Great
Britain: England, Scotland, Wales"
"Somersetshire" - from Library Book, by Dore Ogrizek
After
describing the lowlands, he continues:
"You may
have had a surfeit of English Cathedrals, but if you are not taken unawares by
the magnificence of tall west front of Wells Cathedral, or its inverted arches,
you are a very unimpressionable person. Where one stands awestruck by the
architectural masterpieces, a hundred stand open-mouthed for one of the most
interesting clocks in the world to do its stuff.
Wells Clock
is 600 years old. It tells you the time, the phases of the moon, and the
position of the planets; and when the hour strikes, a little wooden cavalier
called Jack Blandifer, kicks out his leg and brings his head back against a ball
eight times.
Then out of
a black above the dial come four knights on horseback; two of them gallop around
to the right , two to the left, and each time they go around, they are knocked
flat by the sword of their enemy. The tournament goes on till the hour is
struck, and then the smiling crowd moves on to the Bishop's Palace to watch the
swans as they most serenely and majestically ring the gatehouse bell for their
ration of bread. Even the cygnets (young swans), learn to ring that bell; and
the ducks when the swans will let them.
Wells, is a
medieval village that exists for, and on, its vast cream colored Church and
those who serve it."
We must not
think the Wells family paid all the expense or did all the work of building this
great Cathedral. It took 200 years or more to complete all the building. The
Wells family was numerous and important enough in that particular locality to
have the village Wells, named in their honor and Bishop Jacelyn de Wells, was
the preacher under whose leadership the edifice was begun.
Part III,
Page 1
Our Line of
Wells Family in America
One James
Wells came to America, date unknown. Settled in Maryland; his son, Richard I, or
Sr. born Mar. 17, 1722. Died Sept. 12, 1816.
James, son
of Richard I, born Apr. 20, 1791, in Va. Died Feb. 1, 1857, at Hilltown, Iowa.
He is the one known as Colonel James Wells, the first white settler in Appanoose
County, Iowa.
Mary (Polly)
Weldon, born Feb. 18, 1799, in PA Died Apr. 13, 1859 at Hilltown, Iowa. They
were married in Va. Sept. 21, 1817. She is the one who received the 5 slaves as
a wedding present.
Children of
James and Polly Wells:
-
John Weldon Wells, born
Feb. 20, 1819, in Mo. Died June 16 1879, Cal.
Elizabeth A.
Rose, born Aug. 27, 1827 in Mo. Died Aug. 21, 1902 in Cal.
They were
married at Kirksville, Mo. January 17, 1847.
1a. Two
children, Margaret and John died in childhood.
1b. Isaac W.
born Aug. 28, 1855 near Hilltown, Iowa. Died in California, age 70. He had one
daughter name unknown.
1c. Mary,
born in Texas, Aug. 11, 1857. Died in California, 1918. She married George W.
Gray. They had five boys and two girls.
1d. Zarilda
Elizabeth, born in Texas, Apr. 20. 1859. Died in California. She married George
E. Moulton, they had three children.
1e. Frank
Perry, born in California, Nov. 17, 1862. No children.
1f. William
Brown, born in California, June 17, 1866. Three children
Note: Isaac,
who lost one leg in childhood, became a bookkeeper and office man. Frank and
William were carpenters and architects. Their father, John Wells, was a fine
cabinet maker and carpenter.
2. William
Kerr Wells, born Nov. 10, 1820, probably in Mo. Died at his home near Hilltown,
Iowa,
April 19,
1853. He married Mahala Cooksey, Apr. 18, 1844. Daughter of William Cooksey.
Their children:
2a. Martha
married William Comstock, and died leaving one child who passed away a year or
so later. He left the country a little later.
2b. Luzetta,
married Charles Skinner. They lived for a number of years in Iowa, then moved to
central or southern Mo. Had two girls; the oldest died in her late teens.
2c. Two
children, Joseph and Mary died in childhood, near Hilltown.
2d. Sarah
married Marion Hays, a nephew of Dr. G. S. Stansberry. Children of Marion and
Sarah Hays:
James never
married (unless he has done so since 1950)
Jessie
married George Wells (not a relative). They moved to South Dakota.
Carl married
Bertha Adkins and went to Montana.
Emma married
Leander (Lee) Sherer and also went to Highmore, South Dakota.
Homer
married in Montana.
May married
in Montana and died leaving three children, I think.
Benjamin
also lived in Montana. Married.
Monnie
married Glen Latimer in Putnam County, Mo. where the family lived before going
to Montana. She moved to Corydon, Iowa.
Harley the
youngest, also lives in Montana. Married.
2e. Ellen,
the youngest child, married Robert Blue. They had four children. Theodocia,
married Samuel Moore. Their three oldest children were Homer, Arthur and Dora. I
think there were others.
After the
death of Robert Blue, Ellen married James Van Dyke. Ellen and James had two
sons; Joseph, called Pete, married Tillie Scurlock. They went to Illinois or
Indiana and I know nothing of them except that Pete is dead. James Edward, (the
only child I ever had the honor to name) married, but his family too, is unknown
to me.
2f. Amos,
married Elvira Ulrich. I never heard anything about their family, if they had
one.
2g. Alfred
married but I know nothing of his family.
-
Alexander Holmes Wells,
born Nov. 24, 1822. Died May 22, 1879 at his home at Coatesville, Mo.
He in
company with his brothers John and Brown made the trip overland to California
probably in 1849 or 50. But he went back to the old home neighborhood and took
land in the north part of Schuyler, Co. Coatesville was taken from his farm. He
returned from California on boat going down around Cape Horn and up to New York
City rather than endure the trip across the plains again. On the way a man
became ill; as his sickness advanced a whale began following the ship. The man
died, but the captain hoped they could reach a port they hoped to make in two or
three days. But the whale approached nearer and began thrashing the water with
its tail (of course, they didn't have the undertaking facilities we have in
1953). The captain said he would not risk the life of his passengers in such a
small ship, against the anger of such a large whale. They dressed the man for
burial, roped it to a wide plank, held religious rites and slid the body over
the side. The whale no longer followed. He was married before that trip.
Alexander
married Hannah Noggle near Pleasant Hill in Pike County, Illinois, Apr. 30,
1844. Their first child died at birth and is buried in Wells Cemetery near
there. Then they went to Iowa, and his family.
3a. Mary
Wells, birth _____, died in Clamath Falls, Ore. Aged 93. She married one of the
John Horn men, so numerous among the family. Her oldest son, Little Alec, died
at the age of 5. Minnie was born _____ and is living yet. Children of Jeff and
Minnie Froman: Elsie married _____. She died leaving one daughter and one son.
Eleanor married Dr. Ray Dickinson, a dentist. He has passed on. She lives at
Portland, Oregon. No children. (Teddy) married, has two sons and is operating a
nursing home at Ontario, Oregon. Grace married a Mr. Graims and lives at
Portland, Oregon. John and Mary Herg {Can't read last name very well} had
one son Charles. He is unmarried and in Oregon.
3b. Next
child of Alec Wells was Julia Ann, born ______ at Coatesville, Mo. Died there in
1923. Julia married Wesley Dole (Dock) Trimble. He died _______. Their two first
children were boys. Both died in infancy. Mary Nettie Trimble born Mar. 1884.
Lives at Greeley, Colo. Nettie married Roy Elam. Effie Lethulia Trimble born May
1887, at Coatesville, Mo. She married Charles Moler. They bought the original
Alec Wells home. Their children are Bernard, James, Rippey and Dorothy. Sons all
married and Dorothy married _____ Stites. Nettie and Roy had two daughters, both
married.
(I think
Alec and Hannah had two children that died in infancy and are buried in Hilltown.)
3c. Their
son, Alexander was born at Coatesville, Mo. Hannah, his mother died before he
was an hour old. He went to the Philippines during the Spanish-American War in
1898. He had been in the West before that, he married in Colorado and had one
girl named Mabel. Both he and his wife are dead.
After the
death of his wife, Hannah, Alec married Celia Ann Wallace. They had one daughter
named Cassie. She died at age of sixteen.
4. Richard
Brown Wells, born Dec. 21, 1824. Died July 23, 1901. He went to California when
his
brothers
John and Alec did. He had a reasonable degree of success in mining and deposited
a goodly sum in a San Francisco Bank. It failed and he lost, I think, $15,000.
He kept on and invested his next earnings in land and cattle. He remained on his
farm till he was too old to operate it. Then he went to Berkley and lived with
his nephew, Isaac. He never married. Once the mine caved in and he suffered a
broken jaw bone. He said if it had not been for the wife of his partner who
cared for him, he would have starved to death.
5. Margaret
Jane Wells, was born Aug. 7, 1828. Died July 6, 1847. She married William
McCollum,
Aug. 23,
1846. Her baby died when it was three or four months old and her husband went
away;
Never
returning.
-
Phoebe Ann Wells, born
Dec. 7, 1831. Died Jan. 10, 1909 at Lawrence, Kansas. She married
William
Mason, June 11, 1856, at Hilltown. Children of Phoebe and William Mason:
6a. James
Wells Mason, married Sarah Jane Taylor near Moulton, Iowa, but moved to Kansas
in 1884; their children were born in Kansas.
6b. Clara,
married Frank Howar, Keswick, Iowa. Two girls, one boy. Clara was born on
November 20, 1884.
6c. William
Taylor Mason, born Dec. 22, 1887. Married and lives at Platterville, Colo. A
daughter Wilma June, and son, Wm. T. Jr.
6d. Oscar
Dice Mason married Stella ______. No children, they live at Des Moines, Iowa.
6e. Miles F.
Mason, married _______. He is married and has three daughters; Lillian, Gladys,
and Marian.
6f. Chester
lives in Kansas City, Kansas.
-
Mary Eleanor Wells, born
Dec. 24, 1833. Died near Pleasant Hill, Illinois, January 5, 1868. She
Married
William McLain on Mar. 21, 1867. She had no child but he had four girls by a
former wife. They loved their stepmother who was said by her brothers and
sisters to have a very sweet and loving disposition. After her death, her
husband said, "I lived with her less than one year, but that was enough to lead
me to Christ."
-
James Washington Wells,
born Dec. 10, 1836, in St. Charles County, Mo. Died May 23, 1890 at his home
in Putnam County, Mo. about five miles west of Coatesville. He married
Theressa Ann Davis, Nov. 27, 1860. Their first four children one girl and
three boys, all died before they were five years old.
8a. Xenia
Alzina (pronounced Zenia Alzina) born August 25, 1867. Died June 26, 1903. She
married James William Sherer, Apr. 1, 1888. He died Dec. 24, 1898. Their first
little girl died before she was two years old. Other children Harvey, Minnie and
Ralph. Harvey married had one girl, but has been dead several years. He was born
Aug. 1891. Minnie Sherer was born in March 1894. Still living in 1953. She
married Gail Jacobs at Kirksville, Mo. They still live there. They have four
children; two sons and two daughters. Ralph Sherer, was born in Jan. 1888;
married, lives at Kirksville, Mo. and has two or three children.
8b. James W.
Wells, so called second daughter was born Nov. 9, 1871. Her name is Luzetta
Alice. She
married Nov. 9, 1890, Americus (Todge) Stevens whose birthday was also Nov.
9th.
They could celebrate 3 in one day. They had nine children. Nellie the second,
died when she was about 2. Flora, born Aug. 1891, married a man named See. 5 or
6 boys. Other children, Ray married Ruby Dwyer, two sons, one daughter. Lois
married a Dwyer brother of Ruby, they have one girl, two boys (?). Lillie
married L.V. Brown, has two or three sons. Mable married Firm McHenry. Daisy
married a Nalley. Two youngest sons, Charles and Thomas both married. Zetta
Stevens, died in Putnam County, Mo., Dec. 19, 1940, not quite six weeks after
celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Her husband, Todge, died a few
years later on a visit to his son Ray in Washington. They took him back to Mo.
for burial.
8c. Charles
Stewart Wells, only son of James W. and Ann was born Feb. 2, 1874, in Putnam
County, Mo., where his sisters were. He married Rosa Locker, daughter of Joseph
Locker, near Coatesville, Mo., Feb. 2nd or 3rd, 1894. The
James Wells home was about two miles south of Hilltown. Charles died Nov. 1935.
Rosa died____. Their home for the last several years of their lives was at
Keokuk, Iowa. Their children: Lloyd, born ____, married; one son, Robert, lives
in ______. Stewart, married and lives in Keokuk, two daughters. Ruth, married
and lives also in Keokuk. She married Dr. Laverne Kingsbury; two daughters. Her
husband is dead. Charles, the youngest child is married and lives at Keokuk.
-
Robert McLain Wells, son
of Col. James, born Dec. 27, 1836, in Randolph County, Mo., near
Moberly.
Died July 31, 1901, at Topeka, Kansas. He was noted in his young years for his
unusual memory when 21, he was thrown from a horse and struck his head on a
tree. For two months he suffered from headaches then began having spasms. They
continued at intervals as long as he lived. At times he would be irresponsible
for awhile then be normal again. He never married, and for 30 years lived with
his brother, James W., after Jim's death, Robert went to live with his sister
Phoebe. While the family lived in Randolph County, Mo., their Dr. was a Dr.
Still, father of A. T. Still the man that invented the modern system of
Osteopathy, if it can be called an invention. The elder Dr. Still removed a skin
cancer from the arm of Phoebe Ann when she was a little girl. He did it, mostly
with sheep sorrel poultices.
-
Ruth Elizabeth, baby of
the James and Polly family was born in Appanoose County, territory of
Iowa, Apr.
18, 1842. Died in Illinois in April 7, 1884. Before she was six months old she
began having severe spells of asthma and it finally impaired her lungs. She
married James Washington Anderson, a childhood friend and schoolmate. Thought
they had lived in Iowa when they married they settled in Pike County, Illinois
and all of their children were born there not far from Pleasant Hill. James died
Apr. 14, 1881; both buried at Wells Cemetery.
10a. Miriam
Elizabeth Ann Anderson, born Apr. 23, 1865, died Sept. 9, 1890. She was always
called Mina. She married William Henry Zumwalt, Jan. 8, 1884. He lived to be
more than 80, and married again after 19 years. James Elmer Zumwalt, born Apr.
6, 1885. He taught, then took up carpentry and woodwork. Lives at Grinnell, Iowa
and has one daughter. Claude Francis, born Feb. 5th or 6th,
1887. Married and had four boys and one girl. Became an auto mechanic and lives
in Illinois across from St. Louis. Clara Catherine, born Jan. 18, 1890. She
married Carl Clymer and lives in Loveland, Colorado. They have one daughter and
three sons, all married. When Mina died Clara was only 8 months old, her
grandmother raised her and the little boys lived for several years with their
father and his bachelor brother, John Zumwalt on a farm.
10b. Mary
Eleanor Naomi was born Oct. 17, 1866. Died Feb. 20, 1940 at her home in
Sandstone, Minn. She was always called Mollie; was a born student and considered
the beauty of the family (also, of the neighborhoods in which she lived). Mollie
married George B. Sherera, brother of Jim who married Zenia Wells, Lee who
married Emma Hays, Alec who married Edna Horn, and Laura who married Eston
Stites. Mollie and Xenia were first cousins. Emma was second cousin to both of
them on the Wells side of her family and also second cousin to Edna Horn on the
Cooksey side. Besides Eston Stites was nephew to Alec's wife and third cousin to
Lee's wife. This is getting away from formal statistics, but if you want a
problem some of you who receive this may have fun in trying to figure out what
relation you are to each other. (Now back to Anderson). Mollie and Mack had
eight children. Little James the baby died of infantile paralysis during the
great epidemic of the disease in Minn. In 1909. He was not quite two years old.
The other children older. Hallie married Willis Logren. He passed away in 1941.
She was born on the old Stites farm about one mile from Dean, Iowa, June 14,
1890. George was born at the same place, Nov. 10, 1891. Then Mack and Mollie
moved a few miles from Unionville, Mo. and Ruth Elizabeth, Hyla Pauline, Paul
Leslie, and Mary Eleanor were all born there between Nov. 1892 and Aug. 1901. In
the year of 1902, they moved to Sandstone, Minn. Grace Miriam and James Wells
Sherer were born at Sandstone. All of the girls became teachers for a few years
then took up office work with the exception of Ruth. Ruth married Arthur B.
Belzer; they live in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hyla married Louis Fleischman, lives
at White Bear Lake, Minn. George married ______. He lived at Hibbing, Minn., had
one girl, Susanne, the only grandchild in the family. He is dead. Mary never
married and is now in California with Grace. Paul, also, is unmarried and lives
in Seattle, Washington. Grace married Hugh Thomas Owen. He passed away in 1952
in California. Mary and Grace are in San Diego. Hallie in Minneapolis, Minn.
10c. Phoebe
Jane Arretta Anderson, (Known as Janie), born Jan. 10, 1869. I am the writer of
this document. Married John Wesley Bradburn who was widower with one daughter,
Maude. She had two children, and died June 25, 1952. I taught school 16 years in
Mo. and Iowa and 11 in Washington. My husband died in 1922. I now live in
Tacoma, Washington by myself.
10d. Ruth
Araminta Myrtle Anderson, known as Ruth, in the family but also took the name of
Minta to many of her schoolmates and friends. Born Aug. 17, 1871. Died at my
home near Oak Harbor on Whidby Island, Jan. 31, 1927 and buried beside my
husband. She taught school, in Iowa, Mo. and Wyoming. She took a homestead in
Wyoming in 1909 and lived there alone a number of years.
10e. Bonnie
May was born Oct. 17, 1874. She too, taught school. She was married to Theodore
Stanley Fenstemaker in 1903 and lives at Lawrence, Kansas. Both are still
living. Their children:
Frances
married George Dulin. Three sons living, one married. They live at Bethel just
outside of Kansas City, Kansas.
Edwin
married and had one son. Edwin is dead. His wife was Mary Dye.
Stanley is
married and lives near Lawrence. He had two or three boys.
Frank is
married and lives at Hutchinson, Kansas. Had two sons, one is married and at
present in military service. So is Charles Dulin.
Ethel
married Ray Janaway who is making quite a record as public Librarian in a
university at Lubbock, Texas. They have a boy living but their little girl died
at age five.
10f. And now
comes James Theophilus, the only son of Jim and Betty Anderson. He was born Dec.
4, 1877 and is still living, Jan. 1953. He married Hattie Cline in Dec. 1907.
Their
children:
Veneta
married Ralph Bysom. They live in Denver, Colorado and have a son and daughter,
Bobby and Beverly.
Dorrall
married Lena Lang? and has two girls, Darlene and Bonnie.
Lorraine,
married Cene Haas. He was killed by a German sniper in World War II. They lived
in Hollywood and he was a prominent guitar player in an orchestra there. She
still lives in Calif. and is married again. Name not known.
James and
Ruth were twins. Both are married and live in Denver. Ruth's name is Newell,
husband Clyde. She has two girls and one boy; Lorraine, Danny and Jill.
James is
married and has at least two children. His wife's first name is Marian.
Harriet is
older than the twins and should have been recorded before them. Her name is
Wanamaker and she has one or two children. At present they are in Utah.
Clayburn is
married and has two children, I believe. Has lived both in California and
Colorado.
Robert is
married and lives in Denver. He has a little girl and a boy. His wife's first
name is Janey.
I left Mo.
in March 1904, and from Des Moines, Iowa, came to Seattle, Washington in 1906.
There are some blanks for names or dates that I can not supply. If each of you
will send me the ones from your particular family, I will send to each of the 53
subscribers for this record, the information and you can record it in ink by
hand. Much of this material is not genealogy proper, but I thought it would
interest some of you just as it did me.
Part III Page 6
Before
closing I want to pay a tribute to my Uncle James W. Wells, who gave a home to
his niece Ellen before she married and also to my sister Mollie and me after we
were left orphans. He and his three children treated us as members of the
family. Besides giving a home to us, and his brother Bob, he brought from Texas
a mulatto boy, Frank, who followed him and his herd of ponies, three days before
he overtook them. Frank said, "I've watched you and listened to you talk there
in Austin. I like you and want to go home with you and live."
It was a
strange situation but finally Uncle Jim let him come. He became an honorable man
and lived there till James Wells died. I could go on indefinitely but with a
tribute to Aunt Phoebe Mason who took Bonnie and Jimmy into her home and to our
Cousin Julia Trimble where Ruth lived this must come to a close. No, not yet!
Among the
scores and hundreds of Wells relatives there was one of Col. James Wells'
nephews in Pike County, Illinois, named Perry Wells whose kindness, and sympathy
and generosity to friends and relatives in trouble could not be surpassed.
Back to the Wells Family Page