Crawford Co., AR - Biographies - Jacob F. Wells

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Jacob F. Wells was born in Newton County, Ark., in 1842, being a son 
of Jacob and Rosanet (Newcomb) Wells. The father was probably born in 
Illinois, and came to Newton County from Missouri in 1838. In 1844 he 
came to Crawford County, settling upon the farm subject now owns, and 
dying in Van Buren in 1865, at which time he was living with his 
second wife, subject's mother having died soon after coming to this 
county. The father was of Irish descent, and both himself and wife 
belonged to the Baptist Church. Jacob F. is the youngest of a family 
of ten children, nine now living, and all save one residents of 
Crawford County. His brother, Thomas, served from June, 1862, [p.1212] 
until the battle of Prairie Grove, where he was killed, in Company G. 
Twenty-second Arkansas Infantry. Jacob spent three years of active 
service in the same company, with the exception of six months, when he 
was disabled by gunshot wounds in his right side, received at the 
battle of Helena. He fought at Prairie Grove and Saline, and 
participated in every engagement that this brigade fought in, 
operating in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. He surrendered at Fort 
Smith on June 10, 1865. In 1866 he married Jane Yerton, who died in 
Texas in 1875, leaving four children, and in 1878 married Martha J. 
Chastain, also a native of this county, who died in 1887, he having 
thus lived with his first wife nine years, three months and twenty-
eight days, and with his second nine years, three months and twenty-
nine days. December 22, 1887, he was married a third time, Mrs. Sarah 
C. Dover, nee Rozell, becoming his wife. She also is a native of 
Crawford County, and is a Methodist. Mr. Wells and his first two wives 
many years ago united with the Baptist Church. Mr. Wells is a 
blacksmith and wood-worker by trade, and has a nice farm of 162 acres, 
upon which he has lived fifteen years. He has been engaged in 
blacksmithing eighteen years. He is a Democrat, and cast his first 
presidential vote for Greeley. In 1888 he was elected justice of the 
peace of Vine Prairie Township, and he has filled the offices from 
Junior Deacon to Worshipful Master in the East, in Pleasant Hill 
Masonic Lodge No. 233.