Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Wells, James 1840 - 1908
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com July 23, 2005, 12:12 pm

Author: B. F. Bowen

JAMES WELLS.

    James Wells, deceased, for many years one of the well-known and substantial
residents of Marshall county, was born on December 20, 1840, and died on October
27, 1908. He was born in Bath county, Kentucky, the 3on of Thomas and Martha
(Warren) Wells, both of whom were natives of that state. The parents were
educated in the schools of Kentucky and there they resided until 1858, when they
came to Kansas where they located in Bigelow township, Marshall county. Here the
son, James, came with his parents and here he was married on February 21, 1865,
to Julia McClure, who was born on February 14, 1849. She was born in Union
county, Kentucky, and there she received the greater part of her education. .
She is the daughter of Nicholas and Rebecca (Jones) McClure. Her parents were
natives of Virginia, where they received their education in the public schools
and there grew to maturity and were married. James Wells may well be numbered
with the early pioneers of the county, for he came to Marshall county when it
was mostly in a primitive condition, and when few people had attempted to make a
home in the new country. For many years he was a resident of the county, where
he constructed a home on the undeveloped plains and where he and his family
lived for many years, and where he was ever a useful factor in the growth and
the development of the district.

    Nicholas and Rebecca (Jones) McClure, came, from their home in Virginia and
were early settlers in Kentucky, where they established their home on the farm,
and there Mrs. McClure died in 1857. The father and children continued to reside
in the state until 1864, when they came to Kansas and located at Irving,
Marshall county, where the father engaged in the buying and the selling of live
stock. To Nicholas and Rebecca McClure were born the following children:
William, Elizabeth Virginia, George, Julia and Mary S. William is now a resident
of Kentucky; Elizabeth Virginia Calhoun is living in New Mexico; George is a
resident of Missouri and Mary S. Walls resides near Bigelow. The McClure family
were prominent in their home community, and were held in the highest regard and
esteem. They took a prominent part in the development of the township in which
they lived and where they made their home for many years.

    Soon after their marriage James and Julia Wells located on a farm on the
Vermillion river near Barrett, Vermillion township, Marshall county. Here they
purchased eighty acres and homesteaded eighty acres. They made their home on the
first farm, which they developed and improved, and there they made their home
for ten years. They sold it and then home-steaded on the Blue river. Mr. and
Mrs. Wells built the first log cabin on the place. There they continued to live
for some years and in 1875, purchased a farm on the Blue river in Bigelow
township. They purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and homesteaded
eighty acres, to which they later added forty acres. They later sold a team of
horses and a wagon and purchased forty acres of splendid land, which is now
worth six thousand dollars. They added to their original log cabin in which they
lived for a number of years, and in time built one of the beautiful and
substantial homes of the township. By hard work and close economy they became
the owners of two hundred and eighty acres of land, which they developed and
improved and there they engaged in general farming and stock raising with
success. The farm was one of the best in the township, owing to the high
development that had been made. In 1903 Mr. Wells and his wife moved to Irving
and retired from the more active duties of life, and there Mr. Wells died in
1908, after an active life of usefulness.

    Mr. Wells was identified with the Republican party and while he was not a
seeker after office, he took great interest in local affairs and was one of the
influential men of the township, as well as the county. He and his wife were
long members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were prominent in the social
and the religious life of the community, where they were held in high regard.
Mr. Wells was for many years one of the prominent men of the township and his
advice was often sought in matters relative to the civic life of the district.
He was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and had much to do with
the growth and success of the local society. His life was a worthy one and at
his death the community felt they had lost a good friend and a most worthy adviser.

    James and Julia Wells were the parents of the following children: Mary
Belle, Ida, Ora and Frank. Mary Belle Miller is a resident of Oklahoma, where
her husband is one of the worthy and successful men of the section in which they
live. They are the parents of the following children: Lucy, Ray, Ethel, Ruth,
Gladys and Denis. Ida Stimson and her husband reside at Houston, Texas, and they
are the parents of five children: Edward, Carl, Maude, Cora and Homer. Ora
Traxler is a resident of Emporia, Kansas, and she and Mr. Traxler are the
parents of two children, Arthur and Ora May. Frank is a successful farmer of
Blue Ridge township, Marshall county, and is married to Delia Johnson and to
them the following children have been born: Dorothy, Clyde, Edith and Lloyd.
Mrs. Wells is still active in the work of the church, since the death of her
husband, who was a veteran of the Civil War, having served with the Ninth Kansas
Regiment and later received his discharge on account of disability.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions
by
Emma E. Forter

Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917)

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