Wells Families of Bayou Barbary, Livingston Parish, Louisiana File prepared by D.N. Pardue ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Vol. 4, December 1979 Originally submitted to the FSHR by Claude B. Slaton Andrew Wells was born about 1813 in Tennesse. Between 1825 and 1828, his family moved to DeKalb Co., Alabama. He enlisted in Col. Banjamin Snodgrass' Regiment of Mounted Volunteers of North Alabama on 26 October 1837 at Bellefont (now near present day Scottsboro), Jackson County, Alabama, to fight in the Seminole Indian War in Florida. He served six months, and was honoarbly dis- charged at Fort Mitchell, Alabama on 8 April 1838. On 28 September 1850, and again on 3 March 1855, Bounty Land Acts were passed by the U.S. Congress. These acts were designed to encourage settlement of western lands by veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces. Andrew applied for and received Bounty Land both times. One of these 80 acre plots of land was in East Baton Rouge Parish, but Andrew evidently sold or traded this lot for land in the swamps near Bayou Barbary, in Livingston Parish. Family tradition holds that Andrew heard a man could get rich cuting cypress timber and selling it. His homestead was known as Wells Island because it was situated on a high point of land that did not flood every year. The exact location is not known, but the only land that was passed down to his children after his death was in the area now known as Steam Island (not far from Ficklin Island). Present day maps (1963) show this as a high point of land that is surrounded by swamp, and this may be the location. Andrew's land was divided into 5 lots after his death, and the legal descriptions are as follows: LOT #1 -- W 1/2 of NE 1/4, Section 36 and fractional NV 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section 36, T8S, R5E. Also north fractional 1/2 of NW fractional 1/2 of fractional SE 1/4 of Section 36, T8S, R5E (about 90 acres total). LOT #2 -- E 1/2 of NE 1/4, Section 36, T8S, R5E (about 80 acres). LOT #3 -- SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 and lots 4 and 5 of Section 30, T8S, R6E (about 97.8 acres). LOT #4 -- NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 and lot 3 of Section 31, T8S, R5E (about 78.6 acres). LOT #5 -- SE 1/4 of NW 1/4 and lots 2,4,7 and 10 of Section 31, T8S, R6E (about 65 acres). These five lots form a rough square around Steam Island. Andrew's education was not good, as he could not read or write. But he allowed his children to attend school. It was said of him by James Edwards (a brother-in-law of Andrew's through the marriage of his brother George Wells to Sarah Edwards, a sister of James. Edwards. Sarah and James were both the children of Clarkston N. Edwards and Celia Minerad of Livingston Parish) that "Andrew Wells was a poor laboring man, but he always furnished the children with good comfortable clothes and plenty to eat." A good description of Andrew's livelihood was recorded on the 1880 Federal Census of Livingston Parish, La. The census taker felt it ws necessary to explain the occupation "swamper" to the Census Bureau in Washington D.C. "The word swamper here implys a man who makes a living deadning, felling, and floating timber, making shingles, cutting cordwood, and generally ready to enter any kind of jobwork that may offer." On September 17, 1854, Andrew was settled in his new home in the woods and married Margaret Ann (Margany) Sides Sweeney. She was born on her father's farm in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, on 24 November 1832 and ws the daughter of James Sides and Mary Elizabeth Norden, and the widow of Hampton Sweeney. Hampton and Margany had been married 2 July 1850 in EAst Baton Rouge Parish and after the birth of one daughter, Elizabeth Sweeney, Hampton Sweeney died before 9 March 1852, on which date a family meeting was called by the Judge of East Baton Rouge Parish to decide on a guardian for Elizabeth. The guardian (or "tutor" as it was called) chosen was David Morgan. Margany died sometime between the birth of her last child in 1871 and Andrew's death in 1876. I am told that Andrew and Margany were buried either at the Wells Island homestead or at the cemetery next to Pine Grove Baptist Church at Verdun, Livingston Parish, La. Andrw's doctors during his last illnes were Drs. Martin Luther Bowman and H.H. McNabb. Dr. Bowman's newphew and namesake, Martin Luther Bowman, was later to marry Minerva Jane Averett, Andrew Wells' granddaughter. John Adler ws paid $6.00 to make Andrew's coffin. The children of Andrew Wells and Margany Sides Sweeney were: (NOTE: All of Andrew's children were born at Wells Island) I. Margaret Ann "Margany" Wells Born: 28 July 1855 Married: Between 1870 and 1875 to Francois Demars Died: 25 December 1876 in Livingston Parish (As of january 1980, there is no proof of any issue of this marriage) II. George W. Wells Born: 28 November 1857 Married: November 1874 to Mary Addie Ficklin Died: 19 March 1899 in Livingston Parish (George W. Wells died leaving no children) III. Martha Jane Wells Born: 1 November 1859 Married: 10 January 1878 to John Rentz Averett in Livingston Parish Died: 4 February 1914 in Livingston Parish Buried: Colyell Baptist Church Cemetery, Frost, Livingston Parish Children of John Averett and Martha Wells: 1. Mary "Margany" Averett Born: 26 December 1878 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: 27 September 1898 to John Herbert Hardy in Livingston Parish Died: 14 November 1930 2. Margaret Ann Averett Born: 27 August 1881 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: 8 November 1900 to William H. Willie in Livingston Parish Died: 8 February 1958 at Frost, Livingston Parish Buried: Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun, Livingston Parish 3. Charles "Charly" Burton Averett Born: 21 July 1882 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: 1904 to Lula B. Davis Died: 8 February 1958 at Frost, Livingston Parish Buried: Both buried at Colyell Baptist Church Cemetery, Frost, Livingston Parish One son buried nearby: Charles V. Averett Born: 24 November 1921 Died: 20 December 1944 PFC 26th INF 2nd Div. WWII 4. Luandy "Andy" Averett Born: 23 November 1884 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: First, Olivia Richardson (had 2 or 3 children) Second, A widow of a Delong (had 2 more children) Third, Masie Lively (no issue) Died: 9 November 1957 Buried: Second Jones Creek Cemetery, Livingston Parish 5. Minerva Jane Averett Born: 23 September 1887 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: 28 September 1905 to Martin Luther Bowman, Sr. (He was the son of Calvin Doris Bowman, Jr. and Roby Ann Wills Bowman.) Died: 19 August 1966 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish Buried: Both buried in Roselawn Cemetery, North Street, Baton Rouge, La. Children of Martin L. and Minerva W. Bowman: A. Ethel Elvira Bowman m. William C. Coleman, Sr. B. Martin Luther Bowman, Jr. m. Norma Lucille Walker C. Woodrow Wilson "Red" Bowman m. Jessie Bernice Hingle D. Ella Doyle Bowman, died at 19 months old, buried in Magnolia Cemetery, North 22nd St., Baton Rouge, La. E. Sidney Doris Bowman m. Kathleen Voinche' F. Claude DeLee Bowman m. Pat _____ G. Dewey Chapman Bowman, unmarried as of 1979 H. Mabel Loretta Bowman m. Louise Charles Slaton, Sr. Children of Louie and Mabel Slaton: 1. Louise Charles Slaton, Jr. Born: 5 October 1950, Baton Rouge, La. Still living 2. Claude Bowman Slaton Born: 4 October 1952, Baton Rouge, La. Married: Linda Kay Ivy Children: a. Kelly Rene Slaton Born: 20 November1976 b. Marsha Catherine Slaton Born: 4 October 1979 6. John Melvin Averett Born: 15 August 1891 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: Rowena Gordon Died: 29 December 1930 in Livingston Parish Buried: Colyell Baptist Church Cemetery, Frost, Livingston Parish 7. George Edward Averett Born: 15 August 1891 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: Etta Blount 8. Wilma Averett Born: September 1896 at Frost, Livingston Parish Married: 2 April 1919 to Colyear Zeigler 9. Roby Averett Born: 23 July 1899 Married: William "Bill" Wise IV. John Andrew Wells Born: 3 February 1862 Married: never married Died: 29 September 1876 (family tradition says he died by drowning after falling off a log bridge) V. Michael Wickliff Wells Born: 22 July 1865 Married: First, T. Montgomery (issue not known) Second, Mary martin (widow Loflin) Buried: Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun, Livingston Parish VI. Burton "Burt" Wells Born: 17 April 1868 Married: 17 March 1892 to Nora Loflin Children of Burton Wells and Nora Loflin Wells: 1. Henry Burton Wells Born: 16 January 1893 Married: date unknown to Louise Hutchinson Died: 11 February 1969 in Livingston Parish Buried: Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun, Livingston Parish 2. Lela W. Wells Born: 25 August 1894 Livingston Parish Married: 6 August 1914 to Jacob D. Salassi in Livingston Parish Died: 13 June 1966 in Livingston Parish Buried: Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun, Livingston Parish 3. Edna Wells Born: April 1895 in Livingston Parish Married: 6 August 1914 to Levi Averett (son of J.L. Averett and Lucinda Palmer) 4. Addy W. Wells Born: 24 January 1898 in Livingston Parish Married: 21 January 1920 to James M. Gordon Living as of 1972 5. Ida Wells Born: August 1899 in Livingston Parish Married: 20 April 1917 to Harvel Easley VII. William Wells Born: January 1871 Married: 18 August 1892 to Mary A. Welch in Livingston Parish Died: was living in Albany, La. in 1917 Children of William Wells and Mary Welch Wells: 1. Acy Wells Born: 1893 (?) in Livingston Parish Married: 11 June 1917 to Susie E. Averett in Livingston Parish 2. Mary M. Wells Born: September 1893 3. William A. Wells Born: January 1895 4. Vina L. Wells Born: November 1897 5. Myrtle A. Wells Born: January 1899 6. Cyrena M. Wells Born: January 1900 7. Dora Geneva Wells Married: Russel C. Guy 21 February 1919 in Livingston Parish George Wells, Andrew Well's brother, was said to have come to Livingston Parish at the same time as Andrew, and also another brother, Acy Wells. Acy returned to Alabama, however, because he found life in the swamps disagreeable, and Andrew and George Wells were the only memebers of this family to leave descendants in Livingston Parish. George Wells was born about 1824 in DeKalb County, Alabama. He was only 13 when his older brother Andrew went to fight the Seminole Indians in Florida. It is interesting to speculate that he may have envied his brother's opportunity for adventure. George was married between July, 1849 and July 1850 in Livingston Parish to Sarah Edwards. She was the daughter of Clarkston N. Edwards and Celia Minerad of Livingston Parish. Sarah's death was in 1860, in Livingston Parish, and George died just five years later in January of 1865. Tradition in the Wells family is that George died in a Civil War battle in Ascension Parish from a leg wound. He is supposed to have died on a plantation near Donaldsonville, La. I have been unable thus far to locate an official record of Andrew and George Wells CSA service. Children of George Wells and Sarah Edwards: I. Thomas Jefferson Wells Born: 6 July 1854 in Livingston Parish Married: Minerva Elizabeth Willie, 29 March 1883 in Livingston Parish Died: 31 January 1928 in Livingston Parish Children of Thomas Wells and Minerva Willie: 1. Monroe George Wells Born: 18 February 1884 in Livingston Parish Married: 27 June 1902 to Louise Ellen Loflin Died: 12 February 1965, Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun 2. Sarah Florence Wells Born: 4 December 1886 in Livingston parish No other records found 3. Daniel E. Wells (infant) Born: 8 March 1889 Died: June 1889 4. Lawrence Allen Wells Born: 15 June 1890 in Livingston Parish Married: Hester Averett 5. Mary Samantha Wells Born: 3 September 1892 in Livingston Parish Married: D.V. Ferguson Died: 15 July 1936 Buried: Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Verdun, Livingston Parish 6. Hester D. Wells 7. Lillie A. Wells 8. Julia Vivian Wells 9. Theresa Marie Wells II. Ceclia Samantha Wells Born: 8 August 1856 Married: Louis T. Martin III. Andrew M. Wells Born: 17 February 1859