Biographical Sketch of Francis M. Wells - Andrew County, Missouri

>From "History of Missouri, Andrew & DeKalb County" Published 1888

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Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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Francis M. Wells, county judge of the First District of Andrew County,
MO., was born on a farm in Morgan County, IL., on September 14, 1835.
He is the son of Jonathan and Letitia (Way) Wells.  The father was
born in Orange County, N.C., on January 4, 1800.  He was the son of
Joseph Wells, who was also a native of North Carolina, and immigrated
in 1815 to Orange County, IN., where he resided until his death, a 
few years later.  Jonathan was reared on the farm, and chose farming 
for a life vocation.  He removed to Illinois about 1826, where he 
resided until the year 1840, when he removed to Iowa, and located in
Van Buren County.  From there he removed to the Iowa purchase a year
later, into what was afterward named Monroe County.  They settled
there in June, the same year the purchase was made, in May, and their 
nearest neighbors were distant six and ten miles.  He reached his new
home with a family numbering nine persons, without so much as a dollar
in money.  He entered 620 acres of land, $1.25 per acre, paying the
entries with money earned by breaking prairie land with oxen.  He at
once set to work diligently, and by hard labor and good management
succeeded in accumulating a good competency; his property before being
divided among his children was worth something over $8,000.  During
the early part of his residence in the above named county he had to go
sixty milese to mill, and the nearest physician was forty miles distance.
The larder was supplied with meat from the game which abounded, and the 
stock of groceries was replenished from time to time by the sale of 
beeswax, made from wild honey.  There was but little money in circulation
and beeswax was as good as gold in the exchange for coffee, sugar, etc.
>From Iowa he removed to Andrew County, MO., stopping in Empire Township
during the winter of 1857-58.  Purchasing land in Benton Township, on
the south side of what is known as the "Lower Neely Grove", about two
miles northeast from Rosendale, he removed thereto the following spring,
where he resided until his death in April, 1883.  He was a moral, Chris-
tian man, and died a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He aided
all his children in securing homes and making a start in life.  In 1823
he was united in marriage with Letitia Way, who was born in Orange County,
N.C., on September 1, 1806, and was the daughter of Joseph and Margaret
Way, both of whom were natives of North Carolina.  Joseph's father was a
Revolutionary soldier.  The Ways moved from North Carolina to Orange
County, IN., thence to Illinois and thence to Iowa, where he died, living
to be over 100 years of age.  Letitia was a pious, Christian woman, and a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  She died in May, 1884.  Ten
children were born to the parents, of whom nine survive.  Our subject was
the fifth child.  He was reared on the farm, and was given such an educa-
tion as the frontier schools afforded.  He came with his father to Andrew
County, MO in the fall of 1857, and on March 29, 1860, his marriage with
Sarah E. Richards was celebrated.  Mrs. Wells was born in Illinois on
May 13, 1838.  She is the daughter of Zachariah W. and Mary (Field) 
Richards, natives of West Tennessee and Alabama, respectively.  They
came ot Andrew County in 1841.  The father is still living in Empire
Township, but the mother died in the fall of 1863.  After his marriage 
our subject located on the south side of "Lower Neely Grove".  On January
21, 1862, en enlisted in H. B. Johnson's Battery Light Artillery, Missouri
State Troops.  He was at the battle of Kirksville, Whaley's Mills and 
other engagements.  On December 30, 1862, he was discharged on account
of physical disability.  Since that time he has twice exchanged farms,
first in 1863, with his brother-in-law in Putnam County, MO., where he 
resided ten years with his brother, and in 1873 he again traded his 
Putnam County land for a farm in Benton Township, Andrew County.  His 
farm consists of 170 acres of good land, upon which he has a handsome
residence.  He has held various township offices, both in Putnam and
Andrew counties, and in 1886 was elected county judge.  He is a Valley
Lodge, No. 413, F. & A. M., and of the Missionary Baptist Church, in 
which he is a deacon and clerk.  His wife and all the children are 
members of the same church.  They have had six children born to them,
four girls and two boys, as follows:  Maggie E. (Mrs. Israel Knapp-
enberger), born June 18, 1861; Louvina J. (Mrs. John M. Townsend), born
February 18, 1863; Samuel C., born February 3, 1864 and died April 25,
1864; Alzina A., born June 19, 1865; William H., born February 17, 1867, 
and died January 5, 1868; Emma J., born June 29, 1869.  Judge Wells is
a strong supporter of the public school system, and has taken great
pride in educating his children.