Biographical Sketch of John Frank Wells, Sr., Johnson County, Missouri, Centerview Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** John Frank Wells, Sr., a prominent and well-respected farmer and stock- man of Centerview township, is a native of Ohio. He is a son of Timothy E. and Mary E. Wells, and was born September 10, 1849. Timothy E. and Mary E. Wells were the parents of five children, as follow: Ellen, wife of Captain W. R. Thomas, of the 105th Illinois Volunteers, Company A, resides at Oakland City, California; Mary Elizabeth, wife of C. M. Chase, living at Linden, Vermont; Abigail Jane, wife of Andrew Kinney, East Orange, New Jersey; John Frank, subject of this review; and one child died in infancy. The Wells family is of Welsh descent. Timothy Wells served in the Civil War as quarter-master of the 105th Illinois Infantry. After the war had ended, he went to Kansas, in 1867 and homesteaded and purchased 320 acres of land in Cherokee county. Three hundred fifty tons of hay were burned in 1869 by a prairie fire and the large herd of cattle, which Mr. Wells had successfully cared for during the summer, starved to death. He had tried his best to sell them, but there was no demand for cattle in those days as now. Six thousand dollars worth of beans were destroyed by the same fire and discouraged and almost financially ruined. Mr. Wells moved with his family from Kansas to California, where he lived for several years, and lived later for many years with his son in Missouri. He returned to California and became an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Santa Monica, where he died. Mrs. Wells died September 21, 1879. In 1877, J. F. Wells came to John- son county, Missouri, and took possession of a farm of 330 acres of land in Centerview township, given him by his uncle, James S. Waterman, which has been his home ever since. He had been engaged in the merc- antile business in California but since he acquired the farm, Mr. Wells has devoted his entire time to farming and stock raising, in which vocations he has met with well merited success. He has employed all the latest and most progressive methods of soil improvements and has raised fine grade Duroc Jersey hogs and good cattle on this place, but recently he has given the management of the farm to his three sons, Stanley, George and Frank, and is spending the closing years of his life in quiet, carefree ease. In 1879, J. F. Wells, Sr., was united in marriage with Nellie E. Baird, daughter of George W. and Elizabeth Baird, and to this union have been born six children: J. Stanley, on the home farm; Mrs. Florence Graham, Centerview, Missouri; George Robert, Centerview, Missouri; Mrs. Alice E. Stevens, Bringhurst, Ind- iana; Nellie and John F., Jr., at home with their parents. The three sons are in partnership with their father in the business of farming and stock raising. Stanley and George are married their wives being sisters, daughters of F. M. Engel. Frank, as he is familiarly called, is unmarried and lives with his parents. Mrs. Wells' grandfather, James Baird, spent his life in Adams county, Ohio. His son, George W., came with his family to the West in 1860 and located in Leavenworth county, Kansas. He was a very intellectual and versatile man, a grad- uate of Ohio University, and owner of a line of steamboats working between St. Paul and New Orleans. He was captain of one of the steam boats, prior to coming West. In Kansas he started a nursery in connec- tion with his farming interests and later entered the mercantile busi- ness there, becoming very successful and prosperous as a farmer, horticulturist and merchant. In 1867, Mr. Baird moved to Johnson county to enter the nursery business in this state, but after four brief years of struggle against failing health he died in 1871. Mrs. Wells attended school in Johnson county at Scroggs school house, where two of her daughters have since taught school. Her first teacher was Professor Robe. Later, she completed her education in an academy in Kentucky. She recalls the days when the county was thinly settled and the land open prairie. One night, in her girlhood days, a spark from a switching engine on the railroad started a prairie fire which spread all over the surrounding country and did great damage. Mr. Wells re- members the first steam mill in this part of the country, which was located on Devil's branch and was the gathering point for the settlers for miles away. Many changes have taken place in Johnson county since the Wells family and the Baird family settled here. From open prairie, abounding in wild game, the land has been developed into splendid, fertile stock and grain farms and busy, flourishing villages, towns and cities. Mr. and Mrs. Wells have nobly done all in their power to aid in this marvelous growth. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================