Aaron Wells Family Association

 

 

Newsletter #34?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????/span>??/span>??/span>????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?/span>June?2004

 

Aaron Wells and Ruth Wiggins were married 31 July (bond), 3 August (ministers return), 1790. Children: Nathan, Elizabeth A., Rachel E., Drucilla & Ruama, Sarah Sally? W., Nancy, William W., Robert, John W., Ruth, Aaron, Mary Polly? Daniel & Uriah.?

 

REMINDER!

 

Wells Family Reunion

Sunday, July 18, 2004

11:00 a.m.?:00 p.m.

 

North Central 4-H Center

Carlisle, Kentucky

 

Genealogist/Founder

Lucy Thompson

1917-1991

 

President

Jon Hagee

3021 Stanford Drive

Lexington, KY?40517

(859) 271-2918

jhagee@frontierfolk.net

http://frontierfolk.org/wells.htm

 

Secretary/Treasurer

Betty Jo Wells

R. R. 2, Box 215

Mount Olivet, KY 41064

(606) 724-5696

 

Newsletter Editor

Patricia Roane Straube

131 Robinhood Drive?????

San Francisco, CA?94127

(415) 334-6300 straube@earthlink.net

 

Message from the President

Our Kentucky Heritage

 

Dear Wells cousins,

I'm looking forward to seeing you all soon. I have been increasingly meeting cousins at various historical and genealogical events throughout the year and have enjoyed that. Some of our ancestors and cousins were at Ruddles Station and Boonesborough as well as Kenton's Station. Each year I work with events concerning these locations and am looking forward to sharing some of my experiences with you all. If you have Internet access, try:

 

Ruddle's and Martin's Stations Historic Association

http://ramsha1780.org/

 

Simon Kenton Frontier Festival

On September 18 and 19, 2004, the village of Old Washington, Kentucky, established in 1786, will be hosting the 28th annual Simon Kenton Frontier Festival.

http://frontierfolk.org/festival.htm

 

Boonesborough Militia

http://frontierfolk.net/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewforum.php?f=15

 

See you all at the reunion!

 

Your cousin,

Jon Hagee

 

[Graphic]

Map of Kentucky 1795

From: The United States gazetteer / Joseph Scott. Philadelphia : Printed by F. and R. Bailey,?1795.

The Filson Historical Society.

 

Treasurers Report

Dear Cousins,

 

Once again the time for our reunion is approaching. We hope that many of you will be able to attend. It is always interesting to see everyone. Dont forget to bring your crafts?for the silent auction. Many of us look forward to taking home a treasure.

 

The balance in our bank account is $734.54. We would welcome any donations that those of you who are unable to attend the reunion might choose to give.

?

????????????????????????Respectfully submitted,

????????????????????????Betty Jo Wells

????????????????????????Secretary/Treasurer

 

 

Letter from the Editor

 

Thanks to all of you who have contributed items and information for this newsletter: Marilyn Armstrong, Brenda Derr, Connie Hazletine, Jessica Lewis, Jane Roane, Charles T. Wells, Nicky Wells and Terry Wells.

Please remember to send your news, updates, pictures, change of address and other items of family or historical interest to me at:

 

Newsletter Editor

131 Robinhood Drive

San Francisco, CA?94127-1626

Email: straube@earthlink.net.

 

You can visit our updated FIVE-generation database at RootsWeb:

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=wellswiggins

 

The map on the first page comes from The Library of Congress which has a new addition to its American Memory series, The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820, consisting of 15,000 pages of original historical material documenting the land, peoples, exploration, and transformation of the trans-Appalachian West from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. The collection is drawn from the holdings of the University of Chicago Library and the Filson Historical Society of Louisville, Kentucky.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/icuhtml/fawhome.html

????????????????????????Sincerely,

?/span>??????????????????????? Patricia Roane Straube

????????????????????????Newsletter Editor

 

[Graphic]

Piqua Christian Church ? Early 1900s

 

Piqua Christian Church

By Betty Jo Wells

 

Monday, June 21st, I attended a meeting of the Robertson County Historical Society held at the Piqua Christian Church. A history of the church was given by Keith and Jeanie (Mann) Ellis. She is a descendant of William W. Wells and Matilda Collins.

 

The congregation of the Piqua Christian Church was organized in the 1880s and for some years met in private homes and in the old Wiggins Schoolhouse on the hill back of the Piqua School. By 1890 sufficient interest and funds had been built up to look for a permanent home. Salathiel Curtis and his wife, Elizabeth [daughter of Uriah Wells and Esther Pollock], gave the land for the new church. The deed, dated August 16, 1890, was recorded in Book 8, page 60 of the Robertson County Records. It was signed by Frank Curtis, Birch Wells [son of Daniel Wells and Lucinda Collins], and William P. Barnett, as Trustees of the church. The church has been remodeled through the years but is still home to a faithful congregation.

 

From the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal:

????????What's in a name? When it comes to translating American Indian dialects, the experts don't always agree. But many of their names are variants of Indian words or phrases, and the true intent of the namer isn't always clear. Here are some commonly held definitions:

Piqua (towns in Ohio and Kentucky): From a Shawnee legend about a man who rose from a dying fire. ``Otaht-he-wagh-Pe-Qua'' means ``He has come out of the ashes.''

Pickaway (county in Ohio): A variant spelling of Piqua.

 

 

The following column comes from an old newspaper clipping kindly submitted by Connie Hazeltine. Can you guess what year it was? The answer is in the last paragraph.

 

The Wells Reunion at Blue Licks

?? Sunday, Oct. 7th, dawned with a beautiful sunshiny day, one to be remembered by the many relatives of the Wells family, represented mostly of the late W. H. Wells and Birch Wells children. All journeyed to the Blue Licks Hotel grounds where they obtained permission from Mr. Will Hall, the generous hearted and courteous proprietor, for the use of the grounds. At twelve oclock noon the table was spread and overloaded with bountiful lot of good things to eat.

?? Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Paynter, of Fairview; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Paynter, Mayslick; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gore and son, Walter Wood: Mr. and Mrs. W.T. McConnell, Jr.; Mrs. W. T. Linville and two sons, William Ed. and Tommy Keith; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reinheimer and two daughters, Sue Elizabeth and Freddie Milton; Mr. and Mrs. Neville Henson, Chicago, Ill.; Mr and Mrs. Ivan Mason, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Wells and daughter, Anna Elizabeth; Dotson Wells and friend, Miss Virginia Johnson of Paris; Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Wood, Piqua; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Fryman and daughter, Rena Fryman; Mr. and Mr. Oda Fryman, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Paynter, Mayslick; Mrs. J. W. Wells and children, Gordon Wells and Millard Burns; Mrs. Wesley Wells, Howard Wells, Piqua; Mr. and Mr. Walker McCann, Millersburg; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond McConnell and two children, Billie and Barbara, Paris; Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Paynter and two daughters, Winnefred Lee and Gwendalyn, near Mayslick; Mrs. E. N. Gifford and daughter, Mr. Claude Ballard, Paris; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wells and son, Billie, Paris; Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Wells and two children, Helen Lucy and M. C. Jr., near Paris; Mr. and Mrs. Theodore McConnell and daughter Bettie Lou; Mrs. Helen Gore, Miss Helen Gore.

?? Those present in the afternoon were: Mr. and Mrs. George Thompson and children, Piqua; Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Mann and family of Nicholas county; Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell C. Wells and children, Elizabeth, Junior and David; David R. Wells, Mrs. Elfie Gough; Miss Elfie Lou Gough, Henry Black, Elizaville; Arthur B. Keal, Ewing; Osmer Wells and daughter, Reatha; Mrs. Merle L. Wells and daughter, Lenore J.; Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Wells and son, William Alton; J. W. Bentley, Tilton Armbruster, Piqua. About ninety people were in attendance.

?? In the afternoon, several groups of pictures were made of the family, and a friendship of love seemed to abide with all. After spending these few happy hours together, and just before the time of departure, it was agreed by everyone to meet on the first Sunday in October at the same place in the year 1935. An invitation is extended to all those that were absent at this reunion of the same relationship. In behalf of the family we express our many thanks to Mr. Hall.?????????A Member

 

 

Lineage Links

Whats in a name?

 

In the 21st century, we have grown used to everyone having a middle name, but its a fairly recent custom, growing in popularity in America throughout the 19th century. Even then, middle names were not simply space-fillers like they often are now. Those of German descent often had multiple baptismal names while those from the British Isles tended to use surnames as middle names, either to honor family members or famous men of the day.

 

Of Aaron and Ruths fifteen children, only five had middle initials. Three of these were W., for Wiggins, to honor Ruths father, William, and most likely her brother John and his wife Sarah Sally?Wiggins. Elizabeth A. Wells?middle name was spelled out in her marriage record, Ashcraft. As the eldest daughter, her name was a clue to the possible identity of Ruths mother, since the first girl was often named for the wifes mother. From deed records in Washington County, Maryland we have discovered that William Wiggins?wifes name was, indeed, Elizabeth and that his land adjoined that of Daniel Ashcraft who was known to have had a daughter by that name whose husband had never been identified by Ashcraft family researchers.

 

That leaves us with the remaining child with a middle initial, the second daughter, Rachel E. Wells. What does it stand for? Unfortunately no records pertaining to her have been found which spell it out. This is extremely tantalizing since it was often the custom to name the second daughter after the husbands mother.

 

Then I got an email from Terry Wells. He is a triple?Wells. His surname comes, not from Aaron, but from his proven kinsman, Robert Wells, of Clermont County, Ohio. Roberts son, John D. Wells married Aarons daughter Rachel E. Wells. [Johns middle initial almost certainly stands for Downing, his mothers maiden name. His son, Levi, named a son, John Downing Wells.] John and Rachels son, Dudley Harvey Wells first married Lucinda McCollum in Clermont County and, after her death, his cousin, Ruth Ann Wells, daughter of Nathan Wells and Jane Guffin. Dudley and Ruths son, Nathan Wells, is Terrys ancestor. Terry sent me a photocopy of a worn piece of paper that had been in his family for generations. It details the family from Dudleys first marriage, including his daughter, Rachel Evans Wells, granddaughter of Rachel E. Wells!

 

[Graphic]

 

Transcription:

 

Dudley Harvey Wells was born December 25th day on Thursday in the year of Our Lord 1817 in Tate Township Clermont County State of Ohio.

Lucinda McCollum was born December the tenth day in the Year of Our Lord 18[blank]

Dudley & Lucinda were married to each other September 13th day on Sunday 1839

Leavitt Thaxton Wells born sunday July 11 day 184[paper torn, July 11 fell on a Sunday in 1841]
Rachel Evans Wells born Wednesday February 7th day 184[paper partially torn, looks like 2 but February 7 fell on Wednesday in 1844]
Phebe Ann Wells born May 26th on tuesday 184[paper partially torn, looks like 6 and May 26 fell on Tuesday in 1846]

Was Aarons daughter, Rachel E. Wells, named for his mother? Second son, William W. Wells, seems to follow the custom of the second son being named for the wifes father. [If so, then Aarons fathers name was Nathan, the firstborns name.] However, it could be that the surname Evans also came from Ruths family. Daughter,?Sarah Sally?W. Wells, married William Evans, son of Caleb Evans and Elizabeth Wiggins [Elizabeths relationship to Ruth is unknown but it is possible she was a sister.] Evans is an extremely common name, but it obviously had some significance to Aaron and Ruth.

 

Little Rachel Evans Wells was the only surviving child from Dudleys marriage to Lucinda. She is enumerated with him and her stepmother in the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Nicholas County, Kentucky. Whether she married or died before 1870 is unknown at this time.

 

 

Doctors in the House

Wells Physicians

Part II

 

The January 2004 issue profiled a newly discovered biography of Dr. Jasper Moss Wells, a son of William W. Wells and Matilda Collins. His oldest brother, Dr. Riley Wells,?had ?/span>a biography from Kentucky: A History of the State: Robertson County by Battle, Perrin & Kniffin, 1887, which appeared in the December 1997 issue of the newsletter. Jaspers next older brother, Dr. Nathaniel (Nathan) Wells, also took up the profession of medicine. Information about him has been discovered from The Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929.

 

Wells, Nathaniel

Died:  March 14, 1919     in:  St. Cloud, FL     
Born:  1844     
Type of practice:  Eclectic     
State/year of licenses:  KY, 1893, FL, 1910     
Places/dates of practice:  Cynthiana, KY, 1867, St. Cloud, FL, Oct 30, 1911     
Medical school:  Eclectic Medical College: Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, 1867, (G)     

 

Rileys son, Dr. Joseph Ezra Wells, followed in his fathers footsteps and his biography from History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed..by William Henry Perrin, O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882 appeared in the June 1998 issue of the newsletter An obituary appeared in the June 2000 issue.

 

From one of the oldest to the youngest of Aaron and Ruths children, both of the twins, Daniel and Uriah had sons go into the profession of medicine.

 

Dr. John Milton Wells, son of Daniel Wells and Lucinda Collins, had a biography from History of Nicholas County. Carlisle, Kentucky: Nicholas County Historical Society, Inc., 1976 which appeared in the January 1999 issue of the newsletter The three biographies cited above are also available on the Family Association ?/span>website.

 

As of yet, a published biography of Dr. Christopher Columbus C.C.?Wells, son of Uriah Wells and Esther Pollock, has not come to my attention. Unlike several of his cousins, he took his medical training in Kentucky, graduating from the University of Louisville in 1875.

 

Uriah also had two grandsons who became physicians. Dr. William C. Burden was the son of Edmond Collins Burden and Nancy?D. Wells and his biography from History of the State of Kansas by William G. Cutler. Chicago, Illinois: A. T. Andreas, 1893, appeared in the June 2001 newsletter. A graduate of The College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk; University of Iowa in 1877, he died in 1904.

 

Uriahs other grandson was Dr. Alton Uriah Wells, son of Aaron Wells and Elizabeth Charlotte Deming. He was a graduate of the Kentucky University Medical Department and the Hospital College of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky, finishing his training in 1907.

 

From an old newspaper clipping:

 

DR. ALTON WELLS

IS SUDDENLY SUMMONED.

 

? A pall of gloom and sadness enshrouded our entire community last Thursday morning, Sept. 22nd [1932], when it became known that the spirit of Dr. Alton Wells, beloved physician of Mt. Olivet had at 4:30 oclock quietly passed into the great beyond. No man in Robertson county was more highly respected and ardently loved than was the subject of this sketch, who for more than a quarter of a century had modestly gone in and out among the hundreds whom he loved, and unto whom he so cheerfully ministered.

??Dr. Wells was born Nov. 8, 1875, at Mt. Olivet. He was united in marriage to Miss Merle Wheeler Feb. 19, 1896. To this union were born a son and two daughtersJennings, Lenore and Mae Elizabeth, who with Mrs. Wells survive. Also surviving are two grandchildrenClarice and William [Wells], and two brothers?Irvine D. and Osmer D. Wells.

? Dr. Wells was ever zealous in the betterment of the community. He was president of the Robertson County Improvement Committee, an organization responsible for the financing and erection of the Deming High School. He was also a Director and Vice-President of the Farmers and Traders Bank.

? Dr. Wells was a faithful member of the M. E. Church, South, and for over 20 years was Superintendent of the Sunday School. He was also a member of the Masonic order.

? Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the local church, Re. W. H. Cardwell, Pastor, officiating, assisted by Rev. Allison of Sardis, Rev. Godbey of Hillsboro, Rev. Moore of Milton and Rev. Musick of Mt. Olivet. Interment in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The pall-bearers were: Chambers Perry, Howard Orme, L. T. Jett, John Owens, J. W. Bentley, S. H. Sims. Honorary pall-bearers were: Dr. A. O. Taylor, Dr. E. E. Linville, Dr. Robert Linville, Dr. J. E. Wells, J. W. Claypool, J. W. Neal, J. W. Holmes and Eben Woodward, Sr.