My Genealogy Hound

Jacob F. Wells was born in Newton County, Ark., in 1842, being a son of Jacob and Rosanet (Newcomb) Wells. The father was probably born in Illinois, and came to Newton County from Missouri in 1838. In 1844 he came to Crawford County, settling upon the farm subject now owns, and dying Van Buren in 1865, at which time he was living with his second wife, subject’s mother having died soon after coming to this county. The father was of Irish descent, and both himself and wife belonged to the Baptist Church. Jacob F. is the youngest of a family of ten children, nine now living, and all save one residents of Crawford County. His brother, Thomas, served from June, 1862, until the battle of Prairie Grove, where he was killed, in Company G, Twenty-second Arkansas Infantry. Jacob spent three years of active service in the same company, with the exception of six months, when he was disabled by gunshot wounds in his right side, received at the battle of Helena. He fought at Prairie Grove and Saline, and participated in every engagement that this brigade fought in, operating in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. He surrendered at Fort Smith on June 10, 1865. In 1866 he married Jane Yerton, who died in Texas in 1875, leaving four children, and in 1878 married Martha J. Chastain, also a native of this county, who died in 1887, he having thus lived with his first wife nine years, three months and twenty-eight days, and with his second nine years, three months and twenty-nine days. December 22, 1887, he was married a third time, Mrs. Sarah c. Dover, nee Rozell, becoming his wife. She also is a native of Crawford County, and is a Methodist. Mr. Wells and his first two wives many years ago united with the Baptist Church. Mr. Wells is a blacksmith and wood-worker by trade, and has a nice farm of 162 acres, upon which he has lived fifteen years. He has been engaged in blacksmithing eighteen years. He is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Greeley. In 1888 he was elected justice of the peace of Vine Prairie Township, and he has filled the offices from Junior Deacon to Worshipful Master in the East in Pleasant Hill Masonic Lodge No. 233.