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Below is a family biography included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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WELLS, MRS. ANNA, widow, retired; residence 1121 Vine street She was born in Berkshire county, Miss., Sept. 26, 1802; moved to Bradford county, Pa., with her parents in 1807; thence to St. Clair county, Ill., in 1818. She was married to Levi Wells in 1821. He was born in Wethersfield, Conn., Sept. 4, 1793, and died in Quincy, July 11, 1857. They came to Quincy in 1824; then there were no houses where Quincy now is but one log cabin near where the Tellico Mills are, which was occupied by John Wood, and one by Mr. Keyes, father of C. W. Keyes; this was on the quarter section on which the court-house was afterward located, and in it was held the first meeting of the first County Commissioners — Levi Wells, Williard Keyes, and Wm. Journey. Mr. Wells went on his farm for a short time, and then moved to Galena, Joe Daviess county, in 1828, but returned in 1830. He then went into the mercantile business, having erected a frame store and dwelling on the corner of 5th and Maine streets, where Bull’s bank now stands; there he kept one of the first dry goods and grocery stores ever kept in Quincy, exclusively on the finance principle. They had ten children, eight of whom are dead. Caroline (now Mrs. Benneson) and Ann E. (now the widow of the late P. C. Keller) are living. They are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Wells was a member of the first regularly organized church in Quincy, which is now the First Union Congregational. Mrs. Wells possesses an excellent memory.

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This family biography is one of 1444 biographies included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Adams County, Illinois

View additional Adams County, Illinois family biographies here: Adams County, Illinois Biographies

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