My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Putnam County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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.

* * * *

A. J. and Joel Wells, farmers and stock raisers of Medicine Township, are sons of James H. and Victoria (Daniel) Wells, natives of Grayson County, Tenn., and Kentucky, respectively. Mr. A. J. Wells was born in Adams County, Ill., in 1851, and moved to Shelby County, Mo., in 1866, then back to Adams County in 1867, and in 1869 came to Putnam County, Mo., where he has since resided. He received a good common-school education during his youth, but has always engaged in agricultural pursuits. He began life a poor young man upon arriving at his majority, but by good management and industry has become a substantially fixed farmer. June 26, 1881, he married Miss Mary Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of Isaac and Harriet (Mills) Campbell, natives of Ohio. Three children have blessed this union, named as follows: Grace (deceased), James Thomas and Dandridge Mardonis. Mr. Wells is a Master Mason and a member of the I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Democrat. He was the sixth child born to his parents, only one of whom -the mother -survives, and makes her home with her sons. The father died December 1, 1886, aged seventy-one. He was an active politician in his county, and was elected by the Democratic party to fill several offices of honor and trust in his township and the county. He was a blacksmith by trade, but late in life devoted his entire time to farming and stock raising. His father, Barney Wells, was a native of Tennessee, but in after years moved to Illinois, where he died at the age of eighty-three. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Grayson County, Tenn. Joel Wells, the second subject of this sketch, is the youngest child of a family of eleven, and was born September 15, 1864, in Adams County, Ill. He accompanied his parents to Putnam County in 1869, and was reared upon a farm and has chosen fanning for his life occupation; he received a good common-school education at the schools of Putnam County, and although he began life for himself when but a young man has been very successful. His mother, Mrs. Victoria Wells, is a daughter of Vivian and Lucy (Hart) Daniel, natives of Virginia, who after their marriage moved to Kentucky with a family of four children, and later went to Adams County, Ill., where they died. Both Messrs. A. J. and Joel Wells are active and enterprising young farmer citizens, and enjoy the respect and esteem of the community. Their grandparents, Barney and Anna Wells, were natives of Grayson County, Tenn., but afterward moved to Adams County, Ill., where they passed the remainder of their lives. They were of English and Welsh descent.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 139 biographies included in the Putnam County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Adair, Sullivan, Putnam, and Schuyler Counties, Missouri published in 1888 by Goodspeed Publishing Co.  For the complete description, click here: Putnam County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Putnam County, Missouri family biographies here: Putnam County, Missouri Biographies

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.