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Author: audiorij
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Looking for information on this man or the Baptist Church of Virginia City from 1876;
James William Wells
Birth: Apr. 30, 1844 Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri, USA
Death: Feb. 7, 1921 Manton, Tehama County, California, USA
Son of Hiram Wells and Nancy (Kelly) Wells. Fought for the Union in the Civil War, 18th
Illinois Infantry, Co D. Discharged Apr 28, 1862. He was a Baptist preacher and school
teacher. Married Mary Ellen Walker (14 Nov 1875 Pine Grove, Amador, CA) and had three
children; Elene Ilene Wells who married Alvin Hansen and secondly Joseph Francis Arnol,
Ernest Alvin Wells who married Elsie May Cunningham, and Winona L Wells who married Perry
E Vilas and secondly Samuel Aaron Kenoyer. The Reverend James Wells was married a second
time to Martha E Daily (18 Dec 1903 San Francisco, CA) , who he later divorced.
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The ministerial directory of the Baptist churches in the United States of America
By George William Lasher
Published: Ministerial directory co., 1899
Wells, James, Plateau, Calif. - Born, Farmington, St Francois County, Missouri.; Studied
at Bethel College, Russellville, Ky..; Licensed Feb. 20, 1867, Ordained May 24, 1872,
Caldwell's Spring Church, Caldwell County, Kentucky; Pastor Macedonia and Emmaus; Pine
Grove, Shasta County, California; Ione, Amador County, California; Biggs, Butte County,
California; Plateau, San Mateo County, California; Gervais, Marion County, Oregon;
Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada.
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History of San Joaquin County, California with Biographical Sketches
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA - 1923
CHAPTER XXIII
POST AND RAILROAD TOWNS, pg 286
The Ripon Finch Murder
"Probably the greatest sensation in Ripon was the killing of Philip Finch by the Rev.
James Wells, December 12, 1884. The cause was a difficulty of long standing and seems that
in the eastern states Finch had seduced Wells' half-sister. Wells came to California
and located at Ripon and Finch followed and obtained work in the warehouse; at one time he
boarded and lodged with the Wells family. Just previous to the shooting it was reported to
Wells that Finch had threatened his life. Wells at this time was teaching the Ripon
schools on the main street, located where now stands the First National Bank. About 4
o'clock on the day of the murder, Finch was walking towards the schoolhouse and some
of the men on the street remarked, "Now there'll be trouble." As Finch came
near the schoolhouse Wells came out of the building and walked up to Finch. After a short
talk, those watching the affair saw Wells draw a revolver and shoot at Finch four times.
Two of the shots took effect and Fi!
nch was taken into John T. Bloomer's store. He was attended by Dr. B. M. Bainbridge
but died shortly afterwards. As two of the witnesses of the murder John B. Matthews and
Thomas Fredericks ran to the scene, Wells exclaimed, "I am sorry I had to shoot you,
boy, you have been following me for years. You seduced my sister and this morning you
insulted my family." Sheriff (Thomas) Cunningham hearing of the murder by telegraph
hastened to the scene, arresting Wells and bringing him to Stockton jail. Wells was
indicted by the Grand jury for murder, and his trial came up February 25, 1885, in the
Masonic Hall as the old courthouse had been condemned as unsafe. He has sold his little
house in Ripon to pay his attorneys, James A. Louititt and Wm. Dudley. The prosecuting was
represented by the district attorney, Ansel Smith, assisted by Joseph C. Campbell. The
jury went to their room on the evening of February 28, and the following morning reported
that they could not agree, standin!
g seven to five for acquittal. At a subsequent trial Wells was acquitt
ed."
-----------------------
Red Bluff Daily News, 8 Feb 1921
Rev. James Wells Taught In Many Schools Of County
The funeral of Rev. James Wells who died at his home in Manton early Monday morning, will
be held at Manton tomorrow at 1 o'clock. Mr Wells was 76 years, 9 months and 7 days
old at the time of his death. He had been a resident of Manton and vicinity for thirty
years and had taught school in many other sections of the county. He was a man on high
ideals and a splended citizen. Mr. Wells is survived by three children, Ellen Arnol of
Manton, E. A. (Ernest) Wells and Mrs Vilas of Modesto. The children have all been with him
during his illness of several months. Beside the children there are surviving two half
sisters and a half brother in San Joaquin county, twelve grandchildren and one great
grandchild.
---------------------------------------
Baptist home missions in North America
By American Baptist Home Mission Society
INCLUDING A FULL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ADDRESSES OF THE
JUBILEE MEETING, AND A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY,
HISTORICAL TABLES, Etc.
1832-1882.
Page 598
Nevada
Virginia City, Jas. Wells....................................Jan. 1876....5 mths
Page 605
Oregon
Gervais, Jas. Wells, French Prairie Church.........Oct '78 -'79 ...1 yrs 2 mths
-------------------------------------------
The History of Nevada
Edited BY SAM P. DAVIS
VOLUME I.
PUBLISHED BY THE ELMS PUBLISHING CO., 1913
CHAPTER XXIII.
RELIGIOUS.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
By A. G. Sawin
Pages 537-538
Baptists came into Nevada sixty years ago. Of their efforts to propagate their faith or
organize bodies for worship and work there is at hand no reliable data. The beginning of
systematic work, of which there is record, was ten years later. These activities,
continuing through church organizations, then an association of churches, finally
culminated early in 1910 in the organization of the Nevada Sierra Baptist Convention, with
headquarters at Reno. The territory comprises the State of Nevada, and that portion of
eastern California included in the Counties of Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra and that
portion of the Counties of Nevada, Placer and El Dorado lying east of the line drawn from
the southwest corner of Sierra to the northwesterly corner of Alpine, and the Counties of
Alpine, Mono and Inio. Early in 1861, Rev. Cyrus William Rees, came into Nevada and began
systematic Christian work, making his home at Dayton, Nevada, opened Baptist work with
preaching services there, a!
nd at Ft. Churchill, Carson City and Virginia City. Congregations were gathered at these
points and, at last tentative organizations effected. So far as available records show,
his were the first Baptist services held in these towns, and it is certain that this was
the first extended work of any Baptist minister in Nevada. Mr. Rees's labors continued
for a considerable time in Nevada, and the border counties of California where he planted
Baptist work in several valleys of the Sierras. From this field Mr. Rees went to Oregon,
later to the territory of Washington, and died at Roslyn, Washington.
Aurora.-In 1863, Rev. Y. B. Saxon was settled as missionary at Aurora in Esmeralda County,
the Home Mission Society contributing to his support at the rate of $1,100 per year.
During this year a neat chapel was built for his services. The earlier promise of Aurora
for a permanent camp faded with the rising prospects of Virginia City's richness and
the work at Aurora ceased.
Virginia City.-The drawing power of "the mines" was no respecter of persons.
Among the racial types represented in the cosmopolitan population of Virginia City in 1863
was a group of negroes and some of those composing that group were Baptists. It is to the
lasting credit of those negro Baptists that they did not leave their religion on the other
side of the Rockies, but carrying it, they gave it expression in the jungle conditions of
the Comstock by organizing a church. They secured a lot and built a chapel. A Rev. Mr.
Satchell was their first minister. The charter roll of this body carried the names of nine
members, one that of a white man. In 1864, Rev. W. H. Stevenson became pastor of this
church. He came from Rhode Island and here he was ordained as pastor and continued work
until 1867. About this time the excellent work of this body was interfered with by
divisions respecting the pastor; that, together with the migratory character of its
members put a period to its pro!
sperity. Later the property was sold and the church was never reorganized. In 1864, the
Rev. S. B. McLafferty became missionary pastor in Virginia City, under appointment of the
Baptist Home Mission Society. Mr. McLafferty organized the Baptist work under the name of
the Tabernacle Baptist Church. For a time its worship was in the Court House. In 1873,
Rev. C. L. Fisher began work in Virginia City and became missionary pastor in 1874. His
services were held in the Court House, later in Miners' Union Hall. Then in the
Washington Guards' Hall, and at one period of three months, in the home of a
"Sister Cochran." During this period Pastor Fisher effected the formal
organization of the First Baptist Church of Virginia City, and it was recognized by a
council, held December 14, 1873, of which the Rev. H. Richardson was moderator and the
Rev. C. L. Fisher was clerk. The recognition sermon was preached by the well-known army
chaplain and distinguished preacher and lecturer, the Re!
v. C. A. Bateman.
A lot was purchased on C Street for $800 and a chapel erected at a cost of $2,307. In 1876
Mr. Fisher was followed by the Rev. James Wells, who was succeeded by the Rev. George W.
Ford. In January, 1880, the Rev. Hiram W. Reed became pastor and continued until January,
1884. The church was filled with rooms to lodge strangers like the present Y. M. C. A.
buildings.
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