Hello Wells Cousins,
I have been reading your comments regarding the family. Since I am leaving
next week and will not be back until the fist part of September I have put
off joining in on the conversation about our family. But on second thought I
decided the time was right, right now.
First, Granny Yates, on her marriage license is called Mary. J. Wells not
Mary L. Wells. The story of the family Bible has been told and retold but it
has never been found.
My grandfather was George Lindon Miller, grandson of Granny's. There are
loads of Granny Yates descendants in Gallatin Co., MT and other surrounding
counties. My grandfather's sister (she was Mary Ellen (Miller) Stiles b 8 May
1869 married 30 September 1888) and died on 6 Feb 1958 in Escalon, CA .( I
remember "Auntie Stiles" coming to visit at our house.) When Mary Ellen died
family came from Gallatin Co., MT (a greatgranddaughter and her parents ) to
take care of her affairs and went through all of her things, especially
looking for "that Bible." It had been said for years that she had the family
Bible. She didn't. I am wondering if Granny brought a Bible. She could not
read or write (census record) so I am wondering about the story, and of
course, the fact that it has never surfaced.
Has anyone read her story from the Progressive Men of The State of Montana,
the Mug Book that was published ca 1900? For Montana there were two volumes.
I have only one of them. 9I used to sit on this book at the table at my
grandparents house when I was very small.) Granny is not in the volume that I
have. I have a typed copy of what was printed. It is poetically written in
the extreme, certainly not her words.
In the book, Women of the West, by Cathy Luchetti, in collaboration with
Carol Olwell, and published by Antelope island Press 1982, is a five
generation picture of Granny Yates, p 220.
I guess I just wanted to say, "Don't hold your breath about the Bible."
There
have been so many that lived so close to her and her nearest relatives and no
one has every been able to come up with the Bible.
When I get back I hope to get more active with the Wells group. I need to
tell you for one thing, more about that marriage license. Jean in California