At 11:40 AM 1/7/2004, JMSSHHILLS(a)aol.com wrote:
I have been trying for some time to identify the father of a Walter
Wells,
born ca 1865 in Lawrence Co., KY. According to Walter's marriage license,
his
father was born in Wise Co., VA. Another researcher has his parents as Levi
Wells and Mary Ward. I found a marriage for a Levi Wells of Lee Co., VA
and a
Mary Ward in Lawrence Co., KY in 1861. I can't find a trail for Levi Wells'
line.
In the 1880 census for Twin Branches, Lawrence Co., Kentucky it shows:
Mary Wells 52 b: KY
Margoriea (sp?) Wells 18 b: KY
Walter B. Wells 15 b: KY
Patrick M. Wells 10 b: KY
No sign of Levi. Was he deceased in 1880?
Now there WAS a Levy Wells b: Cir 1824 VA, Blacksmith who was in California
at this time. He has a wife named Jennie from Sweden. Hmmm. You don't
suppose?
All three children show both parents born KY. That would put in question
Levi being from VA and the one who married Mary Ward. But who knows? The
census could be wrong. This MUST be the Wells-Ward family you found
because living next door to Mary is the William B. Ward family (age 37 so
probably a brother).
Also in Twin Branches is a
Fennessee Wells 23 b: VA both parents born VA
Chattie Wells 24 b: NC parents born NC
Martha E. Wells 5m b: KY
Eli Wells 17 b: KY parents born VA
It isn't clear here if Eli was a cousin, brother or whatever. If a brother
I would have expected to see it noted.
In the 1850 census there are only two Levi Wells of about the right age in
Virginia (none in Kentucky).
In Ritchie County, VA
Benjamin Wells 33 b: VA Miller
(possibly the Benjamin F. Wells who was in Carter Co., Kentucky in 1880)
Louisa Wells 32 b VA
Benjamin F. Wells 05 b: VA
Eliza J. Wells 03 b: VA
Elizabeth Wells 01 b: VA
Levi Wells 21 b: VA Laborer
(I suspect this may be your Levi)
In Parkersburg, Wood County, Virginia
In the Household of William H. Leonard
Levi Wells 21 b: VA blacksmith. This is probably the fellow in California
in 1880.
Orin R. Wells
Wells Family Research Association
P. O. Box 5427
Kent, Washington 98064-5427
<OrinWells(a)wells.org>
http://www.wells.org
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