Seymor B. Wells, b. 14 Apr 1834

WING, BLACKSTONE, ZUVER, BRIDGEMAN, WATTS

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/20/2004 at 12:49:47

A pioneer of this county, Mr. Wells has worked his way up from a poor beginning financially, to comfortable circumstances, and is not only one of the well-to-do men of Van Buren Township, but one of the most popular, and justly so. In his physical make up, he is of fine physique, and has been endowed with intellectual powers in proportion. He owns and operates a valuable tract of land - 360 acres in extent, 200 lying on section 24, and 160 acres on section 2, his homestead being on section 24. He is liberal and public-spirited, possessing a large and sympathetic nature, his heritage from his mother, to whom he was deeply devoted. As the result of sobriety and having his mind and muscles healthfully employed, he has never been ill a day in his life, and never missed a meal since becoming a resident of Iowa. This unquestionably has been largely the result of a determined will which has never permitted him to succumb to any ordinary emergency. He came to Iowa a young man with his newly married wife and no other resources than his trade of a mason. He struggled for thirteen long years and simply made a living by hard work, then there arose the opportunity for employing himself in digging wells, which in due time set him on his feet, financially.

Mr. Wells is a native of the Buckeye State and was born in Wooster, Wayne County, April 14, 1834. He was the fifth child and the third son of his parents, Joseph and Apama (Wing) Wells, whose family consisted of nine children, seven of whom grew to mature years. His father was a native of Connecticut, a general mechanic and wood-worker. The paternal grandfather, Elijah Wells, was of English descent, a native of Connecticut and the father of two sons. The parents of our subject emigrated to Ohio in their youth and were there married. The Wells family settled in the Western Reserve as early as 1810. Joseph Wells in 1858 removed to LaGrange County, Ind., where he occupied himself at farming, and where his death took place in the fall of 1867; the mother passed away four hours prior to the decease of her husband, upon whom she had been attending with the most anxious solicitude, while he was suffering with congestion of the lungs. She possessed a wonderfully sympathetic nature, and when the truth became known to her that her partner could not possibly survive, she sank down at his bedside and expired of heart disease. She was a lady singularly unselfish and thoughtful of others, and when any one within her reach was ill, would voluntarily asuume the burden of caring for them without ever thinking of herself and often went beyond her strength in ministering to others. Joseph Wells, at the time of his decease was sixty-seven years of age, and the mother was fifty-eight years old; only two of their children are now living and both are residents of Jackson County, Iowa - our subject and Ellen, wife of Charles Blackstone, of Iowa Township.

Until the time of coming to Iowa, Mr. Wells had never been twenty miles from home. He received his education in the common-schools, and at the age of seventeen years he began his apprenticeship at the trade of a mason. When twenty-two years of age he was married March 20, 1856, to Miss Hester A., daughter of John and Margaret (Bridgeman) Zuver. This lady was a native of the same county as her husband and born March 18, 1837, thus being at the time of her marriage a maiden of nineteen years. They thus started out practically two children, with nothing but their affection for each other, their ambition for a home, and the trade of Mr. Wells. After crossing the Mississippi they settled in Mt. Algor, this county, (a little village at the corners, close to Mr. Wells' present residence) where soon afterward our subject put a one story house, 14 x 18 feet square, and commenced the hand-to-hand struggle with life. He was sober and industrious, but at the end of thirteen years, in 1868, owned only his house and lot. He then began drilling wells, borrowing money for his first machine, and soon found himself on the high road to prosperity. In the course of time he was operating six machines. He traded his first house and lot for thirteen acres and another dwelling, and purchased sixty-seven acres of land. Later he added to his real estate, and by 1880 was the owner of 280 acres. He continued at the well business, hiring his farming done by other parties, and is still interested in pumps, windmills, and well-drilling machinery. Without making any pretentions to elegance, he has a very pleasant home and is surrounded by all the comforts of life. He has also a good barn, and his farm is under a good state of cultivation.

The family of Mr. Wells consists of one daughter and two sons. The first mentioned, Apama, named after her grandmother, is the wife of R. E. Watts, a farmer of Van Buren Township, and her home is almost directly across the road from that of her parents. She has two children - Seymor and Ralph R. The sons, Levi and Frank, make their home with their parents; the former is interested with his father in the well business. Mrs. Wells is in poor health and is now travelling in California. She is a very estimable lady and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Miles.

Mr. Wells has done business with the people of his immediate vicinity for a period of thirty years, and during this time his course has been such as to merit their highest esteem. He is careful and thoughtful in regard to the little things of life, which in themselves seem trifling, but which have much to do with the happiness and good will of mankind. In political matters he is a warm supporter of Republican principles and represented District No. 2, in the County Board of Supervisors, one term, comprising three years. The fact that he ran far ahead of his ticket in a Democratic district is sufficient indication of his standing among the people of this section. In 1880 he was made the candidate of his party for the State Legislature, but with the balance of his ticket he received an anticipated defeat. Two years later he was nominated for State Senator, and ran against his former opponent, reducing the majority of the latter by 500 votes. He has served as Justice of the Peace, Township Clerk, and occupied other positions of trust and responsibility. He has never sought office and will never sacrifice his principles under any circumstances. He is thus independent alike in victory and defeat and has the satisfaction of feeling that he has always honestly followed his convictions, standing up for the right, whatever may be the issue at stake. He is a member of Lodge. No. 169, at Sabula, A. F. & A. M., having joined it in 1855; a member of Royal Arch Chapter at Maquoketa, also a Knight Templar, being a member of the commandery at Maquoketa.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)