WELLS, Emily Dyer Jordan 1821 - 1879

WELLS, JORDAN

Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 12/31/2010 at 20:47:14

Fairfield Ledger
December 10, 1879
Pg. 3

IN MEMORIAM

Emily Dyer WELLS, the daughter of Capt. Clement and Elizabeth JORDAN, was born at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, on the 17th of March, 1821, and was the eldest of nine children. She was a sweet and dutiful child, a tender and loving sister, and early manifested those traits of character for which she afterwards was so remarkable - sincerity, gentleness, sympathy, and loving kindness. The care of the household, which largely devolved upon her because of her mother's ill-health, she cheerfully bore, and such was her kindness toward her sisters and brothers, they became forever attached to her, and looked up to her as a second mother.

On the 2nd of January, 1843, at Cape Elizabeth, she was united in marriage with Capt. Wm. R. WELLS, master mariner. Inheriting a frail constitution it seemed best for her to try the benefits of sea air, and therefore she accompanied her husband on several of his voyages. At one time, in a vessel that Capt. WELLS had himself built at Marietta, Ohio, and loaded at Cincinnati, she sailed with him on a voyage to England. At another time she visited the Cape Verde Islands and the coast of South America. Once she was six months upon the ocean.

Though from her earliest years Mrs. WELLS had been religious in faith and life, she had not united herself with the people of God, but while in Marietta, her husband being now desirous of doing so, with him she joined the Congregational church in that city, then under the charge of Rev. Mr. WICKS. A few years later, Capt. WELLS having been obliged to abandon the sea because of continued ill health, she came west with her husband, and finally, in 1850, made her home in this city, where she continued to reside until her death.

For nearly thirty years Mrs. WELLS beautiful life has continued to shine among us - a source of gladness to her companions, a blessing to the poor and needy, and a benediction to this whole community. Her heart was noble large and her sympathy unbounded, and the wealth of her loving kindness was bestowed upon all the toubled and broken hearted. Her sincerity was remarkable - She could not be silent when opinions were advanced in which she could not accord. Her soul was crystaline, in whose clear depths no traces of insincerity could be found. Her mind was well balance, her judgment wise, and her counsel good to follow. Her piety was deep and unfeigned. She leaned her whole weight upon the Lord, and sought in every way to be His true disciple. She was an exemplar of womanhood, an ornament to society, a pillar of strength to the church of which she was a member, and a christian without guile.

After fifteen years of suffering, endured not only in the patience of hope but also in christian cheerfulness, she has found release from all her pains, and rejoices, we trust, in the joys that are at God's right hand. On Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, Nov. 30 (sic. her headstone has Nov. 28), her change came. Her last audible word was "Rest." Surely we may write of her what the Spirit bide write of all the blessed dead: "She rests from her labors and her works do follow her."

Crystaline in sincerity, unbounded in sympathy, wise in counsel, tender in friendship, generous in giving, brave in duty and saintly in character, Mrs. WELLS loss will be long and deeply felt in all portions of society, but no where more so than among the poor and sorrowing. Of her life may it be truly said, she hath done what she could.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Note:
Caution: The headstone inscription uses the death date of Nov. 28, 1879. The obituary for Emily (see below) and her husband, Capt. William Reed Wells, both use November 30th, 1879. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa. Old.P.067