Wells, Fred Eldridge 1863-1934

WELLS, NEEDHAM, BOMBERGER, HILL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/10/2011 at 18:48:34

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; Feb. 2, 1934

FRED WELLS IS MISSED

Funeral Services for a Long Time Resident of Grinnell Are Held Thursday

HAD LIVED PRACTICALLY ALL HIS LIFE IN GRINNELL

Had Served for 24 Years as Cashier at Office of Rock Island Railroad in This City

(By W.G. Ray)

When I came to Grinnell Fred Wells was a boy and he and his brother, Frank, were well known. When their mother married Still Needham, the Needhams lived on the lot where the Robert Tyson family now lives or the next lot to it. Mr. Needham was an influential gentleman and the boys grew up in a good home. In later years Mr. Needham's daughter died and Still Needham bought the place southeast of town where Frank and his half-sister, Nina Needham, now live.

Fred Wells grew up to be a young man of character. He was earnest in all that he did and I have always found him a warm and trusty friend. He was faithful in his work for the company which employed him and in his death Grinnell has lost an honored and worthy citizen.

Funeral services for Fred Eldridge Wells, 70, long-time resident of Grinnell and Poweshiek county, who died Monday evening, were held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Smith home for funerals. Rev. W.B. Wilson, Congregational minister of Newburg, officiated. Burial was at Hazelwood. The pallbearers were Ross V. Coutts, Harry M. Dunn, George R. Clifton, Charles D. LeRoy, Martin Eichhorn and Frank Clindinin.

Fred Eldridge Wells was born in Lyons, New York, Dec. 22, 1863. He came with his parents to Grinnell when he was two years old. Here he grew to manhood, attending the public schools and academy. He attended Grinnell college and later went to Business college in Davenport.

On Dec. 21, 1892, he was married to Irena Bomberger at Gowrie, Iowa. For about eleven years he was employed in northern Iowa by the Chicago, Northwestern railroad, returning to Grinnell in 1903. For the past thirty years he has been a highly respected citizen of Grinnell, serving 24 years of that time as cashier at the Rock Island railroad offices. He retired from that position in 1931.

He was preceded in death by his wife and surviving him are two sons and one daughter, Gawain L. Wells of this city, Brenden G. Wells of Saginaw, Mich., and Mrs. Ruth G. Hill of Beaumount, Texas. A brother, Frank R. Wells of this city, also survives him, as well as a half-sister, Nina Needham of Grinnell, and a half-brother, Ward S. Needham of Broken Bow, Nebr., and four grandchildren.