Ida Bell (Read) Wells (1855 - 1938)

Born 13 Mar 1855 in Saratoga, New York, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Albert White Wells — married 14 Nov 1876 in La Salle, Illinois, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1938 at age 83 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Charlotte Kensil [send private message]

Ida (Read) Wells is buried in The Modesto Pioneer Cemetery.

Biography

Ida was born in 1855 in Saratoga county, New York. She was the daughter of John Read and Emerline Perkins.

The family moved to La Salle county, Illinois. Her father passed away in 1857. She was on the 1860 and 1870 Farm Ridge, La Salle county censuses with her widowed mother and her siblings.^[1][2]

Ida married Albert White Wells on 14 Nov 1876 in La Salle county, Illinois.^[3] They had three children.

They were living in Grant, Vermilion county, Illinois in 1880.^[4]

In 1900, they were living in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska. Her sister Ella (Read) Gallup was also in the household.^[5]

In the early 1900s, they were living in Louisiana. A series of short articles in the Rice Belt Journal documented their plan to move on to California.

"Rice Belt Journal, Welsh, Louisiana, 04 Mar 1904, page 5

Mr. and Mrs. Chas. E. Phegley came over from Jennings Wednesday afternoon to visit the family of J. A. Annderson. Mr. and Mrs. Phegley, in company with A. W. Wells and family will leave the first of next week for California to reside."

"Rice Belt Journal, Welsh, Louisiana, 11 Mar 1904, page 5

A. W. Wells and family and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. E. Phegley left here Monday evening on the Sunset Limited for California. Mr. Wells and family will make their first stop at Riverside, and after a stay there will look over the state and may possibly drift into Oregon before locating. Mr. Phegley owns land near Imperial Valley, but in company with his wife will tour a good portion of Southern California before permanently locating."

"Rice Belt Journal, Welsh, Louisiana, 25 Mar 1904, page 5

Mrs. Chas. E. Phegley, in a letter to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Anderson, writes she is favorably impressed and delighted with her California home. She added that Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Wells were not contented with the conditions in Southern California, and after a day's layover, continued their journey up the state."

By 1910, Ida and her family were situated in Modesto, Stanislaus county, California where they remained the rest of their lives.^[6][7][8]

She passed away in 1938 in Modesto, Stanislaus county, California. ^[9][10] She was buried in Modesto Pioneer cemetery.^[11]

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXHZ-QKD : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Reed in entry for Emeline Reed, 1860.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M64B-B2R : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Reed in household of Emeline Reed, Illinois, United States; citing p. 2, family 14, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,742.
3. ↑ Illinois State Archives, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, La Salle county, Illinois, Volume E, License 1787.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXKP-BF1 : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Wells in household of A W Wells, Grant, Vermilion, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district ED 216, sheet 491D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0255; FHL microfilm 1,254,255.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3YT-TVP : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Wells in household of Albert W Wells, Precinct 4 Omaha city Ward 7, Douglas, Nebraska, United States; citing sheet 8B, family 165, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,924.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVPM-6ZB : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida Wells in household of Albert Wells, Modesto, Stanislaus, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 152, sheet 12A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,123.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH41-V6S : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida Wells, Modesto Ward 7, Stanislaus, California, United States; citing sheet 3B, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,151.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJH-ML7 : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Wells in entry for Charles T Carroll, 1930.
9. ↑ "California Death Index, 1905-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-KZHV : accessed 18 January 2016), Ida B Wells, 05 Apr 1938; citing 26960, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.
10. ↑ Obituary for Mrs. Ida B. Wells, Modesto Bee and Herald, April 6, 1938.
11. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50766901

See also:

• Add sources here.