USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 93
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(VIII) Joshua (2), son of Joshua (I) Bel- den, was born in Hatfield October 29, 1733, and died September 20, 1805. He lived in Hat- field and later moved to the farm now or lately occupied by Frank D. Belden, deceased, of Whately. He married. in 1757, Anna Fitch, born 1738, died November 8, 1819, daughter of Joseph Fitch, of East Windsor, Connecticut, sister of John Fitch, inventor of the steamboat. Children: I. Stephen, born April 19, 1758; died young. 2. Anna, February 15, 1760 ; died young. 3. Anna, July 22, 1761 ; married Elihu Smith. 4. Lucy, February 17, 1763 ; married, March 22, 1802, John Bell. 5. Irene, October 18, 1764; died young. 6. Joshua, June 17,. 1766. 7. Irene, October 18, 1768; married, February 12, 1782, John Hibbard. 8. Stephen, March 6, 1771. 9. Augustus, February 28, 1773. 10. Francis, September 15, 1775. II. Reuben, January 3, 1778 ; mentioned below. 12. Seth, February 12, 1780. 13. Aaron, January 22, 1782.
(IX) Reuben, son of Joshua (2) Belden, was born in Whately, January 3, 1778, and died June 27, 1854. He had a large farm, raised large quantities of broom corn and grain and cut over two hundred tons of hay. He had large herds of cattle, sheep, and numbers of hogs. He was a hard worker, a very temperate man, and a power for good. It is said that in 1828, when he signed the pledge, lie at once cut down his large apple orchard. He married
Clarence & Bilden
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(first) September 26, 1802, Sally Locke, born in Shutesbury, 1774, died October 12, 1806, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Nims) Locke. He married (second) April 2, 1807, Hannah Hibbard, born March 29, 1790, died April I, 1845, daughter of George and Lydia (Allen) Hibbard of Hadley. He married (third) Jan- uary, 1846, Anna Burnham, born at Hartford, September 20, 1778, died September 18, 1847, daughter of Reuben and Chloe (Fitch) Burn- ham. He married ( fourth) July 25, 1848, Laura (Allis) Woodruff, who survived him. Children: I. Son, born February 6, 1808; died young. 2. Julia, September 9, 1809; married, March 25, 1828, Zebina Smith. 3. Sally Locke, October 13, 1812; married, November 25, 1831, Alvin S. Hall. 4. Lucy, March 3, 1814; married, June 2, 1831, Solomon Mosher. 5. Hannah, May 26, 1816; married, March 22, 1838, Calvin B. Marsh. 6. Electa, April 3, 1818; married, May 6, 1840, Austin S. Jones. 7. Reuben H., January 25, 1820; mentioned below. 8. Diana, February 19, 1822; married May 26, 1846, Joseph Knight. 9. Elihu, Feb- ruary 4, 1824; married Roxana, daughter of Moses H. and Asenath ( Belden) Leonard. Children : i. Henrietta, born January 7, 1847, died September 8, 1847. ii. Franklin D., July II, 1848, died 1909. iii. Elihu L., born Au- gust 13, 1851. iv. Channing S., September 15, 1854. v. William C., born May 30, 1858. vi. Rufus H., August 29, 1860. vii. Albert M., June 22, 1867. viii. Son, born September 3, 1870, died September 5, 1870.
(X) Reuben Hibbard, son of Reuben Belden, was born January 25, 1820, at Whately and died January 27, 1897, in Hatfield. He re- moved to North Hatfield, where he lived upon the farm left him by his father. He was a deacon of the church and a prominent man, often in town office. He married, October 5, 1842, Sarah Ann Loomis, born October 12, 1817, daughter of Jonathan Colton and Electa (Stockbridge) Loomis of Whately. She died November, 1901. Children: I. Hannah Al- mira, born October 8, 1843; died January 28, 1909; married, October 19, 1875, Daniel W. Wells, of Hatfield ( see Wells). 2. Reuben, born July 8, 1845. 3. Sarah Elizabeth, born September IT, 1847; died November 16, 1865. 4. George C., born September 5, 1850. 5. William H., born December 28, 1852. 6. Her- bert H., born June 2, 1855, died August 2, 1909. 7. Clarence E., born January 29, 1859.
(X) Clarence E. Belden, son of Reuben Hib- bard Belden, was born January 29, 1859, at Hatfield, and was educated there in the public
schools and at Smith Academy in the same town. He assisted his father on the farm during his youth, and in 1885 began farming on his own account in that part of Hatfield known as Bradstreet. He removed to Sunderland, Mas- sachusetts, August 24, 1894, returning to Bradstreet, November 7, 1907, having pur- chased the beautiful home that he now occu- pies. In 1887 he became a traveling salesman for the National Fertilizer Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. He has been direc- tor and secretary of the company since 1894. He has been very successful in business, and is known as a man of excellent judgment, of much substance and great force of character. He is active and enterprising, straightforward and honorable in his dealings with all men, in and outside of business. He has dealt exten- sively in onions in a wholesale way. He is a director of the Produce National Bank of South Deerfield, Massachusetts. He is a promi- nent Free Mason, a member of Jerusalem Lodge of Northampton, Royal Arch Chapter of Northampton, Northampton Council, North- ampton Commandery, and of Melha Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Springfield. In politics he is a Republican, in religion a Congregationalist. He married, October 19, 1892, Nellie Maude Snow, born May 13, 1866, daughter of Horace H. and Abbie Stall ( Boss) Snow ( see Snow). Children : 1. Edgar M., born November 2, 1894; died November 23, 1894. 2. Abbie Snow, August 2, 1896.
William Snow, the immigrant an- SNOW cestor, was born in England in 1624. He came to New England in the ship "Susan and Ellen" in 1635, with Richard Derby, who settled in Plymouth. He was an apprentice, and his age was given as eighteen at that time, although he was but eleven. He was assigned to Edward Doten in 1638, to serve seven years at Plymouth, and was on the list of those able to bear arms. He settled at Duxbury, and was later one of the proprietors and first settlers of Bridgewater, where he took the oath of fidelity in 1657. His will was dated in 1699 and proved in 1708. He was eighty-four years old at the time of his death in 1708. In his last years he lived with his son William Snow. He married Rebecca Children: 1. William, married, 1686, Naomi Whitman. 2. James, died in the Phipps expedition to Canada, 1690. 3. Jo- seph, mentioned below. 4. Benjamin, married Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Alden; (sec-
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ond) Sarah Cary, of Bridgewater. 5. Mary. 6. Lydia. 7. Hannah. 8. Rebecca.
(II) Joseph, son of William Snow, was born in West Bridgewater, and died there in 1753. He married Hopestill -. Children, born at West Bridgewater: I. Deacon Jo- seph, 1690; mentioned below. 2. Mary, 1691 ; married, 1718, Joseph Lathrop. 3. James, 1693; resided at East Bridgewater; married Ruth Snow. 4. Rebecca, married, 1722, Thomas Wade. 5. Isaac, resided at East Bridgewater ; married Hannah, daughter of Joseph Shaw. 6. Jonathan (twin), born 1707 ; married (first) - -; (second) Sarah Soule. 7. David (twin), born 1707; married Joanna, daughter of Joseph Hayward.
(III) Deacon Joseph (2), son of Joseph (I) Snow, was born at West Bridgewater, in 1690. He was a deacon of the church, and af- terward a colleague in the ministry with Rev. Mr. Wilson. He sold land at Bridgewater in 1738 to Caleb Phillips. He removed to Easton, Massachusetts, in 1730, and later to Provi- dence, Rhode Island. Children, born at Bridge- water : I. Joseph, 1715 ; mentioned below. 2. James, 1717. 3. Elizabeth, 1719. 4. Susanna, 1722. 5. Sarah, 1725. 6. Daniel, 1727.
(IV) Joseph (3), son of Joseph (2) Snow, was born in Bridgewater, March 26, 1715. The record of his birth is at Providence. He or his son Joseph was also a minister. He married, November 1, 1737, Sarah Field, of Providence, born August 9, 1710; (second) March 14, 1754. Rebecca Grant, at Boston. Children, born at Providence, of first wife: I. Sarah, October 27, 1738. 2. John, February 3, 1740. 3. Joseph, September 22, 1741 ; died October IO, 1741. 4. Joseph, born September 2, 1742; mentioned below. 5. Lydia, born January 8,
1744. 6. Susannah, October 14, 1745. 7. Elizabeth, October 10, 1747. 8. Abigail, March 26, 1749. 9. Josiah, February 24, 1750. Children of second wife: 8. Rebecca, born February 13, 1756. 9. Samuel, August I, 1758. 10. Edward, May 9, 1760. 11. Benja- min, December 6, 1761.
(V) Joseph (4), son of Joseph (3) Snow, was born in Providence, September 2, 1742. He married, at Providence, March 7, 1773. Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Badger Noyes (by Rev. Joseph Snow, his father ). Children : Saralı, Thomas (mentioned below), Stephen Wardwell, born December 28, 1788; probably others, not recorded.
(VI) Thomas, son of Joseph (4) Snow, was born in Providence or vicinity, about 1785. He married, at Providence, October 13, 1811,
Hannah Barber. In 1790, according to the first federal census, this was the only family of the name in Rhode Island. Daniel had one son under sixteen and three females in his family, James two over sixteen and two males under sixteen and three females ; James Jr. had three sons under sixteen and three females; Sarah, widow probably, had one son under sixteen and six females in her family. Joseph had two sons under sixteen and one female. An- other Joseph, doubtless Rev. Joseph, his fath- er, had no sons in his family, but two females. Children of Thomas : Alpheus, Thomas, Caro- line and Horace H. (mentioned below ).
(VII) Horace H., son of Thomas Snow, was born February 20, 1826, in Providence, Rhode Island. He was educated there in the public schools, and learned the trade of car- penter. Afterward he learned the art of mix- ing alloys, and became assayer and mixer for the firm of Sackett, Davis & Company of Prov_ idence, manufacturers of jewelry, Providence. When this firm went out of business, Mr. Snow retired. He was a member and thrice master of St. John Lodge of Free Masons and has always been identified with Masonic affairs. In religion he is a Methodist. He married, October 27, 1852, Abbie Stall Boss, born December 15, 1826, in Newport, daugh- ter of Thomas Boss. She died in 1894. Chil- dren, born in Providence: I. Ida, born June, 1855; married Walter Wilkinson. 2. Mabel A., born May 21, 1864; married Benjamin W. Putnam. 3. Laura M., born February 20, 1865. 4. Nellie Maude, born May 13, 1866; married Clarence E. Belden (see Belden). 5. Howard, born September 28, 1869; mar- ried Georgia Young : no children.
(For preceding generations see Hugh Wells 1).
(V) Elisha Wells, son of Joshua WELLS Wells, was born November 12, 1731. and removed late in life to Hatfield, where he died October 5, 1792. He married ( first ) January 9. 1754, Abigail, died December 20, 1772, daughter of Nathaniel Brooks. He married ( second) September 25, 1775, Mchitable Mattoon, died June 29, 1776, aged thirty-eight, daughter of Isaac Mattoon. He married (third) December 25, 1778, Rhoda Graves, of Hatfield, died December 7, 1817, aged eighty-four. Children: 1. Abigail, born December 29, 1754; died August 28, 1758. 2. Lydia, born January 26, 1756; died August 27, 1758. 3. Mary, born September 12, 1757 ; died September 1, 1758. 4. Elisha, born January 2, 1759. 5. Abigail, born October 25, 1760;
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married, March 22, 1783, Job Graves. 6. Amasa, born September 20, 1762; mentioned below. 7. Lydia, born January 20, 1764 ; mar- ried. June 16, 1791, Rufus Graves. 8. Eliza- beth, born October 4, 1765; married, May 25, 1786, Elisha Sheldon. 9. Mary, born July 17, 1767 : married, November 25, 1786, Matthew Severance. 10. Esther, born August 17, 1769. II. Moses, born July 9, 1771. 12. Abner, born December 6, 1772 ; died next day.
(VI) Amasa, son of Elisha Wells, was born September 20, 1762, in Hatfield, and died from injuries received by falling from his house, which he was shingling, June 12, 1816. He settled on a part of the John Graves allotment of land, now known as the C. M. Billings place. He married, March II, 1789, Eunice White, died in Conway, April 28, 1824, aged sixty-two, daughter of Lieutenant Daniel White. Children: I. Horace, born 1789. 2. Cephas, June 21, 1791. 3. Barnabas, May 20, 1793. 4. Hannah, August 26, 1795. 5. Eli- sha, mentioned below.
(VII) Elisha (2), son of Amasa Wells, was born in Hatfield, April 29, 1797, and died August 8, 1873. He was a farmer, and lived on the John White Jr. allotment. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a Congre- gationalist. He married, January 14, 1823, Louisa, daughter of David Field (see Field) Children : 1. David F., born January 12, 1824, in Conway; died May 27, 1866; married, De- cember I, 1849, Harriet M. Dickinson, of Hat- field : children : i. Harriet A., born September I, 1850, died March 4, 1864; ii. Hannah S., born August 23, 1857, died October 20, 1857. 2. Eunice W., born March 20, 1825, in Hat- field : died February 6, 1861 ; married, Decem- ber 25, 1850, Henry W. Banks, of Brooklyn, New York ; children: i. Mary L. Banks, born October II, 1851; ii. Martha B. Banks, De- cember 25, 1854 ; iii. Elizabeth H. Banks, Octo- ber 12, 1857: iv. Helen W. Banks, June 21, 1859. 3. Otis C., born October 3, 1828, in Hatfield, drowned in Mill river, July 24, 1885; married, May 14, 1851, Electa L. Loomis ; chil- dren : i. Helen S., born August 25, 1823, mar- ried E. S. Allen ; ii. Charles O., born March 23, 1866. graduate of Amherst College, 1891 ; died April 10, 1892. 4. Helen S., born Sep- tember 29, 1830; unmarried. 5. Joseph S., born April 17, 1842 (twin) ; married, October 9, 1870, Emma R. Phelps, of West Lebanon, New Hampshire ; children: i. Joseph P., born May 30, 1878, died May 28, 1883; ii. Elisha E., born November 5, 1880. 6. Daniel W., twin with Joseph ; mentioned below.
(VIII) Daniel W., son of Elisha (2) Wells, was born in Hatfield, April 17, 1842. He re- ceived his education in the common schools, and remained at home on the farm until the breaking out of the civil war. He enlisted in Company K, Fifty-second Regiment Massa- chusetts Volunteer Militia. He was in the assault on Port Hudson, Louisiana, June 14, 1863, and witnessed the surrender of the fort on July 8 following. In 1864 he returned home and engaged in farming, continuing until 1890, when he was elected to a position in the Smith Charities, of Northampton, a benevolent insti- tution founded by Oliver Smith, of Hatfield, and amply endowed. Since 1891 he has been president of the institution. He has been singularly successful in administering the af- fairs of this trust. His long and varied ex- perience in dealing with men, his intimate knowledge of the people and affairs of the community, his kindly, sympathetic nature and earnest Christian character have admirably fitted him for the delicate and difficult task of administering charity. He is an active and prominent member of the Congregational Church of Hatfield, and has been a deacon since 1874 and was superintendent of the Sun- day school. He takes great interest in the af- fairs and history of the town, is a member of the Hatfield Historical Association, and has assisted in compiling much of the early history and genealogy of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. Mr. Wells was formerly a Democrat, and in 1883-84 represented his dis- trict in the general court as a Democrat. Since then he has been a Republican. He was one - of the prime movers in securing the municipal water works, and has been on the board of water commissioners of the town.
He married, October 19, 1875, Hannah A. Belden, born October 8, 1843, died January 28, 1909, daughter of Reuben H. Belden (see Belden ). Children, born at Hatfield: I. Reu- ben F., born February 13, 1880; educated in public schools of Hatfield, and Amherst Col- lege, class of 1901 ; married, September 27, 1905, Addie Beatrice Fisk, born in Hunting- ton, Massachusetts, daughter of Myron R. and Addie (Elder ) Fisk ; child, David F., born June 9, 1907. 2. Louisa Belden, born Febru- ary 5, 1884 ; married October 16, 1907, Charles E. Cowan, of Holyoke.
(The Field Line-For preceding generations see Roger Field 1).
(XII) John Field, son of Zechariah Field, was born about 1648, in Hartford, Connecticut, and removed with his father in 1659 to North-
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ampton. In 1663 he removed to Hatfield, where he died June 26, 1717. He was in the Turner's Falls fight, May 19, 1676. He married, December 17, 1670, Mary Edwards, born January 20, 1650, daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Searl) Edwards. Children: I. John, born May 11, 1672 ; mentioned below. 2. Mary, born February 2, 1674; died young. 3. Zechariah, born August, 1676; married Sarah Clark. 4. Benjamin, born February 14, 1679; was in Meadow fight, 1704. 5. Mary, born February 20, 1681 ; married, March 6, 1701, Dr. Thomas Hastings. 6. Bethiah, born 1684; married, 1707, John Allis Jr. 7. Sarah, born February 2, 1687 ; married, October 25, 1709, Nathaniel Pack. 8. Abilene, born 1689; died May 6, 1689. 9. Ebenezer, born July 2, 1690; killed by Indians, on a scout in Deerfield, Oc- tober 26, 1708. 10. Abilene, borne July 2, 1690 ; married, December 29, 1715, John Nash ; died 1764.
(XIII) John (2), son of John (1) Field, was born May II, 1672, in Hatfield, and died May 28, 1747. He resided in Hatfield, and was a constable in 1708. He was a soldier in the Indian wars. He married, in 1698, Sarah Coleman, born February 15, 1673, died Janu- ary 8, 1759, daughter of John and Hannalı (Porter) Coleman. She was captured by the Indians in Ashpelon's raid. September 19, 1677, and redeemed the next year by Wait and Jennings. A shoe worn by her on the home- ward march from Canada in 1678 is among the treasures in Memorial Hall, Deerfield. Children : 1. John, born September 14, 1700; married (first) Editha Dickinson; (second) Ann Bagg. 2. Sarah, born May 14, 1702; married, December 1, 1725, Joshua Belding ; (second) 1741, Thomas Nobel ; died August 17, 1763. 3. Hannah, born July 8, 1704; drowned in Deerfield river, September 3, 1740; married, December 24, 1729, Samuel Dickin- son, who was taken twice by the Indians. 4. Amos, born June 24, 1708 ; married Mehitable Day. 5. Eliakim, born November 27, 1711; mentioned below. 6. Mary, born June 18, 1715 ; married, May 18, 1738, Moses Warner.
(XIV) Eliakim, son of John (2) Field, was born November 27, 1711, in Hatfield, and died there February 8, 1786. He married, in 1752, Esther Graves, born November 29, 1732, daughter of David and Abigail (Bardwell) Graves. Children: 1. Zenas, born August 10, 1753; married (first) Sarah Burrows; (sec- ond) Lydia Cathcart. 2. Sarah, born April 22, 1755, married David Scott. 3. Zilpah, born November 13, 1756; died March 22, 1847;
married Abner Loomis. 4. Rhoda, born Octo- ber 26, 1758; died January 19, 1819; married . Elisha Waite. 5. John, born August 25, 1760; married Lucy Look. 6. Abigail, born July 21, 1762; died February 9, 1809; married Roger Dickinson. 7. David, born April 11, 1764; mentioned below. 8. Esther, born April 4, 1767, died unmarried. 9. Hannah, born June 21, 1769; married (first ) May 10, 1796, Sam- uel Grimes ; (second) Oliver Cooley ; died May 13, 1843.
(XV) David, son of Eliakim Field, was born in Hatfield, April 1I, 1764. He was a farmer, and soon after his marriage removed to Conway, where he and his brother John set- tled. He had 204 acres of land there. His will was proved February I, 1848. He died January 12, 1848. He married, September 20, 1790, Tabitha Clark, born November 1, 1771, died November 6, 1847, daughter of Elisha and Hannah (Hopkins) Clark of Harwich. Chil- dren: I. Sally, born March 27, 1791 ; mar- ried, January 13, 1813, Captain Otis Childs. 2. Louisa, born May 6, 1793 ; died June 23, 1798. 3. Eliakim, born October 26, 1794; married Clarissa Ross. 4. Sophia, born July 14, 1796; Married, Henry Childs ; died February 9, 1864. 5. Hannah, born March 29, 1798; died Janu- ary 20, 1815. 6. Oliver C., born March 9, 1800 ; married Laura Nash and Electa Sander- son. 7. Louisa, born November 4, 1802 ; mar- ried, January 14, 1823, Elisha Wells ( see Wells). 8. Otis, born August 5, 1804; mar- ried Herriet M. Markle. 9. Lucretian, born December 21, 1805 : died unmarried, February 28, 1851. 10. David, born October 24, 1807; married Angeline Sylvester and Mary Margi- son. TI. Almerson, born August 15, 1809; married Mary C. Bassford and Rose Finn. 12. Esther Graves, born May 6, 1811 ; married, February 9, 1832, Ney Haskell ; died February 8, 1872. 13. Tabitha Clark, born February 12, 1814 : married. November 9, 1836, Levi Graves of Hatfield ; died July 25, 1876.
WELLS James Wells came to Springfield in the early part of the nineteenth century and bought largely of real estate, afterward engaging in the grocery business in a building opposite Court Square, where he carried on a successful trade. He was one of the donors to the Court Square fund which donated to the city the present Court Square Park. He married, in Spring- field, Rebecca Ames, daughter of David Ames, the noted paper manufacturer (see Ames IX).
James Hell's
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They had three children: Mary, James and David Ames.
(II) James (2), elder of the two sons of James (I) and Rebecca ( Ames) Wells, was born July 21, 1820, in a block on Main street, Springfield, opposite Court Square, his father having a store in the building. When thirteen years old he moved to New York City, where he was employed as a clerk in one of the large drug stores of Rust & Aspinwall. For two years he was a clerk in the dry goods store of Catlin & Company, at Hartford, Connecticut, but in 1842 he returned to Springfield and was soon employed by his grandfather, David Ames, in the paper mill of D. & J. Ames. Be- fore leaving their employ he was for three years in charge of the paper mill at Chicopee Falls. In 1849 Mr. Wells began railroad life as agent of the Connecticut River railroad. Soon after the depot burned in 1850, Mr. Wells went into partnership with Marshall Besse, and for two years was engaged in the management of the newsroom under the Mas- sasoit House. Then for two years he was for- warding clerk in the Boston & Albany freight depot, but returned to ticket selling in 1856, succeeding Horace Bartlett, ticket agent on the south side of the River depot. There he re- mained till the depot was torn down, and saw the daily receipts from ticket sales more than double. The occupation of the new station was an event of no little interest to the veteran tick- et agent. and he took great delight in the rival- ry to buy the first ticket. Mr. Wells was a prominent figure in the social life of the old time firemen and militiamen. He organized the old Union Battery, formed in March, 1862, which fired salutes when regiments passed through the city and helped to celebrate when news of victory came from the front. The clambakes of the old Union Battery on Allis Park were annual events of no small import- ance. Few old residents remember the loca- tion of buildings and homesteads of Spring- field Village so well as did Mr. Wells, and he was considered an authority on old landmarks. He took delight in telling how, when a boy, he skated almost the length of Main street, be- tween State and Carew, on the shallow pond that once stood on the swampy ground east of the present business thoroughfare. Mr. Wells was ticket agent for the Boston & Albany rail- road thirty-four years. He had not been in good health for nearly six months before his death, and had suffered much from rheuma- tism. He seemed much improved a week be- fore his death, however, and walked down to
the depot on Saturday. Then he suffered an attack of heart failure and had to be carried home. The second attack of heart failure came suddenly March 5, 1890, and proved fa- tal. James Wells married, December 18, 1847, Lydia A. Patterson, who was born in Goffs- town, New Hampshire, - 1823, and sur- vived her husband until June 30, 1904. She was the daughter of William and Sarah (Whittle) Patterson, of Goffstown, New Hampshire. Four children were born of this marriage, two of whom died in early life. Two other sons were born : James R., mentioned be- low ; and Thomas H., for years a conductor on the Illinois Central railroad, now a resident of West Medway, Massachusetts.
(III) James Russell, son of James (2) and Lydia A. (Patterson) Wells, was born in Springfield, October 5, 1851. After obtaining a practical education in the common and high schools of Springfield he entered the employ of the firm of Ray & Taylor, with whom he re- mained until 1870, when he took the position of clerk in the office of the register of deeds, James E. Russell, his uncle, who held the po- sition for many years. Mr. Wells subsequent- ly became assistant register of deeds, and on the resignation of Mr. Russell, 1893, he was unanimously elected to the office of register, and has been the nominee of both leading po- litical parties at every succeeding election. For some time before his resignation Mr. Russell was in poor health and Mr. Wells was practi- cally manager of the register's office. He had advanced ideas about bettering the accommo- dations, improving the indexing, and so on, in the office, which he put in force after he be- came register. He has always been alert for improvements, anxious to please, and expedi- tious in the dispatch of business, and has filled the position so well that no candidate for his place has received serious consideration from either party. Although elected on the Repub- lican ticket, Mr. Wells takes no active part in politics, and has never been a candidate for any other office. He is a member of Brigham Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Ludlow, and in his religious views is advanced and lib- eral, being an attendant of the Unitarian church. He is a member of the Nayasset, the Springfield and the Country clubs. James R. Wells married (first) February 21, 1878, at the residence of the bride's brother, Henry K. Simons, of Greenfield, Mary B. Simons, daughter of Cicero and Hannah K. (Winter) Simons, of Springfield. She was born April 30, 1851, died June 30, 1893. They had four
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