The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-01

The Messenger is greatly panied to
record the death OF that chivalric gen.
tIeman, Major Abraham WE'LL. who
passed away yesterday afternoon at
los o'clock at The residence of Mrs. II.
H. Waxman, 517 Dock street, where he
has boarded for several years. The de-
ceased was in the list year of his age,
and for the past year his numerous
friends have observed with sorrow that
he was growing feeble from the infirm-
tiles Of age. In the past few weeks his
decline has been rapid, and for ten
days, while he mas beer able TO be at
his office in the a. c. L. building, it
has been noticed that he appeared to
be in a dazed MOOD. He complained
Of feeling unweIl, and on Tuesday
morning he became so i'll n a he was
taken home from down town. Several
hours afterwards he collapsed and con-
tinped 10 sink until the end came. The
attending physicians attribute his
death to a stroke Of ~appoplexy which
had been coming on him for several
days. His death was a great shock to
the community IN which he has passed
fi~fty-three years of his life, and on all
sides yesterday were heard expressions
of the deepest sorrow, when the sad
tidingS were received down town that
he had passed away.
Major WE'LL was born October /, 1881,
in Lambsheim, Rhinefalz, Bavaria,
and came to America more than fifty
four years o having landed in Phila-
delphia in April, 1S4S. He remained in
Philadelphia Until July "a, 1S4S, when
he was employed as q salesman by the
large mercantile house of Sc D.Teller.
On January l, 1919. ne came to Will
mington to represent that finn in one
of its branch houses located here in
charge of Mr.. Jacob Lyon, who was a
partner of the rCllers. He remained
with that firm til 1855. when he en-
parked in the Oily goods and clothing
business on his own account. In 1855
he associated with him the late Mr..
;. Anathan unGeI the firm name of
WE'LL & Anathan, and that firm did a
large business IN general merchandise
in Wilmington until 1865, when the CO.
partnership was dissolved by the death
of Mr.. Anathan.
When the wal for Southern indie
pendence broke out in 1861. Major WE'LL
Joined the company raised here by the
late Colonel joni J. Hedrick to fight
for the Southern cause, but in 1862 he
was sent to Charlotte as purchasing
agent for the ,confederacy ip the med
ical department. his business being to
purchase medicines ana hospital sup
plies. He remained in Charlotte in that
capacity until General Lees surrender
in April, 1865.
In May, 1865, Major WE'LL was APP
pointed by Governor Holden as one of
the aldermen OF Charlotte, which ap-
pointment he declined, but the citizens
Of that town Insisted so earnestly upon
his acceptance OF the trust that he
yielded to their wishes. With the 9TH
er aldermen he assisted in framing the
charter and bylaws for the city of
Charlotte, and some of the laws and
ordinances which he helped to make
for that small, but now thriving city,
are still in force. In October, 1865,
Major WE'LL resigned as alderman and
entered into the mercantile business
with branches III Charlotte and Will
mington. Owing however, to the I'M
settle condition Of affairs during the
reconstruction period, he removed with
his family to Philadelphia, purchasing
goods in he eastern markets for his
stores in Wilmington n Charlotte. In
1861 he entered into the wholesale
clothing business at Philadelphia,
meanwhile continuing his business
south. He moved his family back to
Wilmington in 1863, when he gave up
business pursuits and accepted a posi-
ton as soliciting agent for the Atlantic
Coast Line, which position he held up
to his death, covering a railroad SER
vice of nearly twenty-three years.
The wife of tho deceased. who was a
lady very highly esteemed in Whining
ton, died here III 1885. after a long ILL
ness, and her remains were deposited
in Oakdale cemetery. His son, the la
mented Sol. c. WE'LL. who was ad-
mitted to the bar in Wilmington, was
the democratic (C~leveland) elector in
this district in 1892, was assistant
United States I~Istrict attorney under
President Cleveland's administration,
and subsequently remove to New
York, where he made a big reputation
at the bar and was elected TO the gen.
eral assembly OF New York state before
he was a year III that city, died a few
years ago and is also buried in Oak
dale. Within the last few years death
also claimed his daughter, Miss Amy
WE'LL. He is survived by seven chill
dren-Mr. Charles L. WE'LL, who is
married and resides in San Francisco,
Cal: Mrs. Nathan L. Mayer, and Mr..
William L. We'll. Of Philadelphia, Pa;
Mrs. Ella Castle and Mrs. Minnie
Demelman, of Boston, Mass, and Mrs.
Eliza WaXelbaum, of Atlanta, Ga. The
family has been telegraphed the sad
news and some Of them are expected
to come on to attend the funeral. His
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ella WE'LL, wild
ow of the late Mr.. Sol. G. WE'LL,