The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-04-14


High street about 315 clock yester-
day afternoon. For some time Mr.
Wells had been afflicted with arterio
and on Thursday of last week he be
came confined to his bed. At noon Sat
urday he sustained a shock affecting
his left side, which resulted in his
death.
Mr.. Wells was born in Leyden,
Mass, Feb. q, 1929. He was one Of
FIVE children of Abner and Abigail
Salisbury Wells and the last sur
vivor of the family. After finishing his
school days he took up carpentering in
order to earn a livelihood. but in 1852
he determined to seek his fortune in
the gold fields of California, which was
but a comparatively short time after
the discovery of the yellow metal III
that state He went to New York and
boarded q steamer and in due time ar
rived at the isthmus of Panama. lie
crossed the isthmus partly by rail and
partly by boat rowed by natives. and
left on the steamer Golden Gate for
San Francisco, where he arrived in 81
days from the time he left New York.
He marched inland to Weaversville
and began placer mining near Trinity
i LINZ HC IA - NoA , AdbbI Was Hbt
! especially remunerative. and the win
ter months were unusually severe, the
heavy SHOWS bloc king the trail of the
| pack mule trains so that for days at "a
/ time no provisions could be procured.
! He determined to try carpentering
once more and for the next two years
| he received from - to IS a day for his
work in San Francisco. Then hard times
came and he returned to mining. this
time at Yreka in the north part of the
state. Better luck rewarded his eff
forts there, and III two years more he
was satisfied to return home.
Leaving San Francisco by steamer
very early in September, 1857. Mr.
Wells reached New York Sept. 10, af-
ter the most exciting experience in his
; life, being shipwrecked off Havana
when he narrowly escaped being
drowned He lost a satchel of gold
and all the gold he saved was in the
pockets of a chamois waistcoat which
is still preserved by Mrs. Wells
On Dec I, 1859, Mr. Wells married
Miss Augusta Z. Blanchard of Brattle
boro, native of Guilford and daugh
ter of Warren and Elvira Blanchard
They observed their golden wedding
anniversary in 1909, going for a tril
over the same route which they tool
for their wedding trip, besides visiting
other places. Their married life has
been spent at 107 High street. Mr.
Wells building the house there. doing
l a large part of the work himself. III
was an expert workman, taking pride
in having things done thoroughly. ant
whatever he did was of an enduring
character.
Mr.. Wells entered the employ of tn,
Estey Organ company in 1866 and wa
with the firm until 1895, when he re
tired. For the past 90 years he hat
been at home practically all of tn
time, enjoying its comforts and bein;
solicitous for the well being of thos
dear to him. He was active for q MAJ
of his years, took pride in his gardel
and enjoyed reading. keeping well in
formed on current affairs. He was no
= a member of any organization. bu
| formerly he was an active member o
a local fire company.
Mr.. Wells was a wholesome man. o
| Christian character, clean in though
] and speech, and he was of retirin
disposition, which kept him out 0
active participation in public affairs
but he always cast his influence on tn
side of what he believed to be right
The other members of his househol
| have been his wife, who for years ha
taken a prominent part in the charita
BILE work of the Centre Congregations
church, the Associated Charities an
other organizations, and Miss Florenc
NJ. Hemenway, who has lived with iher
% years in an affectionate relation a
one of the family and who has accom-
plished notable results in the way 0
Iparish and social service work for til
II Centre church and in similar lines o
III work outside the church
II The funeral viii be held at til
house at l clock Friday afternoon
III Rev. E. @. S. Osgood, neighbor an