Who is the mystery H.A. Wells?

[Tinker]

My 2xgreat-grandfather's nephew, Alfred Herbert Newton, emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s and married a lady by the name of Zoe Emma Wells, born 23 October 1882, Kansas. Zoe's parents were Emma [C.] Irish, aged 21, and "H.A. Wells," aged 26, and they were married 30 Dec 1880, Spring Hill, Miami, Kansas, according to Family Search. This is where things come unstuck: I cannot find any other details for H.A., anywhere, so don't even know what his first name was, nor where he was born or died.

I have Zoe's birth and death details from her Social Security info but, again, her father's first names are not given. Zoe's mother was married to an Alfred Warwick Stevenson by 1891, and H.A doesn't seem to have appeared on any earlier U.S census on the Family Search site, so no joy there. Zoe had a half-sister, Marjorie Stevenson, who married one Horace Litten, but neither of the girls had children, so it appears there are no descendants who might provide answers. I'd be very grateful if anyone could provide clues to Mr Wells's identity.

[pippycat]

Hi Tinker, try googling 'ksgenweb digital library'

If you search all Kansas files, then put in h a wells, it shows a marriage license was issued for H A Wells and Emma Irish on 30 Dec 1880. No named newspaper publication for this, only a date of 10 Jan 1881.

There is plenty of info on this site, also states their newspapers have been microfilmed, so they may be able to help you out with something.
I did notice that a lot of the entries are initials only...not exactly what you want!

Might be worth giving it a try.

Rebecca

[blue eyes]

Hi,

In 1880 USA there is a H.A. Wells age 28 born Wisconsin, living in Belmont, Phillips, Kansas, occupation farmer.
Parents place of birth is given as New York. H.A. could possibly be Harvey . Harvey Wells in 1870 is living in Walnut Creek, Brown, Kansas place of birth Wisconsin, both parents born in New York.

[blue eyes]

Hi,

1900 Zoe gives father place of birth as Ohio. There is a Harvey Wells born Ohio - 1880 Harvey A Wells born about 1855 place of birth Ohio - living in Eureka Greenwood Ohio, his occupation is given as clerk.

[blue eyes]

Hi,

1900 Zoe gives father place of birth as Ohio. There is a Harvey Wells born Ohio - 1880 Harvey A Wells born about 1855 place of birth Ohio - living in Eureka Greenwood Ohio, his occupation is given as clerk.

Should have read Eureka, Greenwood, Kansas.

[Tinker]

Many thanks to both of you for that info. Pippycat, I will definitely have a look at that site you found. Blue eyes, both of those Harveys are strong possibles. In the 1900 census Zoe is represented as Albert's (just realised, I put him down as Alfred earlier, sorry!) daughter, so it's possible they just filled in Albert's place of birth, not her real father's. If I could find Mr Wells's death prior to Emma's 1891 marriage, with the crucial details in, I'd be overjoyed! The trick is to find out where he died: he and Emma married in Kansas, but Albert and Emma married in Utah.

It's taken me quite some time to unravel Zoe's family, so it would be nice to finally fill in her father's details. I found a public tree on Family Search that had Zoe's mother as two different people who had married Albert Stevenson roughly ten years apart, but when I started following up the info, I realised they were the same individual!

[bamagirl]

Found this on FamilySearch:

Harry A. Wells

Utah Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946

birth: 16 Jan 1855 Coshocton,​ Ohio
death: 03 Oct 1889 Salt Lake City,​ Salt Lake,​ Utah

parents: Willm J.,​ Louisa

Don't know if that's any help.

-Barb

[Tinker]

Yes, I wondered about that one, too. It certainly fits with the time scale! I couldn't find anything relevant in the Kansas archives, at any rate and no census returns indicating that anyone with the initials H.A and birth year of circa 1855, or those parents, was there pre-1880, although there were Wells's in Miami County. Now that I think about it, it would also mean the details given for Zoe's father's birthplace in the 1900 census are accurate, and weren't confused with her stepfather's details. It might be worth me looking through the Ohio records on the website that you recommended in my other post, now.

[bamagirl]

When you are researching, whether via USGenWeb or their archives... or even FamilySearch, be sure and check Missouri (Miami county borders that state), Kansas, Colorado and Utah. Traveling westward to Utah would require crossing the continental divide, and there are a limited number of mountain passes available. West of Denver, follow the counties along today's Interstate 70. I'll try to look those up for you in just a little bit.

-Barb

[bamagirl]

OOPS! I just thought about the time frame. In the 1880's they would most likely taken the train. Here's a map from 1882 showing railroad routes with station stops marked:

https://www.
cprr.org/Museum/Maps/_traveler's_rr_guide_1882.html

It appears the preferred route to Salt Lake City goes through Wyoming! Sorry, this doesn't help narrow down the possibilities, does it?

-Barb