Date of birth is either 2nd or 21st September.
-----
Michigan, Deaths and Burials
Name: John Wells
Gender: Male
Death Date: 21 May 1925
Death Place: Battle Creek Twp.,Calhoun, Michigan
Age: 82
Birth Date: 1843
Birthplace: Mich
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father's Name: William Wells
Father's Birthplace: Ny
Mother's Name: Mary Chatfield
Mother's Birthplace: Ny
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B51827-3 , System Origin: Michigan-EASy , GS Film number: 1009293 , Reference ID: v 6 p 338
-and-
Michigan, Death Certificates
Name: John Wells
Event Date: 21 May 1925
Event Place: Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan
Gender: Male
Age: 82
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 02 Sep 1842
Birthplace: Eaton, Michigan
Birth Year (Estimated): 1843
Father's Name: William Wells
Mother's Name: Mary Chatfield
GS Film number: 001973198 , Digital Folder Number: 005363564 , Image Number: 01952
-----
Burial Plot: Section O, Lot 95, Rt 4
Find A Grave Memorial# 15837968
=====
Census 14 Oct 1850 Sunfield, Eaton, Michigan
Census 30 Jul 1860 Sunfield, Eaton, Michigan
Census 20 Aug 1870 Sunfield, Eaton, Michigan
Census 11 Jun 1880 Sunfield, Eaton, Michigan
Census 27 Jun 1900 Sunfield, Eaton, Michigan
-----
JOHN WELLS merits recognition in this historical publication not only by reason of the fact that he is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of the county but also on account of his standing as one of the progressive farmers and highly esteemed citizens of his native township of Sunfield. He was born on the old Wells homestead, in section 33, this township, September 21, 1842, and is the son of William A. and Mary (Chatfield) Wells, the former of whom was born January 1, 1813 in Onondaga County, New York, being the son of William Augustus Wells and Deborah (Converse) Wells.
John Wells was reared on the old homestead farm and well recalls the scenes and conditions of the pioneer days in Eaton county, while he soon became inured to the strenuous work of clearing land and cultivating and plowing among the stumps. His educational advantages were necessarily somewhat meager, but he attended the little log school house when opportunity presented and thus laid the foundation for that large fund of practical knowledge and information which is today his. He continued to reside at the parental home until his marriage, in 1866, though he had initiated his independent career when twenty-one years of age. In 1864 he purchased eighty acres of wild land where he now resides, not a "stick of timber" having been cut from the tract when he came into possession of the property. He made a clearing and erected a small frame house, the same continuing to be the family home for a number of years. He then erected his present commodious and substantial brick residence, one of the best in this locality. There are now twenty-two buildings on the farm, and all were built by him, while he has developed his land until it is in a good state of cultivation.
Mr. Wells has the distinction of being the oldest living person born in Sunfield township, and he remembers when there were but twelve families within its borders, this section then having been a part of Vermontville township. In politics he was formerly aligned with the Republican Party, but he is now Independent in political affairs, supporting men and measures rather then observing partisan dictation. He served eight years as justice of the peace, was school inspector one term, school director for twenty years and highway commissioner one year and notary public eight years. He is a man of strong individuality, having the courage of his convictions and ever striving to be fair in all his dealings, but demanding the same treatment on the part of others. He is well known and highly esteemed in the township which has been his home from the time when he "first ope'd wondering eyes to view a naughty world." September 2, 1866 Mr. Wells was united in marriage to Miss Esther Coleman, who was born in New Haven, Ohio, August 29, 1840, and they have two children, Mary M., who is the wife of William Dunbar, of Vermontville, and Priscilla W., who is the wife of Seth Magee, of Sunfield township.
[The Past & Present of Eaton County, MI
pp. 635 - 636, Michigan historical publishing association, Lansing, Mich
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/]
-----
USA Census, 1910
Name: John Wells
Event Place: Battle Creek Ward 5, Calhoun, Michigan
Gender: Male
Age: 57
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birth Year (Estimated): 1853
Birthplace: Michigan
Father's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
John Wells Head M 57
Esther Wells Wife F 59
Esther Dunbar Great-granddau F 4
Priscilla Mcgee Daughter F 31
Gladys Mcgee Granddau F 11
Ilah Mcgee Granddau F 9
District: 49 , Sheet Number and Letter: 10A , Household ID: 236 , Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , Affiliate Publication Number: M1283 , GS Film number: 1374653 , Digital Folder Number: 004330138 , Image Number: 00466
