Daughter of Henry William Probst (1854-1943) and Mary Kistler (1853-1895)
Her brother was Charles D. Probst of West Liberty, who died before 1966.
[Obituary] West Liberty Index - Thursday, May 7 1936; pg 1
Final Service For Mrs. Wells
Rev. Walter A. Smith, pastor, conducted funeral services at the M.E. church, Sunday afternoon at 2:30, for Mrs. Ledger J. Wells, whose death occurred at her home near Winnebaggo, Minn., Friday morning. Burial was made at Oakridge cemetery. At Winnebago, services were held Saturday afternoon at the Baptist church. In the services here, Mrs. Ralph Evans and Mrs. Lysle Holmes sang "In the Garden" and "Some" Sweet Day", with Mrs. W.A. Smith as accompanist. The following sketch was read by Mr. Smith:
Mary Rebecca, the daughter of Henry and Mary Probst was born near West Liberty on September 26, 1887 and departed this life at the hospital in Winnebago, Minn., on the morning of May 1, 1936. She was 48 years of age on her last birthday. She grew to young womanhood in the community of her birth. Here, too, she was married on January 28 1909 to Ledger J. Wells who survives, mourning a loss paralyzing in its suddenness and irreparable in its completeness.
After their marriage the established their home on a farm north west of Downey, later moving to the O'Leary farm near Iowa City. In the year 1915 they moved to Minnesota. The first three years were spent on a farm near Modelia and then they came to their present location near Winnebago. Mrs. Wells was the mother of one child, a son, James Robert, who survives with his father, and an adopted daughter, Grace Marie. Also surviving are her father, Henry Probst, her step-mother, the latter being as dear as an own mother since her own mother passed away when Mrs. Wells was but a small child, a sister Mrs. Cora Little, and a brother, Charles D. Probst, all of West Liberty; a sister Mrs. Wilma Hagan of Lodi, Calif., a brother, Oliver E. Probst of Sanborn, ND, also a number of nieces, nephews and cousins and a host of friends on South Prairie who remember her for her many acts of kindness.
She was baptized into the fellowship of the Methodist church in her childhood, and was a regular attendant of the south Prairie Sunday school. Mrs. Wells was active in community welfare work, ever taking a keen interest in the happiness of those about her. She leaves a wide circle of friends who with the immediate relatives are shocked by the suddenness of her departure and are experiencing a sense of keen loss in her going. The pastor at Winnebago expressed his appreciation of Mrs. Wells' worth in these words:
"It is a matter of sincere regret that it was not the privilege of the speaker to have had the acquaintance with Mrs. Wells. Many here have spoken to him of her fine qualities and of her interest in this church. All of us join in praying that every possible comfort may come to this group of sorrowing relatives and intimate friends."