Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameAlice Wells 
Birth4 Jan 1849, Williamsburg, Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, Ontario, Canada
Census18 Apr 1891, Williamsburg, Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, Ontario, Canada
MemoFam 173
Census13 Jun 1900, Pierrepont, St Lawrence Co, NY
Memoroll#1158, pg 11
Census16 Apr 1910, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co, CA
Memoroll#81, pg 2
Census14 Jan 1920, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co, CA
Memoroll#111, pg 17
Death27 Dec 1924, Los Angeles Co, CA
FatherJohn Wells (1801-1892)
MotherSarah “Sally” Snyder (1812-1886)
Misc. Notes
Listed as Alice Wells with her parents in 1881 census. Then married Herman Martin on 13 Sep 1883 in Dundas Co, Ontario.
Alice's niece, Ellen (Wells) Casselman, died of consumption in 1886. Her three-year-old daughter Ellen Rubena “Ruby” Casselman then came to live with (her great-aunt) Alice and husband Herman Martin, who had recently moved across the river (border), and settled on a small farm near Crary Mills, NY.
In 1891 they are listed as Herman Martin (41, US) a farmer, Alice (42, ONT) and (grand niece) Rubena Martin (Jun 1885, ONT) along with Alice's father John Wells (90, ONT). That same year, he bought a farm in Saint Lawrence Co, NY.
In 1900 they are listed in the New York census, with Herman (60, NY) a farmer, wife Alice (51, CAN) and Rubena Martin (15, Ont).
"Herman and Alice Martin never did have any children of their own, and they raised Ruby as their own child. She even went under the name of Ruby Martin for some years, and always referred to them as Papa and Mama Martin. Ruby went to the village school, and her best friends were the Huntley children who lived across the road: Wright, Nellie and Mollie. Crary Mills at that time is described in a local history book as a thriving village, with two stores, a harness shop, wagon shop, blacksmith, tannery, lime-kiln, grist-mill and 20 houses. Today the village, like so many others, is greatly decayed. The farms are being consolidated into larger units, or if the land is poor, are reverting to bush. The Martin farm, which was registered in Alice's name, is hard to identify. The house burned down and has been replaced by a new one, now occupied by the Ostranders.
After a few years it seems that the Martins moved to Vermont, where that family had originally come from, and then later moved to California. They seem to have prospered there and owned several properties. Herman died, but Ruby stayed on with her Mama Martin for a total of about eleven years."
Ruby was married on 23 Dec 1913 to Ingram Cross in Danbury NH, and died 19 Sept 1955 in Iroguois, Stormont Co, Ontario.
Herman and Alice are listed in the 1910 census in Los Angeles, rooming with the Porter family.
After Herman’s death in 1919, Alice is listed in 1920 as a widow (71, CAN), parents born in NY & Canada, having been naturalized in 1883 and come to the US in 1903. She was head of household, with Sarah Jennings, a 59 yr old widow as a lodger.
Alice is listed in the California Death Index as Alice W. Martin, having died 27 Dec 1924 in Los Angeles.
Alice's niece, Ellen (Wells) Casselman, died of consumption in 1886. Her three-year-old daughter Ellen Rubena “Ruby” Casselman then came to live with (her great-aunt) Alice and husband Herman Martin, who had recently moved across the river (border), and settled on a small farm near Crary Mills, NY.
In 1891 they are listed as Herman Martin (41, US) a farmer, Alice (42, ONT) and (grand niece) Rubena Martin (Jun 1885, ONT) along with Alice's father John Wells (90, ONT). That same year, he bought a farm in Saint Lawrence Co, NY.
In 1900 they are listed in the New York census, with Herman (60, NY) a farmer, wife Alice (51, CAN) and Rubena Martin (15, Ont).
"Herman and Alice Martin never did have any children of their own, and they raised Ruby as their own child. She even went under the name of Ruby Martin for some years, and always referred to them as Papa and Mama Martin. Ruby went to the village school, and her best friends were the Huntley children who lived across the road: Wright, Nellie and Mollie. Crary Mills at that time is described in a local history book as a thriving village, with two stores, a harness shop, wagon shop, blacksmith, tannery, lime-kiln, grist-mill and 20 houses. Today the village, like so many others, is greatly decayed. The farms are being consolidated into larger units, or if the land is poor, are reverting to bush. The Martin farm, which was registered in Alice's name, is hard to identify. The house burned down and has been replaced by a new one, now occupied by the Ostranders.
After a few years it seems that the Martins moved to Vermont, where that family had originally come from, and then later moved to California. They seem to have prospered there and owned several properties. Herman died, but Ruby stayed on with her Mama Martin for a total of about eleven years."
Ruby was married on 23 Dec 1913 to Ingram Cross in Danbury NH, and died 19 Sept 1955 in Iroguois, Stormont Co, Ontario.
Herman and Alice are listed in the 1910 census in Los Angeles, rooming with the Porter family.
After Herman’s death in 1919, Alice is listed in 1920 as a widow (71, CAN), parents born in NY & Canada, having been naturalized in 1883 and come to the US in 1903. She was head of household, with Sarah Jennings, a 59 yr old widow as a lodger.
Alice is listed in the California Death Index as Alice W. Martin, having died 27 Dec 1924 in Los Angeles.
Spouses
BirthApr 1850, Pierrepont, St Lawrence Co, NY
Death18 Sep 1919, Los Angeles Co, CA
Occupationfarmer, carpenter
Misc. Notes
Son of Joseph and Catherine W. Martin. Listed as 4 mos in the 1850 census with them and his grandparents.
In 1880 he is listed as a laborer (28, NY) with his grandfather, living with his aunt Eliza Wright’s family.
He was then married in Williamsburg (Canada) in 1883 to Alice Wells.
They are listed in the 1891 Canada census with Herman as a farmer (41, US) and Alice (42, Ont), Rubena (8, Ont) and her father John Wells (90, Ont)
Listed as a farmer (Jan 1850, NY) with wife Alice (Jan 1849, CAN) and “daughter” Rubena (Jun 1885, CAN) in 1900.
Herman is listed as Martain in 1910, a carpenter (61, NY) living in Los Angeles with Alice (62, CAN), his wife of 26 yrs; as roomers with the Porter family.
His death is recorded there as Hermon W. Martin in Los Angeles on 18 Sept 1919 at the age of 69 (1850).
In 1880 he is listed as a laborer (28, NY) with his grandfather, living with his aunt Eliza Wright’s family.
He was then married in Williamsburg (Canada) in 1883 to Alice Wells.
They are listed in the 1891 Canada census with Herman as a farmer (41, US) and Alice (42, Ont), Rubena (8, Ont) and her father John Wells (90, Ont)
Listed as a farmer (Jan 1850, NY) with wife Alice (Jan 1849, CAN) and “daughter” Rubena (Jun 1885, CAN) in 1900.
Herman is listed as Martain in 1910, a carpenter (61, NY) living in Los Angeles with Alice (62, CAN), his wife of 26 yrs; as roomers with the Porter family.
His death is recorded there as Hermon W. Martin in Los Angeles on 18 Sept 1919 at the age of 69 (1850).
Marriage13 Sep 1883, Williamsburg, Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, Ontario, Canada
No Children