He was living in Columbus IN, working in Real Estate and supporting his mother in June 1917 when he registered for the Draft.
By 1920, they moved to Texas, where Jo is running a boarding house with 6 roomers, and Walter is working on an oil service line.
They are listed in Fort Worth in 1930 where he had already become an independent oil operator.
In 1940, he is listed in Houston as an independent Oil operator (45, IN) with his wife Jo B. (42, IN) and son Walter Jr. (8, TX). It says he had completed one year of college, and Jo two years, and that they were living in Dallas in 1935.
Listed in 1950 with just his wife.
[Obituary]
Wells of Oil Fame Dies at 70
Walter Denbow Wells Sr, who ran a stagecoach line into the newly-discovered Ranger oil field in 1918, died Wednesday in Memorial Hospital at the age of 70.
Wells, born in Columbus, Ind. came to Texas after serving as a soldier in World War I. He formed the Red Ball State Line from Desdemona to Ranger. He left the stage business and became an independent oil operator. Wells was active in several of the early Texas oil fields, Breckenridge, Graham, Wichita Falls, Amarillo, Herrin and East Texas. He also was active in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. His son Walter Wells Jr. said his father brought in the first wildcat well in the Graham field. Since 1957 Wells and his son have been in the oil business in Texas, Louisiana and Utah.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs Jo Beatrice Wells Sr, and his son Walter Jr, a grandson Lance Christian Wells; three brothers, Charles C. Wells of Indianapolis; J. Ken Wells of Sarasota, FL; and Oscar Wells of Peru, IN; three sisters, Mrs Carrie Ailstock of Portsmouth, OH; Mrs Mary Sealey of Crawford, IL; and Mrs Edna Kyte of La Habra, CA.
Wells, who lived at 5497 Holly Springs, was a member of St Paul’s Methodist Church and the Houston Club. Funeral services will be held at 10 AM Friday at Settegast-Kopf Chapel. Burial will be at Forest Park West.