Obituary and death cert listed his middle initial as "W." I had previously listed it as "J" based on 1870 census listing.
His wife's family bible says he was born in 1818. Nelson's Biographical Dictionary said that he was the 5th child of James 9 children and was born in 1822, died 1898.
1850 - farmer in Jefferson Twp ($1,200 land), age 26
1860 - farmer with wife 3 sons, 2 daus.
1870 - farmer in Jefferson Twp (pg 228) ($5,700 land), age 52 lists him as Joseph J. Wells with his wife and sons James, Hugh and daughter Mary E. Stephens (widowed). She had her two children with her.
He moved to and lived a while in Guernsey Co, Ohio.
In 1880 he was a farmer in Madison, Guernsey Co, OH, age 57 listed as Joseph J. Wells with his son Hugh, dau Lizzie Stephens and her children.
He was said to have spent little time with his wife and family and was fond of alcohol.
Died at the home of his son, Robert in Illinois.
[Obituary] Daily Review Atlas, Monmouth IL - Thu, 1 Dec 1898, pg 4
Joseph W. Wells.
Joseph W. Wells, of Pennsylvania who has been visiting bis son, Robert L. Wells of this city, since September died at 3:10 o'clock this morning at his home, #01 South Second street.
The disease was dropsy, and Mr. Wells had been in poor health siuce he came west, The foneral will be held at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the residence: and the interment will be made here.
Mr. Wells was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and will be buried tomorrow on his seventy-eighth birthday. He has lived all his life in the same county, and came out here last fall with bis son, who had been east to visit him. His wife and the remainder of the family' are still in Pennsylvania.