Muhlenberg County Kentucky

Old Muhlenberg Map

Family Group Records W

William Jackson Wells & Mary Cordelia Stirsman

William Jackson Wells.
Alternate name: Pete.
Born: 11 Nov 1838, Muhlenberg County (1).
Married: 1) Sarah J. Allison, 27 Dec 1864, Muhlenberg County (5).
Married: 2) Mary Cordelia Stirsman, 19 Sept 1870, Muhlenberg County (2).
Buried: Hazel Creek Cemetery, Muhlenberg County (3).
Occupation: Farmer (4).
Father: Noah Wells.
Mother: Mary Dukes.

Marriage 1: Sarah J. Allison.
Born: 1841, Christian Co., Kentucky (6).
Married: 27 Dec 1864, Muhlenberg County (5).
Died: Between 1860 & 1870 in Christian Co., Kentucky (7).
Father: Abraham Allison.
Mother: Sarah.

Marriage 2: Mary Cordelia Stirsman.
Born: 24 Mar 1854, Muhlenberg County (1).
Married: 19 Sept 1870, Muhlenberg County (1).
Died: 17 Jan 1926, Owensboro, Daviess Co., Kentucky (9).
Buried: Hazel Creek Cemetery, Muhlenberg County (10).
Father: Josiah Stirsman.
Mother: Elizabeth Hunt.

Children of William J. Wells & Mary C. Stirsman:

  1. John W. Wells (11, 12).
    Born: 18 Dec 1872, Muhlenberg County (13).
    Married: Georgia Ann Sweeney, 23 Feb 1893, Muhlenberg County (16).
    Died: 4 Sept 1964, Muhlenberg County (14).
    Buried: Bell Cemetery, Muhlenberg County (15).

    Georgia Ann Sweeney was born 12 Mar 1871, and died 7 Oct 1925.

  2. Loutishia Wells (17).
    Born: June 1875, Muhlenberg County (11).
    Married: Shelton Millet, 18 Oct 1894, Muhlenberg County (11, 16).
    Died: unknown.

    Shelton Millet was born September 1872.

  3. Calvin Richard Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 16 Dec 1876 (31).
    Married: Clara Darnell (11).
    Died: 1964, Muhlenberg County (18).
    Buried: Ebenezer Cemetery, Muhlenberg County
    Occupation: Farmer, Miner (19).

    Clara Darnell was born 1884 and died 1967.

  4. James Franklin Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 22 May 1882 (31).
    Married: Ada Lena Deason.
    Died: 26 Dec 1945 (11).
    Buried: Horton Chapel Cemetery, Muhlenberg County.
    Occupation: Farmer (20).

  5. Ellis Walter Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 16 Feb 1884 (31).
    Married: Amanda Wilson (11).
    Died: July 1970.

  6. Pinkie Pearl Wells (1, 11, 21).
    Born: 24 Mar 1885, Muhlenberg County (22).
    Married: George Craft, 1901 (21).
    Died: 4 Sept 1965, Christian Co., Kentucky (23).

    George Craft was born 1877 and died 18 May 1946.

  7. Flora Artimes Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 18 July 1889 (24).
    Married: Oat Martin (24).
    Married: John Kellum, 1939, Muhlenberg County (25).
    Died: 10 Sept 1968, Muhlenberg County (24).

  8. George Ustil Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 28 Jan 1891 (31).
    Married: Floy Kirkman.
    Died: unknown.

  9. Floyd Wells (1, 11).
    Born: 1894, Muhlenberg County (26).
    Died: 10 months old in Muhlenberg County (27).
    Buried: Unmarked grave at Hazel Creek Cemetery, Muhlenberg County (28).

  10. Roy Clemons Wells (1, 11, 16).
    Born: 1894, Muhlenberg County (29, 16).
    Died: About 1906 (29).

  11. Virna Piccola Wells (1).
    Born: 2 May 1898, Muhlenburg County (25).
    Married: Roscoe Shelbrook Biving, 20 Feb 1917, Todd Co., Kentucky (25).
    Died: 9 Aug 1972, Owensboro, Daviess Co., Kentucky (25).
    Buried: 12 Aug 1972, Owensboro Memorial Gardens, Owensboro, Kentucky (30).

    Roscoe Shelbrook Bivin was born 11 Dec 1895 and died 28 June 1982.

  12. Thomas Leander Wells (11).
    Born: unknown.
    Died: 11 months old in Muhlenberg County (11).

  13. Lizzie Frances Wells (11).
    Born: unknown.
    Died: 6 weeks old in Muhlenberg County (11).

Notes

  1. Helen Bivin Rutledge, researcher, obtained information from her mother, Virna Wells Bivin, a daughter of William J. and Mary Cordelia Stirsman.
  2. Kentucky Death Certificate #1989 Death Vol. 1921.
  3. Personal knowledge of researcher who obtained information from her mother, a daughter of William J. Wells, for his tombstone.
  4. William J. Wells is listed as having served in the Muhlenberg County Militia in 1874 #1436. This William J. Wells would have been 36 at the time; his first son was 3 years old and I have found no other William J. Wells of the right age, so believe this is the correct William J. Wells.
  5. Muhlenberg Marriage Book 2, Page 205, Certificate #1799. Her husband is listed as William G. Wells in this certificate, but error is proven by Census Records.
  6. 1850 and 1860 Christian Co., Kentucky Federal Census.
  7. Sarah J. is listed in 1860, was married in 1864 but does not appear in the 1870 Census with her husband and her mother.
  8. Muhlenberg Marriages 1802-1904 confirms marriage.
  9. Kentucky Death Certificate #704 Death Vol. 1926.
  10. Researcher, Helen B. Rutledge, granddaughter, visited the gravesite with her mother, Virna Wells Bivin, daughter of Mary Cordelia Stirsman Wells, who was present at burial. Researcher also placed tombstone to mark the grave.
  11. From research of Anita Stirsman, wife of a Stirsman descendent.
  12. Kenneth Woosley, descendent of John W. Wells, records this child.
  13. Kentucky State Department of Health, Directory of Births and Deaths Registered in Kentucky.
  14. ibid.
  15. Gravesite contributed by Ken Woosley, great-great-grandson of John W. Wells.
  16. 1900 Todd Co., Kentucky Federal Census: Kirkmansville Precinct.
  17. ibid.
  18. Virna Wells Bivin, sister.
  19. ibid.
  20. ibid.
  21. 1910 Christian Co., Kentucky Federal Census.
  22. Various Federal Census Records to help approximate birthdate.
  23. Kentucky Death Certificate #19569 Death Vol. 1965.
  24. Information for this family is from the personal knowledge of researcher confirmed by research of Anita Stirsman, whose husband was a descendent of Joseph Warren Stirsman, son of Josiah Stirsman.
  25. Personal knowledge of researcher, niece.
  26. Anita Stirsman confirms this date.
  27. Anita Stirsman confirms death of Floyd Wells at age 10 months in Muhlenberg.
  28. Mother of researcher, Virna P. Wells Bivin, showed researcher the unmarked grave of this child in close proximity to the graves of his parents in Hazel Creek Cemetary, Belton, Muhlenberg.
  29. ibid.
  30. Information for this family is from personal knowledge of researcher who attended her funeral and visited the gravesite many times. Records of Memorial Gardens confirms the burial and site.
  31. World War I Draft Registration Cards

Contributed by Helen B. Rutledge

Updated August 9, 2017