Wells Family Sketches

Family history of Delbert Leslie Wells (1897-1975), son of Joseph Laughlin Wells and Cora Alice Efaw, who was born at the family farm in Lenox Twp., Warren Co., near Monmouth, Illinois. He was married to Elsey Jordan Gayer (b. 1898), the only child of Don E. (Doney) Gayer and Elsey Jordan, born in Monmouth, Illinois, in 1923. The first known Gayer ancestor, Johannes (John) Gayer (1805-1881), was born in Sulz, Wurttemberg, Germany. His wife, Katharina Roehm, was born 1811 in the same town. They married in Sulz in 1830 before arriving in Warren Co., Illinois. He became a citizen in Green Bay, Lee Co., Iowa in 1859. Tunis Wells (ca. 1745-1809) was born in eastern Pennsylvania or Virginia a son of Richard Wells (d. 1769). He was listed on Rent Rolls for Berkeley Co., Va. in 1772 (earlier part of Frederick Co.). Tunis Wells was first married to Sarah, second by 1783 to Margaret Williams (1767-1845). Tunis Wells is listed in the 1790 U.S. Census for Washington Township, Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Family members live in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa and elsewhere.