When Mrs. Exer Wells, of Third street, Paintsville, was born near the mouth of Greasy Creek in this county, the Declaration of Independence was 17 years younger than this grand old lady is at this writing.

The gold rush to California was at its height when Mrs. Wells was born September 8, 1849, and President Zachery Taylor, eleventh President of the United States and second "Whig" to hold that office, was in the White House. There were only 31 States in the Union, and Abe Lincoln was distinguished by his six feet and four inches of "skin and bones" when Mrs. Wells was born. Why, by way of illustration, proves that Mrs. Wells is old enough to know a number of things. She keeps herself better posted on the doings of the day than most of the women half her age. She reads The Herald from front to back page and discusses every-day topics with her many friends.

When the accompanying photograph was taken by her grandson, Zip Wells, she was celebrating her ninetieth birthday at her Third street home. The flowers at her side had been brought by one of her many friends who attended the party. While Mrs. Wells saw the beginning of the automobiles, electric lights, telephone, radio, the airplane and other modern inventions, she was born eighteen years after the first steam-drawn train made the initial run on a New York line.

Her mind is as clear today, apparently, as it was half a century ago. She is unable to go about because of a fall four years ago in which her hip was broken. But she looks on life in a cherry manner, laughs and jokes with her friends and thoroughly enjoys being alive.

Mrs. Wells lived at Boons Camp most of her life. She recalls that here she fed hundreds of her choice chickens to circuit-riding ministers, who, upon reaching the neighborhood, began enquiring for the home of "King Wells."

Mrs. Wells has had many a chuckle over an old wanderer who, although no a minister often "put up" at their home. This old fellow, who is well remembered by many of the old timers in Johnson County, carried a walking cane with a sharp spike on its end. Before time for the family to retire he would go through the bedrooms poking at the beds with his sharp-pointed cane to find a feather bed. When he discovered one he would pull off his shoes and "britches" and climb in bed, never paying any mind to whose bed he took. This same old wanderer caused amusement among a big crowd at an infare dinner where the table was groaning from the weight of all kinds of good food. He refused everything on the table but sorghum molasses. Those who attended the dinner remember even to this day how this old man kept calling, "pass the sorghum, pass the sorghum."

Mrs. Wells and her husband, the late Marcus Lindsay Wells, who died 14 years ago, moved from Boons Camp to Paintsville 25 years ago after having raised a family of nine children.

Attorney Zip Wells and Shade Wells, both of Paintsville are her sons.

Other living sons and daughters are W. G. Wells and E. R. Wells, Boons Camp; M. L (Len) Wells, Wabasso, Florida; Mrs. Pauline Robinson, Paintsville, and Mrs. Goldie Duncan, West Van Lear. The late Dr. John P. Wells, who founded the Wells Hospital and was operating it at the time of his death in 1936, was a son of Mrs. Wells. Mrs. Sally DeLong, whose husband a State Representative from Martin and Johnson counties, was her daughter. Mrs Long died a good many years ago.

When Mrs. Wells came to Paintsville with her husband a quarter of a century ago, she had reached what many people call "old age." At that time Main, Second and Third streets and the cross streets between West street and where the Big Sandy Hardware stands, constituted the paved streets of this city.

Generation after generation of children have grown up and gone out to make their own way in the world, while this kindly little old lady continues a favorite with both young and old. She passes her days making life brighter for those around her. She is truly a lovable character. She is devoted to her children and loves to have them about her. She is always thinking of them when they are away.

Paintsville Herald

Thursday

March 28, 1940