Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Book: History: Ahnentafel Report of Hugh Stephen Winters

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Page 17 of 29

Ancestors of Hugh Stephen Winters

12. John Wells, born 7 November 1841 in Calais, France (Source: French Civil Registry, (Birth Certificate), 313\1841.); died 14 January 1925 in Woodstock, NZ. He was the son of 24. Thomas Wells and 25. Sarah Creswell. He married 13. Nora Letitia Furness 26 September 1871 in Hokitika, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), NZ 1239\1871.).

13. Nora Letitia Furness, born 4 September 1854 in Castlemaine, Australia (Source: Aust Births Deaths and Marriages 908/1854); died 16 May 1930 in Woodstock, NZ. She was the daughter of 26. Robert Furness and 27. Eliza Betty.

Notes for John Wells:
John Wells was born at 10am on 7 Nov 1841 before Louis
Joseph Frougere, who representing the civil state in the
commune of the St Pierre de Calais, department Pas de Calais,
as delegated by the mayor, is presented Thomas Wells(40), lace
worker, residing in St Pierre de Calais, who presents a
male child, born at his residence at Rue Lafayette,
Section G, number 370, on the 7th of this month at 11pm.
He declares Sarah Creswell(29) to be the mother and
wishes to name the baby John. This declaration and
presentation made in the presence of Victor Desjardin(33)
and George King(25) who have read and signed this
statement, together with the father.

John was the only member of the Wells family in
Australia to leave home. The fact that 1000 miners
a week were leaving Victoria to go to the goldfields of
Westland and Otago in New Zealand persuaded John
to try his luck.

John took a steerage in the steamer "Gothenburg" arriving
in Hokitika on the west coast of New Zealand sometime in
1865. That is taken from death certificate-in New Zealand 60 years.

6 years later in 1871 John married Nora Letitia Furness,
eldest daughter of Robert and Eliza Furness formerly of
Hackney in England. They had also been goldmining in
Durham Lead and Castlemaine in Australia before coming
to New Zealand in 1867 on the "Rangitoto".

Nora had been orphaned as her parents had been killed by a tree in
a storm while running out of their store in 1868, and had taken up
residence as a foster child of the owner of the hotel.

John had probably been a regular at the hotel where Nora had been
earning her keep as a barmaid and they married in 1871 at the
Anglican Church in Hokitika. They married in 26 Sep 1871, he was 30
and she 17.

John built the family home in Woodstock on the banks of the
Grey river. It is probable that he had done fairly well at
mining as the house had been well built and is still standing
today and is owned by descendants.

The first child Nora was born in January 1872.

Robert followed next and did extremely well as a lawyer
until drink caught up with him. He died in a old folks home in
Westport in 1952.

Richard was accidentally strangled in the door of a chicken
coop in 1878, and brother John died fighting for his country
on the battlefields of France in 1917.

My grandfather Thomas was a goldminer and millhand who
died of a heart attack in Westland Hospital in 1955. While
his name was Thomas, he was always called Tony. Thomas married
Victoria Grace McMillan, daughter of Robert McMillan
of Motherwell, Scotland.

Sarah, James, William, and Richard all lived in the
West Coast until they died, with William often working
in the timber mills in Rimu and panning for gold with Thomas.

John died at home in 1925, of old age and was buried in the Wells
family plot at Hokitika Cemetery. Nora was to live until 1930, when
she passed away quietly at the home in Woodstock.

More About John Wells:
Birth Address: 1841, Rue Lafayette, Section G, number 370, Calais
Burial: 16 January 1925, Hokitika Cemetery, NZ
Immigration: 1865, Hokitika, NZ
Married: 26 September 1871, Hokitika, NZ
Occupation: Miner
Religion: Anglican
Ship and Arrival: 1865, Gothenberg

Notes for Nora Letitia Furness:
Furness is the name that appears on marriage certificate of Robert Furness
and Eliza Betty, Parish Church, Hackney, Middlesex, Nov 1851.

More About Nora Letitia Furness:
Burial: 18 May 1930, Hokitika, NZ
Immigration: 1865, "Rangitoto" Hokitika, NZ

Children of John Wells and Nora Furness are:

Alice Wells, born 12 January 1872 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: 868/1872NZ BDM); died 5 February 1945 in Westport, NZ; married James Webster 30 December 1896 in Rimu, NZ; born 23 November 1868 in Harihari, NZ; died 1948 in Westport, NZ.

More About Alice Wells:
Burial: 8 February 1945, Westport, NZ

Notes for James Webster:
!BIRTH:
!CHR:
!MARRIAGE:
!DEATH:
!BURIAL:

ii.

Robert Wells, born 9 June 1874 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), 691\1873.); died 3 October 1952 in Greymouth, NZ; married Annie Staines 3 September 1902 in St Andrews, Kaniere, NZ; born 3 April 1873 in Hokitika, NZ; died 19 June 1924 in Greymouth, NZ.

More About Robert Wells:
Burial: 6 October 1952, Greymouth, NZ

Notes for Annie Staines:
!BIRTH:
!CHR:
!MARRIAGE:
!DEATH:
!BURIAL:

More About Annie Staines:
Burial: 23 June 1924, Greymouth, NZ

iii.

Richard Wells, born 24 November 1875 in Woodstock, NZ; died 13 January 1878 in Woodstock, NZ.

More About Richard Wells:
Burial: 15 January 1878, Hokitika, NZ

iv.

John Wells, born 5 October 1876 in Woodstock, NZ; died 11 June 1917 in Hazebrook, France.

Notes for John Wells:
In Memory of

John Wells

Private
6/2322
2nd Bn., Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
who died on Monday, 11th June 1917.

Additional Information:
Son of Mrs. N. L. Wells, of Woodstock, Hokitika,
Westland, New Zealand.

Commemorative Information

Cemetery:
HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Grave Reference/
Panel Number:
I. G. 5.
Location:
Hazebrouck is a town lying about 56 kilometres south-east
of Calais and is easily reached from Calais or Boulogne.
The Communal Cemetery is on the south-western outskirts of the town.

From the Grand Place in Hazebrouck follow the D916 Bethune
road. Traverse the first set of traffic lights and the Communal
Cemetery will be found 200 metres further along on the right
hand side of the road, as indicated by a signpost. The War Graves
Plot lies immediately inside the entrance to the cemetery.

More About John Wells:
Burial: 1917, Hazebrook, FRA

Nora Wells, born 8 January 1879 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), 485\1879.); married Jack Symes

Notes for Jack Symes:
!BIRTH:
!CHR:
!MARRIAGE:
!DEATH:
!BURIAL:

	6	vi.		Thomas Wells, born 12 April 1881 in Woodstock, NZ; died 23 April 1955 in Hokitika, NZ; married Victoria Grace McMillan 17 March 1919 in Hokitika, NZ.
		vii.		Sarah Eliza Wells, born 15 October 1883 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), 3873\1883, Birth.); married Herbert Bennett

Notes for Herbert Bennett:
!BIRTH:
!CHR:
!MARRIAGE:
!DEATH:
!BURIAL:

viii.

James Edmund Wells, born 3 May 1886 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), NZ 1683\1886.); died 10 August 1960 in Greymouth, NZ.

More About James Edmund Wells:
Burial: 12 August 1960, Greymouth, NZ

ix.

William Creswell Wells, born 23 December 1889 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), 592\1891.); died 4 February 1964 in Woodstock, NZ.

Notes for William Creswell Wells:
OBITUARY: NZ Biographic -1964 Vol 2 Page 309

The death occured at Westland Hospital last evening of Mr William Creswell Wells, a well known and esteemed resident of Kaniere for the last 11 years.

Born at Woodstock 74 years ago, he was engaged for most of his life in the sawmilling industry at Rimu, Gladstone and Kotuku, until he was injured in a sawmilling accident 14 years ago.

The late Mr Wells is survived by 2 sisters Mesdames S Bennett (Cobden) and N Symes (Greymouth) and also 1 brother Mr R Wells(Woodstock)

Hokitika Guardian

More About William Creswell Wells:
Burial: 8 February 1964, Hokitika, NZ

Richard Charles Wells, born 19 March 1893 in Woodstock, NZ (Source: Registrar General, NZ Births Deaths and Marriages, (Document), 1722\1893.); died 23 August 1980 in Woodstock, NZ; married Olga Huston; born 19 June 1897 in Lyttelton, NZ; died 21 January 1976 in Hokitika, NZ.

Notes for Richard Charles Wells:
1949 Electoral Roll:
Private 8th Reinforcement Nth Canterbury Westland World War 1.

More About Richard Charles Wells:
Burial: 26 August 1980, Hokitika, NZ

Notes for Olga Huston:
!BIRTH:NZ
!CHR:
!MARRIAGE:
!DEATH:
!BURIAL:

More About Olga Huston:
Burial: 24 January 1976, Hokitika, NZ.