Lydia Moore1

F, #403, b. 21 February 1817, d. 10 June 1884
Last Edited: 17 Jan 2021

Parents:

Father: Thomas Moore1 b. 3 Feb 1781, d. 11 Feb 1849
Mother: Esther Heckman1 b. 27 Oct 1790, d. 21 Jul 1856

Family:

William Arthur Wells b. 27 Nov 1810, d. 19 Nov 1845

Children:

Olivia Wells7 b. 31 Mar 1837, d. 9 Dec 1859
Rebecca Wells8 b. 5 Oct 1838, d. 19 Sep 1860
Matthias Richards Wells8 b. 1 Jun 1840, d. 1 Aug 1840
Mary Wells8 b. 4 Aug 1842, d. 18 Aug 1859
William Moore Wells8 b. 8 Dec 1844, d. 9 Jun 1917
Arthur Alston Wells9 b. 28 Dec 1847, d. 10 Aug 1918
James M. Wells+9 b. 18 Oct 1849, d. 28 Aug 1876
Esther Wells9 b. 19 Jul 1852, d. 27 Mar 1870
Thomas McDowell Wells9 b. 18 Nov 1854, d. 13 Feb 1942

Notes

  • Note*: "OBITUARY
    Death of Mrs. Lydia M. Wells
    Mrs. Lydia M. Wells, widow of the late William A. Wells, died yesterday morning, shortly before four o'clock, at her residence in this city, No. 33 South Third street, aged 67 years. She had been ill with pleurisy only one week, her general health having previously been good. She was the daughter of Thomas Moore, a leading citizen of Reading in the early days of the ancient borough. Her husband died some twenty-five years ago. He was known to almost everybody as 'Squire Wells, and was the pioneer in the manufacture of fire brick in this section of the State, his establishment having been located on Canal street on the present site of McHose and Co.'s works. The late Dr. William Moore of Womelsdorf (father of Capt. Wm. G. Moore, the well-known dealer in horses and mules, and of Thomas T. Moore, tobacconist, of this city), was a brother of the deceased. Two other brothers, James and George, reside in Womelsdorf, and three sisters are residents of Reading - Mrs. Elizabeth Evans and Mrs. Catharine Arnold, both widows, and Miss Mary Moore, who had her home with the subject of this notice. She was the mother of seven children - four sons and three daughters, and three sons are the only survivors - William M., machinist, employed in the P. & R. shops; Arthur A., a conductor on the Reading Railroad between Allentown and Harrisburg; and Thomas M., clerk in the Reading post office. One of her daughters, Rebecca, was the wife of Capt. Andrews, who was killed in the battle of Antietam. Mrs. Wells was a consistent member of Christ Episcopal congregation, and was a woman of noble deeds - kind to all around her and a faithful and loving mother. She was always bent on doing good, and was of an exceedingly charitable disposition. Her death, which occurred only a couple of hours after the anniversary of her marriage, will be sincerely mourned by a large circle of relatives and acquaintances. The funeral will take place on Friday afternoon, to proceed to the Charles Evans cemetery."3,4
  • Note: Family bible:

    "Marriages
    William Arthur WELLS, son of Arthur Allston WELLS and Ann McDOWELL, (born at Cantwells Bridge, New Castle County, State of Delaware, 27th Nov 1810) and Lydia MOORE, daughter of Thomas MOORE and Esther HECKMAN, (born at Reading, Berks County, State of Pennsylvania. 21st Feb 1817) were married by the Reverend Richard M. Morgan at Reading on the 9th day of June at 8 o'clock PM AD 1836."

    "Deaths
    Wm Arthur WELLS Departed this life at Reading Nov 19th 1845, 45 years of age

    Lydia Moore WELLS Departed this life at Reading at 4 PM 1Oth day of June 1884, 67 years of age."2
  • Note: Census:

    1850 US Census, Reading, Pa.
    William Wells      40, b. abt 1810 Del., Fire brick maker
    Lydia Wells      30, b. abt 1820
    Olivia Wells      14, b. abt 1836
    Rebecca Wells      12, b. abt 1838
    Mary Wells      9, b. abt 1841
    William Wells      6, b. abt 1844
    Arthur Wells      3, b. abt 1847
    James Wells      1, b. abt 1849

    1860 US Census, Reading
    Lydia Wells      42
    William Wells      15, clerk
    Arther A Wells      12
    James M Wells      10
    Ester Wells      7, b. abt 1853
    Thomas Wells      5, b. abt 1855

    1870 US Census, Reading
    Lydia Wells      53 [not 33]
    Arthur Wells      22, Locomotive Builder
    James Wells      20, Boiler Maker
    Thomas Wells      15
    Mary Moore      56

    1880 US Census, Reading, East Third Street
    Lydia M. Wells      63, head
    Mary Moore      69, sister, single, Dressmaker
    Arthur H. Wells 33, son, married, Baggage Master R.R.
    Ellen Wells      26, dau in law, [Ellen McDonald, wife of Arthur H Wells]
    Thomas M. Wells 24, son, single, Clerk In Post Office
    William Wells      7, b. abt 1873, grandson [children of Arthur & Ellen]
    Mary Wells      6, b. abt 1874, granddaughter
    Thomas Wells      1, b. abt 1879, grandson5
  • Note: Probate6

Citations

  1. [S63] Family record of Thomas Moore, born 1781, naming his parents, wife and children and all their birth dates. Handwritten, in one hand, in old style writing and pen, on one tattered page. In family possession.
  2. [S7] 'Another Wells Bible', Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 10 (April 1999), No. 1, p. 1-4, and Vol. 10, (Oct 1999), No. 2, p. 28-30. (Contains transcription of Family Record pages, from a bible owned by William H. Wells of Portland, Oregon, printed in Oxford, England in 1739 by John Baskett. Contains one page entitled 'Moore Family Record'. Also contains transcriptions of newspaper death notices and obituaries.), page 28, m. William Arthur Wells & Lydia Moore.
  3. [S142] Newspapers.com URL https://www.newspapers.com/, Reading Times (Reading, Pennsylvania) 11 Jun 1884, Wed, Page 1. Obituary of Mrs. Lydia M. Wells.
  4. [S7] 'Another Wells Bible', Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 10 (April 1999), No. 1, p. 1-4, and Vol. 10, (Oct 1999), No. 2, p. 28-30. (Contains transcription of Family Record pages, from a bible owned by William H. Wells of Portland, Oregon, printed in Oxford, England in 1739 by John Baskett. Contains one page entitled 'Moore Family Record'. Also contains transcriptions of newspaper death notices and obituaries.), page 28, obit Lydia Wells.
  5. [S192] US Census, accessed on Ancestry.com.
  6. [S152] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994. Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. County courthouses, Pennsylvania. URL: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196, Berks Co., "Estates 1850-1915 Wells, Lydia M.-Wentzel, John B.", Estate of Lydia M Wells Reading 1885; images 5-69.
  7. [S7] 'Another Wells Bible', Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 10 (April 1999), No. 1, p. 1-4, and Vol. 10, (Oct 1999), No. 2, p. 28-30. (Contains transcription of Family Record pages, from a bible owned by William H. Wells of Portland, Oregon, printed in Oxford, England in 1739 by John Baskett. Contains one page entitled 'Moore Family Record'. Also contains transcriptions of newspaper death notices and obituaries.), page 29, births & deaths.
  8. [S7] 'Another Wells Bible', Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 10 (April 1999), No. 1, p. 1-4, and Vol. 10, (Oct 1999), No. 2, p. 28-30. (Contains transcription of Family Record pages, from a bible owned by William H. Wells of Portland, Oregon, printed in Oxford, England in 1739 by John Baskett. Contains one page entitled 'Moore Family Record'. Also contains transcriptions of newspaper death notices and obituaries.), page 29, births.
  9. [S7] 'Another Wells Bible', Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 10 (April 1999), No. 1, p. 1-4, and Vol. 10, (Oct 1999), No. 2, p. 28-30. (Contains transcription of Family Record pages, from a bible owned by William H. Wells of Portland, Oregon, printed in Oxford, England in 1739 by John Baskett. Contains one page entitled 'Moore Family Record'. Also contains transcriptions of newspaper death notices and obituaries.), page 30, births.