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� 2008, Mount Mora Burial Records |
| Record Last Updated On:
3/29/2014 |
| Name: ANNIE LOWELL WELLS |
| Death Date: Oct //1949 |
Interment Date:
Oct/6/1949 |
Birth Date: Nov //1869 |
| Age at Death: 79 |
Cause of Death:
stroke |
| Location at Death:
Chicago, Illinois |
| Physical Location at Death:
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| Sex: F |
Nativity: American |
Ethnicity: white |
| Occupation:TEACHER & SCHOOL PRINCIPAL |
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| Child of: Charles William Davenport & Julia Henrietta Lowell |
| Spouse of: Theophilus Craig Wells |
| Mother of: Arthur Lowell Wells, Anne Lowell Wells, Henrietta Townsend Wells, Josephine Mary Wells |
| Father of: |
| Other Known Relatives: grandchildren: Robert L. Graves, John L. Graves, Anne Lowell Graves |
| Brief Biography: St. Joseph News-Press October 9, 1949
Funeral Tomorrow of An Outstanding Teacher Here by Ada Lyon
The funeral of one of the most outstanding teachers in the history of St. Joseph's school system, Mrs. Annie Lowell Wells, will be held at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon in Christ Episcopal Church. She was distantly related to the poet, James Russell Lowell, and her background here was of the most prominent people in the community. She retired in 1939 and went to live in Chicago, where she died Monday morning, just a month before what would have been her 80th birthday. She had been in failing health since her retirement. A series of strokes was climaxed by one that kept her bedfast for the past two years.
She taught for 40 years in the school system here. In her youth she taught in the 1888-89 term, before her marriage. She returned to St. Joseph in 1900, a widow with four young children, and taught at the Washington School, then was principal successively at the Drug, Wyatt and Blair schools. Her girl pupils have many stories to tell of her kindnesses, but the boys were her specialty. She said she "loved all the boys, those that everybody love, because she couldn't help it, and the bad boys because nobody else loved them." A forceful, interesting personality, her example and ideals molded the character of many of her pupils.
Helped Erase a Teacher Ban
When she returned here, at the beginning of the century, there was no teacher shortage as of today. Women were clamoring to teach and there was a ban against married teachers, on the basis that their home interests would interfere with their work. Mrs. Wells' record had a large share in erasing that prejudice.
Her parents Julia Henrietta Lowell Davenport and Charles William Davenport, came to St. Joseph from Massachusetts in 1863 and Mrs. Wells was born at their home at the northeast corner of Eighth and Francis streets. Educated in the grade and high schools here, she had made arrangements to attend Wellesley College, in 1888, but the illness and death of her mother that year prevented. Her fatehr had died 11 years previously and her elder brother, the only other child, in infancy.
After her mother's death she went to live at the home of friends, the family of John Townsend, founder of Townsend and Wall Dry Goods Company. That was when she taught her first term of school. She was married in the handsome Townsend home, 502 North Fifth street to Theo Craig Wells Oct. 23, 1889. Mr. Townsend's daughter, Sarah, now Mrs. R.E. Costigan, was a bridesmaid.
Two Children Survive
Mrs. Wells died ten years later and his widow moved to Chicago for a year and then came here. Her only son and eldest child, Arthur Lowell died the next year, but her girls all grew up and received the college education denied her, as have all her grandchildren.
Two children survive the mother, Miss Henrietta Wells, a dietician at the veterans hospital in Danville, Ill., since World War I days, plans the daily meals for 6,000 veterans. Mrs. Lawrence Graves, the former Miss Josephine Wells, is the wife of the professor of mathematics of Chicago University. Their children are Robert L., who is working on his doctor of philosophy degee in mathematics at Harvard; John L., a senior at Oberlin College, and Anne Lowell, who will enter college next winter. In her last illnesses, Mrs. Wells remained a counselor and inspiration to her grandchildren, as to her pupils and to her own children, for she was an unusually devoted and wise mother, as well as teacher. A daughter preceded her in death. Miss Annie Lowell Wells, who taught history and social sciences in Junior College here.
The body is at Heaton-Bowman's. The Rev. Arleigh Lassiter, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, North Kansas City, will conduct the funeral service. Pallbearers will be Robert A. Brown Jr., Ned Biles Jr., Louis Cobough, Nelson K. Thomas, Charles N. Culver and John D. McCaskey |
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| Lot Owner: ANNIE LWELLS |
| Lot Location: 3 |
| Block Location: 19 |
| Section/Range Location: A |
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| Funeral Home: HEATON-BOWMAN |
| Funeral Home City/State: SAINT JOSEPH, MO |
| Cost of Interment: $33.00 |
Date Paid: 10/31/49 |
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