Monday, July 25, 2011

How many wives did Joseph Paul Wells have?

While trying to find James E. Wells to solve my original question of his divorce from Mary Josephine Reno, I was looking for all records possible on Joseph Paul Wells, their first son, in hopes that his father would be living close to him at some point. Joseph Paul Wells was born 4 April 1899. This birthdate was given on the WWI draft registration card that was completed 17 Sep 1918 so I trust that is the true date of his birth. His death certificate (25 May 1960) gave his birth date as April 5, 1900. The informant on that record was his wife, Mrs. Lela Wells.  On the draft registration card, Joseph said his wife was Zelda Coleman Wells and she lived at 3109 Myrtle St., Dallas.  However, I found a death certificate for Zelda Wells. Her death date was May 7, 1921. She resided at 4126 Frank St. It is interesting to note that Zelda died from complications of an attempted self-inflicted abortion just 4 months after the birth of a son.

In the 1920 census of Dallas County, I have found Joseph P. Wells living at 4018 Frank St. as a 21 year old carpenter.  His wife's name is given as Josephine and she is also 21 years old. They have a 5 mo old daughter named Francis M [born 1919 since the census was taken as of Jan. 20].  Also in the household is 66 year old widowed grandfather, James P. Wells, who is also a carpenter [notice that this is the James P. who has been listed in Dallas city directories at the same address as Joseph P.]  Although the age and the name are not correct for Zelda, I think this Josephine is actually Zelda. Zelda was named on Joseph Paul Wells Jr.'s death certificate as the mother. This son was born on 27 Jan 1921 [notice in the previous paragraph I mentioned that Zelda died the following May 7.]. He later died on 25 Sep 1922 from diptheria. Unless Zelda was pregnant before being married to Joseph, the Josephine on the 1920 census would have to divorce or die before May 1920 to allow the 9 mos of Zelda's pregnancy with Jr.

In the 1930 census of Dallas County, J. Paul Wells is found living at 4135 Frank St. with a wife named Gertrude. He is 29 and she is 22.  There is a daughter named Francis N age 11 [who was seen in the 1920 census with Josephine] and a step-daughter named Fannie Keith age 7 who was born in Mississippi.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, a wife named Leta was the informant for Joseph Paul Wells' death certificate in 1960.  Is this another person or is it Gertrude's nickname?

I see there are a lot of marriage records and divorce or death records to locate in this mystery.

To Do:
1.  Find marriage of Joseph Paul Wells to Zelda Coleman by 1917-18.  Joseph is 18 years of age in 1917.
     UPDATE: 8/7/11 - J. Paul Wells to Zelda Coleman 8/31/18 vol 25 p. 251 of Dallas County marriages (from Dallas County bMarriage Index Aug 1846-Oct 1963 at Dallas Public Library Genealogy Department).

2.  Find other marriages of Joseph Paul Wells after the death of Zelda in 1921 [Gertrude & Leta).
     UPDATE: 8/7/11 - J. P. Wells to Gertrude Barrett 6/21/27 vol 45 p 550 Dallas County marriages (from Dallas County Marriage Index Aug 1846-Oct 1963 at Dallas Public Library Genealogy Department).

3.  Find Gertrude in some other record besides the 1930 census (city directory, marriage, death).
4.  Contact the funeral homes and cemeteries and see if they have files.
5.  Find death record for James P. Wells.
     UPDATE: 8/7/11 - search of Texas Index to deaths 1903-1940 did not have a James P. Wells.

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