Josephine Virginia Wells
Sept. 2, 1844-March 14, 1934
Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 14, 1934, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library
Mrs. Wells, 90, Nurse in Civil War, Succumbs
Mrs. Josephine Virginia Wells, 90, lifeling resident of this vicinity who was a nurse during the Civil war, died at 2:40 o'clock this morning at the farm home of her son, R.L. Wells, one mile northeast of Pokagon.
Her parents came to Niles in the early 1830's, went to Sumnerville and finally blazed the trail to Curtis lake where they settled and Mrs. Wells was born Sept. 2, 1844. The lake was named for her father. She attended school in a log cabin at Mayflower school in Pokagon township. She went to live with her son after her Pokagon home was destroyed by fire last fall.
Sixty-five years ago she was married to the late Dr. Charles P. Wells, who died in 1884. A son, Roscoe, also died 33 years ago.
The deceased was the last of a family of 11 children. She is survived by three sons, R.C. Wells, Jackson, Mich.; R.H. Wells, Plymouth, Mich.; and R.L. Wells, Pokagon.
Funeral services wil be held in the Pokagon Methodist Episcopal church at 3 o'clock Friday afternoon with the Rev. Thomas Rice, Buchanan, former Pokagon pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
Note: Death record reads Josephine V. Burden and there is marriage to Nathaniel Burden in Berrien County in 1889. Burial is found in burial records as Burdeu.