Gardner Wells

Gardner Wells was born in June 16 1895 in Vanceburg, Kentucky,

His father was William (Henry) Wells, and his Mother Joanna (Joan) Carson.

He Married Hilda Marie Horstman, and they had a son Jack Howard Wells.
 

By the age of 5 in 1900 he was living in Clermont, Ohio. With his dad Henry 45, mom Joanna 45, and his brothers and sisters James A. 24, Myrtle 22, Clarence 15, Lizzie 11, Leona 8, and Nancy Carson 78 his maternal grandmother.  They were renting a house, 97 Front? Street in New Richmond Village, Clermont Ohio. His fathers profession was a cooper.  Coopers usually make barrels and casks for dry goods or wet goods, for storage and transportation. 

In 1910 Gardner was 15, and was living In Hamilton, Cincinnati Ward 14, Ohio with his mom Joanna (Joan) 55, who was then widowed, Sister Elizabeth (lizzie) 21, Sister Leona 18, sister Minnie (must be Myrtle from 1900 census)  Wolf 32, and his nephew Minnies son George C. 5.  One of his sisters or brothers had already died at this point, and his father died sometime between the 1900 and 1910 census.  They were renting the house they were in, Joanna was not employed, Elizabeth and leona worked as markers and sorters in Laundry.   Gardner was working as a laborer in an ice house.

In World War I the United States tried to remain neutral, Woodrow Wilson was president and was trying to get in a position to broker peace.  In May of 1915 a German U-boat sank the British Passenger Liner RMS Lusitania.  128   American passengers died.  Woodrow Wilson said that we would not tolerate unrestricted submarine warfare and that it was a violation of international law.  In 1917 Germany again enacted unrestricted submarine warfare, in order to collapse Britain from starvation.  The Germans realized that this meant the United States would enter the war, so the prime minister sent a telegram that asked Mexico to enter the war and fight the United States as their ally, and in return they would help return, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.  The British intercepted the telegram and shared it with the U.S. Embassy in Britain.  Wilson released the information to the public, and with the telegram, and the sinking of seven American merchant ships, Wilson called for war against Germany, and Congress approved it on April 16, 1917. 

Almost two months later on June 5th 1917 at age 22, Gardner Wells signed his draft card in Cincinnati Ohio, it said that he had gray eyes, brown hair, was tall and stout.  The draft card is quite difficult to read.. It did give his date of birth along with city and state.  There was wife hand written in, and so I assume that she was the beneficiary.

In 1920 Gardner Wells 25 was living with his wife Hilda Horstman  24 at 2012 Mohawk, Hamilton, Cincinnati, Ohio.  At this time they lived in the same house with his mother Joanna  (Anna) 65, Myrtle Wolf his sister 42?, Myrtle's son George 15, sister Leona Schmitt 26, and her Leona's husband Jacob? Schmitt 26. Gardner earned a wage at this time the handwriting on the 1920 census looks like Stationary Fireman, then it says wholesale along with two other words that I could not decipher.

In 1930 Gardner 34, Hilda 33, and Jack 4 their son along with their niece ? Bradford 6, were renting a house in Hamilton Ohio the house number was 3452, The street was not written on the page.  The house value was recorded at 30.00  Maybe that was the rent they paid, a house owned near them was worth 7,000.00?   Gardner worked as a truck driver for ice, and earned a wage.    There was a area in the census where it asked if they were a veteran and it said no.  Maybe he didn't serve in WWI even though he filled out a draft card?

In 1940 Gardner 46 was divorced, and living with his sister Leona 47, her husband William 47, and their son Garnet 16.  Sister Myrtle Wolf 62 was also living with them and was a widow at this time.  They lived at 3153 Reading Rd. Which William Schmitt, Leona's husband owned, the homes value was 5,000.00.
At this time William Schmitt his brother in law owned a cafe, Leona was a helper at the cafe, their son Garnet was attending school, Myrtle was a maid and Gardner was working part time not paid as a porter at the cafe, while looking for work.
**It says in the census they were receiving an income from the cafe..  but that they had other income.

Gardner died on December 2, 1968 at the age of 74 at the Jeweish Hospital in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio.  He was married, and no autopsy was perfomed.  The certificate number is 095951.