The Quincy Daily Journal - July 24 1857, Pg 2
Levi Wells Death and Life Sketch (1793-1857) - Levi Wells, Esq.

We mentioned in a short notice, a few days since, the decease of this excellent man. It is but just to the man and his memory that we now publish a more extended notice of his life and death, which has been kindly furnished us by Rev. J. J. Marks, of this city, who has long and intimately known the deceased.

Mr. Wells was born in Wethersfield, Conn. on the 4th of September, 1793. He left the parental home for the West in 1818, and came to Illinois when the American settlements were few and far removed. His first location in our State was at Belleville, St. Clair county; here he was married in 1821, and emigrated to this region in 1824. At this time the entire "Military Tract" was known as "Pike county." In 1825 the county of Adams was organized, and Mr. Wells was elected one of the first Commissioners of the county. By these officers Quincy was mapped, the streets surveyed and named. Thus Mr. W's name is identified with the earliest history of our place.

In the year 1828, Mr. W. removed with his family to Galena and engages in the lead business. After remaining there one and a half years, he returned to Quincy, and from that time, this city was permanently his home.

These were years when the burdens of life were many and heavy. The savages were numerous and troublesome. A most desperate and piratical race of white men swarmed upon the Mississippi. In nearly every year there was the scourge of a long summer sickness, and frequently every member of the family was prostrated with fever at once - without assistance - without medical advice - alone for long days and weary nights. They often longed to died and be at rest in the grave. Often has the writer heard Mr. Wells allude to those years and scenes, as illustrating how much suffering we endure and yet live. In the year 1830, the 1st Congregational Church was formed, with fourteen members, and Mr. W. was one of the number.

Mr. Wells' house, so long and well known as "Brown & Dimock's Corner," was the second frame house built in Quincy. The main apartment, back of the store, was the dining and sitting room of the family, and the church, on the Sabbath - used for years for the "Sabbath School" and "Public Worship, " "Four Days Protracted Meetings, " on week evenings for "Temperance Meetings," "Singing Schools" and "Library Meetings." Was not that room the fountain of much of our virtue, piety and prosperity?

In the year 1839, the 1st Presbyterian Church was formed. and Mr. Wells and Mr. A. Hoffman were elected the Elders. With a great sacrifice of property and personal comfort, he contributed most liberally to rear the church edifice. Thus was Mr. Wells the compeer and fellow laborer with Mr. Wood, Mr. Keyes, Judge Snow, Major Rose, J. T. Holmes, etc, etc., in rearing this city in the wilderness and in creating the institutions of education and religion.

Less than a year since he followed to the grave his youngest daughter, Miss Lucy Wells, a young lady of pre-eminent beauty of person and character. She was coffined in her bridal robes, and much that rendered life desirable to her father, ascended with her to heaven. From this time Mr. W. was more than ever dead to the world.

Mr. Wells was happy in seeing his surviving children educated and occupying useful and important positions in society. he was happy in having lived through the embarrassment and harassments of former years, and his age was affluent and prosperous. And before his natural strength had abated, when for many months he was in the enjoyment of more than ordinarily good health, when to his home and friends it appeared more than ever essential that he should live, he was called from us.

The cause of his death was a small wound made with the point of his pen knife in the large muscle above the knee. This at first was unperceived and painless, but soon spread, and inflammation ensued over the entire limb, and at length issued in death. On Sabbath, 5th inst., the inflammation fell upon the vitals, and from this time until his death his suffering were intense and constant. But there was no murmuring, not even a prayer for the removal of the cup, but patient, humble submission to the will of God.

To those who ministered at this bed side and witnessed the "pains, the groans, and dying strife" was often given the assurance that "he was peaceful," and while the body was dissolving in the furnace of suffering, the soul was tranquil and joyful. During his illness he often spoke with most prefect calmness of his approaching change - death had for him no terrors.

A few hours before his departure, he called the members of his family around his bed - kissed them, blessed them and bade them farewell until they should meet in the Kingdom of God, and closed the touching scene with the prayer "That God would accept him, forgive him, and glorify himself by his life and death." From this time he held but little communion with the weepers around him, and soon fell asleep in Jesus. On the following Sabbath, 12th, his funeral was attended by an immense concourse at the 1st Presbyterian Church. And probably in the history of our city no death has occurred producing so deep and wide spread regret. It was felt to be a public calamity. If we look into the peculiarities of his character and life we can find the causes of that universal respect in which he was held. For years hundreds had fixed their eyes upon him with reverence, for he was one of the fathers of our city, and there was felt toward him the respect and affection due to those who bore the burden and the heat of the early days of toil and sacrifice. And many honored him as one of the number who planted and nourished that vine of which was eat the fruit and under the shadow of which we rest.

His life was known of thousands, and they regarded him as a man pre-eminently just and blameless. The language of Gov. Wood, spoken by the dying bed a short time before his departure, "I have known him for twenty-seven years, and I have prior known a more just man, or one more scrupulously honest." is the testimony of thousands. He defrauded and oppressed no man, he was not only just, but generous to all. Mr. W. possessed all those moral qualities which beget in our minds confidence and security. United to the delicacy and modesty of a woman, was the most unbending firmness in maintaining what considered right. "Policy and expediency" were words never used in his vocabulary. A friend he never forsook - he never concealed his opinions - he never wavered in defending the right - he was never unfaithful to the truth. With this firmness there was none of the unreasoning passionlessly of a stubborn man. He was always firm, because, in the depths of an eminently truthful and conscientious nature he felt bound to defend, the right. The world often speaks of such men, while alive, as "impracticable and self-willed," but when dead, garnish their sepulchers as the benefactors of the race and the martyrs of truth. In the character of Mr. W., under the veil of great diffidence there were all the elements of a man of power. His understanding was vigorous and discriminating. His memory was stored with mush of the finest poetry of our language. His judgment was singularly excellent - his perception of character had the unfailing accuracy of instinct. Like all persons of a deep and sensitive nature, he loved but few, but those with an intense and never wavering affection. Those to whom he had been once attached ever lived in his memory as fresh and green as yesterday.

The loss of such a man to his home - his children - to the church - to his friends - is irreparable. Where shall we find another so sagacious, so truthful, so firm, so loving? The mould in which such man are cast is but rarely used.