Published in The Columbus Journal, March 8, 1871
DIED
WELLS--The subject of this memento was born Aug. 28, 1832, and died Feb. 21, 1871. Her childhood, until twelve years of age, was spent at Delaware, O., whence she removed to Columbus of the same State.
Her maiden name was Christena Rosena Bauer. She was married Dec. 22, 1853, to Mr. Jacob L. Baker of Columbus, O. with whom, after five and a half years of happy life, she removed to Columbus, Neb., leaving two children in their graves, and bringing one then six months of age. In Sept. 1859, on account of their eminent fitness for the position, Mr. Baker and his wife were placed by the Columbus Company in the American Hotel, then and for many years, the largest and best public house, between Omaha and Denver.
On Nov. 2d following, in consequence of excessive heat and exhaustion in contending with a destructive prairie fire, Mr. Baker died. Uncertain of any permanent stay in this distant land, and true to the fond nature that ever distinguished her, Mrs. Baker accompanied the remains of her husband and made his tomb with those of their babes in Ohio. Returning in the spring of 1860, she bought the Hotel for about $2000. And thenceforth her fine economical and executive abilities, and her true womanly traits became more and more conspicuous. Combining in herself the offices of both master and mistress, for more than six years, and through wasting care and toil she made this Hotel the glad repose of strangers and the weary wanderers of the plains and the mountains.
Such care and toil and judicious management could not be unrewarded. With true gallantry, the old settlers encouraged her. By her own enterprise and sagacity she became one of the wealthiest citizens, so that in 1866, when she sold the Hotel to Judge Whaley she was out of debt, and her estate was worth about $15000.
After resting a year, she took charge of the Grand Island House, and kept it about twelve months. Here she formed the acquaintance of Mr. J.B. Wells, to whom she was married May 13, 1868, whose name she honored, as both wife and mother, and whom, with his little Joseph two years, and Ottie Baker twelve years of age, besides a loving sister and numerous kindred and friends, she has left,--how unexpectedly and sorrowfully left!--to finish their pilgrimage without her. She had nearly compassed, in a most sensible way, her plans for the inheritance of her children, and had nearly completed a beautiful home in Columbus in which to finish a quiet life, when, after four days of acute suffering, but with no apprehension of the result, she suddenly became speechless, and gave to her anguished friends her last farewell, only with her loving eye, looking her ADIEC, through the shade of death.
To the Sanctuary of the Congregational Church, of which she was one of the original Six and of which she was to the end a steadfast and useful member, her remains were borne. And there, over that unhearing ear, but in presence of a croweded assembly, her Pastor, Rev. J.E. Elliott, eloquently expanded and applied that Divine Utterance, "The fashion of this world passeth away," and the singers sany, "I would not live alway," and then the long silent cortege paid the last public tribute of honor.
It is due, alike to the memory of one so early and always identified with the history of the place, and to the wishes of the oldest inhabitants, to put in type, as a memento, for occasional sight, a brief statement of those qualities in our departed friend, which made her life a continual success.
Her physical form and movements illustrated her mental and social powers. Erect, elastic, versatile, graceful, and enduring was she, in both body and soul. Not deficient in reflective or reasoning faculties, she excelled in the perceptive. Sharing in common with her sex that intuitive sight of conclusions to which men must come more slowly by the steps of logic, she displayed a genuine wisdom in her business affiars, and an unusual insight of human nature. She saw a bargain and made it; she saw her duty and did it; she saw her danger and shunned it. To this clear discrimination she added a full nervous power. Her physical and spiritual nature were charged with a genuine and exhaustless magnetic force, and she had a Will that always found a way or made a way.
To complete a character truly rare, there were blended with these strong mental properties, the most delicate and abundant sympathies. Her emotional nature was an overflowing fountain. There was an intensity in her feelings of whatever class; and there was a contagious power in her joys and griefs, her hopes and fears, that every body acknowledged. And this happy compound in her natural organization, improved by varied experience in the realities of life, was the philosophy of her success and her influence in society. She walked the path of business with a strong, sure and triumphant step, because a will of elastic steel impelled the intuitions and lessons of a solid judgment. Yet, in the paths of demestic, social and religious life, she walked softly and gently, for her heart was of silken fibre, sensitive to the joys and woes of mankind. Business men will remember her with honoring tributes; and long will the light of her eye, and the warmth of her soul linger on the memory of her friends, the stranger, the sick and the sorrowing.

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