Ada Hope Wells (nee Whitmore) was born on September 10, 1900 in Leiscester, England. She came to Edrans, MB with her family in 1905. As a young girl she worked as a hired girl and nursemaid for a number of families in the Wellwood district. On June 15, 1918, Ada married John James Wells (1885-1968), a farmer. Together the couple had ten children: Winona, Dawn, Andrew, James, John, Charles, Beth, Alex, Fancis and Joan. Ada and John farmed at Wellwood until 1956, when they retired to the village and their son Alex took over the farm. Ada moved to Neepawa in 1982. Ada was a very talented seamstress and baker, and active in the church, Zion Presbyterian in Wellwood and Knox in Neepawa. She was also involved in the community as a member of the WMS and as a girls' group leader. She was often called upon to assist with sick children and helped deliver a number of babies in the district. During World War II she spent hours preparing and wrapping parcels for soldiers overseas. Ada Wells died on May 9, 1997 in Neepawa, MB. She is buried at Wellwood Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Ada Wells about pioneer days and early homemaking. Interviewer is Isla Kennedy.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Wells' obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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Files consist of correspondence and other documents related to what appears to be two grant proposals, one for an arrangement and description backlog reduction cost-shared cooperative program through Public Archives Canada, the other a SSHRC grant for the Indians of the Northern Plains collection in the University library.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
8.2 S.J. McKee Archives
Box 2
