Upon their arrival In Victoria, Jane and Sarah Wells were most upset as their trunks had disappeared; only to be found some time later on the docks. The contents of personal possessions, fancy needlework, etcetera, were entirely ruined.

Jane visited her sister, Margaret (Mrs. Alex Peers), who lived in New Westminster. (Mr. Peers was a Methodist Missionary who had been a classmate of Rev. Thomas Crosby at Victoria College, Coburg, Ontario.)

It seems that Jane was not engaged to Charles Evans at that time, as they were not married until three years later. As she was not mentioned in the Evans diary, they may have met for the first time in Yale, where Jane resided with the Wells family. (However, a Henry Evans and family lived in the Napanee area, and if related, may have met through them.) Jane Wells was born in Fredericksburg (Napanee district), Canada West (Ontario), in 1835. Her mother, Martha (Casey) Wells had died when Jane was seven years old. Allen Wells, Jane's father, had remarried and lived on his 250 acre farm at North Fredericksburg. He had married Martha in 1825, and they had issue of nine children; William C., John Casey, James, Margaret, Jane, Allen Casey, Stephen, Willet, and Edmond (lived at the home of his brother, Allen, at time of 1861 census in Ont.).

Jane's grandfather, James Wells (Welles), was born in Connecticut and settled In Ontario as a United Empire Loyalist.

At the time of the 1861 census, Jane was living at the home of her brother, James and his family in Richmond (near Napanee), Ontario. Their second child (named Jane) was born that year, and perhaps Jane was there to help with the new arrival.

Last updated 31 August 1998. This digital collection was produced under contract to the SchoolNet Digital Collections Program, Industry Canada. Produced by Schoolnet Digital Collections Team.