James V. Wells
Early Life
James Villano Wells was born on February 3, 1896, in New York City, New York, the son of Antonio Wells and Vinceriza Dana. He was raised in a large immigrant family of Italian heritage and was living in Rye, New York, by 1910, establishing a strong and early connection to the community. His upbringing reflects the experience of many second-generation Americans in Westchester County, balancing family responsibility with the opportunities of an expanding local economy.
By his early twenties, Wells was employed as a clerk, working for a local company in Rye. At the time of his draft registration in 1917, he was supporting his mother, indicating both his role within the family and the economic realities faced by working-class households during this period.
World War I Service
James V. Wells entered military service on June 24, 1918, when he was inducted into the United States Army in Westchester County, New York. His service record identifies him as a Private and indicates assignment through the Army’s wartime mobilization system, though specific unit designation is not clearly preserved in surviving records.
His record notes that he sustained injuries in January 1919, suggesting exposure to hazardous conditions during his period of service. However, there is no confirmed documentation of overseas deployment, and his service appears to have been primarily domestic or within the later stages of the war and immediate post-Armistice period.
Wells was honorably discharged on November 22, 1919, following the conclusion of the war and the demobilization of American forces. His service reflects the experience of late-war inductees who entered the Army during its final expansion and served during the transition from active conflict to postwar stabilization.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Wells returned to Rye and the surrounding Port Chester area, where he established his family and career. He married Rosaria “Rose” Marino, and together they raised several children, remaining closely tied to the local community throughout their lives. Over the years, he worked in a variety of occupations, including the insurance business during the 1930s, employment with the Works Progress Administration during the 1940s, and later as a painting and decorating contractor.
James Villano Wells died on January 3, 1954, in Philmont, New York, at the age of fifty-seven.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Rosaria “Rose” Wells; his children, including James J. Wells Jr., Eugene Anthony Wells, and Aileen V. Wells; as well as extended family members in the Rye and Port Chester area.
He was buried in Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye, New York, returning in death to the community that had defined much of his life.