Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/458

426 WELLER, George, clergyman, b. in Boston, Mass., 15 Nov., 1790; d. in Raymond, Miss., 9 Nov., 1841. He received a good English education in the public schools of his native city, but his fmrents were unable to send him to college. He earned the trade of a book-binder, and while pursuing his studies opened a small book-store in Newark, N. J., and subsequently in Danbury, Conn. While preparing for the ministry in the Episcopal church in Norwalk, Conn., he officiated as lay reader in Bedford, N. Y., in 1814-'16. He was ordained deacon in St. Matthew's church, Bedford, 16 June, 1816, by Bishop Hobart, and priest in St. Paul's church. East Chester, N. Y., 2 April, 1817, by the same bishop. In November, 1817, he became rector of Great Choptank parish, Cambridge, Md., which post he filled for five years. In 1822 he accepted a call to St. Stephen's church, Cecil county, Md., where he served acceptably for three years. At this date Bishop White was desirous of finding a competent editor for a new journal in the interests of the Episcopal church. He accordingly invited Mr. Weller to occupy this Eost, and the offer was accepted. The first number of "The Church Register" was issued on 7 Jan., 1826. After three years' service as its editor, and occupying himself in other literary labors, he removed to Nashville, Tenn., where during his ministrations the first church for Episcopal worship was consecrated in 1831. He received the degree of D. D. from Nashville university in 1834. In addition to his pastoral labors he gave instruction to candidates for orders, and opened a school for girls, which met with great success. His health was seriously impaired by work, but, after resting, he accepted a call to Calvary church, Memphis, Tenn., in 1838, and the following year became rector of Christ church, Vicksburg,' Miss. In 1841 the yellow fever broke out with great virulence, and he deemed it his duty to remain at his post and minister to the sick. He was attacked by the malady, which proved fatal. In addition to contributions to church journalism, Dr. Weller published a "Vindication of the Church," being a defence of Anglican ordinations against the aspersions of Roman Catholics, and u Two Letters in Reply to Certain Publications of the Rev. Samuel Miller, of Princeton, N. J." (1835), the object of which was to support episcopacy chiefly by early patristic testimony. He also issued the first American collection of "Bishop Heber's Poems" (Philadelphia, 1828), with a short memoir ; and re-published treatises by eminent Anglican divines in convenient form : these are known as "The Weller Tracts," and are still regarded with favor.

WELLER, John B., senator, b. in Ohio in 1812; d. in New Orleans, La., 7 Aug., 1875. He was elected to congress as a Democrat, serving in 1839-'45, was lieutenant-colonel of an Ohio regiment in the Mexican war, becoming its commander on the death of its colonel at Monterey, and a commissioner to Mexico under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Afterward he removed to California and was elected U.S. senator, holding his seat from 17 March, 1852, till 3 March, 1857. He was governor of the state in 1858-'60, U.S. minister to Mexico from 7 Nov., 1860, till 14 May, 1861, and a delegate to the National Democratic convention of 1864.

WELLES, Edward Randolph, P. E. bishop, b. in Waterloo, N. Y., 10 Jan., 1830 ; d. there, 19 Oct., 1888. He was graduated at Hobart in 1850, ordered deacon, 20 Dec, 1857, and served as tutor in De Veaux college, Suspension Bridge, N. Y., also officiating in Lewiston, Lockport, and Suspension Bridge. He was ordained priest, 12 Sept., 1858, began work at Red Wing, Minn., where he organized the parish of Christ church, and became its rector, holding this post until his election to the episcopate. He received the degree of S. T. D. from Racine college in 1874. Dr. Welles was consecrated bishop of Wisconsin in St. Thomas's church, New York, 24 Oct., 1874. In the course of the year following, the northeastern part of the state was erected into a separate jurisdiction, under the name of the diocese of Fond du Lac, and Bishop Welles elected to remain in the old diocese. He published sermons and addresses.

WELLES, Noah, clergyman, b. in Colchester, Conn., 25 Sept., 1718; d. in Stamford, Conn., 31 Dec, 1776. He was graduated at Yale in 1741, remained there a year as dean's scholar, and then took charge of Hopkins grammar-school at Hartford, at the same time studying theology. He was a tutor at Yale in 1 745-'6, and in the latter year received a call to Stamford, where he remained till the day of his death, the thirtieth anniversary of his ordination. He took an active part in the discussion of the validity of Presbyterian ordination and in relation to the proposed American episcopate, and at the opening of the Revolution advocated from his pulpit resistance to the mother country. In 1774 he was chosen a fellow of Yale, and in the same year Princeton gave him the degree of D. D. On the resignation of Dr. Thomas Clap from the presidency of Yale in 1766, Dr. Welles was a prominent candidate for the office. President Timothy Dwight, who was his nephew by marriage, says : " His imagination was vivid and poetical, his intellect vigorous, and his learning extensive. His manners, at the same time, were an unusual happy compound of politeness and dig- nity." Dr. Welles published " The Real Advantages which Ministers and People may enjoy, especially in the Colonies, by conforming to the Church of England," a clever anonymous attack on the Episcopalian party, which has been attributed also to Rev. Noah Hobart, of Fairfield (Boston, 1762); "The Divine Right of Presbyterian Ordination Asserted" (New York, 1763); "Patriotism Described and Recommended," the annual "election sermon" (New London, 1774); and "Vindication of the Validity and Divine Right of Presbyterian Ordination, as set forth in Dr. Chauncy's Sermon, and Mr. Welles's Discourse in Answer to the Exceptions of Mr. Jeremiah Learning " (New Haven, 1767). He was also the author of a poem addressed to his class-mate and friend, Gov. William Livingston, which is prefixed to the latter's "Philosophic Solitude" (New York, 1747).

WELLES, Thomas, governor of Connecticut, b. in England in 1598 ; d. in Wethersfield, Conn., 14 Jan., 1660. ne came to this country before 1636 and settled in Hartford, Conn., where he was magistrate from 1637 till his death. In 1639 he became first treasurer of the colony, and he held that office till 1651. He was secretary of Connecticut in 1640-'8, and was commissioner of the united colonies in 1649 and again in 1654. During the absence of Gov. Edward Hopkins in England in 1654 he was elected moderator of the general court, and in the same year he was chosen deputy governor. In 1655 he was elected governor, but after two years he returned to the office of deputy governor. He was chosen governor for a second time in 1658, and in 1659 again held the office of deputy governor. Gov. Welles possessed the full confidence of the people, and many of the most important of the early laws and papers pertaining to the founding of the colony were drafted by him. The