Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/708

 624 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI maiiageiueiit of his drug store. He has been in practice in southeastern Missouri for thirty-seven years, much of the time in Cape Girardeau. He is naturally known all over the state by his professional brethren and his office, at 701) Broadway, is visited by physi- cians from all over the two counties. We sometimes feel that a man has mistaken his calling in life, that he would have made more of a success in some other position. That is not the ease with Dr. Finney; one feels that he is a perfect success as a physician and he would not have done his best work in any other profession. Francis Marion Wells. There is no finer satisfaction in life than to look back, when success has come, and see that achievement has been wrought, not on the foundation of the fortunes of one's forebears, but upon the firmer basis of innate progressiveness, perse- verance and courage undaunted in the face of all obstacles. Such is the satisfaction that F. iI. Wells, the well-known banker of IMar- ble Hill, nuist take, when still in the prime of life, when he glances back over his note- worthy career of sixty years. Mr. Wells was l)orn in those days of clouded premonition, when the Missouri Compromise and its attendant circumstances had already split the country into the North and the South, January 6, 1850, in Bradley county, in eastern Tennessee. He was the son of Eli and Mary (Brandon) Wells, the former a native of the Big Bend state and the latter a descendant of Colonial stock, born near Rome, Georgia. The parents lived upon their farm, and there followed the great basic industj-y of agriculture. In 1858 the father brought his generous family of eleven children to Stoddard county, ]Iissouri. Of the seventeen children born, six had deceased in Tennessee. Eli Wells had made an early venture in the mercantile business, but re- verses in that field had necessitated a second choice, and he selected farming, being en- gag'ed first on the farm of his brother James, w'ell-known as a successful agriculturist. On the 2d of April, 1863, occurred the death of Eli Wells, and a large family was left to carve out its own fortunes without the guidance or assistance of a father. Francis llarion was then thirteen, and during the remainder of the war period, he being the oldest lioy at home, upon his sturdy boy 's shouldei-s rested the responsibility of the support of the large family. Two of the older boys were off at the war following the Union flag, while Francis Marion and a younger brother, by renting a farm, were cheerfully performing the tasks of farm labor and keeping the family together until peace should he declared and the older boys return. Of such stuff are men made, those early chapters but foretell the spirit of his later life. After farming in Stoddard county and in Scott county, Mr. Wells came to Bollinger, where after farming for a year he entered the general merchandise store of Bollinger and Slinkard, located at Bollinger's JMill (now Zalma) in the capacity of clerk, and he made no change in his position for five years. On March 24, 1874, Mr. Wells was united in marriage to iliss Rachel C. Bollinger, daughter of Joel and Ann Elizabeth Bollinger, stanch pioneers of the region. ]Ir. and Mrs. Wells became the parents of two children. Francis R., born in January, 1875, died in early infancy, and Charles A., born June 1, 1877, is now a prominent physician, with a flourishing practice, at Pascola, Pemiscot county, ilissouri, in which place he has re- sided for twelve years. In 1877 iIr. Wells, through an appointment by the county court, became collector to fill the unexpired term of ilr. Hopkins. He served two years, and then was elected to the same office for three con- secutive terms, a speaking comment of the efficient and honorable service rendered by IIr. Wells. In 1885 ilr. Wells opened mercantile es- tablishments at Lutesville and iMarble Hill. On :Iarch 10, 1886, Mrs. Wells was called to the Great Beyond, leaving her husband with her little son Charles, then a child of nine. For three years, from 1887 until 1889, Mr. Wells was interested in the handling of live stock, and managed a large trading business in the same, carrying on exten.sive opera- tions thi'oughout southeastern Missouri. In 1889 the governor of Missouri selected him to fill the unexpired term of county clerk, and in 1890 the citizenship of the county, mindful of the record of Jlr. Wells as county collector, again elected him to public office, and for six years he was county clerk of Bol- linger county, and no man has ever held the office with more general satisfaction to the community. In 1906 he was elected presid- ing Judge of the County Court, serving four