Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/378

 WELLS

WELLS

Record- Ihrall. In 1892 lie locate.! the landins of Columbus on Watling (San Salvador) Island, Biihanuis. and marked the spot with a monument; led an expedition to the Arctic regions in 1894, rejiching SP latitude, nortlioast of Spitzbergon, and a second expedition to Franz Josef Land. 1898- 99. discovering many new islands. After liis re- turn, he resumed liis work as a journalistat Wasli- ington, D.C. His addresses include papers be- fore the British AssotMation for the Advancement of Scienc. the National Geographic society, the Arctic club, and lectures on Arctic exploration, life in Washington, and modern Ireland. He contributed articles on Arctic, political and gen- eral topics to geographic and other publications.

WELLS, Carolyn, was born in Railway, N.J., daughter of William Edmund and Anna (W^ood- rulf) Wells; granddaugliter of James and Sally (Farrington) Wells and of Jacob and Joanna (Potter) Woodruff, and a descendant of Gov. Thomas Welles, an early governor of Con- necticut, who came over as private secretaiy to L<inl Saye and Sele. She began literary woi'k in 189.'). and her publications include: At the Sign of the Sphinx (1896); The Jingle Book (1899); The Story of Betty (1899); Idle Idyls (1900); Patty Fairfield (1901); Merry-Go-Round (1901); Folly in Fairyland (1901); Folly in the Forest (1902); Pete and Polly (1902); Children of Our Town (1902); Abeniki Caldwell (1902); Eight Girls and a Dog (1902); Trotty's Trip (1902); Mother Goose's Menagerie (1902); ^4 Phenomenal Fauna (1902); A Xonsense Anthology (1902); and numerous contributions, chiefly of a humorous nature, to current periodicals.

WELLS, Catharine Boott (Gannett), author, w.-us born in London. England, in 1S;5S; daughter of the Rev. Ezra Stiles Gannett (q.v. ) and Anna Lougee (Tilden) Gannett. She was educated in B )ston, at George B. Emerson's and Professor Agassiz's private schools, and was married in 180:5 to Samuel, son of Samuel and Ann (Apple- ton) Wells. She was a director of the American Unitarian association for many years, and of the Massachusetts State Board of Education; was connected as chairman, president and director with many of the Boston philanthropies, and with her brother, the Rev. William C. Gannett, organize*! " The Country Wt-ek," the first large organizjition in this country for outdoor recrea- tion for poor children. Subsequently, she was one of the leaders in the city plaj'ground move- ments, and served as chairman of the committee on " Charlesbank," one of the jmblic i)arks with an outdoor gymna.sium, from its opening to the puh)lic. As Kate Gannett Wells, she is the autlior of: 7/1 the Clraringx; Mist Curtis: Two Modern Women; About People; essays; articles on normal methods, and Sunday School manuals of ethics.

WELLS, Clark Henry, naval officer, was born in Reading, Pa., Sept. 22, 1822. He was ap- pointed a midshipman in the U.S. navy in 1840, and after serving on sea duty, entered the U.S. Naval academy in 1845. He was graduated in 1846; advanced to passed midshipman, July 11, 1846, and during the war with Mexico, served in the Sotners and the Petrel, participating in the bombardment of Vera Cruz, and the capture of Tampico and Tuspan. He was commissioned master, March 1, 1855; advanced to lieutenant, Sept. 14, 1855, and .served on the Niagara, laying the first cable in 1857. In 1861 he became ex- ecutive officer on the Susquehanna, Captain J. S. Chauncey, and under Flag-Otficer Stringham, engaged in the early coast operations in North Carolina, participating in the capture of Hatteras Island. He was under Du Pont in the Port Royal expedition, and during the attack on Hiiton Head, Nov. 7, 1861, his boat lield the second position in the main line, and was of- ficiallj- commended by Du Pont for the firing of its batteries. He was later transferred to the Vandalia, doing blockade duty at Warsaw Sound and at Charleston S.C.; was promoted lieu- tenant-commander, July 16, 1862, and served at the Philadelphia navy yard in 1863. He was given command of the Galena, of the Western Gulf blockading squadron under Farragut. and in tiie passage of the forts, his boat was the port boat of the last pair. During the passage his consort, the O leida, Commander Mullaney, suf- fered more severely than any other boat of the fleet; one shell exploding in her boiler, anotlier cutting the wheel-ropes and a third disabling the forward pivot-guu, but Wells carried her into jNIobile Bay. He served in the Eastern Gulf squadron, and later under Porter at Hampton Roads. While serving on the Brazil station, he assisted a stranded British gunboat and a British merchant-vessel, for which he received a letter of thanks from the British government. He was promoted commander, July 25, 1866; captain, June 19, 1871, and by act of congres, March 3, 1875, was authorized to accept the decoration of the Legion of Ilcjiior, which President Thiers con- ferred upon him for assistance rendered to the French ironclad Compt de Verde at Spezia. He was promoted commodore, Jan. 22. 1880; rear- admiral, Aug. 1, 1884, and retired, Sept. 22, 1884. He died in Washington, D.C, Jan. 28, 1888.

WELLS, David Ames, economist, was born in Si)ringlield, ^lass., June 17, 1828;a de.scendant of Thomas W^ells (q.v.). He was graduated at W^illiams, A.B., 1847, A.M., 1850; became an as- sistant editor on the Springfield Rejyublican in 1848. and at that time devised a machine for folding printed .sheets as they leave the press. Selling his interest in this invention, lie enteie<l