Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/381

 WELLS

WELSH

WELLS, Lemuel Henry, first missionary bisliop of Spokane and 1C:3(1 in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Yonkers, N.Y., Dec. 3, 1841 ; son of Horace Deming and Mar}' (Barker) Wells ; grandson of Elisha and Clara (Deming) Wells, and of James and Eliza- beth (Halsted) Barker, and a descendant of Gov- ernor Thomas Welles of Connecticut. He mat- riculated at Trinity college, Hartford, Conn., in the class of 18G4, with which class he was afterward enrolled, A.B., honoris causa; served as lieutenant in the 32d regiment of Wisconsin volunteers, 1862-64 ; was graduated from Hobart college, Geneva, N.Y., A.B., 1867, and from Berkeley Divinit}' school, 1869, being admitted to the diaconate in the same year, and advanced to the priesthood in 1871. He was assistant rector in Trinity church. New Haven, Conn., 1869-71 ; missionary in Oregon, 1871-73, and rector of St. Paul's, Walla Walla, Wash., 1873-82, where he was married, in June, 1880, to Henrietta Bright, daugliter of William and Emily Garretson of Tioga, Pa. He %vas rector of St. Luke's, Tacoma, Wash., 1884-89, and of Trinity churcli, Spokane, 1889-92, and was consecrated missionary bishop of Spokane, Dec. 16, 1892, by Bishops Williams, Neeley, and Morris, assisted by Bishops Niles, Lyman, Brewer, Paddock, Walker and Talbot. He received the honoraiy degree of D.D. from Hobart in 1892.

WELLS, Samuel, governor of Maine, was born in Durham, N. H., Aug. 1.5, 1801. He obtained an education through his own efforts ; studied law, and began practice in Maine. He was a representative the state legislature, 1836-37 ; was judge in the supreme court, 1847-o4, and governor of Maine, 1856-57. He died in Boston, Mass., July 15, 1868.

WELLS, William, soldier, was born in Water- bury, Vt., Dec. 14, 1837 ; son of William Well- ington and Eliza (Carpenter) Wells, and a de- scendant of Hugh Wells, who emigrated from Essex, England, in 1635. He attended the acad- emy at Barre, Vt., and at Meriden, N.H., and later entered his father's office. He enlisted as a private in the 1st Vermont cavalry, Oct. 3, 1861, was commissioned 1st lieutenant, October 14, promoted captain, November 18, and served in the Shenandoah Valley under General Banks, being at Strasburg during Jackson's attack at Front Eoyal, May 23-25, 1862. Banks's corps joined Pope's army August 9, as the 2d corps, and his brigade of cavalry under Buford was engaged from Cedar Mountain, Va.,tothe second Bull Run. Wells was promoted major, Oct. 30, 1862, and at Gettysburg was in the 1st brigade (Farns- worth), 3d division (Kilpatrick), and rode beside General Farnsworth in his famous charge at Little Round Top. During the pursuit of Lee's

array he was wounded in two actions, at Boons- boro, Md., July 11, and at Culpeper Court-House Va., Sept. 13, 1863, and participated in Kil- patrick's raid to Riclimond, Feb. 25-March 4, 1864. When the cavalry was reorganized under Sheridan, Wells's regiment was put in the 2d brigade, 3d division (J. H. Wilson), and took part in Sheridan's raid around Lee, fighting at Yellow Tavern, Va., May 11, 1864. Wells com- manded his regiment at Cold Harbor, June 1, and was promoted colonel, June 4, 1864. He fought in Sheridan's Slienandoah campaign, commanding the 2d brigade, 3d division (Custer), at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, and later joined Grant's army. He was brevetted brigadier-gen- eral, Feb. 22, 1865, major-general, March 30, 1865, was for a short time commander of a division, and on May 19, 1865, was promoted brigadier- general of volunteers and assigned to the com- mand of tlie 1st separate brigade of the 2d corps (A. A. Humphreys) and was mustered out Jan, 15, 1866. General Wells was married in January, 1866, to Arahannah Richardson of Fitch burg, Mass. He was a representative in the Vermont legislature, 1865-66, adjutant-general of Vermont, 1866-72, collector of customs for tlie district of Vermont, 1872-85, and state .senator, 1886-87. He died in New York city, April 29, 1892.

WELLS, William Hill, senator, was born in Pennsylvania, about 1760. He engaged in busi- ness in Dagsboro and Millsboro, Del.; was ad- mitted to the bar at Georgetown, and later re- moved to Dover. He was elected U.S. senator from Delaware to fill the place of Joshua Clay- ton, who died in 1798, and served from Feb. 4, 1799, to May 6, 1804, when he resigned. He was re-elected in 1813 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James A, Bayard and served from June 10, 1813, until March 3, 1817, He died in Millsboro, Del., March 11, 1829.

WELSH, John, publicist, was born in Phila- delphia, Pa., Nov. 9, 1805 ; son of John Welsh, He left college without completing the course to enter h»usiness life ; acquired wealth through West India trade, and interested himself in var- ious public enterprises. He was prominent in the Protestant Episcopal church ; was a founder of the Sinking Fund commission ; prominently identified with the sanitary commission during the civil war, and in 1864 was chairman of the executive committee that raised $1,500,000 for the use of the fair in Philadelphia. He was chairman of the board of finances of the Cen- tennial exhibition, serving, 187-3-77, and in recog- nition of his services was presented with a gold medal and ,$30,000 with which he endowed a chair of history and English literature in the University of Pennsylvania. He was U.S. min- ister to England, 1877-79 ; a trustee of the Uni-