Daniel H. Wells
Encyclopedia
Daniel Hanmer Wells was an apostle
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the third mayor of Salt Lake City
, Utah Territory
, United States
.
Wells was born in Trenton
, New York
, a member of the sixth generation of his family in America. His original immigrant ancestor was Thomas Welles
(1590–1659), who arrived in Massachusetts in 1635 and was the only man in Connecticut's history to hold all four top offices: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. A few years after the death of his father in 1826, Wells left New York with his mother Catherine Chapin Wells and his younger sister Catherine C. Wells and moved to Illinois.
Wells arrived in Hancock County, Illinois
in 1835. He lived in Commerce—later Nauvoo
—Illinois
and was a major landowner and justice of the peace there for several years prior to the arrival of large numbers of Latter Day Saints in 1839.
Although not a member of the Latter Day Saints, Wells was considered by opponents of the church to be a "Jack Mormon
", a term originally applied to non-members who were friendly to or defended the Latter Day Saints. In Nauvoo he served on the city council and as a judge. Wells was not baptized
into the LDS Church until August 9, 1846. He emigrated to Utah with the Mormon pioneers in 1848.
Mobs invaded Nauvoo after the assassination of church founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Wells defended the city and fought as a Lieutenant General of the Nauvoo Legion
, and also provided shelter for evacuees. Wells traveled west with the Mormon pioneers and helped settle the Salt Lake Valley
.
Well respected for his integrity and loyal service, he was elected Attorney General of State of Deseret
in 1849. When Jedediah M. Grant
died in 1856, Wells was ordained an apostle of the LDS Church and set apart
as Second Counselor to Brigham Young
in the First Presidency
of the church. Although serving as an apostle, Wells was never sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Upon Young's death in 1877, Wells was sustained as a Counselor to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a position he held until his death.
On behalf of Brigham Young, Wells dedicated the St. George Utah Temple
on April 6, 1877. From 1888 to 1891, he was the first president
of the Manti Utah Temple
.
From 1848 until 1863 Wells was superintendent of public works for the LDS Church and presided over the continuing construction of the Salt Lake Temple (completed 1893) and the Tabernacle (completed 1867). In 1866, Wells was elected mayor
of Salt Lake City as a member of the newly formed People's Party
and re-elected in both 1872 and 1874. In 1871 he was arrested by U.S. marshals on charges related to polygamy
. Wells served twice as president of the European Mission of the LDS Church, first in 1864-5 and again in 1884-7.
Wells married Eliza Rebecca Robison in 1837 and with her had one son Albert Emory Wells. His wife refused to accompany Wells to Utah in 1848 and later divorced him. Between 1849 and 1852, Wells married six additional wives: Louisa Free, with whom he had eight children; Martha Givens Harris, with whom he had seven children, Lydia Ann Alley, with whom he had six children; Susan Hannah Alley, with whom he had four children; Hannah Corilla Free, with whom he had eight children; and Emmeline Belos Woodward, with whom he had three children. Louisa Free, Hannah Free and Emmeline Woodward were all previously married and divorced or widowed. Each had one or more children whom Wells adopted and reared as his own.
In 1852, Wells married his seventh wife, future Relief Society
General President Emmeline B. Wells
. She bore him three daughters.
Wells died in Salt Lake City at the age of 76 and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
. Wells' son by his wife Martha G. Harris, Heber Manning Wells
, was the first governor of the state of Utah
, serving from 1896 to 1905.
Apostle (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, an Apostle is a "special witness of the name of Jesus Christ who is sent to teach the principles of salvation to others." In many Latter Day Saint churches, an Apostle is a priesthood office of high authority within the church hierarchy. In many churches, apostles...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and the third mayor of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Wells was born in Trenton
Trenton, New York
----Trenton is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 4,670 at the 2000 census. The town is reportedly named after Trenton, New Jersey.- History :...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, a member of the sixth generation of his family in America. His original immigrant ancestor was Thomas Welles
Thomas Welles
Thomas Welles is the only man in Connecticut's history to hold all four top offices: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. In 1639, he was elected as the first treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut, and from 1640–1649 served as the colony's secretary...
(1590–1659), who arrived in Massachusetts in 1635 and was the only man in Connecticut's history to hold all four top offices: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. A few years after the death of his father in 1826, Wells left New York with his mother Catherine Chapin Wells and his younger sister Catherine C. Wells and moved to Illinois.
Wells arrived in Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its county seat is Carthage. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest...
in 1835. He lived in Commerce—later Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
—Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and was a major landowner and justice of the peace there for several years prior to the arrival of large numbers of Latter Day Saints in 1839.
Although not a member of the Latter Day Saints, Wells was considered by opponents of the church to be a "Jack Mormon
Jack Mormon
The term Jack Mormon is a slang term originating in nineteenth-century America. It was originally used to describe a person who was not a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but who was friendly to Church members and Mormonism, sympathized with them, and/or took an...
", a term originally applied to non-members who were friendly to or defended the Latter Day Saints. In Nauvoo he served on the city council and as a judge. Wells was not baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
into the LDS Church until August 9, 1846. He emigrated to Utah with the Mormon pioneers in 1848.
Mobs invaded Nauvoo after the assassination of church founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Wells defended the city and fought as a Lieutenant General of the Nauvoo Legion
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
, and also provided shelter for evacuees. Wells traveled west with the Mormon pioneers and helped settle the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
.
Well respected for his integrity and loyal service, he was elected Attorney General of State of Deseret
State of Deseret
The State of Deseret was a proposed state of the United States, propositioned in 1849 by Latter-day Saint settlers in Salt Lake City. The provisional state existed for slightly over two years and was never recognized by the United States government...
in 1849. When Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah M. Grant
Jedediah Morgan Grant was a leader and an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was member of the First Council of the Seventy from 1845 to 1854. He also served in the First Presidency under Church President Brigham Young from 1854 to 1856...
died in 1856, Wells was ordained an apostle of the LDS Church and set apart
Setting apart
Setting apart is an ordinance or ritual in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whereby a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church....
as Second Counselor to Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
in the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
of the church. Although serving as an apostle, Wells was never sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Upon Young's death in 1877, Wells was sustained as a Counselor to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a position he held until his death.
On behalf of Brigham Young, Wells dedicated the St. George Utah Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
on April 6, 1877. From 1888 to 1891, he was the first president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Manti Utah Temple
Manti Utah Temple
The Manti Utah Temple is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third LDS temple built west of the Mississippi River after the Mormons' great trek westward. The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple)...
.
From 1848 until 1863 Wells was superintendent of public works for the LDS Church and presided over the continuing construction of the Salt Lake Temple (completed 1893) and the Tabernacle (completed 1867). In 1866, Wells was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Salt Lake City as a member of the newly formed People's Party
People's Party (Utah)
The People's Party was a political party in Utah Territory during the late 19th century. It was backed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its newspaper, the Deseret News. It opposed Utah's Liberal Party.- Beginnings :...
and re-elected in both 1872 and 1874. In 1871 he was arrested by U.S. marshals on charges related to polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. Wells served twice as president of the European Mission of the LDS Church, first in 1864-5 and again in 1884-7.
Wells married Eliza Rebecca Robison in 1837 and with her had one son Albert Emory Wells. His wife refused to accompany Wells to Utah in 1848 and later divorced him. Between 1849 and 1852, Wells married six additional wives: Louisa Free, with whom he had eight children; Martha Givens Harris, with whom he had seven children, Lydia Ann Alley, with whom he had six children; Susan Hannah Alley, with whom he had four children; Hannah Corilla Free, with whom he had eight children; and Emmeline Belos Woodward, with whom he had three children. Louisa Free, Hannah Free and Emmeline Woodward were all previously married and divorced or widowed. Each had one or more children whom Wells adopted and reared as his own.
In 1852, Wells married his seventh wife, future Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
General President Emmeline B. Wells
Emmeline B. Wells
Emmeline Blanche Woodward Harris Whitney Wells was an American journalist, editor, poet, women's rights advocate and diarist...
. She bore him three daughters.
Wells died in Salt Lake City at the age of 76 and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
. Wells' son by his wife Martha G. Harris, Heber Manning Wells
Heber Manning Wells
Heber Manning Wells was an American politician and the first Governor of the State of Utah. Utah gained statehood January 4, 1896; Wells served as governor from January 6, 1896 until January 2, 1905.-Biography:...
, was the first governor of the state of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, serving from 1896 to 1905.