Edmund W. Wells
Encyclopedia
Edmund William Wells was an American
jurist
, businessman, and politician
. Known as "Arizona's first millionaire", he was considered the richest man in Arizona
during his attempt to be elected Governor. He served as Attorney General for Arizona Territory
before being appointed as a judge. He also served as a member of Arizona's constitutional convention.
. In 1852, his family moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa
where he attended public schools. Following his mother's death when he was sixteen, Wells and his father traveled to Pike's Peak Country
to prospect for gold. Failing to find riches, the pair moved south and arrived in Prescott, Arizona Territory
on July 6, 1864.
The senior Wells was appointed alcalde
by Governor John N. Goodwin while the younger Wells worked a series of clerk positions. The list of clerking positions included work for the 1st
and 2nd territorial legislatures
, the U.S. Army, Chief Justice William F. Turner, and the county board of supervisors. In 1870, Wells was elected county recorder and he also served as United States commissioner from 1871 to 1875.
Wells married Rosiland Gertrude Banghart on October 5, 1869. The couple had six children, one who died in childhood. As a result of the marriage, Wells became the brother-in-law to newspaperman John H. Marion and to Governor Oakes Murphy
. The Wells were founding members of Prescott's First Church of Christ, Science.
county attorney
. The year also saw Wells form a law partnership with John A. Rush. The law practice operated until 1887 when Wells developed eye problems forcing him to get rest. As a result of the eye problems, he dissolved his law practice with Rush and effectively stopped practicing law.
In addition to his legal practice, Wells developed interests in cattle ranching, mining, and real estate. In 1882 he purchased a portion of the Bank of Arizona, a firm he served as vice president of from 1883 till 1911 and as president from 1911 till 1928. The growth of these business interests were such that Wells was occasionally called "Arizona's first millionaire" and by the time the territory gained statehood he was believed to be the richest man in Arizona.
In 1879, Wells was elected as a member of the Council (upper house
) in the 10th Arizona Territorial Legislature
. He earned a second term on the Council in 1883 when he was elected to the 12th Arizona Territorial Legislature. During the administration of President Chester A. Arthur
, Wells was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney. In 1887, he served on commission that helped revise territorial statutes.
and his nomination was supported by U.S. Senator
William B. Allison
of Iowa
, Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen J. Field, Arizona Territorial Governors Richard C. McCormick, Anson P. K. Safford, and Lewis Wolfley
, Arizona Territorial Justices Charles G. W. French and William W. Porter, Arizona Territorial Secretary John J. Gosper
, and Oakes Murphy
. His district covered Apache
, Coconino
, Mohave
, and Yavapai
counties.
During his service as a judge, Wells ruled on about a dozen cases that were recording in Arizona Reports. Among his rulings was the finding in Yavapai County v. O'Neill, 3 Arizona 363, (1892), that Sheriff Buckey O'Neill did not have to make an arrest to receive mileage expenses but merely had to make a good faith effort to effect one. In Reilly v. Atchison, 4 Arizona 72, (1892), the judge upheld an appellate court ruling stating that an attorney's claim that an error was located between page 13 through 18 of a transcript was not specific enough to show that said error existed. Wells submitted his resignation on March 6, 1893 claiming "business matters require my attention" and asking for a replacement to be quickly appointed.
, a position he held from August 2, 1902 to November 14, 1904. In 1910, he was chosen to represent Yavapai county in Arizona's constitutional convention
. At the beginning of the convention, Wells was nominated by fellow republicans to be President of the convention but failed to gain the position. He instead worked on the Committee on Style, Revision, and Compilation assisting the committee chairman, Michael Cunniff, with final wording of the constitution. Despite having worked on it extensively, at the end of the convention Wells refused to sign due to what he viewed as radical features in the final document
.
When elections were called, Wells received the Republican
nomination to be Arizona's first state Governor. He was then defeated on December 12, 1911 by George W. P. Hunt with a 11,123 to 9,166 vote differential. From 1918 to 1925, Wells served as a regent
for the University of Arizona
.
After retiring from his position at the Bank of Arizona, Wells wrote Argonaut Tales, a book about his early experiences, and donated the book royalties to the Prescott chapter of the Boy Scouts
. His wife died on May 14, 1922 and he lived with one of his children in Phoenix
before moving to San Diego, California
to live with another of his children. Wells died in San Diego on July 4, 1938 and was entombed in his family mausoleum at Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
, businessman, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Known as "Arizona's first millionaire", he was considered the richest man in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
during his attempt to be elected Governor. He served as Attorney General for Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
before being appointed as a judge. He also served as a member of Arizona's constitutional convention.
Background
Wells was born to Edmund William and May Louise (Arnold) Wells on February 14, 1846 near Lancaster, OhioLancaster, Ohio
Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,780. It is located near the Hocking River, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fairfield County...
. In 1852, his family moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
where he attended public schools. Following his mother's death when he was sixteen, Wells and his father traveled to Pike's Peak Country
Pike's Peak Country
Pike's Peak Country was the name given to the gold mining region of the western United States near Pikes Peak during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858-1861...
to prospect for gold. Failing to find riches, the pair moved south and arrived in Prescott, Arizona Territory
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
on July 6, 1864.
The senior Wells was appointed alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
by Governor John N. Goodwin while the younger Wells worked a series of clerk positions. The list of clerking positions included work for the 1st
1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 1st Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which began on September 26, 1864, in Prescott, Arizona, and ran for forty-three days...
and 2nd territorial legislatures
2nd Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 2nd Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which began on December 6, 1865, in Prescott, Arizona, and ran for 24 days...
, the U.S. Army, Chief Justice William F. Turner, and the county board of supervisors. In 1870, Wells was elected county recorder and he also served as United States commissioner from 1871 to 1875.
Wells married Rosiland Gertrude Banghart on October 5, 1869. The couple had six children, one who died in childhood. As a result of the marriage, Wells became the brother-in-law to newspaperman John H. Marion and to Governor Oakes Murphy
Oakes Murphy
Nathan Oakes Murphy was the fourteenth Governor of Arizona Territory.Born in Jefferson, Maine, Murphy attended the public schools.He taught school in Wisconsin....
. The Wells were founding members of Prescott's First Church of Christ, Science.
Early career
Wells was admitted to the bar in 1873, having studied the law under Justice Turner. This was followed in 1875 with his election as YavapaiYavapai County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
county attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
. The year also saw Wells form a law partnership with John A. Rush. The law practice operated until 1887 when Wells developed eye problems forcing him to get rest. As a result of the eye problems, he dissolved his law practice with Rush and effectively stopped practicing law.
In addition to his legal practice, Wells developed interests in cattle ranching, mining, and real estate. In 1882 he purchased a portion of the Bank of Arizona, a firm he served as vice president of from 1883 till 1911 and as president from 1911 till 1928. The growth of these business interests were such that Wells was occasionally called "Arizona's first millionaire" and by the time the territory gained statehood he was believed to be the richest man in Arizona.
In 1879, Wells was elected as a member of the Council (upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
) in the 10th Arizona Territorial Legislature
10th Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 10th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which convened on January 6, 1879, in Prescott, Arizona Territory....
. He earned a second term on the Council in 1883 when he was elected to the 12th Arizona Territorial Legislature. During the administration of President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
, Wells was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney. In 1887, he served on commission that helped revise territorial statutes.
Associate justice
Wells began his service as an Associate Justice to the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court on March 6, 1891. He was appointed to the newly created 4th district by President Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
and his nomination was supported by U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
William B. Allison
William B. Allison
William Boyd Allison was an early leader of the Iowa Republican Party, who represented northeastern Iowa for four consecutive terms in the U.S. House before representing his state for six consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate...
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen J. Field, Arizona Territorial Governors Richard C. McCormick, Anson P. K. Safford, and Lewis Wolfley
Lewis Wolfley
Lewis Wolfley was an American civil engineer who served as the eighth Governor of Arizona Territory. He is commonly regarded as the first territorial governor to be a resident of Arizona at the time of his appointment and was the only bachelor to hold the position.Wolfley's political career was...
, Arizona Territorial Justices Charles G. W. French and William W. Porter, Arizona Territorial Secretary John J. Gosper
John J. Gosper
John Jay Gosper was an American politician and businessman who served as Secretary of State of Nebraska and Secretary of Arizona Territory. Much of his service in Arizona was spent as Acting Governor due to Governor Frémont's virtual abandonment of his post.During the American Civil War, Gosper...
, and Oakes Murphy
Oakes Murphy
Nathan Oakes Murphy was the fourteenth Governor of Arizona Territory.Born in Jefferson, Maine, Murphy attended the public schools.He taught school in Wisconsin....
. His district covered Apache
Apache County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*23.3% White*0.2% Black*72.9% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.0% Two or more races*1.3% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Coconino
Coconino County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*61.7% White*1.2% Black*27.3% Native American*1.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*5.2% Other races*13.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Mohave
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
, and Yavapai
Yavapai County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
counties.
During his service as a judge, Wells ruled on about a dozen cases that were recording in Arizona Reports. Among his rulings was the finding in Yavapai County v. O'Neill, 3 Arizona 363, (1892), that Sheriff Buckey O'Neill did not have to make an arrest to receive mileage expenses but merely had to make a good faith effort to effect one. In Reilly v. Atchison, 4 Arizona 72, (1892), the judge upheld an appellate court ruling stating that an attorney's claim that an error was located between page 13 through 18 of a transcript was not specific enough to show that said error existed. Wells submitted his resignation on March 6, 1893 claiming "business matters require my attention" and asking for a replacement to be quickly appointed.
Later life
Following his time on the bench Wells was appointed Attorney General of Arizona Territory by Governor BrodieAlexander Oswald Brodie
Alexander Oswald Brodie was an American military officer and engineer. Earning his initial reputation during the Indian wars, he came to prominence for his service with the Rough Riders during the Spanish–American War...
, a position he held from August 2, 1902 to November 14, 1904. In 1910, he was chosen to represent Yavapai county in Arizona's constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
. At the beginning of the convention, Wells was nominated by fellow republicans to be President of the convention but failed to gain the position. He instead worked on the Committee on Style, Revision, and Compilation assisting the committee chairman, Michael Cunniff, with final wording of the constitution. Despite having worked on it extensively, at the end of the convention Wells refused to sign due to what he viewed as radical features in the final document
Arizona Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Arizona is the governing document and framework for the U.S. state of Arizona. The current constitution is the first and only adopted by the state of Arizona.-History:...
.
When elections were called, Wells received the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination to be Arizona's first state Governor. He was then defeated on December 12, 1911 by George W. P. Hunt with a 11,123 to 9,166 vote differential. From 1918 to 1925, Wells served as a regent
Arizona Board of Regents
The Arizona Board of Regents is the governing body of Arizona's public university system, providing policy guidance to Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona and their branch campuses.-Organization:...
for the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
After retiring from his position at the Bank of Arizona, Wells wrote Argonaut Tales, a book about his early experiences, and donated the book royalties to the Prescott chapter of the Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
. His wife died on May 14, 1922 and he lived with one of his children in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
before moving to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
to live with another of his children. Wells died in San Diego on July 4, 1938 and was entombed in his family mausoleum at Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.