James Madison Wells
Encyclopedia
James Madison Wells was elected the 20th Governor of Louisiana during Reconstruction.
, Louisiana, on January 8, 1808, Wells' father was Samuel Levi Wells, II, a member of the constitutional convention in 1811. His mother was the former Dorcas Huie. A brother, Thomas Jefferson Wells, was involved in Louisiana politics. Samuel Wells died when James was 8, leaving eight children. He was a nephew by marriage of Alexander Fulton
, the businessman who founded and laid out the plat of the future city of Alexandria in 1805.
Wells was educated at St. Joseph’s College in Bardstown
, south of Louisville
, Kentucky
, Partridges Academy, Middletown, Connecticut
, and Cincinnati Law School, having then returned to Louisiana in 1829 to manage several of his family's plantations.
. Wells was appointed Sheriff
of Rapides Parish in 1840 by Governor Andre B. Roman
. Wells was an active Whig
and a large slave holder. Eventually, as the Whig Party collapsed in the 1850s, Wells became a Democrat
. His brother, Thomas Jefferson Wells was the Whig nominee for Governor in 1859 against eventual winner Thomas Overton Moore
.
In 1860, he supported Stephen A. Douglas
, the Northern Democratic candidate for president and was an ardent supporter of the Union. For that, he was criticized by his neighbors and his brother. During the Civil War
, Wells was arrested by Confederate officials for his Union sympathies. By 1864 Union troops control all or part of 17 parishes in South Louisiana. Wells formed the Unconditional Union Club of West Louisiana. He was nominated by both radicals such as Benjamin Flanders
and moderates such as Michael Hahn
to be Lt. Governor. Although progressive, he retained a conservative opposition to rights for African-Americans.
Wells thereafter came into conflict with the federal military authority under General General Nathaniel Banks
. He supported Hugh Kennedy
as New Orleans mayor and appointed numerous former Confederate officers to state and local offices. He recommended dismantling public education and using only taxes from blacks to pay for freedmen’s schools. Wells also wanted to build new levee
s, a new capitol building and a state penitentiary, but the legislature balked at his proposals.
His advocacy of black suffrage caused political unrest and riots which led to his unseating. On July 30, 1866, riots erupted over actions taken under the Constitutional Convention of 1864. Governor Wells did little to prevent violence and General Sheridan held him responsible. General Sheridan removed him from office on June 3, 1867 for the riots and for failing to implement reforms regarding freedmen.
President Ulysses S. Grant
’s re-election. During the 1870s Wells returned to politics as a scalawag
and was known by opponents as "Mad Wells". In 1873, he was appointed chairman of the State Returning Board, which was responsible for determining the legality of ballots and for discarding fraudulent votes. In this, Wells helped Republicans gain a slight edge in elections. He was consequently appointed Surveyor of the Port of New Orleans (Customs) from 1874 to 1880.
He died on February 28, 1899, at his residence in Rapides Parish.
Early life
Born near AlexandriaAlexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, Louisiana, on January 8, 1808, Wells' father was Samuel Levi Wells, II, a member of the constitutional convention in 1811. His mother was the former Dorcas Huie. A brother, Thomas Jefferson Wells, was involved in Louisiana politics. Samuel Wells died when James was 8, leaving eight children. He was a nephew by marriage of Alexander Fulton
Alexander Fulton (Louisiana)
Alexander Fulton was a merchant, planter, and local politician originally from Washington, near Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, who in 1805 founded the city of Alexandria, Louisiana, which he named for himself....
, the businessman who founded and laid out the plat of the future city of Alexandria in 1805.
Wells was educated at St. Joseph’s College in Bardstown
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, south of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Partridges Academy, Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
, and Cincinnati Law School, having then returned to Louisiana in 1829 to manage several of his family's plantations.
Political activities
In 1833, Wells married 15 year old Mary Ann Scott; together they had 14 children. Wells inherited a substantial estate and he controlled a large cotton plantation near Alexandria, a sugar plantation on Bayou Huffpauer in Avoyelles Parish and a large summer home Jessamine Hill near Lecompte, LouisianaLecompte, Louisiana
Lecompte is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,366 at the 2000 census....
. Wells was appointed Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Rapides Parish in 1840 by Governor Andre B. Roman
Andre B. Roman
Andre Bienvenue Roman was Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the ninth Governor of Louisiana.-Early years:...
. Wells was an active Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
and a large slave holder. Eventually, as the Whig Party collapsed in the 1850s, Wells became a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. His brother, Thomas Jefferson Wells was the Whig nominee for Governor in 1859 against eventual winner Thomas Overton Moore
Thomas Overton Moore
Thomas Overton Moore was an attorney and politician who was the 16th Governor of Louisiana from 1860 until 1864 during the American Civil War.-Early years:...
.
In 1860, he supported Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, the Northern Democratic candidate for president and was an ardent supporter of the Union. For that, he was criticized by his neighbors and his brother. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Wells was arrested by Confederate officials for his Union sympathies. By 1864 Union troops control all or part of 17 parishes in South Louisiana. Wells formed the Unconditional Union Club of West Louisiana. He was nominated by both radicals such as Benjamin Flanders
Benjamin Flanders
Benjamin Franklin Flanders was appointed the 21st Governor of Louisiana during Reconstruction and was Mayor of New Orleans.-Early life:...
and moderates such as Michael Hahn
Michael Hahn
George Michael Hahn was the 19th Governor of Louisiana, Congressman, United States Senator during Reconstruction and after.-Early life:...
to be Lt. Governor. Although progressive, he retained a conservative opposition to rights for African-Americans.
Statewide office
On March 4, 1864, Wells became Lt. Governor under Governor Michael Hahn. He supported compensated emancipation for former slaves at the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1864. One year later on March 4, 1865, Wells was inaugurated as Governor when Michael Hahn resigned to become a United States Senator. In November, 1865, a special election was held under the Reconstruction government, and Governor Wells running as a Democrat defeated former Governor Henry W. Allen (who was in Mexico) by 22,312 votes to 5,497. As governor, Wells restored political power to the old guard and removed the radicals from office. The New Orleans police helped him to implement the removal orders, and for a brief time, the power of the radicals was curtailed.Wells thereafter came into conflict with the federal military authority under General General Nathaniel Banks
Nathaniel Prentice Banks
Nathaniel Prentice Banks was an American politician and soldier, served as the 24th Governor of Massachusetts, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a Union general during the American Civil War....
. He supported Hugh Kennedy
Hugh Kennedy
Hugh Kennedy was the only Attorney-General of Southern Ireland and the first Attorney-General of the Irish Free State, and later the first Chief Justice of the Irish Free State. As a member of the Irish Free State Constitution Commission, he was also one of the constitutional architects of the...
as New Orleans mayor and appointed numerous former Confederate officers to state and local offices. He recommended dismantling public education and using only taxes from blacks to pay for freedmen’s schools. Wells also wanted to build new levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
s, a new capitol building and a state penitentiary, but the legislature balked at his proposals.
His advocacy of black suffrage caused political unrest and riots which led to his unseating. On July 30, 1866, riots erupted over actions taken under the Constitutional Convention of 1864. Governor Wells did little to prevent violence and General Sheridan held him responsible. General Sheridan removed him from office on June 3, 1867 for the riots and for failing to implement reforms regarding freedmen.
Later years
After being removed as Governor, Wells went home to Rapides Parish. In 1872 he supported RepublicanRepublican 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...
President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
’s re-election. During the 1870s Wells returned to politics as a scalawag
Scalawag
In United States history, scalawag was a derogatory nickname for southern whites who supported Reconstruction following the Civil War.-History:...
and was known by opponents as "Mad Wells". In 1873, he was appointed chairman of the State Returning Board, which was responsible for determining the legality of ballots and for discarding fraudulent votes. In this, Wells helped Republicans gain a slight edge in elections. He was consequently appointed Surveyor of the Port of New Orleans (Customs) from 1874 to 1880.
He died on February 28, 1899, at his residence in Rapides Parish.
Sources
- Walter M. LowreyWalter M. LowreyWalter M. Lowrey was an historian affiliated with Centenary College, a Methodist-institution in Shreveport, Louisiana, who was also a founding member of the Louisiana Historical Association....
, "The Political Career of James Madison Wells,", Louisiana Historical Quarterly, 31 (October, 1948), pp. 995-1,123, Louisiana Historical AssociationLouisiana Historical AssociationThe Louisiana Historical Association is an organization of professional historians and interested laypersons dedicated to the preservation, publication, and dissemination of the history of the U.S. state of Louisiana, with particular emphasis at the inception on territorial, statehood, and the...
.
External links
- State of Louisiana -Biography
- Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries