George H. Wells

George H. Wells (September 1, 1833 - February 1, 1905) was a Northern-born officer in the Army of the Confederate States of America and an attorney and Democratic politician in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Wells was born in Schenectady, New York, to Joel Wells and the former Susan Bellows. He was educted in the Schenectady public schools. During the American Civil War, Wells enlisted as a private in Company G of the Eleventh Louisiana Infantry. He was promoted to sergeant major and then lieutenant. He joined Shelly's Battalion when the Eleventh Infantry was mustered out. He then united with the Houston Battalion as a major.

Wells was twice married. In May 1861, Wells wed the former Ellen C. Lewis of Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The marriage produced five daughters and two sons. He later married the former Jessie Barden of Lake Charles, the seat of Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, where he resided for the majority of his adult life.

Prior to the Civil War, Wells served as district attorney in Catahoula Parish in eastern Louisiana. After the war, he settled in Lake Charles to practice law. In 1878, he was elected to the Louisiana State Senate from the district composed of Calcasieu, Cameron, Vermilion, and St. Mary parishes. He served only until 1880. Two senators then represented the four parishes, one being the later Governor and U.S. Senator Murphy J. Foster, the grandfather of future Louisiana Republican Governor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., of St. Mary Parish.

Wells was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was also a Mason and a district deputy grand master of the lodge. He died in Lake Charles and is interred there in Orange Grove Cemetery.

References

* "George H. Wells", "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography", Vol. 2 (1988), p. 832
* William Henry Perrin, "Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical (1891 and 1971 reprint)
* Wells obituary, "Lake Charles American Press", March 3, 1905