C. W. [Charles William] Wells (1841-1893) was the son of G. L. B. "Benjamin" and Jane Ann (Wadhams) Wells. Benajmin Wells (1802-1889) moved his family to the AuSable River in Essex County (N.Y.) where he served as a deacon of the Congregational Church and Post Master. Jane, C. W.'s mother, (1804-1885) was from Vermont. She married Benjamin in 1826 and together they had at least six children. C. W. grew up his parents' farm and attended school locally and in Rutland (Vt.). He worked as a clerk before enlisting as a private in Company K of the 118th New York Volunteer Infantry. During the war C. W. was promoted for merit and gallantry, eventually being mustered out in 1865 as a Major. After the war, C. W. moved to Saginaw (Mich.) in 1867 where he engaged in the lumberman's supply business of Northrup, Wells & Company, which supplied lumber camps and villages with groceries, fodder, tools, and general merchandise. He was extremely successful and became a wealthy merchant and businessman associated with numberous other business dealing with land and railroads. On Oct. 22, 1868 C. W. married Mary Eliza "Mollie" Bingham (1844-1892), the daughter of Reuben P. Bingham and Mrs. Eliza J. (W. V. K.) McLean. Mollie and C. W. had four daughters, two of whom lived to adulthood, Jean W. Wells (1876-1947), later Mrs. Wallis C. Smith, and Mary H. Wells (1880 or 1886-1930), later Mrs. Paul F. H. Morley of the wealthy Morley family. Jean and Wallis had two daughters: Jean C. Smith (1906-) and Martha W. Smith (1908-). (This information is from the collection and the History of Saginaw County, Michigan, 1918. Additional family information is in the finding aid.)
From the description of Papers, 1823-1946. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 263032260
