Biography of Wells Brothers - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes Date: 21 Jun 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. page 122 Wells Bros. (Walter P. and Thaddeus R.), general merchants at Morrilton, occupy one of the finest brick stores in that town. This firm is the outgrowth of a business founded by their father. A. C. Wells, at Lewisburg, in 1856. It was suspended during the war, but immediately resumed by Mr. Wells as soon as he re- covered from that conflict. Conducted business at Lewisburg till 1880, when he, with others, came to the new Town of Morrilton. In 1885 the senior member of the present firm, Walter, was admitted as a partner. In 1889 Mr. A. C. Wells withdrew from active business, and his son Thaddeus was admitted as a partner with his brother, and the firm name changed to its present style. These men have both had years of experience at their business, serving from their youth as clerks in their father's store. By their courtesy and prompt attention to details, as well as keeping a complete and full stock, their trade is rapidly increasing. They carry a stock of about $10.000, and do an annual business of $40,000. The building occupied by the firm was erected by their father, A. C. Wells, in 1889, at an expense of about $5000. It is an ornamental brick, 25×100 feet in dimensions, and of two stories. Both stories are used by this firm for salesroom and storage for goods. Walter P., the senior member, was born September 1, 1861, at Lewisburg, where he was reared to commercial business in his father's store, and attended the Kentucky Military Institute at Frankfort, Ky., during 1879 and '80, graduating there at the latter date. While engaged in winding up the estate of Clay Smith, at Corinth, Miss., in 1883, he bought an interest in his father's store and returned to Morrilton in 1885, and engaged as an active partner in that business, firm name of A. C. Wells & Son. Mr. Wells is a half owner in the Lewisburg steam ferry. He also owns 320 acres of good land, sixty of which is under cultivation, and a house and lot in Morrilton, He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Hermion Lodge, No. 28. In traits of personal character our subject is affable and pleasant, courteous and sociable. Thaddeus R., the younger member of this firm, was born in 1866. He also served an apprenticeship to the commercial trade in his father's store, till 1885, when he entered the State University at Fayetteville, where he graduated. He then returned and clerked till the establishment of the present firm in 1889. Mr. Wells was united in marriage on the 6th of May, 1890, to Miss Hettie Williams, a native of Arkansas, having been born in Little Rock, and a daughter of J. A. Williams, a business man of Morrilton for the past ten years.