Los Angeles County CA Archives Biographies.....Wells, Guilford Wiley 1840 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)

    HON. GUILFORD WILEY WELLS, soldier, lawyer, statesman and diplomat was born
at Conesus Center, New York, February 14th, 1840, and is the youngest of three
children of Isaac Tichenor Wells and Charity Kenyon, who were joined in marriage
in Granville, New York, February 4th, 1830. Isaac Tichenor Wells was born at
Fairfax, Vermont, August 11th, 1807, and died in Conesus Center, November 2nd,
1868. The Wells family trace their genealogy back to the time of William the
Conqueror in England, and to the latter part of the sixteenth century in America
and number among their ancestors in direct line many illustrious personages on
both sides of the Atlantic. Guilford Wiley Wells was educated at Genesee
Wesleyan Seminary and College, Lima, New York. Upon the breaking out of the war
of the Rebellion (while he was in college) Mr. Wells enlisted on the first call
for volunteers, as a member of the First New York Dragoons, and gave nearly four
years of valiant service to the preservation of the Union and the defense of the
"Old Flag." He fought under that intrepid hero of Winchester, General P. H.
Sheridan; participated in thirty-seven battles, and rose by successive
promotions for gallant services performed to the rank of Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonel; was twice wounded, the last time in February, 1865, so
seriously as to permanently disable his left arm, and was discharged from the
service on account of his wound February 14th, 1865. Retiring from the army
Colonel Wells resumed his studies and 1867 graduated in law at the Columbian
College at Washington, D. C. In December, 1869, he moved to Holly Springs,
Mississippi, to practice his profession. In June, 1870, he was appointed by
President Grant, United States District Attorney for the northern district of
that state. The Reconstruction Act being passed by Congress about this time, the
demoralizing effects of the war began to be manifest in the organized
lawlessness which prevailed, especially in Northern Mississippi, in the
terrorism of the Ku Klux Klan. Laws had been enacted for the punishment of these
crimes but they remained a dead letter on the statutes for the want of
prosecuting officers with sufficient courage, tact and ability to enforce them.
The ablest men in the Mississippi bar—which was one of the strongest in any
state in the Union—were employed to defend these defiers of the law.
Comprehending the situation, Colonel Wells determined to do his duty and
prepared as best he could to wage battle with those giants of the bar. He drew
the first indictment under the reconstruction act and secured the first decision
rendered in the south against Ku Klux in District Judge R. A. Hill's court, thus
winning the first legal fight and establishing a precedent which was adopted in
other states and finally resulted in the complete destruction of that
organization. The Ku Klux were hunted down and their secret hiding places
invaded, their murderous secrets were revealed and the perpetrators of crimes
punished according to their deserts. Mississippi was thus transformed from one
of the most lawless to one of the most orderly states in the Union. This
herculean task was performed at a great expenditure of labor and energy and at
great peril of life but in performing it Colonel Wells won the esteem of the
best element of society. Though having no desire to enter the arena of politics
by the prominence of his official position and his contact with public men,
Colonel Wells was forced to assume a leading position in his party and was
chiefly instrumental in securing the nomination and election of General Ames
(then United States Senator) to the governorship of Mississippi in 1873. The
legislature chosen at the same time elected a United States Senator, and
yielding to the importunity of his friends Colonel  Wells  consented to become a
candidate. For some unaccountable reason, Ames, the man he had befriended, and
who had hitherto professed a warm-personal friendship for him, turned against
his benefactor, and by a strenuous effort and the use of his official power
prevented Colonel Well's election to the United States Senate. Not content with
this success against his old friend Governor Ames exerted himself to defeat
Colonel Well's re-appointment to the United States District Attorney's office,
but his faithfulness and efficiency in that capacity had been too well
demonstrated, and at the expiration of his first term in 1874 he was reappointed
by President Grant and his appointment was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
In 1876 Colonel Wells received the nomination for Congress in the Second
Mississippi District in opposition to A. R. Howe, the Ames candidate, over whom
he was elected by 7,000 majority, receiving the full vote of his own party
(Republican) and the support of the best element in the Democratic party. During
his term in Congress Representative Wells served on several important committees
and though in the minority politically, by his energy and fertility of resource
he was recognized as one of the most influential working members of the House.
Recognizing in Colonel Wells the qualities adapting him for an important
government position, President Hayes tendered him in June, 1877, the office of
consul general to Shanghai, China, which he accepted, and sailed from San
Francisco to his post of duty August 8th of that year. Previous to embarking he
had received orders to investigate charges which had been preferred by his
predecessor, General Myers, against O. B. Bradford, Vice-Consul at Shanghai.
Myers had been suspended by Minister George H. Seward, and the latter's friend
Bradford placed in charge of-the consulate before the charges against Bradford
could be investigated. Arriving in China and assuming charge of the Shanghai
consulate September 13th, 1877, Colonel Wells proceeded to examine the
accusations against Bradford. He found him guilty, not only as charged by Myers,
but of numerous other grave offenses, such as robbing the United States mails,
embezzlement of government fees, violation of treaty rights with China,
extortions from American citizens, mutilation of records, conspiring with Seward
to remove official records and papers from the Consul General's office, etc. Mr.
Wells being convinced of Bradford's fraudulent and criminal proceedings, had him
arrested and placed in jail, reporting at once by telegraph and by letter to the
State Department at Washington the result of his investigations and asking for
further instructions. After inexcusable delays in replying to his
communications, and other matters transpiring to convince Consul General Wells
that an effort was being made by officials in high authority to shield Bradford
and Seward in their fraudulent proceedings, he tendered his resignation, turned
over the affairs of the office in Shanghai, and sailed for home January 10th,
1878. A committee subsequently created by the House of Representatives to
investigate the Bradford charges returned a unanimous report that the charges
were sustained, and filed articles of impeachment against Bradford. The
investigation culminated in the retirement of both Seward and Bradford to
private life. Colonel Wells twice refused the tender of Consul to Hong Kong,
deciding to resume the practice of his profession. Colonel and Mrs. Wells having
come by way of Southern California on their return trip from China were
delighted with the climate and decided to make it their future home. Accordingly
they settled in Los Angeles in 1879 and have resided here ever since. Forming a
law partnership with Judge Anson Brunson, the firm of Brunson & Wells at once
attained a leading position in the bar of Southern California. This relation
continued until Judge Brunson was elected to the Superior Bench and that
partnership was dissolved. Up to the time of his final retirement from active
practice, Colonel Wells stood at the head of the following law firms—Wells,
Vandyke & Lee, Wells, Guthrie & Lee, Wells, Munroe & Lee, Wells & Lee and Wells,
Works & Lee. The private law library of Colonel Wells, one of the most extensive
in the state, is now in the office of Works & Lee, the latter, Bradner W. Lee,
being Colonel Wells' nephew.

    In Avoca, N. Y., December 22nd, 1864, Colonel Wells married Miss Katy C.
Fox, who was born in that town, a daughter of Matthias and Margaret Fox. They
became the parents of a son, Charles F., who was born in Washington, D. C.,
November 9th, 1869, and died at Holly Springs, Miss., December 24th 1872. The
second marriage of Colonel Wells took place in Louisville, Kentucky, December
31st, 1891, and united him with Mrs. Lena (McClelland) Juny, a daughter of Frank
and Marion (Watts) McClelland, of Kentucky. Mrs. Wells was born in Paducah that
state and is related to some distinguished southern families. She is Regent of
the Santa Monica Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution since its
organization, and an influential member of the Santa Monica Women's Club. She is
a cultured, sweet-spirited woman and takes a personal interest in local charities.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities: prefaced with a brief
history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County,
1542 to 1908: supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and
embellished with views of historic landmarks and portraits of representative
people.

Los Angeles: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)


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