Ennemond M. Wells, Rapides Parish, La
Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker

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Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

     ENNEMOND M. WELLS deserves honorable mention as one of the successful
agriculturists of Rapides Parish, and by his own enterprise and push he has
become a well to do citizen.  He was born in Louisiana on August 3, 1831,
the third son of Montford and Jeanette (Dent) Wells, the father being born
and reared in this parish, receiving a finished education in his youth,
afterward becoming one of the most extensive planters in this section of
the state.  He was a man who identified himself with every worthy cause,
and his sound views on all subjects led him to be elected to the State
Legislature in 1826, a position he ably filled until 1828.  His family has
always been a very distinguished one, and many of the male members have
played a conspicuous part in Louisiana politics.  A brother of Montford
Wells, J. Madison Wells, was governor of the state, and another brother T.
J. Wells, was the Whig candidate for governor against T. O. Moore.  He was
an extensive breeder of race horses and was the owner of the world famed
Reel Lecompte, also Prioress and War Path.  Mr. Wells' mother was a
daughter of Hatch Dent, of Maryland, and a granddaughter of Ennemond
Meullion, who was a provincial governor of this country under the first
Napoleon.  The paternal grandfather of Ennemond M. Wells, Levi Wells, was a
man of profound intelligence, sound judgment and practical ability, and as
he possessed executive ability of the highest order, he was elected a
member of the State Legislature, and in this capacity served for many
years.  He was a government surveyor of note, and many of his maps of this
section and state are still in use.  After locating in Rapides Parish, at
Bayou Rapides, in 1878, he turned his attention to sugar and indigo
culture.  [For further history see sketch of Ex-Gov. J. M. Wells.]
Ennemond M. Wells was educated principally in Alexandria, Va., and in
Princeton, N. J., and upon the completion of his education he returned to
Louisiana in 1850, and for some years looked after his father's extensive
plantation.  In 1858 he was married to Miss Fannie M., daughter of Fenwick
and Laura H. (Overton) Brent, the father a native of this state, but a
descendant from an old Maryland family.  Mr. Brent was an eminent lawyer
and was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention of 1845.  His
father, William J. Brent, was a representative from the Fourth Louisiana
District to a seat in Congress.  Mrs. Brent's father and mother were Gen.
Walter and Harriet T. (Winter) Overton, the former of whom represented the
Fourth Louisiana District in Congress also, and was in command of Fort St.
Phillip under Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans during the War of
1812.  Since his marriage Mr. Wells has given his entire time to planting,
is well supplied with worldly goods, and on this property he reared his
three children:  Alice V., Harriet Overton (wife of David H. Blackman, a
son of A. O. Blackman), and Montford.