Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-02-06
The Late Samuel Wells.

| the loss In npr cor,r,,,,,i, %, ,,c, ,,or,i,, ,,,
zen, and to M Of n still worthier friend--was an
event OF no ordinary inheritance. and demands
| further notice Tho and AVN, CANA somevhat
suddenly M Tho last for tbopgh his health had
been seriously affec,ed for a war mr. mora ioso.
much aa To croatia ser,ons arnrobensiop In tho
minds Of his fre,ds 4, ,vos no, un,,, ,hroo yooLs
prior To bis deatb who, Ia ,yas nros,,a,od viii
pneumonia. eomnl,cotod ,y,,h ,,o,r,s, tho, oil
hone of his ultimate recoverv seomed N he ,re.
clnded Before death ens,ed a, offoc,;o, NJ tho
lungs was developed .,biob ma, horo an,od.,od
the fatal illness doub,less aoco,,,ina in NO anal,
degree for tho nrevioos dao,,n,,o hoal,b and
which only awaited n favorabIe o,ro,+,,,,v N
complete IL fatal worL
Samuel Wells was horn 4, ,,i,o, cb,,,e,don
county. September Old. 1922 His father VIII
liam Wells. was resnected farmor NJ ,ba, town
and a veteran of the war Of 1912 having served
| FIVE wears AZ n pon.commisso,ad oe,cer Tim
record saws: ole was in the exnedition which
invaded Canada under General Scott. and partici.
pated In the battles of Chippewa. French's Milla
and the siege and CAPTURE of Fort Erie; he WAS
also one Of the survivors of the memorable charge
Mt Lundy's Lane. under Colonel Miller. when
two-thrds of the attacking force was cut down Z"
Samuel was the oldest of seven children Eve Of
whom died in childhood, the Youngest. brother
surviving, who occupies the old homestead in
| Milton. The father and mother both died In 1868
with no educational advantages In early life but
the common schools Of that day, these were so
priced and utilized as to enable the unassumine
farmer boy to become himselfa successful teacher
at the early age Of eighteen. Subsequently he
| entered the law Office of Hon. A. g. Whittemore
| OF Milton, where he not only completed his course
of legal studies, but, better still, became so
thoroughly imbued with the heightened profess
siona practice and honorable business habits Of
the distinguished gentleman with whom he stud
led as to give tone and character to all his future
life And we had occasion to know that this feel
ing Of regard was mutual; for when the organiza-
ton OF the Farmers Insurance Company was sub
seqnently effected, Mr.. Whittemore, being one of
the original corporators. gave the almost unknown
young treasurer such character for integrity
and business capacity as to inspire in advance no
small degree of that confidence which was subse
quently so richly earned. While studying law he
also acquired knowledge of practical surveying
which was OF great service to him in after life.
After admission to the BARN Chttenden county,
Mr.. Wells opened an office in the then thriving
village of Bakersfield, Franklin county, where he
practced his profession for some two years
While here he became interested in the subject
OF fire insurance, and conceived the idea of a
Farmers cdmpany, for the exclusive insurance OF
farm property and buildings Of like hazard. Being
fully persuaded of its feasibility, and maturing
his plan, he made his decision and with him to
| decide was to act.
| In October, 1Si9. Mr.. Wells came to Montpelier
and after consulting and enlisting other parties
made his application to the legislature then In ses
sion, for an act of incorporation for his company
The application met with no little opposition but
was finally granted, and the company organized
before the session closed At this organization
Mr.. Wells was chosen treasurer and also a direc-
tor, both of which positions he continued to hold
by unanimous annual elections until the day of
his death There is but A single case Of like scr.
vice in the history of the comnanv with this
exception not one of the original directors now
holds that position and ten ont of the fifteen have
long since passed away. with his comnanv or.
ganized Mr. Wells entered the then eomnara.
lively new field of insurance with all the enthps-
asm of his nature On the 9th day of February
1850 (twenty-eight years next Saturday, the first
policy was issued-running. a. il properly should
to " Samuel Wells" The success of the Farmers
company has been both the pride and the monp.
ment of his mature life. Its MANAGEMENT has led
him to visit nearly every town in the state. and
become familiar with vast numbers of opr neonIe
| OF the three thousand losses which the companv
has sustained he has doubtless persona,lv ad.
| iusted more than one-hall and no marty has ever
had reason to accuse him of Injustice or trickerv
or the eight hundred thousand dollars which he
has received and disbursed, as its treasurer. NOT
one dollar. so far as we know and believe In.
ever improperly stuck to his fingers or been dis
honestly appropriated. OF the more than one
hundred Thousand policies which nave been issned
much the largest proportion were based upon a,p
pcatious which he had personally examined. and
which bore his official approval; and in all thi,
responsible work no betrayal or neglect OF official
duty was ever charged or suspected
But not alone was Mr.. Wells faithful to hi.
official trusts He welcomed the broader dutie.
OF the citizen as we'll with ready hand and
generous spirit During the last thirty wears n.
resident of the capital has made 20 enyiable
record in behalf of the various schemes for public.
improvement as he Whether it be Joining with
one or two others to inaugurate the movement
which, in spite of bitter opposition resulted in tn,
establishment of our graded school; the entire re-
organization of our fire department and the mr.
chase of our only efficient engines; the opening O,
new streets and the Improvement of old ones with
the construction Of our six or seven miles of model
sidewalks, which are the pride of our people and
the envy of others; the building of our Wells
River railroad and the strenuous though hitherto
vain. efforts to secure other and in some respects
better connecting lines of road; the establish
ment OF two extensive manufacturing establish
ments, which have added materially to orr popu
laton and business, and ought to have added
much more; the chartering and organization of
the Montpelier Savings Bank and Trust Company:
the purchase, fitting up and management Of our
Poor Farm and VILLAGE Hall. the well.nra,arad a,-
tempt. ,ohich onlv si,ubers FIR n H,1e 10 nro.
vide the village with a proner water a,nnlv from
Berlin Pond-these nil. and many kindred en,er.
prises show the creating shanno and ,,id,no
hand of Mr. Wells. and generations vet N coma
will share in the benefits Of his sef-depving In
bors. Nor did he encourage these ,ub,ic en,sr-
prses by empty words alone--for tho racords ~
each one will testify to AN ontl.v NJ Tina Iahor
and money which furnish the best rossih,o a,ar-
anty of good faith. and which exbibi, deoraa y,
liberality entirely disproportioned to others Of
his means
Though the general practice of law WA ab,n.
doped on coming To Moptpelier Mr. Wells oever.
theless retained his connection with the bar max.
ing A specialty of insurance law and nractice ue
doubtless had the best library in the state pertan.