The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-02-22
DEATH OF EDWARD WELLS.

5OI7 TELEPHONES AT
DEATH OF EDWARD WELLS.
Edward Wells of Burlington,
died at an early hour Feb. 10Th, at
Miami, Florida, after an illness
of "a hours of heart trouble.
The news of his death came to
Fred 81. Wells from j. G. Sykes of
New York city, son-in-law of Mr..
Wells. No details were received.
Mr.. Wells accompanied by his
wife and Henry Wells and family
and DR.. j. d. Tanner left Burling.
ton in the early fall for Florida,
spending the winter at Miami
Mr.. and Mrs. Wells were guests
of the Royal Palm Hotel and the
others occupied a house nearby
Mr.. Wells had been in feeble
health for the past few months
and was constantly under the
care of a physician, although the
attack which struck him down
was sudden.
Mr.. Wells had a long and nota-
BILE career. He was born in Water
bury October 80, 1885, being the
son of William w. Wells. He was
educated in the common schools
of the town and supplemented
the instruction thus received by a
course in the Bakersville academy.
At the age of II years he secured
employment in a dry goods store
in Montpelier and the following
two years were spent in the same
work in Waterbury.
He entered the wholesale store
of his father at this time, remain
ing three years, leaving in the
spring of 1857 to go to Kansas.
AT the end of nine months, find
ing his health impaired, he re-
turned East and resumed cleri-
cal work in the store of his father.
September 6. 1861 he joined the
army of the Union as a member of
the Fifth Regiment, Vermont
Volunteers.
He served for a time in the regi-
mental band, but his business ca
liabilities became known at head
quarters, and he was detailed as a
clerk in the quartermaster's de-
partment under Col. p. P. Pitkin
of Montpelier, with whom he
served for nearly three years. His
service in this position was so
conspicuously useful and capable
that when he returned home at
the expiration of his term of serv-
ice, in 1864, the officer under
whom he had served called him
to duty in his Office, and he was
engaged for two years, until the
gigantic business of the Civil
War had been brought to a close.
Mr.. Wells then entered the of
fee of John A. Page, state treas
urer as the principal clerk, and
acted in that capacity until
1868, when he became of
the wholesale firm of Henry x
Co., which had but recently trans
ferred the seat of it's business
operations from Waterbury to
July 1, 1868, the complex bust
ness of the firm was amicably dis
posed and a large number of pro
lrietarv medicines and other ar
.icles of which the firm had con-
rol were separated from the
drug department prop
II. In this disposition Mr.. Wells
became head of the partners, as
charge of the latter bust
less, and an association was
ormed under the name of Wells,
richardson & Co. This new de-
,arture was successful from the
,eginning, and, with the energy
nd shrewd foresight, the trans
.ctiOns of the house were rapidly
in volume and value.
The Wells, Richardson & Co.
ras incorporated under the name
f Wells & Richardson Co, in 1882
nth Mn Edward Wells as presi-
ent, a position which he had
ince occupied.
Mr.. Wells had always been in
crested in various other large en-.
prprises. and had served as pres I
lent of the Burlington Trust ;
vice president of the
burlington Cotton Mills, presi-
ent of the Home for Aged
trustee Of the Fletcher
rec Library.
He belonged to the Sons of
ne American Revolution and the {
lgonquin and Ethan Allen clubs.
A republican in politics, he
as elected to the legislature in !
800, and proved himself a most c
seful member of this body, serv- 9
~ upon the ways and means t
nd banking committees, aud oc- T
1pying the craftsmanship of t