The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-05

Whenever the southern anlepeiluht
turfman General T. J. Wells is referred
to. it has been taken for granted tnat
his ancestors settled in Louisiana with
Bienyille or one OF the old time govern
ors who ruled the territory for the Bour-
bon Kings of France. But brief inquiry
by w. H. Gocher. secretary OF the Ma
tional Trotting Association, on his re-
cent trip to Louisiana In search OF IN
formation about the ancestry OF Peter
the Great, 2 :07 IL developed the fact that
Levi Wells the father of Gen. Wells, was
Connecticut Yankee. who lived under
four flags without going outside the
present boundaries of the United States.
Levi Wells was born in Hartford In
1865. At that time Connecticut was
British colony. He was descended from
it's fourth governor, Thomas Wells. who
was born In England in 1898 and died
in Hartford in 1860
The American Revolution became
matter of history while Levi Wells was
schoolboy. With it came n transfer
Of the allegiance of the Wells family
10 the United States of America.
Yankee Liked Louisiana.
Fulton and Miller established a trad
ing place at q military post on the
Red River. two hundred miles north OIL
New Orleans. In their transaction with
the Indians, the French prior to 1868
and the Spaniards after that date. they
acquired considerable land. They wanted
Il surveyd in order to perfect their title.
With that object in view they requested
the United States Government to send
item some one to do the work. Inc
order was turned over to Lew wells.
After he had completed it he was so
pleased with the country that ne de-
cided to locate there.
For a future home Levi Wells selected
a plot of land in Rapides parish near
the present city of Alexandria. He mar
ried Miss Calvit and settled down to
grow up with the country. In due time
Levi Wells became a Spanish subject.
Three OF his children were born under
that flag prior to 1900. when the Louisi-
ana territory was taken over Tor France
by Napoleon.
Montfort Wells. the fourth addition to
the family, was born a French SUBJECT
His brother, Thomas jefferson Wells, as
his name implies, was born in 1903
under the American flag after the Lou
isiana purchase was completed.
In 1903, for the second time, Levi
Wells became an American citizen.
Later on another son was added TO the
family. He was named James Madison
Wells. After the civil war he was
Governor of Louisiana and chairman OF
the returning board which had consider
able TO do with making Hayes instead
Of Tilden President OF the United states.
Another traih 20 the White House
traces TO a home in Rapides parish with
which the Wells brothers, Montfort and
Thomas J.. were connected by marriage.
The brothers owned Wellswood planta-
fion. They purchased large quantities
OF sugar and cotton, while as sideline
thew had a formidable stud and stable
Of racehorses The brothers married
sisters They were daughters OF
neighbor named Dent. Their brother
was also the father of Julia Dent, vile
Of Gen. u. S. Grant.
Bred First Invaders of England.
NIontfort and Thomas J. Wells bred
three of the first American thorough
bred horses shipped TO England 10
race. They were Lecomte. by Bos-
ton Prloress. by imported Sovereign
and Starke. by Wagner. All OF them
were out OF Reel, by imported Glencoe.
Lecomte died before the end Of his FIRST
season abroad He started only once
and ran third TO Fisherman for the
Warwick Cup. three miles. In 1886.
priorcss and Starke proved TO DC WIN
ncrs, the mare having pedleu NhlIi9-
a., &c English horses Ia the Csarcwitch
Handicap after . contest which became
historical. Priorcss and FL lIaskim ran
a dead heat and the mare outlastcd him
in the run off Starke won as a four
vear-old the Cioodwood Stakes. Bentinck
Memorial Plate and Warwick Cup. all
long distance races.
Reel the dam Of these great racers
and OF War Dance. Lincoln and lot
of other winners. was one of ten mares
and nllies purchased by Gen Wells
about 1890 from James Jackson. OF
FLORENCE. AIabpina. who bred Reel and
imported into~Nthe United States her
sire. Glencoe. and her dam. Gallcpadc.
by Cation. Portraits by Troy Of both
Reel and Glencoe hang In tho board
room % tho Jockey Club in East Forty
first street. and arc regarded Us master
pieces OF that famous painter Of race
horses.
Though her chief claim 70 distinction
vas her almost unriyalcd offspring,
Reel ranked among the great fcur-milc
runners OF her day. When she Ccfcatcd
Miss E'oote at New Orleans In 1912 the
gray mares admirers challenged Bos-
ton. for she had taken the measure OF
a pony--Miss Foote was beftiy 1f.2
hands-that had In ono campaign trav-
clcd 300 miles spending thirty Gays on