It was founded as a joint stock corporation by the merger of the express companies owned by Henry Wells ( Wells & Company ) , William G. Fargo ( Livingston , Fargo & Company ) , and John Warren Butterfield ( Wells , Butterfield & Company , the successor earlier in 1850 of Butterfield , Wasson & Company ) .
Two very important people in the express business at the time were Henry Wells and William G. Fargo .