Emory P Wells

WELLS

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/1/2010 at 18:52:43

After years of careful study along electrical lines and several years of most interesting service as wireless operator in the United States navy , Emory P Wells is now manager of the Iowa Light & Power Supply Company branch at Woodward, and is also at the head of the Woodward Electrical Supply Company of which he is the proprietor. His expert knowledge in this line of business and his executive ability are the most important factors in his success.
He was born in Madrid, Iowa, February 19, 1886, and is a son of Charles Eugene and Alice A (Williams) Wells, their other children being Vaughn H who was born March 4, 1889, and lives in Woodward, and Gail who was born June 25, 1895, and is attending school I Washington D C. The mother was born December 1, 1866, and died in Madrid July 19, 1897. Her parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth Williams, of whom extended mention is made in another part of this work. When our subject was seven years of age the parents, who were married in 1884 removed to Boone, Iowa, where they remained until 1896, when upon his mother becoming an invalid, he and his two brothers were taken into the ho e of their grandmother, Mrs Elizabeth Williams, of Madrid. Charles E Wells the father was born in Chicago, Illinois, October 31, 1861, and belongs to an old Pennsylvania family. He organized he first telephone company of Boone county and has been engaged in organizing enterprises of this sort in different parts of the Untied States, particularly in Kansas and Texas. At preset he is president of the Hillsboro Telephone Company of Hillsboro, Oregon.
Emory P Wells attended the public schools of Boone and Madrid and June 8, 1908, when twenty-two years of age, took the examination for a position in the Untied States navy, passing the rigid standards which are demanded in order to join this splendid organization of men. He was set form Kansas City, Missouri to the Naval Electrical College of New York City and completing his work there, was at once detailed at Annapolis, Maryland for instruction in wireless telegraphy. After finishing his work he went on active duty in charge of the wireless on the U S S Chicago. After completing his detail to the Chicago he was assigned under general orders to the navy yard at Norfolk, Virginia, awaiting orders to be transferred to the Untied States armored cruiser Montana, Fifth Division, Untied States Atlantic Fleet. Shortly after going aboard the Montana, the cruiser sailed form Hampton Roads for the West Indies and South America ports, May 5, 1910. They arrived in Havana, May 11, 1910, and anchored beside the wreck of the old Maine. Continuing southward they touched St Thomas, Danish West Indies, where a large supply of by rum was take aboard. Mr Wells visited all of the places of historical interest in the Danish West Indies, including the castle of the famous pirate, Bluebeard. From St Thomas they sailed for Port of Spain in order to coal and on May 28th passed into the equatorial dominion of Neptune Rex, where the initiatorily degree was conferred on all the landlubbers who crossed the equator for the first time. Six hundred joined the fraternity at his occasion. Mr Wells has written a description of this mysterious initiation, recounting in detail the work which all men have to undergo in order to be initiated into the royal Domain and series of the Deep. Major General Leonard Wood was on board the Montana from Hampton Roads as a special ambassador of the United States to the Argentine republic, where an entertaining celebration was held in Buenos Aires. Every nation was represented at this celebration. There an international boat race took place in which the little brown men from Japan were the victors. On leaving that beautiful city the Montana stopped at Rio De Janeiro for a few days, and shore parties were made up , including Mr Wells who visited all the interesting places in the neighborhood of that most beautiful harbor of the world. The cruiser then returned to Hampton Roads, where stores were taken aboard, and they then proceeded to Newport, Rhode Island, on an official trip. On September 9th the Montana was made the flagship of the squadron and proceeded to Provincetown, Massachusetts, to participate in torpedo practice. Thence they sailed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where the ship went into dock on November 1st. At this tie presidential orders were received for a high speed trip to Panama in order to convey William Howard Taft to the canal zone. Leaving Portsmouth November 1, they proceeded to Charlestown, North Carolina, where on the 7th the president of the United States embarked, and soon the Montana stood to the south at an eighteen knot clip. The ship docked at Colon on November 14th and on the 17th the president remembered after having transacted official business with Colonel Goethals, the famous engineer of the canal. On a few day Portsmouth navy yard was reached and the ship was laid up for repairs for a little while. They subsequently made a number of trips in order to participate in the target practice which was held on southern dueling grounds. The Montana later participated in the Hudson Fulton celebration in New York and then went to Bar Harbor, Maine for admirals inspection, J Pierpont Morgan being a distinguished guest. In his many subsequent trips Mr Wells visited all the seaports along the Atlantic coast, numerous ports in Asia and all along the Mediterranean, and in shore parties saw many places of historical interest. For seven months he was assigned to general detail at Portsmouth and then was transferred to the Philadelphia navy yard, leaving New York June 8, 1912,. In that port he took a steamer for Galveston, Teas in order to pay a visit to his father and brothers.
After remaining there for three months Mr Wells and a brother came to Madrid, Iowa, and he then assumed the duties of manager of the Iowa Light & Power Company branch at Woodward, which important position he has since filled. His naval training, his experience along electrical lines and the general knowledge that comes from travel make him a most efficient manager. He is also proprietor of the Woodward Electrical Supply Company, a business which has been in existence since October 19, 1912 Mr Wells is very popular and greatly liked by all who know hi for his open heartedness, his kindness, his modesty and also the determination with which he undertakes any enterprise upon which he centers his attention.
Mr Wells is a member of the Iowa State Contractors Association and of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Fraternally he belongs to Peaceful lodge, No 454, A F & A M of Woodard. He takes a great interest in the growth and advancement of his city and county and is ever ready to support valuable public enterprises, to which he contributes materially and which he helps along with an enthusiasm that stamps him a patriotic and public spirited citizen.

1914 Boone County History Book