Alfred Wells is a well known and prosperous agriculturist of Prairie township, residing on section 26, where he has made his home continuously during the past forty seven years. He has devoted his attention to farming through out his entire business career and at one time owned fourteen hundred acres of valuable land, while his holdings at present embrace five hundred acres.

      His birth occurred in Vermont on the 14th of February, 1840, his parents being William and Abigail (Gay) Wells. The father, a native of Massachusetts, settled in Vermont at an early day, and in that state the mother passed away. William Wells subsequently came to Delaware county, Iowa, and here spent the remainder of his life, his demise occurring in 1900. To him and his wife were born three sons and three daughters, as follows: Ann, who is the wife of Wilder Heath, of Vermont; Alfred, of this review; Jane, who gave her hand in marriage to John Hillier, of Prairie township, this county; H. H., of Prairie township; Louis, who is a resident of Manchester; and Diantha, deceased.

      In 1867, when a young man of twenty seven years, Alfred Wells came to Delaware county, Iowa, settling on the farm where he now resides and which has been his home continuously to the present time. He has given his attention to the work of the fields throughout his entire business career and is an industrious, energetic and progressive agriculturist whose labors have been attended with gratifying and well merited success. At one time he owned fourteen hundred acres of rich and productive land and at present still has five hundred acres. In former years he shipped cattle on an extensive scale. In 1861 Mr. Wells enlisted in Company B, Eighth Vermont Infantry, for three years and at the expiration of that time reenlisted, serving until the close of the war, in 1865.  He was wounded at the battle of Fort Hudson, Louisiana, June 14, 1863, and received seven slight flesh wounds, none of which proved serious. He has now passed the seventy fourth milestone on life's journey and can look back upon an active, useful and honorable career. The circle of his friends and acquaintances is very wide and all esteem him for his genuine personal worth and commendable qualities of character.