Daniel Wells, Jr., (July 16, 1808March 18, 1902) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

railroad businessman, Democratic politician, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

pioneer. He served two terms in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

(1853–1857), representing

Biography

Born in West Waterville, Massachusetts (now

Oakland, Maine Oakland is a town in Kennebec County in the U.S. state of Maine. The population was 6,230 at the 2020 census. Oakland is 4 miles (6 km) west of Waterville and approximately 18 miles (29 km) north of Augusta, the state capital. Wat ...

), Wells attended the public schools and became a teacher. Wells engaged in the mercantile business at

Palmyra, Maine Palmyra is a town in Somerset County, Maine, Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,924 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Palmyra was incorporated in 1807. Geography According to the United States Census ...

. He then moved to

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, in 1838 and engaged in banking and lumbering pursuits. He was appointed probate judge of Milwaukee in 1838. He served as member of the Wisconsin Territorial Council 1838-1840. Wells was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Thirty-third and

Thirty-fourth Congress The 34th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1855, ...

es (March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1857). He represented

Wisconsin's 1st congressional district Wisconsin's 1st congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southeastern Wisconsin, covering Kenosha County, Wisconsin, Kenosha County, Racine County, Wisconsin, Racine County, and most of ...

. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State (Thirty-third Congress). Wells was not a candidate for renomination in 1856. He engaged in the development of railroads serving as: a director of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in 1865 and 1866 and president of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, the Southern Minnesota Railroad, and the St. Paul & Minnesota Valley Railroad. Wells died in

, March 18, 1902 and was interred in Forest Home Cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Daniel Jr. 1808 births 1902 deaths People from Oakland, Maine Politicians from Milwaukee Members of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature Businesspeople from Maine Businesspeople from Milwaukee Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin People from Palmyra, Maine 19th-century American businesspeople Burials at Forest Home Cemetery 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives