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

Democratic 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 (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

politician, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

pioneer. He served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (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. Waterv ...

), Wells attended the public schools and became a teacher. Wells engaged in the mercantile business at Palmyra, Maine. He then moved to

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

, 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 to the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1857). He represented Wisconsin's 1st congressional district. 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.

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* {{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 19th-century American politicians People from Palmyra, Maine 19th-century American businesspeople