Los Angeles County
Biographies
HENRY WILSON WELLS
WELLS, HENRY WILSON, Electrical and Constructing Engineer, Los Angeles, California, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1865, the son of W. S. Wells and Elizabeth Jane (Shoff) Wells. He is descended from one of the Puritan families whose record extends back to the times prior to the voyage of the Mayflower. Mr. Wells has been twice married, his first wife having been Ida B. Estes, who he wedded in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1881. She died in 1893 after bearing him three children, Bessie (Mrs. Katzet of Detroit), Roberta (Mrs. George W. Cook of Chatham, Ontario) and Jeannette (Mrs. Woods of Chicago). His second wife was Hallie E. Marsh, whom he married at Philadelphia June 12, 1895. Of this union there is one son, William A. Wells of Los Angeles.
Mr. Wells received his early education in the public schols (sic) of Osceola, Pennsylvania, graduating from High School in 1886. He entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1889, but withdrew at the end of two years.
At various times in his youth Mr. Wells broke his studies to go to work, his first position being that of fireman on the Louisville Railroad at Birmingham, Alabama. He began in 1883 and in 1885 was promoted to the post of engineer. He ran an engine for about a year, then gave up his railroad work to finish his schooling.
Upon leaving the Massachusetts Institute in 1891, Mr. Wells took up electrical engineering in connection with the Westinghouse interests of Pittsburg. Several times during his service with this company he was sent to England in charge of large electrical construction work.
After about three years in this position, Mr. Wells resigned and became associated with Thomas A. Edison, the wizard of electricity at Edison, New Jersey. Mr. Wells was constructing engineer of the Edison concentrator plant at that place and during the two years he was employed by Edison came to know the great inventor very intimately. They were closely associated in the work and spent many hours together, either in the hills after the close of the day’s labors or in the workshop.
In 1896 Mr. Wells severed his connection with Edison and in association with Antonio C. Pesano, former Vice President and General Manager of the George V. Cresson Co. of Philadelphia, went to Detroit and engaged in building ship yards for the Great Lakes Engineering Works. Mr. Wells was Constructing Engineer of the Company and during his stay there supervised the building of more than a score of large vessels, including the “George B. Ketchum,” and the “Tinesta,” the largest passenger boat on the lakes at that time, a 10,000-ton ship, and several others. This vessel was six hundred and twenty-one feet long and proved a sensation in ship-building when she was first put into service.
In 1901, Mr. Wells gave up his interest in the shipbuilding plant and shipyards which he and his partner controlled and accepted a position with the International Harvester Co. as Purchasing Agent and Mechanical Engineer, with headquarters at Chicago. This was a position of great responsibility for Mr. Wells had charge of all machinery, buildings and docks for the company, building the tractor works and supervising all plants constructed by the Harvester Co. in different parts of the world during the period of 1906 and 1911. Four of the great plants built by him are in European countries, one located at Lubertzky, Russia, about fifteen miles from Moscow; another at Norrkoping, Sweden; a third at Nord, near Croix, France, and a fourth at Neuss near Dusseldorff, Germany.
An interesting fact in connection with this work is that the machinery for the four plants was all ordered in one contract, thus forming probably the largest single order for machinery ever made in the United States. Mr. Wells figured out the plans and machinery for all of them and issued a single order for the supply.
In 1911, Mr. Wells succumbed to overwork and became a victim of neuritis and nervousness to such an extent that he was compelled to retire from active business temporarily. He spent several months in Argentine (sic), South America, then went to Los Angeles, December, 1911. In company with Edward Double of the Union Tool Co. of that city, Mr. Wells organized the Pacific Metal Products Co., he being elected President and General Manager of the concern, which incorporated, July, 1912, with a half million dollar capital.
The Pacific Metal Products Co. will be one of the largest manufacturers of steel barrels and chains, automobile trucks and tractor plows in the United States, with a plant comprising six buildings, one of which is seven hundred feet long, and five of a length of 300 feet each. In locating the Company’s plant Mr. Wells and his associates became founders of the town of Torrance, Cal. They began the erection of their plant in April, 1912, and by the first of August, a few days after the Company was incorporated, had five of the buildings completed.
Mr. Wells is a stockholder in the International Harvester Co. and the Windsor Machine Co. of Windsor, Vt., but does not hold office in them.
In Chicago, Mr. Wells retains his memberships in the South Shore Country Cub, Illinois Athletic Club, Chicago Athletic Club, and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
Transcribed 9-4-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 327,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES