Heber Manning Wells

Heber Manning Wells
1st Governor of Utah
In office January 6, 1896 – January 2, 1905
Succeeded by	John Christopher Cutler
Personal details
Born	August 11, 1859 Salt Lake City, Utah
Died	March 12, 1938 (aged 78) Salt Lake City, Utah
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary Elizabeth Beatie Teresa Clawson Cummings Emily Katz
Children	6
Alma mater	University of Utah
Profession	Politician
Religion	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

Heber Manning Wells (August 11, 1859 – March 12, 1938) was an American politician and the first Governor of the State of Utah. Utah gained statehood on January 4, 1896; Wells served as governor from January 6, 1896, until January 2, 1905.

Biography

Painting of Heber Manning Wells

Wells was born on August 11, 1859. His father was Daniel H. Wells. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1875, and began early to take an active part in public life.

Wells was a recorder for Salt Lake City from 1882 to 1890, and a member of the city board of public works in 1890 and in 1893. He was a member of the constitutional convention which framed the constitution under which Utah was admitted as a state. In 1895, he was elected governor of Utah for a five-year term on the Republican ticket, and in 1900 was re-elected for a four-year term. On June 5, 1901, he married Emily Katz. During the prolonged struggle between the mine owners and miners' unions in 1904, he maintained an impartial attitude as far as possible, but was firm about maintaining order.

In 1905 Wells retired from politics and engaged in banking business. He died in Salt Lake City of an apparent stroke on March 12, 1938.

Family

Wells married Mary Elizabeth Beatie in 1880; she died and he married Theresa Clawson in 1892. Then Theresa died, and in 1901 he married again, to Emily Katz.

Notes

References

•  Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Wells, Heber Manning". Encyclopedia Americana.
• Murphy, Miriam B. (1994), "Wells, Heber Manning", in Powell, Allan Kent, Utah History Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press, ISBN 0874804256, OCLC 30473917

External links

• Heber Manning Wells entry at the National Governors Association
• Heber Manning Wells entry at The Political Graveyard

Heber Manning Wells at Find a Grave