Erastus Wells

Erastus Wells
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 1st & 2nd district
In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873 (1st) March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877 (2nd) March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 (2nd)
Preceded by	William A. Pile (1st) Gustavus A. Finkelnburg (2nd) Nathan Cole (2nd)
Succeeded by	Edwin O. Stanard (1st) Nathan Cole (2nd) Thomas Allen (2nd)
Personal details
Born	December 2, 1823 Sackets Harbor, New York, USA
Died	October 2, 1893(1893-10-02) (aged 69) St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Isabella Bowman Henry Wells
Profession	Politician, Businessman

Erastus Wells (December 2, 1823 – October 2, 1893) was a 19th-century politician and businessman from Missouri. He was the father of St. Louis Mayor Rolla Wells.

Born in Sackets Harbor, New York, Wells attended public schools as a child. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1842 where he established the first omnibus line in St. Louis and inaugurated the first street railroad company. He was a member of the St. Louis board of aldermen from 1853 to 1867, was president of the Missouri Railroad Company from 1859 to 1883 and was elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1877, being unsuccessful for reelection in 1876. Wells was elected back to the House of Representatives in 1878, serving again from 1879 to 1881, not being a candidate for renomination in 1880, and was president of the Laclede Gas Light Company from 1880 to 1883. He died in St. Louis, Missouri on October 2, 1893 and was interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

See also

• Wellston, Missouri, A city in St. Louis County named after Erastus Wells

External links

• Erastus Wells at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Erastus Wells at Find a Grave