My Genealogy Hound

W. H. Wells, proprietor of Lake Lily Roller Mills, of Mountain Grove, Mo., is a native of Indiana, born in 1855. He grew to manhood in his native State, receiving a good common-school education, which he improved materially by attending college in Sullivan County, Ind. He was married at the early age of nineteen to Miss Rose Wesner, his junior by two years, and the result of this early and happy union was four children, only one now living, Edith. Of the three deceased but one lived to be three years of age. After his marriage Mr. Wells followed agricultural pursuits in Indiana for two years, and then, becoming convinced that some other pursuit in life would be more congenial to his tastes, and perhaps more remunerative in the outcome, he purchased a share in the Augusta Mills, at Augusta, Ind. He remained a partner in the mills for three and a half years, when he sold out his milling interest there and made a trip to Texas. He, however, remained in the Lone Star State but a short time, when he returned to Illinois, locating at Butler, Montgomery Co., and consistent with his taste, leased a mill, which he ran for nine months. He next went to Stanton, Ill., where he worked in a mill for five months. Previous to his milling at Stanton he was engaged for a short time in running an engine for the Litchfield Car Machine Co., at Litchfield, Ill. In 1882 Mr. Wells moved to Missouri, and settled at Hartville, Wright County, where he ran a water mill on the Gasconade River for one year. In 1883 he came to Mountain Grove, and was a partner with James Archer in a mill on the site of the old town of Mountain Grove. When the railroad came through Wright County this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Wells purchased an interest in the mills, and finally became sole proprietor. In 1886 he changed the old stone process of the mill for a full roller process, with a capacity of ninety barrels per day. The total cost of machinery and property was $12,000. Mr. Wells now does an extensive merchant and exchange milling business, and ships flour as far as Memphis, Tenn. It is claimed by him that the superior quality of the flour ground by Lake Lily Mills is due not only to the excellent care and facilities for grinding, but to the superior quality of the native wheat as well; is the best he has ever ground in any country. Mr. Wells is abstemious; is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the Christian Church. He is the son of Andrew J. and Mary J. (Perkins) Wells, and the grandson of Frank Wells, who was born in Kentucky, and removed to Indiana, where he died. He was a farmer by occupation, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The parents of the subject of this sketch were both natives of Indiana, but the father’s people were from Kentucky. The mother died in 1868. They were the parents of eight children, two now living. Andrew Wells followed various pursuits, viz.: merchandising, milling, farming, and owned considerable real estate. He went to Texas, and now lives in Palestine of that State, engaged in merchandising.