California Biographies Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm EARL J. WELLS. � A successful realty man of Fresno, who has made a record for the rapid acquirement of ranches, is Earl J. Wells, the son of Hiram J. Wells. His grandfather was the Rev. Abraham Wells, the well-known Selma pioneer preacher, whose zealous work in the Christian Church in Nebraska and at Selma will long be remembered. He never accepted a dollar for his minis- terial services; he organized the large congregation at Selma and built the first Christian Church in that town � the present magnificent edifice having been built since. During his last year in Nebraska, Abraham Wells saw 320 acres of corn withered in a day by the hot winds. The Wells family then resolved to come to California, and they cast their lot in the John Brown Colony in Madera County. This colony failed, and they came thence to Fresno, in 1892, almost penniless. Yet today they are among the most prosperous and highly respected citizens of the county, Earl J., alone owning eleven ranches. Earl J. Wells was born at La Vina, Madera County, Cal., and is a son of Hiram J. and Allie May (Millner) Wells, the former a native of northwestern Iowa, although he grew up and married in Nebraska. He came to California on his honeymoon, and he and his wife first settled in Madera County, having been induced to take part in the John Brown Colony. Abraham Wells had also come to California, so that father and grandfather were the first of the Wells family to come here. And here the Rev. Wells died in August, 1905, in his seventieth year. His widow, Mrs. Mary A. Wells, is still living, and is a prominent member of the Christian Science Society at Selma, being also hale and hearty, at eighty- four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hiram J. Wells are living on their ranch two miles northeast of Selma, on the Mill Ditch Road. He owns eight ranches out- right, and is interested with his son Earl in a vineyard of forty acres at Seville in Tulare County. Brothers of Earl J. are Fred A. Wells, who is in the United States Navy and crossed the Atlantic three times to France, and Walker W., who is at home. Born on November 5, 1892, Earl J. Wells was brought up on his father's ranch and educated at Selma. He spent one and a half years in the Selma Union High School, and then took a commercial course at Heald's Business College at Fresno. When eighteen years old he went to that city and engaged in the real estate business, and there became associated with W. L. Chapman, remaining six months. Then he started a real estate office in Selma, and formed a part- nership with the late W. A. Lewis, who died on November 4, 1918, aged thirty- five years. Mrs. Nellie Lewis (whose life is elsewhere outlined in this history) is still interested with Mr. Wells in five ranches which the partners owned. Lewis & Wells continued as a partnership at Selma until Mr. Lewis' death. In 1917, Mr. Wells volunteered for service in the World War, enlisting on August 17, and he was sent to San Pedro and Key West for training. At the latter place he was assigned to the Intelligence Department, and there he rose to the rank of a first-class yeoman. He remained at Key West until July, 1918, when he was transferred to Mare Island, Cal., and there he was honorably dis- charged on November 23rd of that year. On January 1, 1919, Mr. Wells started the Sun Maid Realty Company, the office of which is in charge of Mrs. Lewis, who keeps the company's books. Seven ranches are operated under the name of E. J. Wells and Company. Mr. Wells is a stockholder and member in both the Raisin and Peach Growers as- sociations. At Fresno, on July 20, 1911, Mr. Wells was married to Miss Bertha Louise Roberts, a native of Nebraska, who came to Fresno County in 1905, and grew up here. Mrs. Wells was with her husband at Key West in Florida. They are members of the First Christian Church at Selma, they belong to the Red Cross, and they have participated in the various war activities. Mr. Wells is a Blue Lodge Mason, having been raised at Selma; he took the first degree at Key West, and the second and third degrees at Selma, on his return after the war.