In a letter written December 22, 1933 by the postmaster of Glastenbury, Connecticut to the compiler he stated that Mrs. Clarissa Wells was born in Middleton, Connecticut in 1793 and died at Glastenbury, April 15, 1866 of Heart disease.
Mr. Wells enlisted in Captain Sidney Sherman's Company in Kentucky, December 18, 1835. Some original personal letters written to Mr. Wells are to be found in the Houston Public Library. One of these, dated February 29, 1836 at Nacogdoches, Texas, from Captain Sherman to "Ensign" Wells at Natchitoches, Louisiana, who had remained behind for some reason, informed him that Sherman's men had on the day previous taken up the line of march and Sherman was to follow them March 1st. "Colonel Rusk", Captain Sherman "has written to Capt. Neill to make arrangements to send you on, and arriving here report to Colonel Rusk, and he will make every arrangement to forward you on. I hope you will join me soon."
In Service Record No. 7497 it is certified that Mr. Wells served as Second Lieutenant in the Texas Army from December 18, 1835 to January 25, 1836. At the reorganization of the army, he was elected Major of the Second Regiment, the rank he held at San Jacinto. He was issued Bounty Certificate No. 7095 for 1280 acres of land January 30, 1839. This he sold to Samuel A. Maverick at San Antonio. On June 7, 1838 he was issued Donation Certificate No. 308 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle of San Jacinto.
On May 10, 1837, President Houston nominated Major Wells to the Senate as Lieutenant Colonel of a regiment of cavalry of which Henry W. Karnes was Colonel and the Senate confirmed the appointment May 22nd. On November 13, 1838 he was appointed Colonel by President Houston.
Colonel Wells participated in the "Council House Fight" in San Antonio, March 19, 1840. The Indians not killed in the engagement were pursued by the Texans and all were either captured or killed. Mrs. Mary A. Maverick, in her published memories, page 33, wrote of a daring act of Colonel Wells.
"Captain Lysander Wells, about this time, passed by riding north on Soledad Street. He was elegantly dressed and mounted on a gaily caparisoned Mexican horse with silver mounted saddle and bridle - which outfit he had secured to take back to his native state, on a visit to his mother. As he reached the Veremindi House, an Indian had escaped detection, spring up behind him, clasped Well's arm in his and tried to catch hold of the bridle reins. Wells was fearless and active. They struggled for some time, bent back and forward, swayed from side to side, till at last Wells held the Indian's wrists with his left hand, drew his pistol from the holster, partly turned, and fired into the Indian's body - a moment more and the Indian rolled off and dropped dead to the ground." Mrs. Maverick was a witness to the encounter.
Colonel Wells and Captain William D. Redd, fought a duel at San Antonio, May 9, 1840. Captain Redd was killed instantly and Colonel Wells died twenty days later from the wound he had received. For a detailed account of the duel read the sketch of Captain Redd in this volume. These two San Jacinto Veterans sleep in unknown graves near Milam Square in San Antonio, where there was once a cemetery.
Note: Colonel Wells was issued Headright Certificate No. 41 for one-third of a league of land by the Bexar County Board of Land Commissioners in 1838. In the certificate it is merely stated that he arrived in Texas before March 2, 1836.
Sources: "Borrowed" from the San Jacinto Monument and Museum web site
Also The Handbook of Texas Online
The muster roll of the War of 1812 in the Tennessee Archives
lists Martin as serving in Capt. James Haggard's Company of Mounted Riflemen from January to
May 1814. He sold his land in Stewart County, Tennessee, in 1815 and later moved to Marengo County,
Alabama. In 1829 he sold his land in Alabama, and he and his family moved to Bastrop County, Texas,
as settlers in Stephen F. Austin's Little Colony, later the site of the town of Bastrop.
Between 1808 and 1829 Martin and Sarah Wells had nine children, seven of whom survived childhood,
including Jane, who married Norman B. Woods. Martin Wells died January 4, 1836, and
his will was probated in the Mina County Court on July 31, 1837.
In an 1844 letter to Gen. Mirabeau B. Lamar, Gen. Edward Burlesonqv says, "Martin Wells, Tennessee, 1829,
settled in Barton neighborhood, lived 2 years at Bastrop; located his Head right in a prairie below Webber's,
called Well's Prairie-also called Well's Pyramid, here he lived; died 1836-an excellent citizen; he left a
widow and large family who still reside in that prairie."
Sources: Kenneth Kesselus, History of Bastrop County, Texas, Before Statehood (Austin: Jenkins, 1986).
"Borrowed" from the University of Texas, Texas History On Line
Sam Houston Dixon and Louis Wiltz Kemp, The Heroes of San Jacinto (Houston: Anson Jones, 1932).
John J. Linn, Reminiscences of Fifty Years in Texas (New York: Sadlier, 1883; 2d ed., Austin: Steck, 1935; rpt., Austin: State House, 1986).
Amelia W. Williams and Eugene C. Barker, eds., The Writings of Sam Houston, 1813-1863 (8 vols., Austin: University of Texas Press, 1938-43; rpt., Austin and New York: Pemberton Press, 1970).
E. W. Winkler, ed., Secret Journals of the Senate, Republic of Texas (Austin, 1911).
Martin Wells, Jr. (1774-1836). Martin Wells, Jr., early settler, son of
Martin Wells, Sr., was born in North Carolina on December 9, 1774. His father sold
his land in New Hanover County, North Carolina, in 1796 and the family moved to Montgomery County, Tennessee,
where both Martins appear on the tax rolls in 1798. Martin Jr. bought land in Stewart County in 1806 and
married Sarah Boyd in 1807.
Bill Moore, Bastrop County, 1691-1900 (Wichita Falls: Nortex, 1977).
Vertical Files, Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin.
Jean Tidwell
Texas State Historical Association