In 1869 the town was named after J.W. Wells, who is the father in law of Colonel Clark W. Thompson, the "father" of Wells. He was a member of the 6th Territorial Legislature in 1855, and he was also a member of the Territorial Council in 1856 and 1857. He was also a member of the Minnesota Constitutional Convention in 1857, where he helped frame our state constitution. In 1860, he was a presidential elector with the republican ticket. Then president Lincoln appointed him superintendent of the Indian affairs in the northwest in 1861, a position he held until he resigned in 1865 in order to take charge of construction of the Southern Minnesota Railroad. In 1869, he was among the few pioneers who staked out the village of Wells on land which
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The first council included: the Village President William Allen; Trustees Samuel Alsip, Thomas S. Fellows and John McNeil; Recorder JP Burke; Justice of the Peace S.C. Leland; and Constable Quincy J. Adams. Since the one function of the government is to protect all of its people, the early provision was made for the fire department. Ed Hayes was the Chief Fire Deputy at that time. All of the firemen received $5 per year as their salary. The board of health was also provided to protect all of the citizens. Dr. Straw was the first chairperson. The village showed rapid growth. In 1870, the entire population of the Clark township was 347. Then twenty years later, it had grown to 1,209 and then it nearly doubled over the next 10 years. The 1900 census recorded a total population of 2,017 hardy pioneers. In 1894, the village voted 193 to 34 to issue the bonds for a municipal water and the electric plant and 50 electric lights were ordered for the streets. In 1875, Colonel Clark W. Thompson donated 53 acres of land to be used as a city park. In 1895, the Council invested a large amount of money in a race track for the park, and also proposed an artificial lake in the park to beautify the village. A $250 bid was accepted for the privilege of harvesting the ice crop from the city
The first council included: the Village President William Allen; Trustees Samuel Alsip, Thomas S. Fellows and John McNeil; Recorder JP Burke; Justice of the Peace S.C. Leland; and Constable Quincy J. Adams. Since the one function of the government is to protect all of its people, the early provision was made for the fire department. Ed Hayes was the Chief Fire Deputy at that time. All of the firemen received $5 per year as their salary. The board of health was also provided to protect all of the citizens. Dr. Straw was the first chairperson. The village showed rapid growth. In 1870, the entire population of the Clark township was 347. Then twenty years later, it had grown to 1,209 and then it nearly doubled over the next 10 years. The 1900 census recorded a total population of 2,017 hardy pioneers. In 1894, the village voted 193 to 34 to issue the bonds for a municipal water and the electric plant and 50 electric lights were ordered for the streets. In 1875, Colonel Clark W. Thompson donated 53 acres of land to be used as a city park. In 1895, the Council invested a large amount of money in a race track for the park, and also proposed an artificial lake in the park to beautify the village. A $250 bid was accepted for the privilege of harvesting the ice crop from the city