Born 27 Oct. 1814 at Trenton, Oneida Co., New York.[1] Son of Daniel Wells and Catherine Chapin.[2] Married Eliza R. Robison, at Commerce, Hancock Co., Illinois, 14 Mar. 1837.[3] Served as justice of the peace at Commerce, 1838.[4] Baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9 Aug. 1846.[5] Migrated to the Salt Lake Valley with the Brigham Young pioneer company, serving as aide-de-camp; arrived by 24 Sept. 1848.[6] Appointed attorney general of the provisional state of Deseret, 12 Mar. 1849.[7] Served as lieutenant general of the Nauvoo Legion in Utah Territory, 1849–1871.[8] Served on the University of Deseret board of regents, 1850–1869, and as chancellor, 1869–1878.[9] Elected as a judge for the Supreme Court of Deseret, 1850–1852; admitted to the territorial bar, 18 Oct. 1851.[10] Served as a member of the territorial legislative council, 1851–1858, 1882, and as president, 1859–1864.[11] Appointed as the superintendent of public works, Apr. 1852.[12] Married EBW, 10 Oct. 1852, at Salt Lake City.[13] Ordained as an apostle and appointed as second counselor to President Brigham Young, 4 Jan. 1857.[14] Presided over the European mission, 1864–1865, 1884–1887.[15] Served as mayor of Salt Lake City, 1866–1876.[16] Presided over the work at the Endowment House, 1868–1876.[17] Appointed counselor to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 6 Oct. 1880.[18] Appointed to preside over the Manti temple at its dedication, 16 May 1888.[19] Died 24 Mar. 1891 at Salt Lake City.[20]
[1] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Endowment House, p. 53, Daniel H Wells, microfilm 183393, DGS 5270317 (restricted access), FHL. Missionary Department Missionary Registers, vol. B, p. 6, CR 301 22, image 7/148, CHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 9 Jan. 2018), Daniel Hanmer Wells (KWNR-6S1).
[2] Missionary Department Missionary Registers, vol. B, p. 6, CR 301 22, image 7/148, CHL.
[3] Hancock Co., IL, County Clerk, Birth Certificates, Death Records, Marriage Records, Applications for Marriage Licenses, 1829–1947, Marriage Certificates, no. 1-899, 1829–1844, Daniel H. Wells and Eliza R. Robison, microfilm 1532140, DGS 4661406, images 543–544/2041, FHL.
[4] Daniel H. Wells, Justice of the Peace Docket, 1837–1841, MS 29489, image 4, 24/141, CHL.
[5] Missionary Department Missionary Registers, vol. B, p. 6, CR 301 22, image 7/148, CHL.
[6] “Daniel Hanmer Wells,” Pioneer Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/, accessed 27 Dec. 2019). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882, vol. 18, p. 38, CR 100 102, box 9, image 47/108, CHL.
[7] Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882, vol. 19, p. 38, CR 100 102, box 9, image 52/191, CHL.
[8] Utah Territory, Adjutant General Utah, Utah Territorial Militia Records, 1849–1877, Territorial Militia Records (Orders), 1849, box 1, folder 1, no. 1-4, Daniel H. Wells, DGS 4280235, image 6/12, FHL. “Correspondence between Lieutenant-General D. H. Wells and Governor J. W. Shaffer,” Deseret News, 2 Nov. 1870, 5. Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of Utah (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1964), 662–663.
[9] Quentin Thomas Wells, Defender: The Life of Daniel H. Wells (Logan: Utah State University Press, 2016), 317–318. Bryant S. Hinckley, Daniel Hanmer Wells and Events of His Time (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1942), 223–224.
[10] Clair T. Kilts, A History of the Federal and Territorial Court Conflicts in Utah, 1851–1874 (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, 1959), 29–31. Bryant S. Hinckley, Daniel Hanmer Wells and Events of His Time (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1942), 150.
[11] Gordon Irving, Roster of Members of the Legislative Assembly, Utah Territory, 1851–1894 (Salt Lake City: Historical Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1975), 2–14, 26.
[12] “In Deseret We’re Free,” Deseret News, 17 Apr. 1852, 2.
[13] Carol Cornwall Madsen, Emmeline B. Wells: An Intimate History (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2017), 108, 109n17. EBW, Diary, 10 Oct. 1890; 10 Oct. 1892; 10 Oct. 1908.
[14] Scott G. Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruff’s Journal: 1833–1898, 9 vols. (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1984), 5:4. Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882, vol. 27, p. 3, CR 100 102, box 11, image 14/940, CHL.
[15] “Daniel H. Wells,” Go Ye Into All the World, 1830–1930: Missionary Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/, accessed 12 Apr. 2018). “Thirty-Fifth Semi-Annual Conference,” Deseret News, 12 Oct. 1865, 7. “Died,” Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 29 Dec. 1884, 46:824. “Farewell,” Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 21 Feb. 1887, 49:120–121.
[16] “Colorful Mayoral History Awaits Unprecedented Corradini Chapter,” Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Nov. 1991, A1, A15. Bryant S. Hinckley, Daniel Hanmer Wells and Events of His Time (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1942), 155.
[17] “Daniel H. Wells,” Deseret Evening News, 28 Mar. 1891, 4. Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake Central Stake, Thirteenth Ward Records, LR 15328 22, CHL.
[18] Scott G. Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruff’s Journal: 1833–1898, 9 vols. (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1984), 7:596. “Fiftieth Semi-Annual Conference,” Deseret News, 13 Oct. 1880, 8.
[19] EBW, Diary, 17 May 1888. “The Manti Temple,” Salt Lake Daily Herald, 24 May 1888, 4.
[20] “Utah Death Registers, 1847–1966,” p. 84 (1891), Daniel H Wells; citing series 21866, from Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Utah State Archives and Records Service, Salt Lake City. Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake Central Stake, Thirteenth Ward Records, LR 15328 22, CHL.