22 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



hope that nothing might ever happen to overturn it. Tlie formation of a 

 Ladies' department was very much desired by him, but this he did not live to 

 seD. 



He was in trutli a very father to the College — wise, patient, and active. 

 Oraceful and dignified in bearing, he was a man of whose very appearance we 

 were proud 



Judge Wells was born in Steuben ville, 0., June 6, 1812, educated at Kenyou 

 College, read law in the office of J. & D. Collier of Steuben ville, and was admit- 

 ted to ])ractice in 1832. 



In 1840, and again in 1860, he was a president' al elector. President Lincoln 

 tendered him the position of minister to Honduras, and President Johnson the 

 place of consul to Manchester, England, both of which were declined. 



In 1873 Governor Bagley appointed Judge Wells one of the eighteen com- 

 missioners to prepare and report a Constitution for the State of Michigan. 

 This was prepared and submitted, and rejected by the electors. In August, 

 1862, Judge WgUs raised in western Michigan the Tweuty-lifth infantry, Michi- 

 gan vohinteers, Col 0. II. Moore commanding. In June, 1874, he was 

 appointed by President Grant presiding jwlge of the court of Alabama claims. 

 Til is court held its sessions for the first two and a half years in Washington, 

 and entered judgment in over 2,000 cases, distributing ^9,316,120.25. General 

 Grant, in his annual message in 1875 and 1876, commended in Avarm terms of 

 praise the action of this court. Subsequently, when the court was re-organized, 

 Judge Wells was again appointed presiding judge, but was compelled to resign, 

 on afjcount of ill-hoaltli, before the work of the court was completed. 



He was a man of very fine personal appearance, of large acquaintance with 

 leading men throughout the country, and possessed a most thorough knowledge 

 of the country, its institutions, and the statesmen of the past forty years ; a 

 fine talker, one of the most interesting and instructive; a prolific writer, hav- 

 ing conLril)Uled to the press many valuable articles on a great variety of subjects. 



He was a model in his domestic life and in his habits of living. His was the 

 culture of one who possessed the highest tastes and the noblest views of life. 



