Louis Robison Wells

21 December 1862 — 20 November 1952

Born 21 Dec. 1862 in Salt Lake City.[1] Son of Daniel H. Wells and Lydia Ann Alley.[2] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his father, 6 July 1871.[3] Delivered a message to EBW of Daniel H. Wells’s terminal illness and entreated her to visit, 19 Mar. 1891.[4] Remembered by EBW on his birthday, 1891–1900.[5] Served a mission in Kentucky, 1892–1895.[6] Member of the Thirteenth Quorum of the Seventy, 1892–1899.[7] Attended family events honoring Daniel H. Wells, 29 Oct. 1897 and 27 Oct. 1899.[8] Active in local politics, 1900–1922.[9] Married Inga Johanna Hansen, 30 Apr. 1901, in Salt Lake City.[10] Served in the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA) presidency in the Salt Lake City Thirteenth Ward and the Ensign Stake and was a YMMIA board member, 1906–1911.[11] Employed as a bookkeeper by Elias Morris and Sons Co. and Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution.[12] Director of the Utah Concrete Pipe Company, 1913.[13] Served as a counselor to Bishop C. Clarence Neslen of the Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward, 1913–1938.[14] Oversaw the building of the Twentieth Ward meetinghouse, 1924–1925.[15] Died 20 Nov. 1952 in Salt Lake City.[16]

 

[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1884–1957,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Utah Temple, vol. A, 1884–1899, p. 59, line 2123, Louis Robison Wells, 26 Aug. 1885, microfilm 178052 (restricted access), FHL. “Louis Robison Wells,” Go Ye into All the World, 1830–1930 (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/?lang=eng, accessed 25 July 2019). “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 8 July 2019), Louis Robison Wells (KWZ6-XFQ).

[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1884–1957,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Utah Temple, vol. A, 1884–1899, p. 59, line 2123, Louis Robison Wells, 26 Aug. 1885, microfilm 178052 (restricted access), FHL. “Louis Robison Wells,” Go Ye into All the World, 1830–1930 (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/?lang=eng, accessed 25 July 2019).

[3] “Endowments of the Living, 1884–1957,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Utah Temple, vol. A, 1884–1899, p. 59, line 2123, Louis Robison Wells, 26 Aug. 1885, microfilm 178052 (restricted access), FHL. “Louis Robison Wells,” Go Ye into All the World, 1830–1930 (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/?lang=eng, accessed 25 July 2019).

[4] EBW, Diary, 19 Mar. 1891.

[5] EBW, Diary, 21 Dec. 1891; 21 Dec. 1895; 21 Dec. 1899; 21 Dec. 1900.

[6] “Louis Robison Wells,” Go Ye into All the World, 1830–1930 (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/?lang=eng, accessed 25 July 2019). Thirteenth Ward, Ensign Stake, Thirteenth Ward Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1849–1960, Louis R. Wells, LR 6133 2, CHL. “Elders Work in Kentucky,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 15 Apr. 1895, 2. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1914), 520–521. EBW, Diary, 16 July 1893. 

[7] Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1914), 520–521. “Louis Robison Wells,” Go Ye into All the World, 1830–1930 (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary/?lang=eng, accessed 25 July 2019).

[8] EBW, Diary, 29 Oct. 1897 and 27 Oct. 1899.

[9] Ruth J. Martin, ed., Twentieth Ward History 1856–1979 (n.p.: Twentieth Ward Bishopric, 1979), 175, copy at CHL. “Fourth Precinct,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 11 Sept. 1900, 5. “New Registry Agents,” Salt Lake Herald, 19 Sept. 1905, 5. “Result of G.O.P. Primaries in Salt Lake,” Salt Lake Telegram, 10 Sept. 1920, 1. “Republicans Choose Delegates to County and Legislative Conventions; Incumbents Favored in Primary Results,” Salt Lake Telegram, 13 Sept. 1922, 3.

[10] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. A, 1893–1905, p. 224, line 4032, Louis Robison Wells and Inga Johanna Hansen, 30 Apr. 1901, microfilm 186206 (restricted access), FHL. Salt Lake Co., UT, County Clerk, Marriage License Records, 1887–1965, vol. K, 1900–1901, p. 347, record no. 10291, Louis Robison Wells and Inga Johanna Hansen, 20 Apr. 1901, microfilm 4624218, image 184/534, FHL. 

[11] Thirteenth Ward, Ensign Stake, Thirteenth Ward Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1849–1960, Louis R. Wells, LR 6133 2, CHL. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1914), 520–521. “Church Notices,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 23 Aug. 1907, 10.

[12] Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1914), 520–521. Ruth J. Martin, ed., Twentieth Ward History 1856–1979 (n.p.: Twentieth Ward Bishopric, 1979), 175, copy at CHL. “Louis R. Wells, Active in Church Work, Dies,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 21 Nov. 1952, 4B.   

[13] “To Show Method of Cement Pipe Making,” Salt Lake Tribune, 16 July 1913, 7. 

[14] Ruth J. Martin, ed., Twentieth Ward History 1856–1979 (n.p.: Twentieth Ward Bishopric, 1979), 175, copy at CHL. Charles J. Ross, And She Shall Be an Ensign unto the People: A History of the Salt Lake Ensign Stake, Its Wards and Leaders 1904–1979 (n.p.: Twentieth Ward Bishopric, 1979), 120, copy at CHL. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1914), 520–521. Twentieth Ward, Ensign Stake, Twentieth Ward Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1856–1982, Louis R. Wells, LR 9455 2, CHL. Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Twentieth Ward (Old), Part 4, 1907–1940, pp. 787, 1202, Louis R. Wells, CR 375 8, box 7117, folder 115, images 41, 95/400, CHL.

[15] Ruth J. Martin, ed., Twentieth Ward History 1856–1979 (n.p.: Twentieth Ward Bishopric, 1979), 18–19, 175, copy at CHL.

[16] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 11 July 2019); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, 1952, Salt Lake, series 81448, microfilm 4093491, DGS 4093491, image 95/2129, FHL. “Louis R. Wells, Active in Church Work, Dies,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 21 Nov. 1952, 4B.