Wells, Heber Manning

Heber Manning Wells is well known as the first Governor of the new state of Utah. He was born on August 11, 1859 in Salt Lake City. He graduated from the University of Deseret (now University of Utah) 1875. Wells suffered a great deal of tragedy in his domestic life. He married Mary Elizabeth Beatie 1880 but she died 1888. He then married Teresa Clawson 1892 but she died 1901. Finally he married Emily Katz 1903. Thankfully she outlived him. Wells was involved with politics from early on in his life. He started working as a tax collector in Salt Lake City. 1882-1890 he spent as City Recorder. As a republican he was sent to the territory's 1887 constitutional convention to be the secretary. 1895 he was sent as a delegate to the convention that created the state constitution that finally made Utah a state. In the first state gubernatorial elections, Wells was elected the state's first Governor and served 1896-1905. During his time in office, he was interested in promoting economic development but felt it was important to also protect Utah's natural environment. He campaigned to establish forest reserves. He was also interested in education and the arts. He supported the creation of Branch Normal school for training teachers. This school later became Southern Utah University. He also created the first state-sponsored organization for supporting the arts, which would become the Utah Arts Council. After Wells left office, he became the Managing Director of the Utah Savings and Trust Company. He was chosen as the Commissioner of Parks and Property in Salt Lake City 1913-1917. A few years later in 1919 he became Editor of the Salt Lake City Herald. He left Utah for a bit to take a job as Assistant Treasurer and then Treasurer of the US Shipping Board Merchant Fleet Corporation. He stayed with them until 1933 and returned to Utah. Wells joined the Deseret Evening News as their Associate Editor 1935. Wells died in Salt Lake CIty on March 12, 1938.