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Citation:  [Identification of Item], Lysander Wells Papers, MC017, San Jacinto Museum of History, Houston, Texas.

Creator Sketch:

Lysander Wells was born to Lysander and Clarissa Wells in Middletown, Connecticut circa 1812.  His father passed away, leaving the son to support his mother and two sisters, Adaline Louisa and Adelia Wells.  Pursuing opportunities in the West, Wells enlisted as a second lieutenant in Sidney Sherman’s company of volunteers December 18, 1835 and proceeded to Texas from Kentucky.  During the January 25, 1836 reorganization of the Texas army, Wells was commissioned a major and fought in a position of cavalry command at the Battle of San Jacinto.  He was confirmed a lieutenant-colonel by the Texas Senate May 22, 1837.  He was made colonel by President Sam Houston in 1838 and received command of the first regiment of cavalry January 30, 1839.  In the autumn of 1839, he returned to Connecticut to visit his mother and two sisters, whom he continued to support financially.  Wells returned to Texas in January 1840 and resumed command of the First Texas Cavalry.  After participating in the Council House fight March 19, 1840,  Wells entered into an argument with Captain William D. Redd.  The two men fought a duel May 9, 1840.  Redd was killed instantly, and Wells died twenty days later. 

Bibliography: 

“WELLS, LYSANDER.”  The Handbook of Texas Online. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/WW/fwe24.html

Dixon, Sam Houston and Louis Wiltz Kemp.  The Heroes of San Jacinto.  Houston:  Anson Jones Press, 1932.

Scope and Content Note:

                The Lysander Wells Papers (1836-1840 (Bulk: 1839-1840) consist mostly of letters received, but also include a will and probate, a bill of sale in the form of a letter, estimates of the value of his estate and one letter written by Lysander Wells. Correspondence includes letters written by many prominent Texans such as Sidney Sherman, captain of cavalry at Nacogdoches, 1836; William Henry Daingerfield, commissary of purchases of the Army of the Republic of Texas, 1839-1840;  John Grant Tod, Commander of the Texas Navy, 1839; Richard G. Dunlap, minister from Texas to the United States, 1839; and John Evans, newspaperman and politician of Galveston, 1839.  Letters from Adelia and Adaline Wells report news from  Middletown, CT, 1839-1840.  Other items of correspondence document Wells’ purchase of personal equipment before his return to Texas, 1839.  The only document written by Wells is a letter addressed to Deaf Smith in 1837 and returned to Wells because Smith was dead before it could be delivered. Legal documents include the 1840 will and probate of Col. Lysander Wells, surveys of his estate at the time of death and results of the estate auction, including purchasers and prices of his belongings.  Many letters include typescript copies which are arranged next to the originals.

Archivist’s Note:

 At the time of accession, the Lysander Wells papers included a land grant that documents the 1852 transfer of land from San Jacinto veteran Antonio Manchaca to John James.  This document, 5380c.55, is now located in the San Jacinto Museum of History Manuscript Collection.  A blue loose leaf binder that contains concise summaries of various items within the Lysander Wells papers is included in the holding record of the collection.

Lysander Wells Papers, 1836-1840 (Bulk: 1839-1840 )

Manuscript Collection:  MC017

Size:  .2 linear feet

Boxes:  1

Inventory

     Series:  Correspondence

     Series:  Legal

     Series:  Photostats