Fred Wells - Founder of the town of Wells


Fred Wells-excerpted from "The History of Wells" by Sandy Mathers

Fred Wells was born in Whitefield, New Hampshire on August 4, 1861. In an interview with the Vancouver Sun, July 23, 1955, he was described as being born into a lumbering family that operated a sawmill near the Canadian border. As a young man, Wells made his way across Canada, staying a winter in Winnipeg, then moving into Calgary. Conflicting sources say he crossed over the Rockies from Calgary on an Indian pony "just to see what lay on the other side of the mountains." Another story is that he came into the Windemere area to look after a ranch owned by a fellow he met in Calgary, leaving his employer shortly after, to go prospecting. Whatever the case, Fred Wells arrived in B.C. in 1882 and begun his illustrious career in mining.

One of Wells' first enterprises involved setting up a freight services with flat bottomed boats on the Columbia River near Golden, while developing an interest in mining in that area. He worked on a lead prospect on the Columbia River at Spillamacheen for many years but could not raise the money to develop it. It was later brought into production by Giant Mascot Mines after he allowed his claim to lapse. "He next developed Paradise Mine near Windemere, and moved to Rossland where he was one of the first to have gold claims in the area" (Province, Sept. 1, 1956). Wells also developed the Nickel Plate Mine near Rossland. After that he went on to develop the Surf Inlet Gold Mine on Princess Royal Island. This mine was brought into production in 1910 and produced $15,600,000 in gold before it shut down in 1920. He was involved in the Lorne Mine in the Bridge River Valley later known as Bralorne.

In 1922, Fred Wells came north to the Cariboo in the Barkerville area and the rest is the history of the Cariboo Gold Quartz Mining Company. This venture was probably the most outstanding and successful one of all his career.

Fred Wells was, by his very nature, a compulsive prospestor. It appears that for him, the prize was not the personal wealth that came with bringing in a successful mine, but rather the adventure of the search. Once the Cariboo Gold Quartz was established and on its feet, so was Fred Wells. He continued to prospect in the Cariboo and attempted to open up other mines in the area, most noticably, the Cariboo Hudson Mine and Snowshoe Plateau. These were not as successful as the Cariboo Gold Quartz, but that did not deter Mr. Wells. An article in the Province, June 6, 1938 described him accordingly, "...His cheeks red and blistered from exposure to the wind and sun during several days snowshoeing across Snowshoe Plateau between Cariboo Hudson and Yanks Peak, the ineterate prospector is hard at work on the third mine he is opening in the Yanks Peak area." He was 77 years old at the time the article was written.

Fred Wells died in Vancouver at the age of 95. Contrary to his success, he did not die a wealthy man. He lived in a small room humbly furnished with the basic necessities, the outstanding features of which were tables covered with ore samples. He had been working on an iron and copper prospect in the Namu area. In an interview taken on his 95th birthday, Fred Wells defended his financial position;"..you know how it goes. You make some money on a property and the next thing you're doing is losing it on another prospect. I've always had to keep getting into something new, it seems"(Sun, July 23, 1955).

Fred Wells was indeed a man of unique character. He was akin to a gambler, willing to risk all for the game of prospecting. This obsession with the search for minerals led to much speculation as to whether his geological claims were well founded or just guess work. Although his record for involvement in developing mines was impressive, there was probably an equal impressive record for prospecting claims which were passed over, or which failed. Even though he may not have been respected by everyone for his mining knowledge, his determination and physical stamina must have commanded respect from all who met him. The Financial News, Feb. 8, 1935 described Fred Wells as "... a splendid example of rugged individualism which made Canada what it is today..."

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