James L. Wells

James Lee Wells (1843 in West Farms, Westchester County – September 5, 1928, in The Bronx, New York City) was an American businessman and politician. He became known as Father of The Bronx which title was officially conferred on him by the Bronx Board of Trade in May 1921.

Life

He was born, and lived, in West Farms, which was then a town in Westchester County. In 1874, West Farms was part of the Bronx District which was annexed by New York County and became the 23rd and 24th Wards. Since 1898, West Farms is a neighborhood in the Borough of The Bronx in New York City.

He graduated from Columbia College in 1865, and became a real estate broker and auctioneer.

He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1879 (Westchester Co., 1st D.) and 1880 (New York Co., 24th D.). He was a member of the Board of Aldermen of New York City from 1881 to 1883.

He was again a member of the State Assembly (New York Co., 24th D.) in 1892. In June 1895, he was appointed by Mayor William L. Strong a Commissioner of Taxes and Assessments to fill the unexpired term of John Whalen until 1899. Mayor Seth Low appointed him president of the Tax Commission.

He was the Republican and Citizens Union candidate for borough president of The Bronx in 1901, but was defeated. He was a delegate to the 1912, 1920 and 1924 Republican National Conventions.

He was New York State Treasurer from 1915 to 1920, elected at the New York state election, 1914, and re-elected at the New York state election, 1916, and the New York state election, 1918.

He was president of the North Side Board of Trade, a director of the Twenty-third Ward Bank, a trustee of the Dollar Savings Bank, and president of the Real Estate Auctioneers' Association of New York City.

His daughter Edith Wells married Rev. Charles C. Harriman, Rector of St. Ann's Church in The Bronx, in 1908, and died three years later aged 23.

He died at his home at 277 Alexander Avenue, in the Bronx.

Sources

• Political Graveyard (double entry)
• Appointed Tax Commissioner, in NYT on June 13, 1895
• Nominated for Borough Pres., in NYT on October 2, 1901
• Retired as Pres of NSBoT, and appointed Pres of Tax Comm., in NYT on December 25, 1901
• Death notice of his daughter Edith, in NYT on December 14, 1911
• "Father of the Bronx", in NYT on May 20, 1921