From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean. 

pp. 555-556
GEORGE N. WELLS, wholesale and retail cigar and job merchant of 
Wheeling, West Virginia, is now carrying on business in partnership with 
Adrian L. Wingerter, and enjoys good patronage from his fellow citizens.  
He was born in Wheeling, October 14, 1874, and is a son of Robert R. and 
Sarah L. (Holmes) Wells, respected residents of this city.
	Robert R. Wells was born in Wheeling in 1844; he married Sarah L. 
Holmes, a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Dr. James 
Rush Holmes, of Pittsburg, prominent among physicians of that city.  
They reared five children, namely:  J. Howard; George N.; Robert R., 
Jr.; Harry M.; and Eugene.  J. Howard is foreman of the plant of the 
Natural Gas Company of West Virginia at Wheeling, where Robert and Harry 
are employed, and Eugene is engaged as a traveling salesman for his 
brother, George N.
	Mr. Wells attended the sixth ward schools in his youth, and 
subsequently became nail feeder in a nail factory.  In 1890, he engaged 
in business with James B. McKee, as manager of that gentleman's retail 
job store, - working also as bookkeeper, - and stayed with him seven 
years, having full charge of the retail department for that time.  In 
1897, he entered into business for himself, associated with Mr. 
Campbell, under the firm name of Wells & Campbell, and dealt in stock 
such as he carries at the present time.  In 1901, Mr. Campbell sold his 
interest to Adrian L. Wingerter.  The firm is very successful in its 
affairs, and its trade is rapidly increasing.
	Mr. Wells was united in the bonds of matrimony with Bessie L. 
Simms, who was born May 20, 1874, in Ohio.  She and her husband are 
members of the M. E. church.  Politically, Mr. Wells is a Republican of 
the truest type, and in fraternal connection belongs to the B. P. O. E., 
of which he is an esquire.  He is a representative citizen of Ohio 
county, upright and industrious, and has the unlimited confidence of his 
neighbors and friends.