Henry Wells
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Henry Wells (December 12, 1805 – December 10, 1878) was an American businessman.
He was born in Thetford, Vermont but his family relocated to New York State as a child. Due in large part to his own speaking problems, in his twenties Wells started a school for speech disorders.
In 1836 he became a freight agent on the Erie Canal and soon founded his own company. In 1841 Wells hired William Fargo and the two men soon formed the American Express company. Wells was president of American Express from its founding in 1850 until 1868.
In 1851 Wells and Fargo with other partners founded the Wells Fargo Company. The company held a near monopoly on banking and express services in California for several years.
Henry Wells founded Wells College in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York with an endowment to make it one of the first women's colleges in the United States.
Wells died in Scotland in 1878, two days before his 73rd birthday.
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| Preceded by No one |
CEO of American Express 1850-1868 |
Succeeded by William Fargo |
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