Henry A. Wells, DDS

Dentist and Volunteer for Local Causes

Dr. Henry A. Wells

Doctors and dentists played an important role in the development of a new frontier. An early dentist to take up practice in our community came here just as the Northern Pacific Railway crews were nearing the townsite of Depot Springs (Cheney), then a struggling small settlement.

Born in Johnsburg, Vermont in 1851, Henry A Wells attended local schools before going to Ipswich, Connecticut in 1869 at the age of 18 to study dentistry. That particular dental school was chosen due to the fact his brother was one of the instructors. He completed his professional education at Boston Dental College in Massachusetts in 1877. Three years later at age 29, Wells came west to this territory where he established one of the first dental offices in Cheney.

Dr. Wells owned a large house on the corner of First and G streets where the old Beehive Restaurant stood until being demolished recently. He also had a small dwelling next door. Apparently he wasn’t happy residing in one place too long; so about once a month he would change his living quarters from one house to the other with help from his good friends and close neighbors, the Merle Stifflers, to aid in the moving. The dental office always remained in the big house.

Sanitary niceties for dental work consisted of a bucket of cold water brought from the well, a dipper for drinking or rinsing the mouth, a teakettle, the necessary crude equipment (including a red plush dental chair which was raised or lowered by a foot pedal), and, of course, the wash basin for washing his hands. Whenever a patient appeared, Dr. Wells would fire up the old stove, throw his tools into the teakettle of hot water and in short order be ready to pull that pesky tooth. When the operation was finished, the patient was handed a dipperful of cold water and told to rinse his mouth. Strangely enough, there were few cases of infection and no recorded deaths resulting from this primitive procedure. So much for masks, rubber gloves, and the gleaming electrical equipment of today!

The closest friendship the good doctor formed here was with his next door neighbors, the Stiffler family. Their sons, Bill and Jack, were special favorites. Wells became a second grandfather to the two little boys. Bill in particular was his little “helper” and could do no wrong in the doctor’s eyes. One day four-year-old Billy slipped over to Dr. Wells’ yard taking a little bucket with him. He picked every leaf off Dr. Wells’ small sapling tree, proudly taking them home. His mother was about to administer punishment when the doctor appeared. He thought it immensely cunning of little Bill and admonished Mabel, “Don't you spank that boy! He’s the smartest child I’ve ever known. He picked every leaf off that tree!”

Dr. Wells spent a great deal of his free time at the Stiffler home. They became more a family to him than friends. Every evening, Wells came next door to their home to read the newspaper and more often than not, eat a hearty meal with them. Mabel’s chicken and dumplings were special treats for him. He would spend hours visiting with the family.

An outdoor man, Wells owned 200 acres of timber land northeast of Cheney between town and Spotted Road. He enjoyed few things more than having Merle Stiffler drive him out to his land where he cut wood for the stoves used to heat his two houses.

There was one serious romance in his life. He was completely captivated by Nellie Hutchinson, the lady who later became William J. Sutton’s wife. There were a pair of silver buckles among his personal possessions left after his death. These were the last gifts he intended to give the lady. No one knows the reason for the abrupt ending of the attachment. Dr. Wells remained a bachelor all his life. However, the lady in question married Mr. Sutton in February 1897.

The doctor was a great conversationalist. His Boston accent was pleasing to his listeners, as was his wit and repartee. Civic duties occupied much of his leisure hours. Wells served on the city council and was a firm backer of educational interests, as well as a loyal member of the Masonic order in Cheney and the Shriners of Spokane. His political ties were staunchly with the Republican party.

Over 60 years of taking part in and witnessing the changes in the town of Cheney ended when Dr Wells died in 1943 at the age of 91. His friends of many years, the Merle Stifflers, notified his niece in Boston who came out to make final arrangements and settle his estate. Many of his personal effects were left to Merle Stiffler and are still cared for by the latter’s family.

Funeral services for Dr. Wells, one of our earliest pioneers, were held at the Jerue Funeral Home with Dr. Bass of the Cheney Methodist Church officiating. Temple Lodge #42 A&FM took part in the services for their oldest fraternal brother who at the time of his death was also the oldest member of the Ipswich, Massachusetts lodge. Pall bearers were Sam Webb, William Mohs, Merle Stiffler, Dr. Oscar Johnson, H.N. Stronach, and Richard Roos. All were from pioneer families of this area and long-time friends of Dr. Wells. Cremation followed the local services with interment later in the family’s Boston mausoleum.

Bill Stiffler contributed the following memorial for this biography: “When Dr. Henry A. Wells passed on, Cheney lost one of its originators. He was a friend, civic leader, and kind man who traveled west to help establish a frontier town. There have been few as dedicated to the development of Cheney as Dr. Wells.

Although he was far from his nearest kin, the advancement of Cheney and its schools were his cause and purpose.”

Sincere appreciation to Bill and Jeanette Stiffler for their part in preparing the notes for this biography. It is seldom we are fortunate enough to find someone who has had a personal knowledge of such an old pioneer. Bill’s data and memories of Dr. Wells were invaluable in writing this article. Thanks also to Grace Mill Okerstrom for the use of her scrapbook of clippings about many early day families, including the obituary of Dr. Wells.

July 1990

They Came for Opportunity; Ellen McIntosh Proctor

Edited by Joan Mamanakis