The Wells Brothers of Rapides Parish, Breeders of Champion Horses

Editor's Note: I compiled the following regarding my great-great grandfather, General Montford Wells [shown at left] and his brother [my great-great uncle] Thomas Jefferson Wells to preserve some of the history surrounding the family. They were involved as principals in the famous "Sand Bar Duel" along with family friend, Jim Bowie, in the early 1800's. But, the story that is most fascinating is their love for horses - and their champion racing horses.

The Wells Brothers of Rapides Parish, Breeders of Champion Horses Since the earliest days in the history of Louisiana, there has been an interest and involvement in the racing of horses. But, nowhere in the state was there a greater interest than found in the early part of the 19th century in an area between what is now the town of Lecompte and the town of Forest Hill in central Louisiana. Two brothers, General Montford Wells and Thomas Jefferson Wells, were owners of vast land areas in that part of Louisiana. On very large plantations, they were involved in the planting of a variety of crops, and the raising of horses which was in the blood of both men. In all of these endeavors the pair were inseparable. They even married sisters. But, it was Thomas Jefferson Wells who pursued the raising of horses with great vigor. General Montford Wells owned a show-place plantation, Wellswood, and Thomas Jefferson Wells owned Dentley. At Dentley, Thomas Jefferson Wells had constructed a circular race track to pursue that which was loved by both so much – the racing of fine horses. Records indicate that Thomas Jefferson Wells either raised or bred a number of horses of that day: 1844 Lincoln by Leviathan 1845 Stafford by Leviathan [Texas] 1846 Capt Elgee, by Leviathan [Kentucky] 1847 Bob Green by Ambassador 1848 Ann Dunn, by Sovereign 1850 Lecomte, by Boston 1851 Ashland, by Wagner 1853 Prioress, by Sovereign 1854 Calvit, by Yorkshire 1855 Starke, by Wagner 1856 Dentley, by Yorkshire 1857 Fanny Wells, by Sovereign 1859 War Dance, by Lexington All of these horses were extremely successful, and all were out of the blood line of “Reel”, one of the finest horses of all times.


Reel Reel proved to be one of the greatest producing mares of all thoroughbred history; no less than three of her daughters left lines which extend into the present period with many winners; they were: Cotillion, and Fandango, both by Leviathan and Reel by Glencoe. A writer of racing sport wrote in 1934 that "many students of American bloodlines consider Gallopade the ranking progenitress imported during the last 100 years”. Often described as the greatest American broodmare of the 19th century Reel was bred to seven different stallions and produced thirteen offspring, eight of whom were grey. Reel's line is still very much alive, producing champions Chris Evert (CCA Oaks), Winning Colors (Santa Anita Derby and Oaks, Kentucky Derby, 2nd Breeders' Cup Distaff, 3rd Preakness Stakes), Two Lea, Tim Tam (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, 2nd Belmont Stakes), Sweet Native, and Chief's Crown (Breeders' Cup Juvenile, 2nd Preakness Stakes, 3rd Kentucky Derby, 3rd Belmont Stakes). At the end of her racing career, Reel was retired to his Wellswood Stud.

It is at this point that the story begins to get interesting. On Wells’ Plantation was a man by the name of Harkness or (Hark). A slave who trained famous race horse Lecomte, at Dentley Plantation . One of the most astute trainers in the country prior to the Civil War, other horses trained by Hark besides Lecomte, were War Dance and Prioress. Reel produced 13 foals between 1844 and 1860. When she was mated with Boston she produced Lecompte, the only horse ever to defeat Lexington. To Sovereign (GB) she threw Prioress, and to Wagner she produced Starke (FR). Both Prioress and Starke were taken to England in 1856 by Richard Ten Broeck, where they won the Cesarewitch and Goodwood Cup, respectively.

Of the foals of Reel, notable offspring and their results were: Lecomte: Bred by Thomas Jefferson Wells of Louisiana, he won 11 of his 17 starts, defeating Lexington, another son the great Boston, while lowering Fashion’s world record for four miles by more than 6 seconds. Purchased by Richard Ten Broeck, he was sent to race in England but was beset by a wonky leg. He died there of colic in 1857. Bred to only a few mares he sired Umpire (1857) who raced successfully in England; and the dam of Lizzy G (1867).

Prioress: She was the first American-bred and American-owned horse to win a race in England. As a two year old at Metairie, Louisiana, she ran record successive 1-mile heats in 1:46 ¼ and 1:45. She went to England as part of Richard Ten Broeck’s string and there won the run off of the famous triple dead heat of the 1857 Cesarewitch. She also won the Great Yorkshire Handicap and Queen’s Plates at Newmarket and Epsom. She produced six foals in the stud for Sir Lydston Newman and died while foaling in 1868.

Starke: Described as a mealy chestnut standing about 15.3 hands, he was purchased by Mr. Ten Broeck for $7,500. after his first race at Metairie he was sent to England to join his stable there. Over a three year period he won the Goodwood Stakes, the Warwick Cup, the Bentinck Memorial Plate “in a cantor by 6 lengths”, the Goodwood Cup, the Brighton Stakes “in a walk”, and finished 2nd for the Ebor Handicap. In November 1861 he was sold for $7,000. to go to Prussia. He was sent to Austria-Hungary in 1864 where he entered the stud.

War Dance: He was also bred by Thomas Jefferson Wells, and purchased as a two-year old by A. Keene Richards. He raced under the name of General Westmore. He sired such outstanding daughters as Blue Grass Belle (1880), Brademane (1874), Buff-and-Blue (1873), Lizzy G (1867), Vega (1876), War Reel (1870), and War Song (1867).

The coming clouds of the great Civil War was soon to change much in the lives of all involved in the plantation life of the South. Reel had produced her last foal, a colt by Lexington named War Dance, who was considered to be so well bred that A. Keene Richards purchased him as a yearling for the then-unheard of sum of $5,000 in gold. When the Civil War began in 1861, A. Keene Richards, a vocal supporter of secession, fled the border state of Kentucky for New Orleans, where General Wells, the breeder of War Dance, was a leading citizen. Because of the outbreak of war, War Dance ended up back at Wellswood, a situation that lasted until 1862 when the Union army seized New Orleans. Because Thomas Jefferson Wells and his brother were such staunch supporters of the Confederacy, their property was quickly expropriated. But, before this could happen, the Southerners quickly transferred their horses from Wellswood to a Texas ranch owned by the general. Among the horses moved to Texas was an unnamed daughter of Lecomte who was conceived before Richard Ten Broeck took Lecomte to England in 1856. This mare was out of Edith (by Sovereign), who was out of Judith (by Glencoe), who in turn was out of Gallopade’s daughter Fandango (by Leviathan). The mare by Lecomte was the result of breeding a sire descending from Gallopade to a female descendant of the same mare, making the mare inbred 3 x 4 to Gallopade. Another refugee fleeing possible expropriation at Wellswood was the valuable War Dance, who ended up at the same ranch in Texas. While these horses were being hidden, War Dance was bred to the Lecomte Mare to produce a filly named Lizzy G — a mating that took place because War Dance was the only Thoroughbred stallion at the ranch. Lizzy G had an unusual pedigree: she was sired by War Dance, a son of Reel, and she was out of a mare by the stallion Lecompte, who was also a son of Reel. To put the icing on the cake, Reel was a daughter of Gallopade, who was also Lizzy G’s fifth dam. This gave Lizzy G. three direct crosses of one female line within five generations. Thomas Jefferson Wells died during the war, which led to a dispersal of his horses after a general amnesty had been declared in 1865. Richards returned from Europe and reclaimed War Dance and moved him to Kentucky, where he became one of Lexington’s most valuable sons. Lizzy G, who was inbred 3 x 4 x 5 to Gallopade, was sold to a Colonel Garner who sent her to Kentucky, where she was kept until her death in 1881.

Although Thomas Jefferson Wells and his brother, Montford, have been dead for almost 150 years, and the grand plantation homes of times past long gone with little trace of their existence; the track at Dentley long since quiet, and only by careful scrutiny of the area can traces of the circular track be seen in ground – it can be imagined that on a warm quiet day, if one stays very still – the sounds of the hoofs of running horses heard, with the commanding voice of the trainer – Hark – issuing instructions to the rider. But in truth, the horses the Wells’ loved so much, through the foals they have produced over the years, are still racing today – and as in years past – winning.

Compiled by: Richard G. Moriarty Source: a. Thoroughbred Heritage [Reel] b. Wikipedia – Reel c. Bloodhorse.com – Floyd Oliver “The Breeding of Domino” d. The Wells Family and Allied Families (1942); G. M. G. Stafford