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

A Letter to God

Dear God,

For the first 32 years of my life I devoted it to work, play and learning about all of the gifts that surrounded me.

Finally, you gave me a help-mate and 3 beautiful children. Life was good, and we struggled along like so many young families of that day. Our first home was truly a gift, and one that we never ever expected to be able to afford. I was turned down by the bank for a loan as my income was too small for the loan. My in-law suggested that I go see
a family friend who owned a life insurance company to borrow the money to buy it.

The man said that his board had asked that no more loans be granted – as they had so many out, but he said “for you I will make one more”. I remember being asked “how much could I afford to pay on the monthly note”, and being told “you are on a fixed income budget and there are a number of ways to accomplish the financing to fit that budget” – which he did, and you allowed us to move into the new home.

Life continued on for the next 13 years, the children grew, I moved into a higher level position of work, and life continued to get better. Perhaps, we were too good. Illness suddenly appeared in the family, the lovely wife you had given me, became very ill and a 2 ½ year protracted period of one hospitalization and surgery followed by a period of recuperation and then another hospitalization in conjunction with kidney dialysis continued. Gradually the beautiful help-mate grew weaker and weaker, until you decided “no more” – and took her back to your heavenly place to live in peace with you and your son and the holy spirit.

The world seemed so dark, foreboding a place left alone with 3 small children, a demanding job and a home to care for.

A business I had invested in was going broke, creditors were filing lawsuits and my financial world was in ruin.

The pressures of life bore down and the frustrations grew with each passing day. The family was literally hanging on the ropes. I prayed and prayed to you – my life seemed to get only worse and more difficult each day. I remember telling your son – Jesus – that I gave my life to him – I even signed a covenant that was written in a book which had been given to me that I was turning my life over to him. My life – I felt – had become a mess. One night – as I lay in my bed – in that darkened room unable to sleep, with the troubles and cares of my life pressing down on me, I remembered a sermon that Fr Bill Wilcox had given many years earlier at St James on the subject of prayer. Fr Wilcox had said that there were all sorts of prayers, long ones, detailed ones, short ones – each as important as the other. But, he said the most poignant prayer of all was that of a young teenage girl, who, finding herself in great difficulty blurted out in her pain and sorrow “O God – I hurt so much!”. In my pain and hurt, as I lay on that bed, alone in that darkened room, I remembered that young girl, and like her, I too, called out aloud to you in the night, “O God, I hurt so much!”, and miraculously from deep in my inner mind I heard a wee small voice say, “I know… I know”.

Dear God, you never forgot me, never left me. In all of my hurt and pain, though I thought I was alone, you never left me. From that moment in time, in my deepest feeling of despair, you came to me and showed me your love.

Some months later while serving at St James church as an acolyte I was carrying the cross in the procession. My eye caught sight of a little derby hat being worn by one of the most beautiful ladies I had ever seen. During the coffee hour after services I met her and talked at length to her. I asked if she had been at St James before, and she told me that she had been there for the past 2 months. I had never seen her. Lord, in my own feelings of pain and loneliness my eyes and heart had been closed – and you opened them.

You have given me again dear Lord a beautiful life companion. You have taken my pain and given love in its place, you heard my cry in the night, and you answered me. You have never, ever left me.

For all that you have given, for all that are to me, Dear God, I thank you, I love you, I am yours.

In the love of your Son,

Richard

Random Poetry

There are some things I haven't written, but wish I had; that I like to read and care to share with others. Among them are a few items of poetry listed below:

There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men too gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant's profit and gain.
There are men too gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of candied apples and ferris wheels
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who devour them with eager appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.
There are men too gentle for an accountant's world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove.
Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant's world,
Unless they have a gentle one to love.

...By: James Kavanaugh

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!


...By: Rudyard Kipling

Searchers

Some people do not have to search -
they find their niche early in life and rest there,
seemingly contented and resigned.
They do not seem to ask much of life,
sometimes they do not seem to take it seriously.
At times I envy them,
but usually I do not understand them -
seldom do they understand me.

I am one of the searchers.
There are, I believe, millions of us.
We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content.
We continue to explore life,
hoping to uncover its ultimate secret.
We continue to explore ourselves,
hoping to understand.

We like to walk along the beach -
we are drawn by the ocean,
taken by its power, its unceasing motion,
its mystery and unspeakable beauty.
We like forests and mountains, deserts and hidden rivers,
and the lonely cities as well.

Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as is our laughter.
To share our sadness with the one we love is perhaps as great a joy as we can know -
unless it is to share our laughter.

We searchers are ambitious only for life itself,
for everything beautiful it can provide.
Most of all we want to love and be loved.
We want to live in a relationship that will not impede
our wandering, nor prevent our search, nor lock us in prison walls.

We do not want to prove ourselves to another or compete for love.
We are wanderers, dreamers and lovers,
lonely souls who dare ask of life everything good and
beautiful.

...By: James Kavanaugh

Sunshine Days and Foggy Nights

I was born to catch dragons in their dens
And pick flowers
To tell tales and laugh away the morning
To drift and dream like a lazy stream
And walk barefoot across sunshine days.

I was born to find goblins in their caves
And chase moonlight
To see shadows and seek hidden rivers
To hear the rain fall on dry leaves
And chat a bit with death across foggy nights.

I was born to rub my hands in dirt
And walk green hills
To plant corn and make bread
To build a house strong against the wind
And to live free across sunshine days.

I was born to watch owls in dark forests
And hear coyotes cry
To feel trees tremble and the grass sleep
To taste cold air and smell the damp earth
And watch ghostly shapes disappear across foggy nights.

I was born to love a man wrapped in sunshine
And dressed in fog
To make a pact on a high hill
Ratified centuries ago by the sun
To walk together through sunshine days and foggy nights.


-- James Kavanaugh

The Greatest Success

"The Greatest Success is not in never falling,
but, in rising every time you fall."

...Vince Lombardi, coach, Green Bay Packers

Let Go and Let God

As children bring their broken toys
with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
because he was my Friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go."

From an unknown author

Trust

For the past 50 years of my adult life I have worked each and every day.

All of my work has been centered in some aspect of the financial world.

In all of this time I have worked in the arena of money, investments, and accounting for each. In addition, my work has been totally involved with people – fellow workers, the public and retired persons.

At times it has been somewhat confrontational, while at other times less stressful, but at all times it has been demanding.

The one thing I have found in all of my dealings with others is, the need for and absolute requirement of, trust.

Without “trust” nothing is possible.

Whether dealing on a personal basis with others, or in the study of a variety of materials required to invest funds – trust is essential.

One has to be able to believe in what is said or promised by another.

All of the relationships I have developed with my retiree associates centers solely around this one factor. They trust me implicitly – for I am the one person who sends them their monthly pension check. A financial means to each, without which, would result in a disaster in their lives. Our relationship at times has been a beautiful one, with each of us knowing that the one could always depend on the other.

In today’s world of financial collapse this one factor – trust – has been violated.

In any relationship, employee/employer, business, investments, even marriage – trust is the most important factor. Without trust, no one can rely on the actions of others – ever.

If you cannot trust the word or actions of another, everything in that relationship grinds to a halt.

That is what has happened recently in the lives of so many.

Much has been lost because of this. Lives, financial fortunes, marriages – everything. How sad! that the lives of so many could be so affected by the actions of such a relatively few.

It can also be said, with some degree of assuredness, that trust once lost, is rarely ever regained.

Much has been written of late, that the cause of this lost of trust – and resulting wealth, was greed.

That insatiable desire to own, acquire or achieve everything without regard to anything else. To some – enough is never enough, and in order to achieve it, deceit enters the equation. So the three factors become – deceit, driven by greed, results in loss of trust. And with the loss of trust, again, is the loss of everything.

I believe that is why God told us "not to covet" something belonging to another.

I’m not trying to be some pious, self-righteous person – I only mention all of this for purpose of explaining what – to me – is the most factor in relationships with others – trust.

Everything else is secondary.

Lydia's Miracle

[The following is a true account, and witness to, an event in the life of a beautiful person who lived so short a period of time, and yet left a memory of life that was full, rich and full of goodness.]

In the deepest times of trouble, God sometimes appears to individuals in many and different ways.

It was no less than true, that to Lydia, suffering from the ravages of her genetic disease, Von Hippel Lindau syndrome, in intense pain, on dialysis and having to undergo a variety of surgeries.

Her thoughts were constantly not about herself, but about her three children, and what would befall them. Would they suffer the same fate as she, and have to endure the same pain and problems?

This worry was constant and real.

One day, and I am not certain just when, during the course of her trials of health, she became very peaceful, at times even serene. I asked her if she was all right, was there anything I could do, and she told me of a vision she had had.

She called it “her miracle”. Lydia was not a religious fanatic, but she was very devout. She was Roman Catholic, and believed very deeply in her God, in Jesus and prayed the Rosary.

Lydia told me that she had seen the Blessed Mother –she had come to her while in her deepest time of worry. She had talked to her about her children, and had been told by the Blessed Mother that none of her children would ever have the problems of Von Hippel Lindau that she had had. It was her suffering that would relieve the children from this disease.

Because of Lydia’s great faith – I believed her! She was very clear in her statements, and it was obvious that she was not hallucinating or talking out of her head.

On a number of occasions, as the time went on, when she was in the depths of her pain and despair, I would remind her of “her miracle”, to which she would respond – almost in relief – “yes…..yes”! And, then would grow quiet as in some type of inner peace.

After she passed from this life, the children were asked to participate in a series of medical tests at the National Institute of Health [NIH] near Washington, D.C. - a wonderful federal institute specializing in the testing of all types of diseases, and the seeking of cures for them all.

Following a multi-day battery of tests, we returned home. A preliminary release of the test data seemed to indicate that one of the children had inherited the disease.

Dr. Zabar, who was the head of immunobiology at NIH, called me at my office and said that he was not certain as to the original sample of blood drawn; he was not comfortable as to the results and wanted to run the tests over – using a new sample of blood from the children.

I consented and he sent the information to Rapides General Hospital in Alexandria.
The children had the blood drawn and it was mailed to NIH.

A number of months went by – maybe 5 to 6 months – and around Thanksgiving time I received a phone call from Dr. Zabar while at my office.

His conversation went something like this: “Mr. Moriarty, this is Dr. Zabar at NIH, and we have concluded the tests on the new sample of your children’s blood. I do not understand what has happened, but something has changed from the results in the first sample of blood taken. Not wanting to allow you to have any false impressions of the test results, I have re-tested the samples multiple times, and the results are all the same – which is the reason for the delay in calling you as to the results. None of your children have inherited the VHL gene. I feel certain of this fact, but if you would like another opinion on this I can put you in touch with a doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital which has a very good laboratory specializing in rare diseases such as this, and while I feel certain of the results they will achieve, you are welcome to contact them.”

I told Dr. Zabar that I trusted his results he had come up with, but that I wanted to tell him something. I told him that I knew that he was a man of science and probably would not be able to comment on what I had to say, but “what you have done is to confirm Lydia’s miracle”. I then related to him what Lydia had told me, of her promise by the Blessed Mother, how deeply she believed in what had been told her, and how much comfort her miracle had given her. There was a deep silence on the phone while I related the story to Dr. Zabar. There was no comment from him, but I knew that it had made a very deep impression on him. I thanked him for his call and hung up.

I immediately left my office and went across the street to St. James Episcopal Church, which I attended, and knelt in the darkened church, thanking God for His blessing and gift of love and health to my children – indeed, I felt like the leper who returned to thank and glorify God.

Lydia’s miracle was confirmed!

And, I know that she is smiling from heaven.

[In loving memory of Lydia Kramer Moriarty - August 22, 1946 - August 9, 1985; 38years - 11 months - 13 days]

My children

When I think of my children, I think of a diamond.

A diamond represents:

Beauty
Resilience
Timelessness
Strength

A diamond has facets – each facet is cut differently and reflects light in a different manner; giving the diamond the beauty and value it has.

As with a diamond, each of my children represents the facets – with each possessing:

Individuality
Skills
Talents
Personality

The difference in each individual is what brings the beauty, strength, character and dignity to this family. Like the facets of the diamond, it is the facets of the family that shines forth so brightly.

It is in each of the children, acting individually as well as collectively, that adds to the strength of this family.

Truly, I am blessed by God for the children He has given me in my family.