physical condition of the prisoners, and was much appreciated by them, their friends, and by Gen. Washington, who, with many others, became his life-long friend. But, it also made for him some bitter enemies in the persons of certain of his superior officers — notably of the Tory and Hessian contingents of the British Army — and by their conduct towards him his position was rendered intolerable, and he resigned from the service, and determining to make this country his future home, he settled down to practice in Philadelphia.
One of his patients among the prisoners was Col. John Spotswood (a grandson of the old colonial governor of Virginia), whose brother came to Philadelphia to carry the colonel home, as soon as the way was opened by the retreat of the British troops. Upon the solicitation of the Spotswoods, and following the advice of Gen. Washington that he adopt as his American home the vicinity of Fredericksburg, Dr. Wellford accompanied them to Virginia. He brought with him to his new home on the banks of the Rappahannock letters of earnest commendation and of introduction from Washington, and in addition, possessed the affec- tionate appreciation and good will of all the Spotswood clan. Settling in Fredericksburg, he soon had a good practice, and married a grand-daughter of Edward Randolph, the youngest of the seven sons of William Randolph, of Turkey Island, Catherine Yates by name.
When, in 1794, the so-called "Whiskey Insurrection" in Pennsylvania broke out and assumed so serious an aspect that troops were mobilized by the federal government to subdue it, the president appointed Dr. Wellford surgeon-general of these troops. His services, however, were not required, as the raising of forces was sufficient in itself to quell the uprising.
He lived and practised in Fredericksburg until his death in Fredericksburg on April 24, 1823. His son. Dr. Beverly R. Wellford was a physician, and from 1854 to 1868 professor of materia medica and therapeutics in the Medical College of Virginia.
R. M. S.
The forogoing sketch is based upon data furnished by his grandson, B. R. Wellford.
Wells, Ebenezer (1801-1879).
Prof. Wells, a renowned lecturer on obstetrics at the Medical School of Maine, although gossip says that he gained his appointment more by petticoat government than medical worth, deserves mention as a worthy doctor. He did good work and was a teacher in medicine in the proper sense of that word at a time when learning was at a low standpoint. Born in Warren, Maine, March 9, 1801, he was educated by the Rev. Mr. Weldon, of that town, studied medicine with Dr. Joel Stockbridge, of Bath, and graduated at the Medical School of Maine in 1823, afterwards settling in Freeport, Maine, and practising there about fifty-six years.
He married first, October 19, 1823, Lydia Sewall, of Bath, and had three children, and afterwards Mary Angler, daughter of Dr. John Angier Hyde, a practitioner of Freeport. He was often called to assist our learned professor on obstetrics in difficult labor cases, when knowledge from practice was far ahead of book-learning.
Ebenezer Wells was probably one of the best educated men of his time in Maine. He was a good lecturer and well thought of by his patients and brother practitioners. He was early a member of the Maine Medical Society, and attended its meetings with great regularity. After a while he got into politics. Clinging, however, to his practice and professorship, he was given a position as post-master as a reward for political skill with the Whigs. This he held for eight years, then joined another party and was post-master for twelve years more. He was also on the State Legislature for several years, and held various positions of trust, being in fact, a very popular man of the past, and working always for the improvement of the community in which he lived.
