Eastern Washington: 1871-1892
In 1872, during his second year as rector in Walla Walla, Wells founded the St. Paul’s Girl’s School as well as a Boy’s School that was never as successful. In 1880, Wells married the principal of St. Paul’s Girl’s School, Henrietta Garretson, whose father was a senator of Pennsylvania. He established thirty-one Episcopal Missions in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho - in many places, Wells' mission was the first church or religious establishment in the region. These missions included the first Episcopal congregations in:
- Waitsburg, Washington
- Dayton, Washington
- Colfax, Washington
- Pomeroy, Washington
- Weston, Oregon
- Pendleton, Oregon
- Ritzville, Washington
- La Grande, Oregon
- Cove, Oregon
- Baker City, Oregon
- Pullman, Washington
- North Yakima, Washington
- Camas Prairie, Washington
- Moscow, Idaho
- Palouse, Washington
- Northport, Washington
- Kennewick, Washington
- Zillah, Washington
- Lewiston, Idaho
- Ellensburg, Washington
- Sunnyside, Washington
- Roslyn, Washington
In 1882, Wells moved to Connecticut, but was called back to Western Washington in 1885, as rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Tacoma. Charles Wright, a Tacoma railroad tycoon, was responsible for the splendid new St. Luke's, and had plans to found a Girls' School. He showed his plans to Henrietta Wells, who made several suggestions and was recruited as the first principal of Annie Wright Seminary, a venerable and successful Tacoma school. During Wells' tenure at St. Luke's, the congregation grew to such an extent that many mission churches were founded; many of Tacoma's present-day Episcopal congregations can trace their roots to Wells' influence at St. Luke's.
Read more about this topic: Lemuel H. Wells
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