Briant H. Wells

Major General Briant Harris Wells (December 5, 1871 – June 10, 1949) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American and Philippine–American Wars, he later distinguished himself as chief of staff of the IV Corps during the final days of World War I, for which he received the Army Distinguished Service Medal.

He later served in various important assignments, including as Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Army and commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and the Hawaiian Department.

Early career Wells was born on December 5, 1871, in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, as the son of Daniel H. Wells and Martha Givens Harris. His father was a mayor of Salt Lake City and an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Briant had a total of thirty-seven siblings due to his father's LDS religion, which allowed Polygamy. Some of his siblings had also distinguished careers later: Heber M. Wells, first Governor of the State of Utah; Elizabeth Wells Cannon, a prominent women's suffragist or Rulon S. Wells, a Utah politician. His father was also head of the Nauvoo Legion (the name given to the predecessor of the Utah National Guard during the early period of Utah Territory).

Retirement and final years Wells retired from active service on January 31, 1935, and returned to Hawaii, where he found a new home. He settled in Honolulu and became the first president of the Honolulu Community Theatre. He then served as executive vice president and secretary, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association until June 1944. In addition to his job, he was a member of Honolulu Chapter of the Red Cross; of the Hawaiian Historical Society, of the Social Science Club, the Oahu Country Club and the Pacific Club.

In June 1949, while en route to his USMA class reunion, Wells died on June 10, 1949, in Long Beach, California. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia and honorary pallbearers were West Point classmates and men with whom Wells served for more than forty years in the Army. They included General George C. Marshall, former secretary of State and World War II Chief of Staff; General Omar Bradley, then-Army Chief of Staff; General Charles Pelot Summerall, former chief of staff, under whom Wells served as his deputy in 1927–1930, and R. G. Bell of Honolulu, president of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association.

His wife, Mary Jane Jennings (1877–1959) is buried beside him. They had together three children: sons Briant Jr. and Thomas J., both decorated Army Colonels and USMA graduates and daughter Mary Jane.

Decorations

Here is Major General Wells' ribbon bar: