LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - JUNE 12, 2022 by Lynne Belluscio In 1866 the Wells family came to LeRoy and Schuyler Wells bought Medical Hall on Main Street. Soon after he arrived, he purchased 200 acres of land on the east side of the village, and he built a large horse barn with stalls for 125 horses. Wells was interested in trotting horses and bought St. Gothard, a 3-year-old Kentucky bred stallion. He built an indoor track to exercise his horses and his horses were some of the best in the state. The farm was called Dreamland, and was graced with a large Victorian home. In 1894, he sold the horses and in 1896, he transformed his stock farm into a modern dairy. In the meantime, Wells bought the rights to a variety of medicines. In 1877 he built a fourstory brick factory on Church Street. (Now the LeRoy Pennysaver building.) In 1882, Wells sold one third interest of his medicine business to his brother George. At this time, the business became S.C. Wells and Company. Schuyler Wells died in 1903. His son Schuyler “Carl” Wells, who was a student at Yale University, returned home to take over the company and moved into Dreamland. He continued to buy patent medicine businesses and eventually, the company produced Shiloh for Coughs, Hammond’s King of Cures, Hammond’s Liniment, Bacon’s Celery King, Bacon’s c-K Tea, Dr. Fenner’s Golden Relief, Fenner’s Family Ointment, Carter Smart Weed, Dr. Carter’s K & B Tea and Carter’s Extract of Smart Weed, Begy’s Mustarine, Ramon’s Medicines, Ramon’s Pills, Tablets, Ointments and Liquids, and The Little Doctor which included the copyright on Ramon’s Brownie Weather Chart Calendar. On December 9, 1919, a fire started on the lower floor of the factory on Church Street. It spread to the first floor causing severe damage. A few days later, on December 26th, a fire completely demolished the beautiful Victorian Dreamland home on East Main Street. Soon after, Carl hired Harold Olmsted to design a new house. (See last week’s article about Harold Olmsted and the house.) Schuyler C. Wells II, known as “Carl” was born in LeRoy and educated in LeRoy public schools and the Nicholas School and the Hotchkiss in Buffalo. He attended Yale University until the death of his father. Wells was a director of the Union Steel Chest Corporation and a director of the Bank of Le Roy and the Machpelah Cemetery Association. DuringWorldWar I he was the regional chairman of the Liberty Loan Drives. He was involved with the LeRoy Chamber of Commerce, the American Red Cross, and an energetic supporter of the LeRoy Historical Society. He pushed forward the first Village zoning ordinance and was finance chairman of the Centennial celebration in 1934. He was a charter member and former member of the Stafford Country Club and a charter member and governor of the LeRoy Tennis Club. He was a member of the Methodist Church. He was chairman of the 1940 Book project. On January 1, 1963, Carl Wells retired, and all the Trademarks and Copyrights of S.C. Wells & Company were purchased by James Marshall Hadley who had been associated with the business from 1928 to 1945. All operations were conducted under the name of Brown Manufacturing Company, the subsidiary of the original company. Schyler “Carl” Wells, died in his sleep at his home on 118 East Main Street on August 21, 1964. He was 82. A brass plaque in his memory was placed in the Methodist Church. Provisions of his will directed that all of his real estate and personal belongings were to go to his widow, Beth. The value of their home on East Main Street was valued at $47,500. He left $5000 in trust to the Methodist Church, and $1000 to the LeRoy Historical Society. On June 16, 1969, Carl’s wife, Beth, died. During World War I she headed the Surgical Dressing Department of the local chapter, American Red Cross. She was a member of the LeRoy Historical Society, a member of the Parents Stem of Rochester and was on the Board of Directors of the Methodist Home for Children in Williamsville. She was also on the board of directors of Genesee Memorial Hospital. She was a member of the LeRoy Women’s Club, and a past president of the History of Art Club. The Wells Family S. Carl Wells standing behind the man with the cane. Shiloh Medicine factory on Church Street.
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