Wells Spicer

Wells W. Spicer
Cropped from a group photo of John D. Lee's defense team in 1875
Born	1831 Chemung, New York
Died	1885 or 1887 possibly Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, Arizona
Occupation	Justice of the Peace, journalist, prospector, lawyer, politician

Wells W. Spicer (1831 – 1885) was an American journalist, prospector, politician, lawyer and judge whose legal career immersed him in two significant events in frontier history: the Mountain Meadows massacre in the Utah Territory in 1857; and the 1881 shootout commonly known as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. After he left Tombstone, he returned to prospecting. He disappeared in 1885 or 1887.

Spicer was born in Chemung, New York to William and Seba Spicer, both farmers of Presbyterian faith. He had two siblings: an older brother, George, and a younger sister, also named Seba. The family relocated to Tipton, Iowa when Wells was about 9 years old. As a young man, Spicer worked as a clerk for William H. Tuthill, a respected lawyer, banker, and storekeeper. Under Tuthill’s tutelage, Spicer was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1853. In the same year, Spicer and his associates began publishing the Cedar County Advertiser; Spicer became the sole publisher and editor the following year, eventually selling his successful newspaper four years later. After unsuccessfully running as a Democrat for county prosecutor in 1854, Spicer became a Republican and won the race for county judge in 1856. In July of the same year, Spicer married Abbie Gilbert and had a son, Earnest, a year later. Abbie and Wells separated in 1876, although Wells considered himself still married years later.

After living in Onandaeg City, Colorado, briefly, Spicer left his family in Tipton and went to the Utah Territory with his former fellow publisher, Charles Swetland in 1869. They settled in Corinne City. Spicer was admitted to the Utah bar and specialized in mining suits and claims, and he started a hotel in Corrine City. Swetland died shortly thereafter, but Spicer was joined by Abbie and Earnest around the same time. Spicer and his family moved to Ophir City in 1871 and began similar legal activity as well as prospecting and starting a tunneling company. Spicer continued his journalistic efforts, contributing to the Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette. When Ophir’s silver veins began to dry out, the Spicers moved to Salt Lake City in 1872. There Spicer was appointed U.S. Commissioner by the Supreme Court, hearing cases mostly in Bingham. In 1874 Spicer leased Rollins Mine, a defunct lead mine, in the Lincoln Mining District 18 miles west of Beaver near Minersville. After striking a profitable vein of lead and gold, the area was revitalized. It was through his connections in Beaver that Spicer was involved in one of Utah’s darkest events.