Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Erastus Wells was a nineteenth century politician and businessman from Missouri. He was the father of St. Louis Mayor Rolla Wells. Born in Sackets Harbor, New York, Wells attended public schools as a child. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1842 where he established the first omnibus line in St. Louis and inaugurated the first street railroad company. He was a member of the St. Louis board of aldermen from 1853 to 1867, was president of the Missouri Railroad Company from 1859 to 1883 and was elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1877, being unsuccessful for reelection in 1876.