Wells, Rolla, 1856-1944

Rolla Wells was the first governor of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis serving from October 28, 1914, to February 5, 1919. Wells became the first governor (an early term for bank president), after declining the position of chairman of the Bank's board of directors. Under his direction, the St. Louis Fed exceeded its quota of World War I Liberty bonds by $120,804,500. After resigning as governor in April 1919, he was named both class B director of the St. Louis Fed's board of directors and receiver of Union Railways. He later was named a class C director and chairman of the board of directors and Federal Reserve agent in 1929. (Source: Federal Reserve History)