Daniel Hanmer Wells was born in Trenton, New York, on October 27, 1814, to Daniel Wells and Catherine Chapin. He and his family moved to Illinois after the death of his father in 1826, and arrived in Hancock County, Illinois in 1835. He became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1846. In 1848, he emigrated to the Salt Lake Valley with other pioneers. Wells was active in both ecclesiastical and civic roles. From 1848 to 1863, Wells was superintendent of public works for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and presided over the construction of the Salt Lake Temple and Tabernacle. In 1849, Wells was elected Attorney General of the State of Deseret. He was ordained an apostle of the Church in 1856 upon the death of Jedidiah M. Grant and set apart as second counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency. Wells was never sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, although he served as a Counselor to the Quorum upon Young's death in 1877. In 1866, he was elected mayor of Salt Lake City, and re-elected in both 1872 and 1874. Wells served twice as president of the European Mission of the church, first in 1864-1865, and again in 1884-1887. He died in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1891, at the age of 76.