Richard M Wells IV (1760 - 1838)

Born 11 Feb 1760 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Susannah (Hutchinson) Wells — married 28 Sep 1797 in Scott County, Virginia, USA

Descendants

Died 28 Mar 1838 at age 78 in Floyd, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Richard Wells IV is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 316326
Rank: Sergeant

Orderly Sergeant Richard Wells IV served with Georgia Line during the American Revolution.

Richard Wells IV is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A122611.

Richard Wells was born on 11 Feb 1760 in Philadelphia, Pennsyvania. His date and location of birth, along with much biographical detail, were furnished by him in his 1834 Revolutionary War pension application^[1] Richard is the son of Richard Wells III and Mildred Buckmaster. He passed away on 28 Mar 1838

Marriage

Husband: Richard Wells

Wife: Susannah Hutchinson

Child: Moses Wells

Child: Elizabeth Betsy Wells

Child: Rosa Wells

Marriage:

Date: 28 Sep 1797

Place: Scott County, Virginia, USA^[2][3]

He died at the home of his brother, William Green Wells. As a young man story has it that he was kidnapped and taken to Georgia by his Uncle "Doc" George Wells who adopted him and reared him as his own. This is a family story told but not documented. About 1825, Richard and part of his family (Andrew and Elizabeth remained in Virginia) migrated to Big Sandy Valley and settled on Daniels Creek, Floyd County, Kentucky. See notes on George Wells, Uncle of Richard.

The following story is reprinted from Belva Marshall Counts' book, "Unto the Hills...Some Hillmans' and Others." According to the book, the following report was obtained from General Services Administration, The National Archives, Washington, D.C. 20408:

Date: March 18, 1938
Re: Richard Wells W.6437 BA-J/AWF
Mrs. Minna Scott-Hyman
318 Magnolia Avenue
San Antonio, Texas

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your request for the Revolutionary War record of Mahan Wells and Richard Wells, both of Virginia.

The Revolutionary War record of Richard Wells is furnished herein as found in the papers on file in pension claim, W.6437, based upon his service in that War. This is the record of the only Richard Wells of Virginia, found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office. Richard Wells was born February 11, 1760 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The names of his parents were not shown.

Richard Wells moved to Augusta, Georgia, with his uncle, Dr. Wells who was a Surgeon in the army, and was killed after the Revolution in a duel with General Abram Jackson. While residing in said Augusta, Richard Wells enlisted sometime in January, 1779, served six months as orderly sergeant in Captain Paine's company, Colonel Jackson's Georgia regiment, and was in the battle of Stono. He enlisted sometime in September, 1779, served three months in Captain Loury's company, Colonel Harris' Georgia regiment, and was in the battle and siege of Savannah, Georgia.

Richard Wells moved to Washington County, (now Abingdon area), Virginia, in 1780, and sometime in May, 1780 enlisted and served as Indian Spy under Captain Snody and Colonel Smith with the Virginia troops, ranged the frontiers until discharged in the month of May, 1781.

He was allowed pension on his application executed February 20, 1834, at which time he was a resident of Floyd County, Kentucky. He died March 17, 18, 27 or 28 (all these dates are in the claim) 1838 in Floyd County.

Richard married September 28, 1797, in Russell County, Virginia, to Susanna Hutcherson. The date and place of her birth and names of her parents were not given. The widow, Susanna (Hutcherson) Wells, was allowed pension on her application executed October 28, 1850, then a resident of Johnson County (a new county taken from Floyd County), Kentucky, age about seventy-three years.

Their son, George Wells, was about forty-six years of age in 1844; and their son, Moses Wells, was born April 13, 1804; their eldest child was referred to as deceased in 1844. Moses Wells was stated that he had two brothers and one sister older than himself. Names of no other children were designated.

Reference was made to William Wells, and John Wells was Justice of the Peace in 1855 for Johnson County, Kentucky. It was not stated that they were related to the family. Martha Porter, sister of the widow, Susanna Wells, was the widow of Samuel Porter in 1844, then a resident of Floyd County, Kentucky; she stated that she was present at the marriage of Richard Wells and her sister, Susanna. John Porter, son of Samuel Porter and his wife, Martha, was aged about forty-six years in 1844, and living in Floyd County, Kentucky.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of pension paid, and possibly the date of death of the widow, Susanna Wells, you should address The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D.C., and furnish the following data-Susanna Wells, widow of Richard Wells, Certificate #765 Issued April 5, 1851, Rate $63.33 per annum, Commenced March 4, 1848, Act of July 29, 1848 Kentucky Agency.

Very truly yours,
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator]

Research Notes

Notable Kin

Richard Wells IV is the paternal third great-grandfather of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle. He is the paternal fourth great-grandfather of Johnny Depp.

Sources

1. ↑ Revolutionary War pension application of Richard Wells, available at this online link
2. ↑ "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900", Source number: 303.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: HT2, Ancestry Record 7836 #1301985 (accessed 4 July 2022), Richard Wells marriage to Susannah Hutchison in 1797 in VA.
3. ↑ "American Revolutionary War Rejected Pensions", Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1852, Ancestry Record 4329 #7406 (accessed 4 July 2022), Name: Susanna Wells, widow of Richard; State: Kentucky; Location: Prestonburg, Floyd; Reason: Married in 1797, no claim--she may renew under act July 23, 1848, if she survived its passage.

• http://patriot.sar.org/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=Grave%20Registry&-loadframes Sons of the American Revolution Patriot #P-316326

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed November 23, 2016), "Record of Richard Wells", Ancestor # A122611.

• Find a Grave (has image), Find A Grave: Memorial #19955917 (accessed 4 July 2022), Memorial page for Richard Wells (11 Feb 1760-28 Mar 1838), citing Ashley Butcher Cemetery, Johnson County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by John B. Wells III (contributor 46904313).

See Also:

• Ancestry Profile

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Wells-2532 created through the import of GedTem12:18.ged on December 19, 2011 by Jack Templeton.
• WikiTree profile Wells-2536 created through the import of GedTem12:18.ged on December 19, 2011 by Jack Templeton.