Bezaleel Wells (1763 - 1846)

Born 28 Jan 1763 in Garrison Forest, Baltimore, Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Griffith) Wells — married about 1797 in CharlesTowne, Jefferson Co., Virginia, USA

Descendants

Died 14 Aug 1846 at age 83 in Steubenville, Jefferson Co,, Ohio, USA

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Biography

Bezaleel Wells was baptized on January 28, 1763 in Baltimore, Maryland.^[1] He was the son of Alexander Wells and his wife, Leah Owings.

Bezaleel Wells married Sarah Griffith in 1797.^[2]

Bezaleel Wells operated one of the first coal mines of Jefferson County, Ohio as early as 1810.^[3]

This biography of Bezaleel Wells is from the History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, by J. A. Caldwell, published in 1880:^[4]

Bezaleel Wells, the founder of Steubenville, was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 1769. His father, Alexander Wells, has a grant of land containing about fifteen hundred acres situated in Washington County, Pennsylvania, on Cross Creek about equidistant from the site of Washington and Steubenville. The later was one of the pioneers of Washington County.

The date of his location in that section is unknown, but suffice it to say that Bezaleel joined his father in that country when he was about thirteen years old. He found his father located in a fort at Well’s Mill, on Cross Creek, and for the following three years, his chief occupation was carrying arms for the men who reside in the fort for fear of the Indians, and were engaged in farming labors, in its vicinity. The Indians attacked the fort several times, but fortunately, none of the Wells were injured.

In later years Alexander removed to Wellsburg, Brook County, Virginia, where he died in 1813, at the age of eighty-six. His wife was Leah Owens, a daughter of pioneer Owens of Ohio and Brooke counties, Virginia. She died on the 20th of February, 1815, nearly eighty-seven years old.

Our Subject (Bezaleel Wells) received a good education considering the times, and became one of the best known surveyors in the Ohio Valley. He purchased eleven-hundred acres of land including the site of Steubenville, at the original sale in 1797, and laid out the town in that year. He was the first Prothonotary of Jefferson County, and was as capable and efficient as an official, as he was and had been a surveyor.

Bezaleel Wells was a delegate to the convention that formed the first constitution of Ohio, and to his personal effort the State is indebted for many excellent provisions of that constitution. He was the first to engage in the manufacture of woolen goods, in 1814, and continued in that business for many years. The factory was erected in 1813 and 1814, and was the pioneer woolen mill west of the Allegheny Mountains. The old dye house is still standing. He engaged in farming and sheep raising, and was among the first in introducing better grades of wool in this section of the Ohio Valley.

In 1820, in connection with Augustus Keob, he entered into the production of copper, and their works was the first west of the mountains, and were operated successfully by him and partners until 1843. He attended also to land matters; made various surveys, not only in this county of Jefferson, but in many portions of the State. He was the original proprietor of Canton, Stark County, Ohio, and laid out a town for the seat of justice of Wayne County, Ohio.

Every citizen is acquainted with the beautiful county seat of Stark and its success, as well as with Steubenville, may gaze upon them as fitting monuments to the memory of the far-seeing surveyor and proprietor. The town of Wayne died “a bornin” as the commissioners decided upon the site since known as Wooster.

Bezaleel Wells is described as being an exceedingly fine man-standing over six feet high-with a most agreeable, serene countenance and keen blue eye. In frankness, candor and enterprise he had few equals while in his moral character he was exemplary. His heart was abundantly stored with sympathy and generosity, and his honor and integrity he cherished with a zealous car that left little question at to his Christian aspirations. To the last he was active and enterprising, ever engaged in operation looking to the advancement of his town and state.

Bezaleel Wells died in August, 1846, seventy-seven years of age, His wife was Sarah Griffith, daughter of Hezekiah Griffith, of Wellsburg, Brooke County Virginia, who subsequently removed to the vicinity of Phillipsburg, (now called Lagrange) Jefferson County, Ohio. She died in 1839, at the age of fifty. She was beloved by everyone who knew her and many are there yet living upon those hearts are indelibly engraved sentiments of gratitude to the worthy pair whom is in universally hoped have entered upon their due reward for well-spent lives.

Sources

1. ↑ "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HYL8-BGMM : 12 February 2020), Bezaleel Wells, 1763.
2. ↑ Harry Wright, Anne Arundel Gentry (1933; reprint, Baltimore, MD: Lord Baltimore Press), p. 164.
3. ↑ "20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens," (Doyle,Joseph B., 1910) Chapter XVI, Natural Resources and Development, Page 252-253.
4. ↑ https://archive.org/details/oh-belmont-jefferson-1880-caldwell

• "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HYL8-BGMM : 12 February 2020), Bezaleel Wells, 1763.

• History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, by J. A. Caldwell. Published 1880. https://archive.org/details/oh-belmont-jefferson-1880-caldwell

• "20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens," (Doyle,Joseph B., 1910) Chapter XVI, Natural Resources and Development, Page 252-253.

• Wright, Harry. Anne Arundel Gentry. 1933. Reprint, Baltimore, MD: Lord Baltimore Press, Sutro Library.

• Logan, James. History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches : a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages. 1890.

• Find A Grave Index, database, FamilySearch, Bezeleel Wells, 1846; Burial, Steubenville, Jefferson, Ohio, United States of America, Union Cemetery; citing record ID 7306217, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• Bezaleel Wells (1763-1846), Union Cemetery, Jefferson Co., Ohio. FindaGrave Memorial #7306217.

• "Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J9QZ-NMQ : 9 March 2018), Bezaleel Wells, 1816; citing multiple county courthouse offices, Hamilton Township, Jefferson, Ohio, p. , Tax records indexed by Ohio Genealogy Society.

• "Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMBK-1JH : 29 July 2017), Bezaleel Wells, 1817; citing multiple county courthouse offices, Steubenville Township, Jefferson, Ohio, p. , Tax records indexed by Ohio Genealogy Society.

• Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850, database with images, FamilySearch, Bezaleel Wells, 1827; citing Steubenville Township, Jefferson, Ohio, p. 3, Historical Society Library, Columbus; FHL microfilm 16,609.