Israel Wells (1757 - 1831)

Biography

Private Israel Wells served with 3rd Connecticut Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Israel Wells is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A122421.

Israel Wells was born 3 July 1757 at New Lebanon, Connecticut

Israel married Chloe Wilcox (or Wilcoxson ?).^{[citation needed]}

There are records of the payroll for the Connecticut Militia, Col. Thomas Belding's Regiment, showing service of Capt. Well's Company from April to May 1777.^[1] However, Israel's grave stone says he was a private during the Revolutionary War.^[2]

Land grants for the wilderness of Ohio were issued to the soldiers of the Revolution. In 1803, the first settlers for Worthington, Ohio departed from Granby, Connecticut, which was just across the boarder from Granville, Massachusetts. In the Spring of 1804, The Scioto Land Company formed an association among the families of East Granville, Massachusetts to settle the new community of Granville, Ohio. Israel was among those who joined the petition in August, 1804; for this he paid ten dollars (pp 24-27).^[3]

A Congregational Church was organized first in Granville, Massachusetts in May 1805, and this church went with the settlers to Granville, Ohio. Israel and Chloe Wells were among the first twenty-four members (p 37).^[3] Several months later, after much preparation and weeks of travel, the Wells family finally arrived in Ohio on about 20 November 1805. They had traveled in a company of fourteen, including the Sylvanus Mitchell family and James Sinnet (p 41).^[3] The first election of town officers was held on 6 April 1807, and Israel was chosen as one of the two judges of the election and then as a trustee (pp 77-78).^[3] In 1808, he was again chosen as one of the trustees; when the county of Licking was formed, Israel was elected as a commissioner (pp 83-84).^[3]

Death and Legacy

Israel's grave marker reads: Israel Wells, Pvt.. Conn. Troops, Rev. War, July 3, 1757, April 3, 1831^[2]

He was seventy-three years old (p 140).^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783. database with images, FamilySearch, Wells, May 1777; citing May 1777, Connecticut, United States, citing NARA microfilm publication M246. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1980. FHL microfilm 830,306.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Joyce, Find A Grave Memorial 10845827 (24 Apr 2005) Old Colony Burying Ground, Granville, Licking Co., Ohio. Retrieved 24 Dec 2017.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Bushnell, Henry. The History of Granville, Licking County, Ohio. (Columbus, Ohio: Press of Hann & Adair, 1889) Archive.org Pages 37, 24-27, 41, 77-78, 140.

See also:

• United States Census, 1790. database with images, FamilySearch, Israel W Welles, New London, Connecticut, United States; citing p. 92, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1; FHL microfilm 568,141.
• United States Census, 1820. database with images, FamilySearch, Israel Wells, Granville, Licking, Ohio, United States; citing p. 8, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 94; FHL microfilm 181,400.

• U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963
• Name Israel Wells
• Birth Date 3 Jul 1757
• Death Date 3 Apr 1831
• Cemetery Old Colony Burying Ground
• Cemetery Location Granville, Ohio