Thomas Wells (1670 - bef. 1719)

Born 30 Oct 1670 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Died before Dec 1719 before age 49 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

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Biography

Thomas3 Wells was born 30 October 1670 in Ipswich, son of Thomas2 Wells and Mary Perkins.[1]

Hoyt writes this about Thomas:

'24 I Thomas,3 b. Oct. 30, 1670 [Ip];* d. bef . 1728. [He may have left a dau. See No. V.]'^[1]

Hoyt adds an unnamed son of Rev. Thomas and Mary (Perkins), based on the birth records at Amesbury of Eliezer and John which call them the 6th and 7th sons of Thomas and Mary:

'28 V A son,3|| b. ____. In his will, 1728, Rev. Thomas2 ment. his dau.-in-law Rebecca Wells, "late, now Barrett," and his grand dau. Rebecca,4 "late Wells, now Waters," prob. wid. and dau. of a son who d. bef. 1728, either I or V.'^[2]

Thomas2 does not in his will name this deceased son who has left a widow Rebecca who has since remarried a Mr. Barrett and a daughter Rebecca who married a Mr. Waters.

The following would appear to be the Rebecca (_____) Wells Barrett and Rebecca (Wells) Waters referred to:

'John Barret & Rebecca Wells; Int. reads [Rebeca] / Rev. Mr. John Webb Presbytn. / Dec. 24, 1719'^[3]
'John Walters & Rebecca Wells; Int. reads [Waters] [Rebecka] / Mr. John Webb Presn. / Apr. 26, 1722'^[4]

Taken with the following, it would appear that Thomas3, and not an unnamed son, was the former husband of Rebecca (_____) Wells Barrett:

1700: 'Rebecca Daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Wells, Born 5 September.'^[5]
1701(/02): 'Thomas Son of Thomas Wells and Rebecca his Wife, Born 3 January 1701.^[6]

'Thomas son of Thomas & Rebecca Wells dyed 7 Octobr 1702'^[7]

Further evidence is found in the will of John Waters of Boston (13 June 1741; pro. 22 December 1741^[8]) in which he names wife Rebecah, and after his wife's decease whatever remains to go to the children of Moses Chase, Sr., of Newbury. Moses Chase, Jr. married Elizabeth Wells, the sister of Thomas3 Wells.

Research notes

The following do not appear to pertain to this Thomas:

He married Mercy Blanchard about 1703. five children, Mary, Sarah, John, Mercy and Thomas.

My familytree says he is buried in Chimney Orchard, Washington Rhode Island.

From Sprague, Genealogies of the Families of Braintree: son of Thomas & Mary (Perkins) Wells. Thomas Wells was admitted to Braintree Church, adult, and baptized Apr.21,1700. In town meeting 1718 money was voted for the relief of Thomas Wells. The diary of Jeremiah Bumstead of Boston (Register Vol.15 p.203) says: - "Cuzen Wells of Braintree dyed Oct.18,1722 & his wife Oct.25,1724, he under 50, she above."

• Diary of Jeremiah Bumstead of Boston, 1722-1727, NEHGR (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1861) Vol. 15, Page 203.

• "On ye 18 of this month, 1722, dyed, Cuzen Wells of Brantry; and his wife on ye 25 of this month 1724, he under fifty, she above."

Sources

1. ↑ Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts, Vol. I, p. 351
2. ↑ Ibid. Same place
3. ↑ Boston Marriages from 1700 to 1751 (28th Commissioner's Report), p. 80
4. ↑ Boston Marriages from 1700 to 1751 (28th Commissioner's Report), p. 110
5. ↑ Boston Births from A.D. 1700 to A.D. 1800 (24th Commissioners Report, p. 4
6. ↑ Boston Births from A.D. 1700 to A.D. 1800 (24th Commissioners Report, p. 11
7. ↑ Boston Index to deaths, A-Z 1630-1810 (A-Z): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897M-RCPZ
8. ↑ Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org): https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2735/i/48705/7688-co3/69499555; Case #7688