Wells

 

My Wells ancestors
GENERATION 1

01. Joseph Wells, [1] was born on Sept. 30, 1697 in Saint Barnabas Church, Queen Anne Parish, Prince George, Maryland.  Note that recent DNA evidence indicates Joseph's father is not Thomas Wells (c1653) who married Frances Smith.  Joseph married 3 times.  His first marriage was to Rachel who was born abt. 1703 and died abt. Apr 27, 1720.  Researchers now believe that Rachel is the correct mother of daughter Rachel and not his 2nd wife, Margaret (I have removed Swanston and Plummer surname pages from my site.)  On April 11, 1721 he married (2) Margaret Swanson , daughter of Francis Swanston and Susannah Plummer.  The book “Pioneers of Old Monocacy” by Grace L. Tracey John and Philip Dern (1987) pages 85-86 notes the following:

Joseph and his wife Margaret came from Chester County in Pennsylvania, settling on “Boyling Springs”, a 40-acre tract which had been surveyed on June 12, 1743.  Its beginning point was also  “on a north side branch of the Tuscarora.” This land was later conveyed to Baltis Fout.  Both Joseph and Isaac Wells signed the October petition seeking to carve All Saints' Parish out of Prince George's Parish.  
Earlier in 1742 Isaac Wells had been appointed overseer of the road from Monocacy "to Shenandoah," and the November Court of 1743 made him Constable of Monocacy Hundred.

Joseph married (3) Mary Underwood on May 27, 1758 in Surry, NC.  Mary died after July 20, 1804 in Orange, NC.

The Rootsweb page found here quotes the following unsourced additional information on Joseph:

He was living in Anne Arundel Co., Md. on Dec. 8, 1726. He paid taxes on the Mattapony Hundred of Prince George's Co. by 1742. In November of that year, he was made constable of the Monocacy Hundred. His wife Margaret was received in membership on November 29, 1745 and he on February 29, 1746.  They removed to North Carolina around 1750 after they sold "Boyling Spring", on Tuscarora Creek near the mouth of the Monoquesey. Joseph gave his son Joseph 269 acres of land in Orange County, N.C. on June 13, 1752. He sold another 137.5 acres of land to John Marshall in Sept. 1752. In that same year, Margaret stops appearing in Quaker Records which her husband Joseph and some children are in. This could suggest that she had passed on in 1752 or earlier.


The children of Joseph and Margaret are:

 
1 Rachel Wells (See Below) 
2 Levi Wells (1722 in MD - 1723)
3 Charity Wells (Abt. 1725 in MD -Abt. 1765)
Married Joseph Wright (1740-1794) in 1761; son of John Wright and Rachel Wells

     1.
Rachel Wright (1768 in SC - 1807 in OH)
         Married John Hollingsworth (1755-1807) on Mar 12, 1789
               1.
Henry Hollingsworth (1791 in VA - 1873 in Peoria, IL)
                   Married Adda Skinner (1791-)
               2.
Charity Hollingsworth (1795 in SC - Aft. 1840) - 1 DNA match
                   Married Jonathan Cox (1794-c1829)
                        1.
William Cox (Aug 27, 1821 in OH - May 14, 1881 in IL)
                            Married Rachel Berilla Walter (1826-1905)
                                 1.
Edward Slauter Cox (Jan 8, 1853 in IL - Feb 28, 1930 in IL)
                                     Married Ann Elizabeth Lafollette (1857-1946)
                                          1.
James Edward Cox (Aug 25, 1875 in IL - Dec 11, 1965 in IL)
                                              Married Ella Maria Stenstrom (Sep 7, 1881 in Sweden - Dec 10, 1907 in IL)

     2.
Sarah Wright (Abt. 1762 in SC - Abt. 1832 in Miami, OH)
         Married James Hollingsworth on Nov 16, 1786
               1.
Catherine Hollingsworth (-)
               2.
Rachel Hollingsworth (1787 in SC - )
                   Married Latham Stanton (1777-1835) on Oct 6, 1814
               3.
Joseph Hollingsworth (Aug 4, 1789 in SC - Nov 1, 1849)
                   Married (1) Elizabeth Hutchins on Jul 5, 1815
                   Married (2) Anna Brooks (c1795-) on Oct 4, 1834
               4.
Carter Hollingsworth (Feb 8, 1792 in SC - Aug 19, 1865 in IN)
                   Married Charity Ramsey (1793-1880) on Oct 4, 1810 in Miami, OH
               5.
Mary Hollingsworth (May 12, 1795 in SC - Nov 30, 1830 in IN)
                   Married William Gardner (1792-) on Apr 6, 1815 in Union County, IN
               6.
James Hollingsworth, Jr. (Jan 31, 1799 in SC - Apr 11, 1859 in IN)
                   Married Lydia Swain (1800-1861) on Jan 30, 1828 in Union County, IA
               7.
Keturah Hollingsworth (Aug 18, 1800 in SC - Nov 7, 1877 in IN)
                   Married John Jay (1800-) on Jan 17, 1822 in Union County, IA
               8.
Henry Hollingsworth (1802 in SC - )
               9.
Ira Hollingsworth (1807 in Miami, OH - 1875)
                   Married Anna Williams in 1829

     3.
Mary Wright (Feb 13, 1764 in SC - )
         Married Edward Thomas on Mar 14, 1784
4 Joseph Wells, II (Jul 30, 1729 in MD - Sep 30, 1804 in NC)
Married Charity Carrington (1730-1818) on Jul 28, 1750
     1.
John Wells (Apr 26, 1751 in Bladen, NC - Bef. Nov 30, 1826 in Orange, NC)
         Married Hannah bef. Feb 11, 1779
               1.
John Wells (1780 - 1819)
               2.
Charity Wells (Sep 20, 1781 - Apr 7, 1846)
                   Married (1) Benjamin Marshall (1761-1812) on Apr 23, 1803 in Orange, NC
                   Married (2) Benjamin Moss (1784-) on Aug 7, 1823 in Orange, NC
               3.
Hannah Wells (c1781 - Jul 22, 1879)
                   Married Michael Crowell (1773-1857) on Sep 15, 1810 in Preble, OH
               4.
Mary Wells (1787 - Feb 1869)
                   Married Daniel Freeman II (1788-1854) on May 6, 1809 in Orange, NC
               5.
Margaret Wells (c1795 - )
                   Married Joshua Freeman (1794-)
               6.
Rev. Jesse Harris Wells (1796 - Jan 27, 1850)
                   Married Mary Ann Moore on Jan 29, 1818 in Orange, IN
               7.
Sarah Wells (Abt. 1808 - )
                   Married Jacob Strain (c1785-c1826)
     2.
Joseph Wells, III (1753 in Bladen, NC - Sep 11, 1823 in NC)
         Married Martha Margaret Dicks on Jul 11, 1778
               1.
Elizabeth Wells (1778 - Jul 24, 1853)
                   Married Thomas Landreth (c1760-1849)
               2.
Eleanor Wells (c1779 - Abt. 1870)
                   Married Jonathan Dix Abt. 1802
               3.
Jesse Wells (Abt. 1780 - Abt. 1847)
                   Married Margaret Polly Moore (c1790-c1843) in 1818
               4.
Zachariah Wells (Abt. 1782 - Abt. 1880)
                   Married Elizabeth Freeman Abt. 1838
               5.
Isaac C. Wells (Abt. 1783 - Abt. 1859)
                   Married Nancy Ann Robbins (c1784-c1862) in 1802
               6.
Peter Wells (Abt. 1783 - Abt. 1869)
                   Married Asha Ann Way Abt. 1820
               7.
Charity Wells (Feb 27, 1784 in Orange, NC - Oct 12, 1885 in Danville, IN)
                   Married John Freeman (1784-1855) on Feb 18, 1805 in Orange, NC
               8.
Jonathan Wells (Jan 4, 1800 - Apr 1883 in MS)
                   Married Letita Way (1806-1884) Abt. 1824
               9.
Levi Wells (Jun 6, 1802 - May 11, 1864)
                   Married Mary Lambden Abt. 1821
     3.
Nathaniel Wells (1755 in NC - Apr 26, 1817 in Orange, IN)
         Married Esther Ward abt. Mar 12, 1785
               1.
Elizabeth Wells (Nov 20, 1785 in Orange, NC - Mar 26, 1856 in Jefferson, IL)
                   Married Stephen Samuel Cameron
               2.
William Wells (Dec 5, 1787 in Orange, NC - Dec 8, 1860)
                   Married Rosanna Stoner (1794-1871) on Dec 3, 1812 in Orange, NC
               3.
Joseph Wells (Jan 27, 1793 in Orange, NC - Mar 30, 1884 in Orange, IN)
                   Married Sarah Cloe Stoner (1795-c1817) on Aug 13, 1815 in Orange, NC
               4.
Stephen Wells (Abt. 1794 - )
               5.
Charity Wells (Mar 15, 1795 - 1878)
               6.
Esther Wells (1795 - Jan 20, 1894)
     4.
Mary Wells (Abt. 1757 in Orange, NC - Abt. 1830 in Smith, TN)
         Married Jesse T. Adamson in 1777 in Orange, NC
               1.
Charity Adamson (Abt. 1778 in NC - 1828 in NC)
                   Married John Huff, Sr. (1773-1842) Abt. 1793 in Stokes Co., NC
               2.
John Adamson (Abt. 1780 - Abt. 1807 in NC)
                   Married Rebecca Leaky (1787-c1807) on Jan 5, 1801 in Knox, TN
               3.
Margaret Adamson (Abt. 1782 - )
                   Married George R. Pugh on Mar 29, 1800 in Knox, TN
               4.
Joseph L. Adamson (Abt. 1784 in Orange, NC - 1856 in TN)
               5.
Simon Adamson (Abt. 1787 - Jul 1870 in TN)
                   Married Sarah Cox (c1788-) on May 10, 1809 in Jefferson, TN
               6.
William Adamson (Abt. 1787 - )
               7.
Jesse Adamson (Abt. 1789 - )
               8.
Wells Adamson (1790 in NC - )
                   Married (1) Sarah Ann (2) Mary George on Dec 29, 1812 in Knox, TN
               9.
Elijah Adamson (Abt. 1799 - Dec 1826 in TN)
                   Married Susannah Hathaway on Apr 24, 1822 in WIlson Co, TN
     5.
Margaret Wells (May 4, 1759 in NC - Feb 26, 1843 in Paolil, IN)
         Married Levi Gifford on May 12, 1789 in Orange, NC
               1.
Jesse Gifford (May 23, 1789 in Orange, NC - Nov 3, 1870)
                   Married Sarah Marshill (1789-1847) on Apr 30, 1808 in Orange, NC
               2.
Levi Gifford (1799 - Abt. 1865)
     6.
Isaac Wells (Oct 2, 1760 in Orange, NC - Apr 17, 1818 in Orange, NC)
         Married Mary Beeson
              
1.
Benjamin Wells (Abt. 1783 in Orange, NC - Abt. 1824)
                   Married Dorcas Barker (1779-1824) on Jan 6, 1808 in Orange, NC
               2.
Isaac Wells (Jan 4, 1798 in NC - Apr 30, 1880)
                   Married Nancy Ann Robbins (c1784-c1862)
               3.
Sarah Wells (Nov 8, 1801 in NC - Jul 5, 1860 in Hamilton, IN)
                   Married Adam Hinshaw (1789-1861)
     7.
Jesse Wells (1762 in Orange, NC - 1794 in NC)
     8.
Charity Wells (Jan 9, 1764 in Orange, NC - Nov 13, 1830 in Parke Co., IN)
         Married James McDonald on Jul 11, 1788 in Orange, NC
               1.
Nathan McDonald (1788 or 1806 - Jul 12, 1867)
               2.
Eli McDonald (1789-)
               3.
Joseph McDonald (1791-1851)
               4.
John McDonald (1793-)
               5.
Charity Malinda McDonald (1794 in Orange, NC - 1877 in TN)
                   Married William Humphreys (1796-1889)
               6.
Isaac Newton McDonald (Jan 8, 1802 in Orange, NC - Sep 10, 1887 in IA)
                   Married Eliza Frances Edwards (1811-1893) on Nov 8, 1828 in Orange, IN
               7.
James McDonald (Apr 4, 1804 in Orange, NC - Feb 19, 1859 in IL)
                   Married Rhoda Quakenbush (1809-1899) on Jul 28, 1829 in Orange, IN
     9. William Wells (Oct 7, 1766 in Orange, NC - Dec 21, 1851 in Randolph, NC)
               1.
Joseph Wells (Dec 21, 1796 in Orange, NC - Feb 16, 1879 in IN)
                   Married Ruth Hornaday on Dec 23, 1817 in Orange, NC
   10.
Rachel Wells (Abt. 1771 in Orange, NC - 1815 in Orange, NC)
         Married Henry Thomas Underwood on Oct 3, 1795 in Orange, NC
               1.
Alexander John Underwood (Abt. 1797 in NC - 1870 in AL)
                   Married Lavina Prewitt (1805-1880) in 1820 in AL
               2.
Mary Underwood (1806 in NC - 1880 in AL)

                      Married Walter Matthews (1805-1863) on Sep 11, 1823 in AL 
5 Margaret Wells (1733 in MD - )
6 Isaac Wells (1735 in MD - 1792)
7 Mary Wells (1737 in MD - )
8 Thomas Wells (1739 in MD - )
9 James Wells (1741 - Dec 1825)
GENERATION 2

02. Rachel Wells, [1] daughter of Joseph and Margaret was born on March 20, 1720 in All Lallows Parish, Anne Arundel, MA.  She married John C. Wright, son of James Wright and Mary Bowater in abt. 1736.  "The Maryland Ancestors of Rachel Wells" by Richard M. Kelly as published in the Spring 1992 "Southern Friend Journal of the North Carolina Friends Historical Society" indicates that Margaret Swanson was Rachel's mother.  Other online sources suggest that "Rachel" was her mother and Margaret was her stepmother.

The Rootsweb page found here quotes the following additional information on Rachel:

She was a fairly well noted frontier Quaker minister before the American Revolution. She became a Quaker when she married. Her parents moved into the faith several years after her marriage. She came from radical Puritan and Catholic stock who sought religious freedom in the tolerant Maryland under Lord Baltimore. Several of her ancestors were of armorial families in England.  Rachel and her husband moved to Orange County, North Carolina from the Monocacy Meeting, Prince George Co., Maryland about 1749. They helped found the Cane Creek Meeting in Orange Co., North Carolina. She was the center of a major controversy in this region during the movement known as the Regulators. She apparently committed an offense. Her apology was accepted until she applied to remove to Fredericksburg, SC in 1763. Some of the members doubted the sincerity of her apology and thought her certificate should not be granted. A principle, outspoken well known liberal Quaker of the time, Hermon Husband, was caught up in the feud. Due to his violent reaction, he was disowned in 1764. The ending to this story is not known by the Auther, other than the fact that Rachel and her family did move to South Carolina in 1764. The Cane Creek meeting back in North Carolina mentions her kindly at her death on December 23, 1771, aged about 52 years as "a friend of the Ministry, wife of John, one of the first beginnners of a meeting at Bush River." 

I descend from John and Rachel's son Nathan Wright who married Sarah Jay.

  

Surnames that married into my Wells family
WRIGHT

   

Migration pattern of my Wells family
England -- MA -- NC -- SC

   

My Descent From The Wells Line

Generation Father Mother
9 Joseph Wells (1697-) Rachel (c1703-1720)
8 John C. Wright (1716-1790) Rachel Wells (1720-1771)
7 Nathan Wright (1758-) Sarah Jay (1761-)
6 William John Marshall (1799-1837) Charity Wright (1801-)
5 Thomas Marshall (1822-1870) Rhoda Furnas (1824-1906)
4 William Frank Marshall (1845-1909) Nancy Emily Crewse (1860-1936)
3 William Edward Marshall (1901-1981) Irene Sophia Schwiening (1908-1992)
2 William Edward Marshall
1 Tod Howard Marshall

This page was last updated on 08/13/23

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