The William Ernest Hudson Family Homepage:Information about Thomas Wells
Thomas Wells (b. September 05, 1653, d. September 26, 1718)
Notes for Thomas Wells:
NOTES:
Indentured April 1669.
Thomas agreed to work and inhabit 50 acres of land for Robert Conant in Maryland in
exchange for passage to America.
Event:Land January 26, 1696 Calvert County, Maryland;
Thomas first bought land in Prince George county, Maryland (or Calvert County, Maryland
on the Patuxent River)on August 26, 1695 (or Jan. 26, 1696), a 200 acre tract named "Strife"
on the west side of the Patuxant River (Liber. A Folio 26-28).(Surrounding Land Owned By Francis Swantstone, Edward Isaak and Henry Darnell).To this he added an 18 acre tract
called "Something" on June 15, 1703 (Patent Liber CD Folio 88).Called " Planter of Calvert
County".Thomas contributed a "goodly sum" of tobacco for his share of the building of the
Parish Church of St. Barnabas at Leeland and also provided accommodations for the bricklayers
working on the building.He died 1717 Prince George County, Maryland and is probably
buried Queen Anne Parish.On May 23, 1722, Frances sold the house and lot in Queen Anne
town, left to her in her husbands will.Where she lived thereafter is not known.
Event:
Court July 1696;Found guilty of assaulting Thomas Swaringen.
Event:
Court March 1698 Prince George's County, Maryland;Subpoenaed to testify that Elizabeth
Plummer had sent a servant to steal onions, cabbage, and bacon from him.
Event:
Court March 28, 1698; Found guilty of drunkenness and fighting
Event:
Court September 29, 1699;Served jury duty
Event:
Court September 29, 1699;Appointed to serve as overseer, along with Thomas Pelle, of the
Patuxent Hundred
Event:
Land January 10, 1704 Prince George's County, Maryland;Folio 120b, indenture, January 10,
1704.From: Thomas Swaringen of PG Co., and Jane his wife;To:Charles Hyatt, planter of
PG Co., For = 9C66 a 60 acre parcel of land surveyed and deducted out of a tract called
Basingthorp Hall now belonging to Richard Harwood in freshes on west side of Patuxent River
beginning at a branch of Bears Brooke and bounded by Basingthorp Hall and and called "Strife"
owned by Thomas Wells.Wit: Hugh Riley and William Moore (mark).
Event:
Appointed April 7, 1707 To Be A Vestryman.
Witnessed 1714 Boundary Lines Of Adjoining Tract Of Land (See Maryland, Chancery Record,
Liber 3, Folio 27).
Will:September 26, 1718 Prince George's County, Maryland;
Wells, Thomas, Sr., planter, Prince George's County
26th Sept., 1718;
5th Jan., 1718
To wife Frances, dwelling plantation,_____, "Strife", and adj. tract "Something", in all
218 A., during life; at her decease to four sons, Thomas, Robert, Nathan and Joseph.
Should all of said sons, Thomas, Robert, Nathan, die without issue, lands to descend
to son Joseph; should he die without issue, to 4 daughters equally, viz.; Frances, Mary,
Sarah and Elizabeth, and their heirs. To said daughters personally.
To son George, 5s.
To wife Frances, extx., and hrs., house and lot in Queen Ann's Town and residue of estate.
Test:Richard Duckett, Wm. John Black, Thomas Howell. 14.724.
Will:
Will of Thomas Wells II, planter, Prince George's Co. dated September 26, 1718/probated
January 5, 1718 (verbatim in "MD. Calendar of Wills 1713-1720, Vol IV, p. 186).
To wife Frances, dwelling plantation Strife, and adj. tract Something, in all 218 a. during life;
at her decease to four sons: Thomas, Robert, Nathan and Joseph Wells.Should all of said
sons die without issue, lands to descend to son Joseph; should he die without issue, to 4
daus equally, viz.: Frances, Mary, Sarah & Elizabeth, and their hrs.To sd. daus, personalty.
To son George Wells 5 shillings.Wife Frances, extrx. and heirs, house and lot in Queen
Ann's Town and residue of estate.Wt. Richard Duckett, Wm. John Black, Thomas Howell.
Source:
Md. Calendar of Will Books IV, p. 186 or Md. Reg. of Wills 14:724.
Inventory & Accounts for Thomas Wells II, PG Co., dated May 2, 1719:Worth L196/11/5;
next-of-kin: Thomas & Nathaniel Wells.
(Source: Prerog. Court of Mc. I&A Book 2:236).
Speculative Research Item- - - -
First Generation: Thomas Wells I (b. c1620) and his wife Elizabeth Mellows (b. c1620)
of England & Prince George's Co., Maryland.
Thomas Wells was born about 1620 in England.He married Elizabeth Mellows (b. c1620)
about 1645 in England.He died about 1682 in Queen Anne Parish, Prince George's Co., Md.
She died about 1681/82 in Queen Anne Parish, Prince George's Co., Md.They had two
known children: Mary Wells b. c1650 who married John Parker about 1675 and Thomas Wells
II who was b. 5 September 1653 Queen Anne Parish, PG Co., Maryland.(Source: Queen Anne
Parish Register 1706-1773, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Leeland, PG Co., Md. & Chapel
of Ease, St. Paul's Parish, prior to 1706 on Microfilm MSA SC-N-687).
Second Generation: Thomas Wells II (1653-1718 and Frances Smith (1657-1726) of Pr. Geo.
Co., Md.
Thomas Wells was transported to Maryland in 1679 (WC 2:50, 57).On August 26, 1695,
Thomas Wells, planter of Calvert Co., purchased Strife, 200a., in Prince George's Co from
Thomas and Mary Smith of Calvert County for 90pds, tract located on west side of Patuxent
River.His tract Strife was mentioned on 1704 deed as bounding Basingthorp Hall (PGLR).
Sometime in 1696, he was a member of a Grand jury acting on a petition for Philip Clarke's
disbarment.Thomas Wells witnessed a deed in PG Co. in 1703 (PGLR).Thomas Wells
married (1) Mary Hopkins, d/o Gerard and Thomasin Hopkins.He married (2) Frances Smith.
Thomas Wells of Herring Creek Hundred, PG Co. Md, died before January 5, 1718, when his
will was probated (MCW IV:186, Appendix).His Inventory named "next of kin" as Thomas
Wells and Nathaniel Wells (1&A 2:236).A Mrs. Wells was a taxable in Patuxent Hundred,
PG Co. in 1719.On May 23, 1722, Frances Wells, widow of PG Co., sold lot #54 in Queen
Ann Town for L5/10/0 containing 1 a. to Thomas Lancaster, merchant (PGLR).On November
27, 1722, Frances Wells, widow, made deed of gift to her son Nathan Wells of PG Co, the
dwelling house where he now lives and other building on 2 a. of land (PGLR).Couple had
ten children from will and church records: Thomas Wells III, Frances Wells, George Wells,
Robert Wells b. 1693, Mary Wells, Nathan Wells, Joseph Wells (twin) b. 1697, Sarah Wells
(twin) b. 1697, Elizabeth Wells b. c1699, and John Wells?.
(Source: Jourdan, Elise."Early Families of Southern Maryland", Vol 3, Westminster, Md.,:
Family Line Pub, 1994, pp. 190-191 & "Thomas Wells of PG Co Md." by Mary Celine Scott,
Baltimore Co.
Rootsweb www site. Orin Wells, [email protected]
Wells Rootsweb Newsletter, points out sources in these two references need checking
because secondary sources sometimes contain inconsistencies.
Miscellaneous Documentation:
Wells Documentation in Colonial Settlers of PG Co., Md by Elise Jourdan:
Thomas Wells II and wife Frances had children: Robert Wells b. 5 Aug 1693, Joseph &
Sarah Wells (twins) b. 30 Oct 1697; Elizabeth Wells b. 11 May 1799 (Queen Ann Parish
Records, "Birth", p. 5).
Thomas Wells III and wife Martha (Boyd) had children: Thomas Wells b. 28 Jan 1710/11,
John Wells b. 26 Oct 1712, Mary Wells b.12 Aug 1715. (Q.A. Parish Records "Births" pp.
5, 8, 11)
Thomas Wells, age 61 on 14 Jun 1714 (Hooper, Debbie. Abstracts of Chancery Court Records
of Md., 1669-1782, Family Line Pub. Westminster, Md.)
Thomas Wells II, planter, 26 Sept 1718; 5 Jan 1718; wife Frances, sons: Thomas, Robert,
Nathan, Joseph; daus Frances, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, tracts Strife & Something, from Md.
Calendar of Wills Vol IV, p. 186.Widow Frances Wells 6 Sept 1720 from Abstracts of Adm.
Acts. of Prerog. Crt. of Md, Liber 3:214 by V. L. Skinner, Fam. Line Pub., Westminster, Md.
Thomas Wells III, wife Martha (Boyd) Wells in Md. Calendar of Wills Vol VIII, p. 51.
Thomas Wells, planter, 7 Oct 1748/25 June 1751; sons John & Thomas Wells; dau Mary
Duvall from Md. Calendar of Wills, Bk X: 158 and Inventories of Prerog. Crt. of Md., Thos.
Wells 3 July 1751, Bk 51:25.
More About Thomas Wells and Mary Cook:
Marriage: Abt. 1694, Prince George's County, Maryland.
Children of Thomas Wells and Mary Cook are:
- +Robert Wells, b. Bef. August 05, 1693, Queen Ann's Parish, Prince George, Maryland, d. 1771, Fredrick, Maryland.