Mystery of the Month - May 1998 |
|---|
It is possible that he is the James Wells who married Mary Pishye on 28 May 1615 in Butterwick (Holland), Lincolnshire, England (age 25). Their known children were:
According to the book History of the Wells and Allied Families of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware by George Harlan Wells, 1958 the first progenitors of the Wells family of the Wells in this area were James and Mary Wells who arrieved in Virginia in June 1654 (reference to Caviliers and Pioneers by Nell Marion Nugent, Vol. 1, page 290). It is possible that they were actually transported to the colony prior to 1654 as this is the year in which the men who transported James Wells and others received a land grant:
"On 10 June 1654 John Walton & John Bagnall received 3900 acres of land in Westmoreland Co Va for transporting 78 persons to Va including James Welles"
"On 12 Dec 1654 Robert Hubard receives 1600 acres on S.side of Petomack River for transporting 32 persons including Mary Welles."
Another possible origin for this James Wells that has been suggested is Somerset Co., England.
It has also been suggested that he may have been the James Wells whose son Thomas Welles was baptized 16 Jul 1629 at St. Olaves Church, City of York.
NOTE: It has also been suggested that the Thomas Wells b: Cir 1653 of Prince George's County, Maryland was possibly the son of Elizabeth Mellows whose will written in 1682 in St. Olives, Southwork, Surrey names "my son who went into Maryland or other parts in America". Could St. Olaves and St. Olives be the same place? Could these two families be connected?
John Welles,son of James Welles, & Katherine his wife were in York
Co. Virginia in 1657 (see Greer's Early Virginia Immigrants). Thay had at least
two children John & James. John's wife Katherine and his son John died
in the year 1664 and were buried in Marshton Parish graveyard along with
James who died in 1669
The Mystery of the Month is: