Thomas Wells and Mary Beardsley

(Noah’s parents, our 7th great-grandparents)

Thomas Welles was born in 1620 in Colchester, Essex, England possibly to Francis and Hugh Welles. As described below, Thomas came to this country with his parents in the ship "Globe" in 1635 and landed at Boston, MA. The family lived in Hartford, CT. Thomas married Mary Beardsley of nearby Wethersfield, CT, Thomas and Mary settled there and that is where the first five of their children were born. By 1660, they were in Hadley, MA (50 miles north of Wethersfield). Thomas died 3 Sep 1676 in Hadley, Hampshire County, MA. The move to Hadley was probably a religious sect or opening of land move. I found a reference that he was "One of the original 59 citizens that signed the agreement Apr 18, 1659 at Goodman Ward's home in Hartford to settle at Hadley, Mass."

Transcribed from NEHGS Register Vol 44, P 208-9 Notes and Queries, April 1890:

This Thomas Wells was son of Hugh Wells, who came from co. Essex, Eng., about 1635, with wife Frances and at least four children,-Thomas, Hugh, Mary and John. He settled in Wethersfield, where he died about 1645. Wid. Frances became second wife of Thomas Coleman. They removed to Hadley with her sons Thomas and John in 1660. John settled on the Hatfield side, married Sarah -—-, had nine children, and died Oct. 18, 1692. Thomas married, May, 1651, Mary, b. 1631, dau. (daughter) of Wm. and Mary Beardsley of Stratford, Ct., and died in 1676, leaving good estate in Hadley and Wethersfield, and a house and lands in England. His widow m. June 25, 1678, Samuel Belding of Hatfield, and died Sept. 20, 1691.

Transcribed from "Hodge Genealogy", Compiled by Orlando John Hodge and printed by Rockwell and Churchill Press, Boston, 1900; pages 349-350

Thomas Wells (son of Hugh).
Born 1620; married, probably 1651, Mary Beardsley, born 1631, and died 1690, daughter of William Beardsley, of England. Mr. Welles at the time of his marriage lived in Hartford, and the Beardsleys in Weathersfield, a town adjoining. In 1659 he moved to Hadley, Mass., where he died in October or November, 1676.

There was a Thomas Welles in the great “Falls Fight,” Dec. 19, 1675, King Philip’s war, serving in Capt. William Turner’s company. The “Colonial War Society Annual” speaks of “Capt. Welles.” At the time of the “Falls Fight” Mr. Welles had a son Thomas, about twenty-four years of age, and possibly it was this Thomas instead of the father who was in the Indian battle.

The estate of Mr. Welles was inventoried at £733, a part of it being in Hadley, Mass., £100 in England, and the balance in Weathersfield, Conn. June 25, 1678, the widow married Samuel Belding, whose first wife, Mary, had been killed by the Indians in the Hatfield massacre, Sept. 19, 1677. Mr. Belding had for a third wife another Mary, —— this being the third Mary,— the widow of John Allis, mother of Abigail Allis, who when a little girl was captured by the Indians, at Hatfield, and who, as will be seen, married Ephraim Welles, one of the sons of Thomas and Mary Welles mentioned below. The first five of Mr. Welles’ children were born in Weathersfield, and the other nine in Hadley, Mass.

Fourteen children:

  1. Thomas Welles, born Jan. 10, 1652; m. Hepzibah Buel.
  2. Mary Welles, b. Oct. 1, 1653; d. same day.
  3. Sarah Welles, b. May 5. 1655.
  4. John Welles, b. Jan. 14, 1657; d. same day.
  5. Jonathan Welles, b. 1658; d. Jan. 3, 1739; was in King Philip‘s war.
  6. John Welles, b. April 3, 1660.
  7. Samuel Welles, b. 1662; m. Sarah Clark.
  8. Mary Welles, b. Sept. 8, 1664; m. a Field.
  9. Noah Welles, b. July 26, 1666
  10. Hannah Welles, b. July 4, 1668; m., July 7, 1687, John White.
  11. Ebenezer Welles, b. July 4; 1668; m., Dec. 4, 1690, Mary White.
  12. Daniel Welles, b. Dec. 11, 1669; d. June 11, 1670.
  13. Ephraim Welles, b. prob. 1672.
  14. Joshua Welles, b. Feb. 18, 1674; d. 1678.