Do you have information in your files that was obtained from an older family member that may or may not be accurate? Thanks to the help of a genealogist from Michigan, I received a copy of papers belonging to Preston B. Wells of Michigan. Preston B. Wells was the great-grandson of William Wallace Wells making him my third cousin once removed.
Although the information in these papers may or may not be accurate, it provides a starting point for tracing the Wells family in New York and Michigan.
1896 Family Letter
Chittenango, N.Y. Apr. 20, 1896
Dear Uncle:
I am gong to inflict you with another genealogical letter. Cousin Hattie & I are still hunting up our ancestors, this time it is the Whites as you will see by the enclosed list, which is copied from a book of the White family: cousin Hattie found it in the Public Library at Utica & says it is very interesting.
Capt. N has quite a record as a poletitian as has also his son Dea [N]
You see there is one difference in this list and the one Calista sent here Abagail Whites fater is Oliver instead of Elihue & I presume this is correct as it was compiled from Church & Town records & Calista was given to her by her mother from memory.
The dates of Abagail’s birth correspond with the record I found at your home last fall
We feal proud of our ancestry, now we can hold our hands as high as anyone.
I finally got a letter from a great-grandson of
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Of Thurston Wells who lives at Buffalo, he sent me what his father David Wells Hutchinson had written down they were Nathaniel Wells who was a nephew of Gen Nathaniel Green married Mary Thurston were burried near Fish House, children were Nathaniel, George, Thurston, Green, Joshua, Thomas & Job. Thurson married Iren Badger & was that Thurson mention in the obituary we talked about last fall. I wrote to the Postmaster at Erie inquiring for that Wells you told me about but did not get answer
I wrote to Obiah [Deline] to see if she could give me any ponts, but she is not living, her son Amos answered the letter, he did not say when she died, he gave the names of his mothers family there were nine children, 7 of which were living most of them in Wis. Wm C had 6 children 4 were living most of them in the south. This Amos wrote that his grandfather was Dr. Wm Wells told of his hanging himself froma tree by a horse bridle I replied that I understood it was Dr David, told him of the family record of Green Wells that his mother sent you of Harriett’s family there is still a David Bercher living when you come down here this summer
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We will talk this all over. How have you all been this winter: I have wondered if your young horse had got over its lameness, we have had a long tedious winter but it is hot enough now, it has been hard for horses, it ach us though it had started in for another dry season, we had considerable snow but it went off [mthont] rain & we have not had rain of any amt to night we had a sharp thunder shower but only lasted a few minutes, it is cooler since the rain we commenced to plow the 13th but have not sowed yet. Trees are just leaving out with us, I have peas, lettuce & radish coming up in the garden & tomats 6 in high inthe hot bed.
The papers state that all fruit buds were destroyed but apple & cherries but I do not take much stock in that, currents are blossoming & I presume there will be some peaches. Hope you succeeded in nurturing that colony of bees. Ilost about 1/4 of mine did not give mine as much attention as I should, honey was pretty dull mine averaged about 10 c per ob for comob. We hit a pretty good sale for our wheat got 80 c for it in Feb. But have our oats yet. We are
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Going to have considerable hay to sell, it has been 415 to $16 our alfalfa has killed badly shall plow up the most of it but shall try again on land that is drier it heaved out in low places.
We are as well as usuall. George’s children have all had the measels so they are pretty well tired out, our children have not had them yet.
The Petrboro friends were well the last we hard
With best wishes to all the friends
I remain
Yours truly
Burdett Hall
I presume Hattie put in the dates of the death of Abagail & Green Wells, I understood this rest was copied from the book, I could not find any Vermont N.Y. on an old map of 1835 but names of places are changed. Green Wells must have been in this state as early as 1796.
Wells family information
Original papers belong to
Preston Wells
Stanwood MI 49346Nathaniel Wells’ Family
Nathaniel Wells married Mary Thurston
Children
Nathaniel married — Swain
George married Eunice White
Thurston b 1756 married Iren Badger
Joshua married Katie Conant
Susan married Stephen Shoe
Polly married Isaac Hollenbeck
Kissiah married John Bovee
Thomas married
Jerusia Wolcott
Green b. Sept 24 0 1764 married Abagail White b Sept 24 1770
Job B 1780 d 1853 married Polly PageNathaniel wells Sr was a nephew of gen Nathaniel Green of r.I. he died about 1804 & was buried & was his wife at Horthampton Fulton Co N.Y.
The names are probly not in order of birth
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Record Wells Family
Benjamin F Wells born March 27 1819 died Dec 25 1892
Thurston H Wells born Feb. 26 1821
William W Wells born Jan 9 1823
Hannah A Wells born March 6 1825
Mary Jane Wells born Jan. 14 1827
Lucinda M Wells born April 21 1829
Nancy Phidila Wells born May 8 1831
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This is your fathers familyGreen wells Born [22nd] sept 1764
Abagail Wells her name when garl
Was Abagail White borne Sept 1770
David Wells born 26 march 1790
Roxey Wells born 24 [mar] 1792
Hannah born 30 May 1792
Ozias born 15 May 1756
Abbey born 15 Sept 1798
George born 15 August 1801
Green born 15 April 1803
‘Cheddar] born [3] July 1806
[Abilzar] born 23 Jan 1803
[Lucea] born 26 Nov 1811
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Hannah Kennedy died [Ba? NY] 1845
Ashsah died [Adrian Mich] August 1845
John died Eckford Dec 1843
Charles died Oneida March
William died [Koland] Marh 2 1878
Mary died March 23 1885The death of the four first mentioned is from the memory of mother and Uncle Barnes at the time of uncle William’s death
I have no record of uncle David or Aunt Betsey
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William O Wells
Born [July ?} 1845
Married July 3 1866
Ida M Well Gregory
Born Jan 7 1851 married April 29 1866
Sadie Wells[Suclgove]
Born Sept 14 1856 married Oct 6 1889
Died May 12st 1926
Harry Wells born June 11 1863
Married
Everard j [Geogory] son of Ida Wells
Born Dec 25 1866B. F. Wells
Died Dec 25 1892
Mrs B F Wells
Died Jun 12 1903
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Article For 66 Long Years from Homer Index, Homer Mi
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John Kennedy (the father) died at
Sullivan Mad Cr N Y
Aug 28 1831
Anna Kennedy (the mother) died at
Sullivan Feb 17 – 1920John Kennedy born at
Volentown Feb 1 1767
Anna Kennedy born at
Williamstown Apr 28 1785
Children
Betsey Kennedy born at
Halfmoon Saratoga CcrNY
Mar 23 1793
Died at Norway Dec 26 1801
David Kennedy born at
Halfmoon July 15 1794
Died at Sullivan Mad Co NW
Mar 11 1850
Hannah Kennedy born
Halfmoon Dec 28 1796
Died at Barrie Orleans Co Ny
1842
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Mary Kennedy born at
Halfmoon Feb 21 1799
Died at Calamo Eaton Cr Mich
Mar 23 1885
Lucinda Kennedy born at
Norway May 20 1801
Died at [Quincy] Mich Apr 2 1895
Betsey Kennedy born at
Norway Oct 6 1802
Died at Dariin Gen Co NY
July 11 1881
Achsha Kennedy born at
Norway June 19 1804
Died at Adrian Leneway Co
Mich Aug 27 1845
John Kennedy born at
Norway Oct 3 1806
Died at Eckford Calhoun Co Mich
Dec 1843
Barns Kennedy born at
Norway Apr 12 1808
Died at Clarendon Jan 12 1890
William Kennedy born at
Norway July 22 1810
Died at Calamo Eaton Co
Mich Mar 2 18778
Harvey Kennedy born at
Norway June 21 1812
Died at Clarendon Calhoun
Co Mich May 16 1886
Chas Kennedy born at
Sullivan Mad Co NY
Mar 17 1814
Died at Grand Lodge Mich
Apr 13 1872
Anna Kennedy born at
Sullivan May 30 1816
Died at Clarendon Calhoun
Co Mich June 19 1886
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Green Wells Family
Green Wells b. Sept 24, 1764 d Dec 13, 1845 in Barre Orleans Co NY
Abigail White b Sept 24 1770 d July 30 1852 in Barre Orelans Co NY
Married Feb 11 1789
Children
David b Mar 26 1790 m Love Bacon
ROxie b Nov 24 1792 m Harris
Hanna b May 30 1794 m Perry G Palmer
Ozias b May 15 1796 in Northampton Fulton Co NY
D Aug 5 1832 in Princeton Mercer Co NJ
Married Mar 18 1818 by Job wells
In Sullivan Mad Co N.Y. Mary Kennedy
B Feb 21 1799
Abby b Sept 15 1798 m Ora Lee 1819
Abby d June 15 1882 in Barre Orleans Co N.Y.
George b Aug 15 1801 m Betsy Kennedy
Green b Apr 15 1803 m Sylva Bightly
Melzar b Jan [?] 1804 {Eunice] Bightly
Phidelia b July 6 1806
Laura b Nov 20 1811 m John Peters
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Ozias wells married Mary Kennedy
In Sullivan Mad Co N.Y. Mar 18, 1818 by
Job wells Esq
Children
Benjamin F b Sat Mar 27 1879 in Sullivan Mad Co N.Y.
M Apr 30 – 48 Clarendon Mich by P. M. Kichky
Thurston K b Mon Feb 26 1821
M 1st Aug 12 48 Marshall Eder Hobart
2 May 18 51 Sullivan N.Y. Rev [geo] Col [grove]
3Wm w b Thurs Jan 9 1823
M Jan 18 42 Clarendon Rev. SouthwirthHannah A b Sat Mar 6 – 25
M Dec 24-48 Chittenango N.J.Mary J b Sun Jan 14 – 27
M June 13 44 Concord MichLucinda Mari b Tues Apr 21 29
M June 5 57 Clarendon Mich [D chil]Nancy P. B Sun May 8 31
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White Family
1 – Elder John White was born between 1959 & 1605
His home was supposed to have been in Chelmsford Essex Co England
He arrived in Boston with wife & two children Sept 16 1632 on the ship Lyon, Capt. Pierce, after a passage of eight weeks
In company with him came Rev Thomas Hooker & Elder John white was identified with his church in Cambridge2 – Capt Nathaniel White 1st son of Elder John White b in
Eng 1629 d in Middleton Ct Aug 27 1711. M. Elizabeth —
He was elected to represent the town of Middletown Ct 85 times served steadily from 1659 to 1710 (Legislature family met semi annally)
In military life he rose to the rank of capt. Which title he held to the time of his death3 – Dea Nathaniel White, son of Capt N. & E. White b in
Middletown Ct July 7, 1652 died Feb 15, 1742 m Elizabeth Savage b. June 3 1655 d June 30 1742
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He ws one of the founders of Hadley Mass. & Selectman for fifty years.4 – John White third child of Dea N & E. White b in Hadley Mass Nov 28 1682 d about 1766 b Jan 5 1715 Martha Church b Sept 23 1682. Date of death unknown
5 – Oliver White fourth child of J & M White b in Hadley Mass. June 28 1724 d 1784 m. Abagail Selden Jan 18 1755
Children of Oliver & Abagail White
Oliver b. Dec. 19, 1755
Elizabeth b Nov. 29, 1757 m. Phneas Clark
Moses b Dec 3, 1759 m Chloe Rich
[Jirnsha] b Mar 5 1762 m Seth Kellogg
Eunic b Mar 18 1764 m George Wells
Elihue b Mar 8 1766 d Mar 27 1766
Esther b Apr 2 1768 m William Ingham
Abagail b Sept 24, 1770 m Green Wells
6 – Abagail white eight child of O and A white b Sept 24
1770 d. July 30, 1852, m. Feb. 11, 1789 Green Wells of Maple
Town b Sept 24, 1764 d. Dec 15 1845
They removed to Vermont NY about 1800
Copied form Memorials of Elder John White
