Do you have handwritten family group sheets tucked away in your genealogy files? This week’s Friday Find is a fascinating set of such records documenting the families of Nathaniel, Green, and Ozias Wells. Each page focuses on one family line and is written in a style reminiscent of Bible records, with names, birthdates, marriages, and deaths carefully noted. Unfortunately, the documents don’t reveal their original source, leaving us to wonder who compiled them and where the information first appeared.
Nathaniel Wells’ Family
Nathaniel Wells married Mary Thurston
Children
Nathaniel married — Swain
George married — Eunice White
Thornton (b. 1756) married — Irene Badger
Joshua married — Katie Conant
Susan married — Stephen Shoe
Polly married — Isaac Hollenbeck
Kissiah married — John Bovee
Thomas married — Jerusia Wolcott
Green married — Abagail White (b. Sept 24, 1770)
b. Sept 24, 1764
Job married — Polly Page
b. 1780
d. 1853
Nathaniel Wells Sr. was a nephew of Gen. Nathanael Green of R.I. He died about 1804 & was buried & was his wife at Northampton, Fulton Co., N.Y.
The names are probably not in order of birth.
page 2
Green Wells’ Family
Green Wells b. Sept 24, 1764 d. Dec. 13, 1845 in Barre, Orleans Co., N.Y. Abigail White b. 1770 d. July 30, 1832
Married Feb. 11, 1789
Children
David b. Mar 26, 1790 m. Lois Bacon
Rosia b. Nov 27, 1792 m. ___ Harris
Hannah b. May 30, 1794 m. Perry J. Palmer
Ozias b. Nov 15, 1796 in Northampton, Fulton Co., N.Y. d. Aug 5, 1832 in Princetown, Mercer Co., N.J. m. Mar 18, 1818 by J.P. Wells in Sullivan, Mad. Co., N.Y. to Mary Kennedy b. Feb 21, 1799
Abby b. Sept 15, 1798 m. Ora Lee 1819 d. June 15, 1882 in Barre, Orleans Co., N.Y.
George b. Aug 18, 1801 m. Betzy Kennedy
Fream b. Apr 15, 1803 m. Sylvia Bighrly
Melzar b. Jan 5, 1804 m. Eunice ___
Philinda b. Jan 6, 1806
Laura b. Nov 20, 1811 m. John Peters
page 3
Ozias Wells’ Family
Ozias Wells married Mary Kennedy in Sullivan, Mad. Co., N.Y. Mar 18, 1818 by J.P. Wells, Esq.
Children
Benjamin T. b. Sat. Mar 27, 1819 in Sullivan, Mad. Co., N.Y. m. Apr 30, ’48 Clarendon, Mich. by P.M. Holby
Thurston K. b. Mon. Feb 26, 1821 m. 1st Aug 12, ’48 Marshall, Eder Hobart m. 2nd May 18, ’51 Sullivan, N.Y. Rev. Jno. [Col\ — G[rove] m. 3rd ___
Wm. W. b. Thurs. Jan 9, 1823 m. ___ ’42 Clarendon, Rev. Southworth
Hannah A. b. Sat. Mar 6, ’25 m. Dec 24, ’48 Chittenango, N.Y.
Mary J. b. Sun Jan 14, ’27 m. June 13, ’44 Concord, Mich.
Lucinda Maria b. Twin Apr 21, ’29 m. June 5, ’57 Clarendon, Mich. Odill
Nancy P. b. Sun May 8, ’31
As with many handwritten records, these Wells family sheets raise almost as many questions as they answer. While they preserve valuable names, dates, and connections, the absence of an identified source means we must treat them with caution and look for corroborating evidence in other records. Still, they serve as an important reminder of the treasures we can find in unexpected corners of our files—and of the value in revisiting old notes with fresh eyes.
