Wells Family
Today’s Friday Find features another fascinating set of family papers preserved in the collection of Preston B. Wells. These handwritten notes trace the Wells lineage across several generations, offering valuable details about births, marriages, and deaths that bring the family’s history to life.
Ref 5
Wells FamilyOriginal Papers belong to Preston Wells
10884 Trappers Lane
Stanwood MI 49346
Benjamin F. Wells – Born March 27, 1819 – Died Dec. 25, 1892
Thurston H. Wells – Feb. 26, 1821
William W. Wells – Jan. 9, 1823
Hannah A. Wells – March 6, 1825
Mary Jane Wells – Jan. 14, 1827
Lucinda M. Wells – April 21, 1829
Nancy Philida Wells – May 8, 1831SECOND PAGE
Ref 6
this is your [father’s] family
Original Papers belonging to Preston Wells
10884 Trappers Lane
Stanwood, MI 49346
Green Wells – Born 24th Sept 1764
Abagail Wells her name when [gael]
was Abagail White– Born [24] Sept 1770David Wells – Born 26th March 178[0]
Betsy – [2]4 [Nov] 1792
Hannah – 30th May 1794
Ozias – 13th May 1796
Abby – 18 Sept 1798
George – 15 August 1801
Green – 18 April 1803
[Phildia]– 6th July 1806
Melzar – 23 Jan 1808
Laura – 26 Mar 1811THIRD PAGE
Ref 7A
Hannah Kennedy – Died Barre, Orleans Co NY 1845
Asherah – Died Adrian, Mich., August 1845
John – Eckford, Dec. 1843
Charles – “Oneida, March [no year]
William – “Kalamazoo, [?] 2 1878
Mary – “[?]. 23, 1885
Ref 7B
“The death of the four first mentioned is for the mmemory of Martha and Uncle Barnes at the time of Uncle William’s death.
I have no record of uncle David or aunt Betsey.”
Original Papers belong to Preston Wells
10884 Trappers Lane
Stanwood, MI 49346PAGE 4
Ref 8A
William O. Wells
Born [Feby 4th] 1845
Married July 8, 1866Ida M. Wells Gregory
Born Jan 7, 1851 – Married April 29, 1866Sadie Wells Sulgrove
Born Sept 14, 1866 – Married Oct 6, 1889 –Died May 1st, 19[26]
Mary Wells – Born June 11, 1863
married
Everard J. Gregory, son of Ida Wells
Born Dec 25, 1866
Ref 8B
B. F. Wells
Died Dec 25, 1882Mrs. B. F. Wells
Died June 12, 1903
Original Papers belong to Preston Wells
10884 Trappers Lane
Stanwood, MI 49346
After transcribing these pages, ChatGPT asked if I’d like a genealogical style report. The first such report it created placed the names on the first page as children of David Wells. After informing ChatGPT that these were the children of Ozias Wells, it created the following report:
Wells Family Genealogical RegisterFirst Generation
1. Green Wells was born 24 Sept 1764. He married Abagail White, who was born [24] Sept 1770.
Children of Green and Abagail (White) Wells:
2. i. David Wells, b. 26 Mar 178[0].
ii. Betsy Wells, b. [2]4 [Nov] 1792.
iii. Hannah Wells, b. 30 May 1794.
iv. Ozias Wells, b. 13 May 1796.
v. Abby Wells, b. 18 Sept 1798.
vi. George Wells, b. 15 Aug 1801.
vii. Green Wells, b. 18 Apr 1803.
viii. [Phildia] Wells, b. 6 Jul 1806.
ix. Melzar Wells, b. 23 Jan 1808.
x. Laura Wells, b. 26 Mar 1811.
Second Generation
2. Ozias Wells (Green¹) was born 13 May 1796.
Children of Ozias Wells:
3. i. Benjamin F. Wells, b. 27 Mar 1819; d. 25 Dec 1892.
ii. Thurston H. Wells, b. 26 Feb 1821.
iii. William W. Wells, b. 9 Jan 1823.
iv. Hannah A. Wells, b. 6 Mar 1825.
v. Mary Jane Wells, b. 14 Jan 1827.
vi. Lucinda M. Wells, b. 21 Apr 1829.
vii. Nancy Philida Wells, b. 8 May 1831.
Third Generation
3. Benjamin F. Wells (Ozias², Green¹) was born 27 Mar 1819 and died 25 Dec 1892. He married [Mrs.] B. F. Wells, who died 12 Jun 1903.
Children of Benjamin F. Wells:
i. William O. Wells, b. [Feby 4th] 1845; m. 8 Jul 1866, Ida M. Gregory, b. 7 Jan 1851.
ii. Hannah Kennedy Wells, d. Barre, Orleans Co., NY, 1845.
iii. Asherah Wells, d. Adrian, Mich., Aug 1845.
iv. John Wells, d. Eckford, Dec 1843.
v. Charles Wells, d. Oneida, Mar [no year].
vi. William Wells, d. Kalamazoo, [?] 2, 1878.
vii. Mary Wells, d. [?] 23, 1885.
Notes: A memorandum (Ref 7B) states:
“The death of the four first mentioned is for the memory of Martha and Uncle Barnes at the time of Uncle William’s death. I have no record of Uncle David or Aunt Betsey.”
Fourth Generation
William O. Wells (Benjamin³, Ozias², Green¹), b. [Feby 4th] 1845, m. 8 Jul 1866 Ida M. Gregory, b. 7 Jan 1851; m. 29 Apr 1866.
Children of William O. and Ida M. (Gregory) Wells:
i. Sadie Wells, b. 14 Sept 1866; m. 6 Oct 1889 surname Sulgrove; d. 1 May 19[26].
ii. Mary Wells, b. 11 Jun 1863.
Other related record:
- Everard J. Gregory, son of Ida Wells, b. 25 Dec 1866.
Summary of Key Notes
The notes preserved in Ref 7B provide contextual clues about family events tied to “Martha and Uncle Barnes.”
The earliest identified ancestors in these records are Green Wells (1764–) and Abagail White (1770–).
Their son Ozias Wells (1796–) is the father of Benjamin F. Wells (1819–1892), who anchors much of the later Wells family record.
Death records for multiple children (Hannah Kennedy, Asherah, John, Charles, William, Mary) highlight high early mortality in the mid-1800s.
These records from the Preston B. Wells collection not only preserve the names and dates of the Wells family, but also reflect the care with which family history was remembered and passed down. By compiling these notes into a genealogical register, we can better understand how the Wells line connects across generations and ensure that this branch of the family remains part of the larger story I am uncovering through my Friday Find posts.