Our Wells family has been researched back to 1625, thanks to Andrew Wells.
John Wells (born 1625) married Jane (born 1629). They had 2 children - Ann born 1657 and John born 1655 and died 1700. John Wells married Elizabeth Pepper (born 1659), in 1680.
John Wells and Elizabeth Pepper had 2 children - John Wells (born 1681) and Edward Wells (1685-1767). More about John to follow, but meanwhile some detail about Edward Wells and his Will.
Edward Wells died 1767 in Wardley, Rutland. He married Joan who died 9 April 1756 and buried 12 April 1756.
The Will of Edward Wells, a Cooper, dated 1760 (proved 1768), distributes what amounts to a decent estate between John and his brothers, Miles, Thomas and Benjamin and his sisters Elizabeth and Catherine.
John received the house he was occupying in Dingley (from which estate Elizabeth received 40 Pounds for 2 years, and Miles, a tallow chandler in London, received 10 Pounds for a year.
Thomas received land in the parish of Stoke Albany (from which estate Catherine got 10 Pound for a year) and all the household goods, chattels, and any other property.
Benjamin got some other land in Dingley (which was to revert back to the heirs of Edward in the event Benjamin had no heirs).
John Wells (1681) married Elizabeth (born 1684) and they had 6 children - Miles, Thomas, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Catherine and John Wells (1716 - 1790) who married Alice Parker (1719-1793) in 1743 in Oxendon, Northamptonshire.
John Wells and Alice Parker had 5 children - Alice (1744), Elizabeth (1744-1755), Jane (1750-1767), Catherine (1755-?), John Wells (1746-1815).
John Wells (1746-1815) married Ann Kirby (1761-1841) in 1786. They had 7 children - John (1788), Thomas (1790), Edward (1795-1822), Ann (1798), Mary (1801), Miles (1799) who married Lyndia Smith in 1823, and William (1792-1875) who married Ann York (1793-1870).
John Wells (1716-1790) and his son John Wells (1746-1815) had a well-documented history. John Wells Snr. trained as a Cooper and married a widow, Alice Parker at Oxendon in 1743.
When John Wells Jnr. was 15, he took up an apprendiceship indenture in his father's trade in Northampton in 1761. He returned to Dingley and married Ann Kirby of Stoke Albany in Dingley in 1786 by licence. They relocated to Market Harborough later that year, where they moved into the School Master's house on the Square. John Wells Jnr. was paying rates on this property until the mid 1790s, so he managed to sustain his small family in Market Harborough. In January 1793 the "Northampton Mercury" reported a patriotic meeting which took place in the Square in Market Harborough on Boxing Day, 26 December 1792. John was there, as was most male inhabitants of Harborough, and he signed a resolution stating that the best form of government for Britain was Kings, Lords and Commons, and that he would join in the fight against the French and radicalism if called upon. Such patiotic meetings took place throughout the length and breadth of the country in those winter months of 1792-3, as the French Revolution took a radical turn with the abolition of the monachy and the trial of Louis XV1. France was already at war with Austria and Prussia, and the execution of Louis pretty much inevitable from the time it was decided that he would stand trial, was an affront to monarchies everywhere.
While John Wells Jnr. was living in Harborough his father died in Dingley. John Wells Snr. was a Church Warden in the Parish of Dingley. The original bells dated from the early seventeenth century and were due to be recast. Edward Arnold of Leicester was charged with the task of making the new set of bells, with the following cast on it "E.Arnold Fecit, E.Griffin Rector, J.Wells Churchwarden". They remain in the belfry of the Church to this day.
When John Wells Jnr. was 15, he took up an apprendiceship indenture in his father's trade in Northampton in 1761. He returned to Dingley and married Ann Kirby of Stoke Albany in Dingley in 1786 by licence. They relocated to Market Harborough later that year, where they moved into the School Master's house on the Square. John Wells Jnr. was paying rates on this property until the mid 1790s, so he managed to sustain his small family in Market Harborough. In January 1793 the "Northampton Mercury" reported a patriotic meeting which took place in the Square in Market Harborough on Boxing Day, 26 December 1792. John was there, as was most male inhabitants of Harborough, and he signed a resolution stating that the best form of government for Britain was Kings, Lords and Commons, and that he would join in the fight against the French and radicalism if called upon. Such patiotic meetings took place throughout the length and breadth of the country in those winter months of 1792-3, as the French Revolution took a radical turn with the abolition of the monachy and the trial of Louis XV1. France was already at war with Austria and Prussia, and the execution of Louis pretty much inevitable from the time it was decided that he would stand trial, was an affront to monarchies everywhere.
While John Wells Jnr. was living in Harborough his father died in Dingley. John Wells Snr. was a Church Warden in the Parish of Dingley. The original bells dated from the early seventeenth century and were due to be recast. Edward Arnold of Leicester was charged with the task of making the new set of bells, with the following cast on it "E.Arnold Fecit, E.Griffin Rector, J.Wells Churchwarden". They remain in the belfry of the Church to this day.
John Wells and Ann Kirby's son, William Wells born 1792 at Dingley near Market Harborough, Northamptonshire and died April 1875. William married Ann York (1793-August 1870) of Rothwell, near Kettering on 16 October1823 at Cransley, Northamptonshire.
Together they had 6 children:
Elizabeth Wells baptised 22 November 1826 in Great Oxendon and died 1895. Elizabeth married Charles Henry White on 7 January 1862 (no issue).
John Wells baptised 26 July 1829 in Great Oxendon and died 1907. John married Harriet (1822-1890). (no issue).
Thomas Wells baptised 18 February 1832 in Great Oxendon and died 2 January 1908. Thomas married Eliza Ann Bootheway (1831-18 December 1910) on 2 November 1853. They had 8 children - George, Herbert, Harry, Sarah, Charles, Arthur, Ellen and Mary.
Ann Wells born 1833 & baptised 5 October1834 in Great Oxendon and died 1916. Ann married Joseph Isaacs (b1843) on 9 March 1872.Mary Wells baptised 4 June 1837 in Great Oxendon and died 1914. Mary never married.
Alice Wells born 22 December 1839 & baptised 31 May 1840 in Great Oxendo and died 1871. Alice married Harry Tarny in 1859. They had 2 children Fanny Elizabeth and Ernest John Tarny.
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| Thomas Wells born 18 February 1832 in Oxendon - son of William & Ann (Kirby) Wells |
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| In loving memory of John Wells died February 18th 1907 aged 77 years. Also of Harriet his wife died April 1st 1890 aged 68 years. "Just as I am without one plea" |
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| John & Harriet Wells' tombstone standing in St Helen's Great Oxendon graveyard. Photo taken 2007. |
If you have anything to add or comments on please contact the author Joy Olney via email: joyolney@gmail.com
You might like to take a look at Saunders Family Archives blog as Harry Wells married Elizabeth Saunders.
