- English Immigrant to America
- 1640 Co-founder of Southold, New York (on Long Island)
William Wells the Immigrant was born circa 1608 in England to William Wells (1566-1620) and Elizabeth Hochnell (1574-1647) and died 13 November 1671 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States of unspecified causes. He married Bridget Wells (1614-1654) 1653 in Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States. He married Mary Wells (1619-1709) 1654 in Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States.
Vital Stats
- Father: Rev William Wells (1566-1620)
- Mother: Elizabeth ____.
- 1608 : Birth in England
- 1635 : Migration to American
- 1640 : Co-Founder of town of Southold on Long Island
- 1653 : Marriage (1) to Bridget Elizabeth Burton, widow of Henry Tuthill
- 1654 : Marriage (2) to Mary Youngs
- 1671-Nov-13 : Died in Southold, Suffolk Co, New York
Biography
NOTE: Quite a few of these items, such as birthdate, birthplace and time of immigration are uncoroborated.
Migration to America
William Wells was born in January 1608 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England. He sailed for America on June 10, 1635 settling in Lynn, Massachusetts. In 1653, he served as Deputy to the General Court, at New Haven, representing Southold, which then was under the jurisdiction of New Haven Colony.
Marriages
William was married in 1653 to Bridget Elizabeth Burton, the widow of Henry Tuthill. In 1654 William married Mary Youngs. William and Mary were the parents of Bethia, Hester, Patience, William, Mary, Deborah, Joshua, Mehitable, Ann and Deliverance.
Civic Duties
In 1657 he was again elected Deputy, and in 1661, appointed an Assistant Magistrate. The next year, 1662, he was active in opposition to the union of New Haven Colony with Connecticut Colony, as the Government at Hartford was called, and refused to be a Freeman of Connecticut Colony.
Sheriff Eastern Long Island
In 1664, Southold, with other Long Island Towns (which, from 1662, had been considered part of Connecticut Colony), passed to the Government of New York, then established by the English conquest of the Dutch New Netherland. Governor Nicoll appointed William Wells to be Sheriff of Eastern Long Island. The next year, 1665, he represented Southold, in the New York Colonial Assembly, at Hempstead, Long Island. William died on November 13, 1671 in Southold, Suffolk County, New York.
Children William Wells and Mary Young
William and Mary were the parents of Bethia, Hester, Patience, William, Mary, Deborah, Joshua, Mehitable, Ann and Deliverance.
- Bethia Wells
- Hester Wells
- Patience Wells
- William Wells (1660-1696) -
- Mary Wells
- Deborah Wells
- Joshua Wells (1664-1744)
- Mehitable Wells (1666-1742)
- Ann Wells
- Deliverance Wells
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Elizabeth Wells (1656-1698) | |||
| Abigail Wells (1657-1658) | |||
| Patience Wells (1658-1659) | |||
| William Wells (1660-1696) | 5 May 1660 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | 17 October 1696 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | Elizabeth Tuthill (1661-1705) |
| Mary Wells (1661-1729) | |||
| Deborah Wells (1662-1729) | 1662 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | 20 October 1729 Cutchogue, Suffolk County, New York, United States | Gershom Terry (1652-1724) |
| Joshua Wells (1664-1744) | 1664 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | 2 May 1744 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | Hannah Tuthill (1667-1758) |
| Mehitable Wells (1666-1742) | 26 August 1666 Southold, Suffolk County, New York, United States | 26 August 1742 Orient, Suffolk County, New York, United States | John Tuthill (1658-1754) |
| Anna Wells (1668-1695) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Wells (1595-1657) | |||
| William Wells (1601-1671) | |||
Residences
See Also
- William Wells
- Wells Family
- Wells in England
- Wells in Suffolk County, New York
Vital Records
Southold Gravestone Cover
- Location : Old Burying Ground of First Presbyterian Church, Suffolk County, New York
- William Wells of Southold at Find A Grave
References
- History of William Wells of Southold
- William Wells of Southold, Geni.com, https://www.geni.com/people/William-Wells-of-Southold-Long-Island/6000000000215850615, retrieved 08 Dec 2023
- Joshua Wells Family Ancestry
- Wells Family Genealogy
- History of William Wells
- William Wells of Southold and his Descendants, Archive.org, https://archive.org/details/williamwellsofso00haye, retrieved 08 Dec 2023 - written 1878; p. 233-34 in the "Full Text" version