Andy,
I guess I am one of the "new members"
Welcome. You and other "new" members to the group will have to be a little
patient. Those that are veteran members of the group have hashed out a lot
of stuff over the last few years and since time is important to us all,
members may be reluctant to respond to stuff that has already been discussed
by the group, even though the topic is very important to a new member. Since
I have been busy on other projects and have not posted for a while, I'll
respond with my two cents worth.
I however I find some of these statements a bit
puzzeling.1.....assuming
I guess I would offer that in researching family tree info, go by the old
addage " you should never assume anything."
Richard was Zach 1 father,and
A Richard Wells could very well be Zach's father, but as mentioned by
others, it as not the Richard married to Ann "Nancy" Brown. However, you
mention Richard married to an Elizabeth Brown. I do not believe I have seen
this before and would be interested ( as well as others I am sure ) in
knowing where you came up with that inforamtion. What is your documentation
for this?
a spy for Gen. Washingtons Army,I find it hard to believe he was
"loyal
to England"
Why? Family members had different interests, many of them financially, that
could lead them to see things differently in regards to their stance on
revolution. After all, the Civil War has many well documented accounts of
brother pitted against brother. I am sure the same was true with the
revolution.
I also believe Zach1 and zach 2 were not father and son but perhaps
uncle
and nephew,or cousns.
You could be correct here. As far as I know there is no documentation to
prove otherwise, just speculation and stories passed on by word of mouth
which does not make it true.
Zach 2 was definetly married to Sheppard.....the Wells,Yates,Shepards
were
neighboors in Wise Co VA
No, not in Wise County, Virginia. Wise County did not exist until the
1850's, 1856, I believe without getting my notes out. However, the land in
which they were neighbors is in what is now Wise County. The state of
Virginia had established counties on the coast, but all land west was one
county. As the population expanded westward the large western county was
divided up with the original name becoming a smaller county to the east and
a new name given to the western lands.
Because of this westward expansion and renaming, a family could have lived
in the same house for several generations but lived in 8 or 9 different
counties. So research for Zach and his ancestors should not be limited to
Scott & Wise county. Personally, I believe Scott & Wise have just about been
exhausted for Zach clues. I have posted to the group that I believe the
answer for Zach will be found, but from info from an eastern county that was
once the county that coveraed all the west. I believe that Fincastle county
is the earliest documentation we have of Zach in Virginia.
and intermarried quit often.
Absolutely. Pickings were slim in the mountains. I was thrown a curve in my
tree when an ancestor David Wells, married a lady named Wells. To make a
long story short, she was married to David's brother and married David some
time after his death. Because people tended to follow one another perhaps
researching the Sheppards or penningtons or another family could lead to
clues on Zach.
Zach 1 birthplace could have been PA seeing his father and mother
were
from that area durning The Rev. War. Where was this information
documented?Come to think of it, Im not sure Zach1 mother and father WERE
Richard and Elizebeth(nee Brown)I have not seen Zach1 being listed asone
of their children.
After dong a lot of research myself,I find that if there is not 3 or 4
pieces of documentation I think it only conjecture.
I need to see proof on this gentlemans "conjecters" before believing
what he says.
Agreed.
There is a "family Bible" belonging to My "Granny
Yates"(daughter of
Zach2 and Shepard)I have been emailing the person who has it for over a
year....with no response.However..one of these days
One of these days you'll have to show up on their door step! :-)
Thank you for this gentlemans words,I will keep it "in
file" and revert
back to it as I see some more posative documentation.
I guess the jury is still out on the ol' Zachs.
Yes.
Also, for new members and old ones for that matter, I have put together a
Zachariah Wells Timeline of information the group has gathered. It could
save you some time so you don't spend it on items already researched by
someone else. This mailing group does not allow attachments, so if you want
a copy of the Timeline e-mail me directly outside of the mailing list. My
address is gkscalf(a)cros.net
Glad to have you come aboard, the more we have searching the better chance
we get to the bottom of this!
Greg