On 8/6/2013 9:38 PM, Greg Scalf wrote:
I have been away from the research group for a while, but was able to get
back at the Zachariah Wells mystery recently. I am optimistic that my
recent research may have opened some new doors in solving the question
of….who was Zachariah’s father.
After learning the DNA connection, I researched the children of Thomas
Wells, born 1653. The good news (most of you are probably aware) is that
Maryland has accurate birth records even for this time period. The six
sons of Thomas produced 24 male grandchildren. After looking over the info
and birth dates, I believe 1 of these 24 male grandchildren is the Father
of Zachariah.
Several of the grandchildren can be eliminated because their birth was too
close to the approximate birth date of Zachariah. I researched all the
others and eliminated all of those that did not have Zachariah in the
Maryland birth records. This leaves us with three prime suspects and two
long shot prospects. The prime suspects are:
John Wells, son of Thomas Wells & Mary Hopkins: born 10/26/1712 Queen
Anne's Parish, Prince George's County, Maryland
George Wells, son of George Wells & Susannah Plummer: born before 1725
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Nathan Wells, Son of Robert Wells & Ann Lackland: born 12/27/1722 Queen
Anne's Parish, Prince George's County, Maryland
There are no Maryland records for the above suspects. In all likelihood
they moved from the area to blaze their own trail. Where? That is the next
step of research.
The long shot prospects are:
Possible unknown Wells, son of John Duckett Wells & Mary Margaret
Parsfield. John was born between 1690-1695 and died before 1717. No
records of children for John Duckett Wells. He was married in 1715 but
dies soon thereafter. Did he leave Maryland and die in the wilderness? Did
he have children before his death?
Joseph Wells, Son of George Wells & Susannah Plummer born before 1750
Prince George's County, Maryland. I highly doubt Joseph is a suspect due
to the fact when researches put “before 1750” that usually means a date
close to the given date, in this case 1750. However, can’t rule him out at
this point though, especially since he has a brother born before 1725.
Based on the available information (if you want the specifics I used I can
send them if you like) the 1750 birth date for Zachariah as told by
Jonathon Brickey Wells appears reasonable. I found references on line that
range from 1739 to 1745 to 1752 to 1755. The 1739 date can be eliminated
as this is calculated from the pension records of the Zach Wells from
Tennessee. But, the remaining dates are reasonable when cross checked
against the available information. So our Zachariah was likely born
between 1745-1755 with 1745-1750 more likely than 1750-1755. This is
especially true if the 1770 marriage date is accurate. All references I
have seen have the marriage in Grayson County, but Grayson County did not
exist until 1793. However, it could have been in a town which is now in
Grayson County. I have seen no other date for his marriage to Abigail
Osborne, but I have not seen any references to validate it either.
Where was he born? I have found in family trees on line with references to
the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. I have
found specific references to:
Paintsville, Kentucky
Baltimore, Maryland
Giles, Virginia 1745
Big Stone Gap, Virginia
The only one of the above places that I think proves interesting is Giles,
as it is near the old Fincastle County and New River. The others I don’t
think are very promising.
I did come across this post in researching email posts on the old rootsweb.
While I was in BSG 3 weeks ago, I visited the Museum and bought a couple
of books about the area. In one of them by Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr., he
states Zachariah was born in 1745 at the Mouth-of-the Wilson area which is
over by Grayson Highlands.
Mouth of Wilson and Giles are in the same neighborhood both use the 1745
date. Could be promising. Need to find this book by Fleenor!
Possible other clues as to his birthplace come from references from the
movement of other grandchildren. Places that grandchildren of Thomas Wells
show up outside of Maryland are:
Cane Creek, Orange County, NC
Leesburg , Fairfax County, Virginia
Lincoln County, NC (previously Tryon 1768-1779, previously Mecklenburg
1762-1768)
The Zachariah Wells “clan.”
Several surnames show up in the same geographic places as Zachariah. James
Boggs, James Shepperd, Micajah Pennington…….and….the Osborne family……all
in Fincastle with the clan and about the time Zach & Abigail are
supposedly married. They are together in Fincastle County, Virginia. Then
they show up in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Then in Lee County,
Virginia and finally in Missouri.
Now this clan first appears in the Fincastle Militia & Tax records.
Ironically enough, another interesting name in those records is Daniel
Boone. So……..I decided to look into Boone’s biography. Turns out Boone’s
father moved the family to the Yadkin River Valley, North Carolina. Yadkin
River is right next to the New River Valley where Zachariah and the “clan”
resided. Boone then, of course, goes to Kentucky, and eventually ends up
in Missouri. Members of the clan end up in the same places or nearby, like
Zachariah in Southwest Virginia not far from Boone’s establishment in
Kentucky.
An excerpt below from Boggs Genealogy:
Sometime around 1798 James L. Boggs and his two brothers, James and
Ezekiel, decided to move from North Carolina to find their fortunes
in Kentucky. The migratory route from North Carolina to Kentucky was
through Cumberland Gap, located in the tri-border of Kentucky,
Virginia and Tennessee. This was the route which Daniel Boone
established in his first explorations of Kentucky from his base in
North Carolina. For whatever reason,(some say the
trek became too difficult) James L. dropped out of the
journey into Kentucky near Cumberland Gap and settled at the Three
Forks of the Powell River in Lee County, Virginia, as did Zachariah
Wells, his former neighbor in Wilkes County, North Carolina. This
location is near the mountain towns of Big Stone Gap and Appalachia.
That area of Wise County was then part of Lee County, which in 1856
became part of Wise County when it was chartered
Jacob Wells, son of Zachariah ends up in Missouri as his wife was a
Sheppard and the eldest Sheppard had followed Boone to Missouri. Jacob
moves to Missouri following his father-in-law after Zachariah dies (which
has to be between March of 1827 – last land transaction by Zach and August
of 1828 – Jacob on Missouri voting rolls. It appears Zach was living with
Jacob in his final years).
I have found no reference to Zach and the clan as being pioneers with
Boone. However, they certainly followed his paths. Based on that info I
decided to keep digging into Boone’s past. An interesting item was the
Boone family moved to Culpeper, Virginia during Indian uprisings from
1758-1762. Since the clan followed Boone’s paths, could Culpeper offer
some info regarding Zachariah.
Searching Culpeper and the records of Orange County, Virginia I found 8
references to a George Wells between 1734 and 1750. One on a Tithe List
the others on Road Orders.
Another reference to Orange County is this:
Abigail Osborne, born - 15 JAN 1757, Orange County, Virginia.
I have not verified this with any documents, but if correct it gives more
circumstantial evidence to connect Zachariah to George Wells of Orange
County.
Based on this circumstantial evidence I feel there is a very good chance
of the following lineage below.
Thomas Wells (1653-1718)
^
George Wells (1685-1764)
^
George Wells (before 1725 - ????)
^
Zachariah Wells (1745-55 – 1827-1828)
Now the problem is proving it. Since it appears that Zachariah was a
pioneer, as we all already know records are hard to find and may not even
exist. Hopefully this info will help to get people working on Zach again.
I will be happy to share my info, just contact me.
I have a Zachariah Wells timeline on excel. I have over 50 verified
references relating to Zachariah and a lot of notes.
Good luck Zach Wells researchers!
Greg
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ZACHARIAHWELLS-request(a)rootsweb.com
with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the
message
Greg,
Thanks so much for the information. I am starting to get back into
family research. The following is my connection to the Wells family.
I am a descendant of Sarah Wells (1800-1874). She married William
Shepherd (1797-1860). I have Sarah as being the daughter of Thomas Wells
(1780-1845) and Rebecca Blevins. I have Thomas as being the son of
Zachariah and Abigail Osborne Wells.
Does this seem correct to you? Also is the Zachariah Wells you are
researching the same Zachariah that I am related to (may be a silly
question, just wanted to be sure).
One more question, do you know the parents for Rebecca Blevins?
Thanks so much for the help!
Jeff Halcomb
{PS: I am a proud native of Harlan County, Kentucky