Hi all,
Thought you'd like to see a small snippit of life in Prince George's County
in the late 17th century. This is at the Maryland State Archives:
Volume 202
Court Records of Prince George's County, Maryland
1696-1699
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/0000...
Here are all the Wells listed in the index for just this short four year
period:
Wells, John, 361, 362
Wells, John (His Majesty v.), 372, 390
Wells, Joseph, 10
Wells, Thomas, 278, 393, 456, 458, 489, 493, 518, 523, 542, 547, 548,
590
Wells, Thomas (Eldridge v.), 344, 358
Wells, Thomas (His Majesty v.), [1], li, 15, 21, 22, 26-27
Wells, Thomas (His Majesty v.), [2], liii, 458, 463-64, 497
Wells, William v. Davis, William, 516, 545, 549
Of course we can't be sure all the references to Thomas Wells is the same
person but here is an example of "His Majestry v. Thomas Wells":
p. 26
"Be itt Remembred that the Jurors of our Sovereigne Lord the King that now
is for the body of Prince Georges County for his Said Majesty upon their
oaths have presented Thomas Wells planter for that he the Said Thomas Wells
the 22d day of June 1696 att Charles Towne within the Jurisdiction of this
Court an Assault did make upon the body of Thomas Swareingen of this County
planter and him did beate wound and evill intreate Soe that of his life it
was dispaired against his Majestys peace and good Laws etc."
He was only convicted of a breach of the peace and fined. The second case
involved a drunken brawl at a tavern in 1699, however Thomas Wells was also
a victim of a crime. Jonathan Bryar was convicted of stealing "One Bushell
of Oynions and Four Cabages" from Thomas Wells. Of course a Thomas Wells
also served on juries and was appointed an overseer of Patuxant Hundred.
Patricia