Here is the article about the DNA Project which appeared in the pre-reunion
newsletter. While Orin sent a message to the mailing list about this person,
I can't find a reference to him on the web site. At this point I'm unclear
as to whether he matched the Aaron/Zachariah Wells profile or the Robert
Wells profile.
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Aaron Wells Family Association Newsletter #32 June 2003
NEWFOUND KINSMEN OF AARON WELLS
JOSEPH WELLS
Another DNA match has occurred with a descendant of Joseph Wells (1768-1830)
of Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania who married Sarah Farquhar
(1767-1837). Their son William Wells (1791-1856) married Martha Laughead
(1790-1863) and moved first, to Fallsbury Township, Licking County, Ohio,
and then, to Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. The oral tradition is that
Joseph's parents' names were Thomas and Anne. Thomas was said to have born
in 1726 in England, living later in Maryland and York County, Pennsylvania
before finally settling in the Fayette and Washington County, Pennsylvania
area. He was also said to have served as a Captain in the Revolutionary War
from Fayette County. Joseph and Sarah (Farquhar) Wells were also said to
have children named Thomas and Anne but no other children or descendents,
other than from William are known at this time.
William Wells was a chair maker and wheelwright. At least three of his sons
went into the woodworking trades. Children of William Wells and Martha
Laughead were: Mary Ann (1813- ); James L. (1815-1888) m. Martha Mason;
Sarah Jane (1817- ) m. Mr. Thompson; Joseph Jr. (1819-1890 ) m. Sophia Boyd;
Dennis B. (1821- ), Wesley (1822- ), Elizabeth (1825- ) m. William Harrison
Legg; William (1826-1894) m. Rachel McFarland; Martha (1830- ); Christiana
(1832- ) m. Simon Anderson; and Matilda (1835- ).
From Thurston's 1859 Directory of the Monongahela Valley, James L.
Wells was
listed as a ship's carpenter living in Greenfield, Washington County,
Pennsylvania (his occupation as given in J. H. Beers and Co.'s Commemorative
Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania, 1893). Also living
there was Augustine Wells, stonecutter and in the nearby town of California
were Thomas F. Wells, boat builder, and John R. Wells, ship carpenter. A few
miles away on the other bank of the Monongahela was Joseph Wells, pattern
maker, in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, probably James' brother
of that name. Their brother, William Jr., was also called a carpenter and
pattern maker in Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio.
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I would like to point out that the name "Augustine Wells" occurs in close
proximity to this family though the relationship of this individual (who is
younger than the Augustine Wells of Monongalia Co., VA) is unknown as far
as I know. I'm already beginning the research for the article on Jacob Wells
of Gallatin Co., KY.
Patricia