Hi Andy,
Your excellant article has hit home to me. I am a descendant of Aaron
& Ruth (Wiggins) Wells. For years I have thought that Aaron must be a great grandson
of Thomas Wells SR, either via his son Robert, or his son Nathan. I will explain.
I do not know how familiar you are with Aaron & Ruth's children. The oldest
two children are Nathan, born 16 Jun 1791 and Elizabeth Ashcraft, born 30 Aug 1792 (Bible
records). Elizabeth Ashcraft Wells married her first cousin, William Wiggins, 16 Jan
1810, Nicholas Co, KY. Their oldest child, Ruth Wiggins, married John Claypoole, 25 Jun
1829, Nicholas Co, KY, and they are my 2 great grandparents
Aaron Wells and Ruth Wiggins wed 31 Jul 1790 in Mason Co, KY. Bondsman for Ruth was
her father, William Wiggins. William Wiggins purchased land from Joseph Flint in 1757,
Frederick Co, MD. William & Elizabeth Wiggins sold the same land, "called Grassy
Cabins" now in Washington Co, MD, in 1789, and moved to Mason Co, KY. It is not yet
completely proven, but most researchers, including me, believe that William's wife,
Elizabeth, is a daughter of Daniel ASHCRAFT. William Wiggins appeared in the early Mason
Co, KY, taxlists and was still alive in the 1810 census, but did not appear in the tax
lists after that and must have died.
Not all nationalities named there first born children in the same way, but they were
usually named after grandparents. I have seen too many ways they do this to believe there
is only one way. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that Aaron and Ruth named
their first born daughter (Elizabeth Ashcraft Wells) after the maternal grandmother. And
you do not have to be a genius to realize their first born son (Nathan) was not named
after the maternal grandfather (William Wiggins). I have to assume that Nathan was named
after his paternal grandfather.
The early tax lists of Mason Co, KY, show a Nathan Wells, but he did not make it to
the 1810 census, and we do not know his age. As stated before, William Wiggins came to
Mason County, KY, in 1789. Other Wiggins followed, but not until 1795. I feel William
Wiggins, his sons, and the Wells travelled here together. I have not been able to prove
that though.
You have given me new hope on Thomas Wells. I guess they will have to push me off
too.
Don