Notes:

Joseph apparently had a twin sister named Sarah. Joseph Wells was living in Anne Arundel Co., MD. on Dec. 8, 1726. He paid taxes on the Mattapony Hundred of Prince George's Co. (now Frederick Co., MD). He had moved to the Monocacy Valley in west Prince George's Co. by 1742. His name is on a petition that sought the establishment of All Saints Parish from Prince George's Co in 1742. He bought land named "Boyling Springs", which was forty acres surveyed June 12, 1743. In November of that year, he was made constable of the Monocacy Hundred. He had 2 known wives and possibly 3. Rachel is the wife in question. She is only listed in one place as the mother of his daughter Rachel. There is a fairly strong theory out there that Rachel was simply a repetitive error on the person in the Quaker records later listing her as Rachel's mother in a Quaker record written after Joseph had become a Quaker. His wife Margaret was received in membership on 11/29/1745 and he on 2/29/1746.

They removed to North Carolina around 1750 after they sold "Boyling Spring", on Tuscorrah Creek near the mouth of the Monquescy. His certificate of removal to Carver's Creek MM, Bladen, NC was dated Jun 25, 1750. He and his wife were charter members of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting that was estabalished Oct. 7, 1751. Joseph gave his son Joseph 269 acres of land in Orange County, North Carolina on June 13, 1752. He sold another 137.5 acres of land to John Marshall in Sept. 1752. In that same year, Margaret stops appearing in Quaker Records when her husband Joseph and some children are in it. This could suggest that she had passed on in 1752 or earlier. (C-575)

Joseph married Rachel MARSH in 1719 in MarylandD USA. Rachel (daughter of Thomas MARSH and Mary TRUMBULL) was born in in Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA; was christened on 7 Jan 1825 in Tottington, Lancashire, England; died after 1721 in Westminster Parish, Ann Arundel, MD, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Margaret WELLS GIFFORD was born in 1719 in Prince George's, Maryland, USA; died in 1726.
2. Rachel WELLS, Minister was born on 3 May 1720 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel, MD, USA; was christened on 12 Jul 1721 in Davidsonville, Anne Arundel, MD, US; died on 23 Dec 1771 in Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina, USA; was buried in Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina, United States of America.
3. Mary WELLS

Joseph married Margaret SWANSON on 11 Apr 1721 in All Hallows Episcopal, Anne Arundel, MD, USA. Margaret (daughter of Francis SWANSTON, Jr. and Susannah PLUMMER) was born about 1705 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died about 1750 in , Orange, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Levi WELLS was born about 1722 in , , MD, USA; and died.
2. Elizabeth WELLS was born about 1728; and died.
3. Joseph WELLS was born on 20 Jul 1729 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel, MD, USA; died on 30 Sep 1804 in Cane Creek, Orange, NC, USA.
4. Frances WELLS was born about 1730; and died.
5. Margaret WELLS was born in 1733; and died.
6. William WELLS was born in 1735; and died.
7. James WELLS was born about 1737; died in 1826.
8. Isaac WELLS was born about 1739; died in 1792.
9. John WELLS was born about 1740 in , , Maryland; died on 4 Mar 1819 in , Lincoln, NC.
10. Robert WELLS was born about 1742; and died.
11. Charity WELLS was born in 1744 in Bush River, Newberry, SC; died on 26 Feb 1818 in Indiana, USA.

Joseph married Mary UNDERWOOD, * on 27 May 1758 in New Garden M.M., Surry, NC, USA. Mary (daughter of Alexander UNDERWOOD and Jane HARRY) was born about 1710 in , Chester, PA, USA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

This Thomas could be the son of widow Elizabeth Mellows of St. Olaves, Southwark, Surry. Her will dated Jan. 15, 1682/83 names Thomas Wells, "my son who went into parts beyound the seas to Maryland or other parts in America or elsewhere when he shall come and arrive in England." Her daughter Mary Parker (wife of John Parker) was executor. (C-575) Thomas Wells was transported by Robert Conant of Anne Arundel Co., MD. sometime before 20 Apr. 1679 to the province of Maryland. For this deed, Robert Conant was owed 50 acres of land which Thomas agreed to inhabit for 16 years. These rights were afterwords assigned to Nocholas Laintes of St. Mary's City. Thomas was one of several that agreed to these same terms for their passage.

On Jan. 26, 1696, Thomas Wells, planter, purchased 200 acres called "Strife" in Calvert Co., MD. on the west side of the Patuxent River. The land was surrounded by the following owners: Francis Swantstone, Edward Isaak, and Henry Darnell, Esq. He later acquired an adjoining property called "Something" that was in the Patuxent Hundred of Prince George's Co.

He is in the Prince George Co. records often. In July 1696, he was found guilty of assaulting Thomas Swareingen. He was sentenced to pay a fine and post a bond to guarantee good behavior. In Nov. 1697, "he was paid a bounty for one wolves head." He was a Grand Jury member. He was subpoenaed in March 1698 to testify that Elizabeth Plummer (mother of Margaret Swanson) sent a servant to steal onions, cabbage and bacon from him. On March 28, 1698 he became drunk and was caught fighting, again noted in the courts. By Sep. 29, 1699, all was forgiven as he was again served on a jury. In Sep. 29, 1699, he and Thomas Pelle were appointed overseer of the Patuxent Hundred. In Queen Anne's Vestry minutes of April 7, 1707, Thomas Wells, Sr. was appointed vestryman. In 1714 he witnessed the boundary lines of an adjoining tract of land where the records state "Thomas Wells, Senr. aged about sixty one years." (Maryland, Chancery Record, Liber 3, folio 27)

In his will probated Jan. 5, 1718/19, he gives his land for life to his wife, France. He then divided it amongst 4 sons; Thomas, Nathan, Robert, and Joseph. He gave slaves to his four daughters. Lastly he gave his eldest son George five shillings. (C-575) The low amount of money he gave to his son George could be explained by his son's cohabiting with his married neighbor, Susannah Swanson Ward according to Queen Anne's Vestry Minutes, Apr. 12, 1719. George and Susannah were married at several years later according to Queen Annes Vestry minutes on June 16, 1725. (C-575, p. 52) DNA evidence is supporting the lineage of descent that I come from as being from this Thomas Wells to his son Joseph as listed in the will and as I have stated in this genealogy.

Thomas married Frances SMITH about 1678 in , , MD, USA. Frances was born about 1657 in , , MD, USA; died about 1726 in , Prince George, MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She died after her husband's will in 1718 and taxes in 1719 and probably before 1733 when she didn't pay any taxes. Her surname is sometimes listed as Smith but there is no proof for this. (C-575)

Thomas married Elizabeth MELLOWS. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]