William Welles II1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

M, b. before 10 February 1605/6, d. 13 November 1671
FatherWilliam Wells [Welles] b. 1566, d. 26 May 1620
MotherElizabeth (?)
     William was born in Norwich, County Norfolk, England. He was christened there on 10 February 1605/6 in St. Peter Mancroft Church. William married Bridget _____ circa 1652 in the Town of Southold, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. William was educated in England apparently as a barister, as his legal skills were quite apparent in his recorded acts in the colonies attest. He may very well be the William Welles that left London on 10 June 1635 on the ship True Love which on record was destined for Bermuda, but its passengers were found in the New England area shortly after arrival to this country. William is first seen on record in the colonies in 1638 in Lynn, Massachuseetts. He later was among the first founders of Southold, Long Island, New York residing next to the Reverand John Youngs. The last record of him in Lynn was 7 September 1641 as being enjoyned for ten punds. This charge and fine were likely due to his intention of leaving with the John Young group that was headed for Long Island. There is a record of him being present in court 15 March 1643 in Southampton, Long Island, and evidence that he was in Southold, Southampton and even back to Lynn in the years 1639 to 1646. By 1649 though, he was permanently settled in Southold. He first married Bridget, widow of Henry Tuthill. After her death, William was named as guardian of the children of Bridgett and Henry Tutill issued 31 May 1654. The eldest son, John Tuthill was of age in 1656 when he signed a release of his inheritence from his father, uncle and mother.In1660, a similar release was signed by William Johnson, husband of Elizabeth, the second child of Bridgett and Henry. William's wife, Bridget, died before 31 May 1654 in the Town of Southold leaving him a widower. William married Marie _____ circa 1654 in the Town of Southold. William did not write a will, but executed a deed over to his wife, essentially giving to Mary and their children his entire estate. The following is a copy of the words from the Town Records of Southold: "November ye13: Anno 1671.
These Presents witnes that I William Welles of Southold in the East Riding of York Sheere in Long Island doe for good and serious considerason mee hereonto mouving give and grant all my Right title and interest of in and unto all my houses Lands teniments a Lottments and meadowes within the bounds of Southold with all my goods and chattels unto my well beloved wife Mary Welles for her comfortable subsistance and education of my children but not to dispose of any part or parcell [there?] of otherways: but for portions to the children as chooseth [her?] having respect to my oldest sonne. As witness my hand and seall the daye and yeare ffirst above written."
"Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us - Barnabas Windes and Richard Terry
Entered upon Record ye17 of September Ano: 1672 by me Richard Terry, Recorder."
William departed this life on Friday, 13 November 1671 in the Town of Southold. He was buried there in the First Presbyterian Church burying ground in the village of Southold. William is buried in a substantial tomb near the west end of the cemetery. Until at least 1876, it was well preserved and had been well cared for. No more current information is available. The top of the tomb is a single slab 5 feet by 2.5 feet with the following inscription completely filling the slab. Written around the outside - "Heere lies ye body of William Welles of Southhold Gent Justice of ye Peace & First Sheriff of New Yorke Shire" - written inside the above inscription - Yea Here Hee lies who speaketh yet though dead on wings of Faith his soule to Heaven is fled His Pious Deeds And charity was such that of his priase no pen can write too much as was His life so was His blest Decease Hee lived in Love and sweetly dyd in peace."9 William had received, in 1661, 3 lots in Corchaug, one of three divisions of Southold. After his death, these lots were divided among his four married daughters; the largest lot being divided into 2 half-lots and given to Bethia and her husband and Mehitable and her husband. The middle lot was given to Anna and her husband, and the third lot to Gersham Terry and his wife, the daughter's name not given. William also received 3 lots in the Aquebogue division altough they represented four allotments. This large land holding was given to his youngest son, Joshua, by his widow Marie. William also owned land in Corchaug on the south side which amounted to approximately 250 acres and remained with his descendents. In 1681, Marie, now married to Thomas Mapes, petitions the court of Suffolk to have her son William Wells take over the duties of executing the deed of her first husband. The petition was granted.

Family 1

Bridget _____ d. b 31 May 1654

Family 2

Marie _____ b. c 1619, d. Apr 1709
Children

Citations

  1. [S340] Rev. Charles Welles Hayes, William Welles of Louthold and his Descendants A.D. 1638 to 1878., pages 17-33.
  2. [S182] Reverand Charles E. Craven, A History of Mattituck, Long Island, N.Y., page 30 - 20 November 1661, William Wells is listed as receiving 3 lots in Corchaug; page 49 - "The three lots of William Wells were divided after his death, in 1671; among his four married daughters. Gershom Terry and his wife obtained the first lot to the west, John Goldsmith and Anna Wells, his wife, the middle lot. The eastern lot, the extra wide one, was divided into two half-lots, of which John Tuthill, Jr., and Mehetable Wells, his wife, received the western and Jonathan Horton and Bethia Wells, his wife, the eastern. These two half-lots were two miles long, about 25 rods wide at the road and narrower at the Sound."; page 31 - William Wells listed as receiving 3 lots in the Occabauck division of 1661.; page 32 - The lots in the Corchaug division did not go from Sound to Bay, but were divided by the Kings Highway. The lots were on the north and ran to the Sound, narrowing as they approached the Sound. These lots contained roughly 125 acres. The south side of the highway was divided up into necks created by creeks opening from the Bay. The eastern most neck, known as Poole's Neck was owned by William Wells, and in 1906 was owned by a Fleet family, lineally descended from Willam.
  3. [S115] Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Showing Three Generations Of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, On The Basis Of Farmer's Registar, Volume IV: page 480 - William, Lynn, may have been bound over in 10 pounds to answer for oppression, 1641.
  4. [S133] Virginia Wines, Pioneers of Riverhead Town, page 18 - In the first Aquebogue Division of 1661, William Wells received four alotments, altough the records credit him with three. His land was half a mile wide and extended from the Sound to the Bay. This alotment was given by Mary to their youngest son Joshua.
  5. [S341] Thomas W. Cooper, The Records of the Court of Sessions of Suffolk County in the Province of New York, 1670-1688, pages 109-110 - June 7:1681 At a Court of Sessions held at Southold was presented a peticon of Mary Mapes Late Wife to William Wells of Southold Deceased: requesting her Sone william might be with Direction impowered to act and perform all that Trust that was reposed in Mrs. Mary Wells his Mother as to the Disposall of the Estate left by his father with his Said Mother for the Ends and purposes in the act and Deed of his father now in this Cour as more particularly in Said deed doth Apear the Said William Wells to act and Execute all the Said power that was given to his mother to all intents and puroses as Shee her self Could have Done if she had not remarried In all wch his acting he is to be regulated and directed by his said mother and not to doe or act any thing in any Case Contrary to ye minde of his mother: but in all things according thereonto all which his such acting according to this order with the Restrictions and Limitations herein Contained this Court Doth Ratifie and confirme:.
  6. [S264] Whitaker, History of Southold, 1640-1740, pages 28, 47 - an early settler; pages 52-53 - Clerk and Recorder of the Town; page 84 - site of his home lot; page 96 - Selectman; page 113 - Sheriff of Yorkshire on Long Island; death of; page 118 - place of grave; page 120 - picture of his tomb-stone; page 121 - beautiful Genealogy of, by the Rev. Charles Wells Hayes, and quotation from it; pages 133, 136 - delegate from Southold to the Duke of York's convention at Hempstead.
  7. [S343] Josephine C. Frost, Ancestors of James Wilson Yates and his wife Nancy Davis Terry: showing Mayflower descen t from John Alden, Myles Standish, William Mullines, Alice Mullines, Priscilla Mullines, from Rev. Nathaniel Brewster and through the Drakes, from nearly all the royal families of Europe, pages 83-84 - "2 DEBORAH WELLS, daughter of William and Mary Wells, was born in Southold in 1662 and died Oct. 1, 1729 as the widow of Gershom Terry who died March 14, 1721/5 in his 74th year. They are buried at Cutchogue. The Wells Genealogy does not mention her although it does state that William Wells probably had other children, but in a deed dated Feb. 3, 1706, Joshua Wells deeds his brother-in-law Gershom Terry, land in Southold, bounded on the south by the Wading River place."
  8. [S346] Albert Welles, History of the Welles family in England and Normandy : with the derivation from their progenitors of some of the descendants in the United States : illustrated with steel plate portraits and plates of coats armorial, and seals of the Bishops Hugo and Jocelyn de, pages 156-160.
  9. [S2256] Edward Doubleday Harris, Ancient Burial-Grounds of Long Island, N. Y, Page 77.