William Wells (1555 - 1615)

Born 1555 in Bedfordshire, England

Descendants

Died 18 Apr 1615 at about age 60 in Deane, Bedfordshire, England

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Biography

Name

William Wells of Lower Deane, Bedfordshire, England.

In 1978, Douglas Richardson identified the origins of Thomas and Grace (Wells) Norton as being the area of Shelton, Bedfordshire, England; however, he stated he was unable to identify her parents with certainty.^[1] In a followup article in 1980, he identified her father as John Wells.^[2] The key evidence was the will of her grandfather which left a bequest to Grace Wells, daughter of his son John Wells. While not 100% conclusive, this is almost certainly the correct ancestry of Grace (Wells) Norton. The will of John Wells, if found, would likely confirm the identification. No wife was identified for this John Wells.

Marriage and Children

Wife named as Grace in his will.

Children of William Wells:

1. Thomas Wells. Named as eldest son in his father's will.
2. John Wells. Named as co-executor of his father's will.
3. Robert Wells. Named as co-executor of his father's will.
4. Elizabeth Wells. Named in father's will. Married to ____ Totnall.
5. Unnamed daughter. Probably the mother of the four Godfrey sisters named in her father's will.

Death

Buried: 18 April 1615 at Deane, Bedfordshire, England.

Will:

Undated. Probated 24 June 1615.

"of William Wells of Nether Deane in the Countie of Bedford..."

Summary:

John Wells and Robert Wells, my two sons, to be executors

to my eldest sonne Thomas Wells

to Elizabeth Totnall my daughter

to Martha Godfry ... Mary Godry ... Sarah Godfry ... Alce Godfry "these four sisters"

to Daniel Wells, son to Robert Wells

to john wells sonne to my sonn John Wells

to Prudence Wells, daughter to my sonne John Wells

to Grace Wells, daughter to John Wells

to Grace Wells my wife

to the poor of Nether Deane

Sources

1. ↑ English Origins of Thomas and Grace Norton of Guilford, Connecticut, by Douglas Richardson, TAG Vol 54 (1978), pages 179-180, citing parish record
2. ↑ Douglas Richardson, "The Ancestry of Grace (Wells) Norton of Guilford," in The American Genealogist, vol. 56 (1980): p 170 – 172.

• Douglas Richardson, English Origins of Thomas and Grace Norton of Guilford, Connecticut in The American Genealogist, vol 54 (1978): pages 179-180. [AmericanAncestors.org LINK.

• Douglas Richardson, "The Ancestry of Grace (Wells) Norton of Guilford," in The American Genealogist, vol. 56 (1980): p 170 – 172. AmericanAncestors.org LINK