Mary WELLES

Notes:

Name:
Mary, the only known wife of the early Guilford, Conn. settler Thomas Robinson. The date of her death is the recorded date Mary was buried at Guilford, presumably having died only a few days earlier.

Extensive printed and electronic references claim that Mary's maiden name was Wells, dau. of Hugh Wells and Frances Belcher, purported early settlers of Wethersfield, Conn. Unfortunately, Hugh Wells and Frances Belcher were fictitious persons, whose supposed existence was grossly embellished by Stiles in the second volume of his "History of Ancient Wethersfield" (1902, 2:780.) While the four children shown by Stiles for this fictitious couple were actual persons (Thomas, Hugh, Mary and John), Thomas, Mary and John were the children of Thomas Welles and Frances Albright. Thomas Welles died testate at Evesham, England in 1638 with the widow Frances (Albright) Welles subsequently the 2nd wife of Thomas Coleman of Wethersfield, Conn. and Hadley, Mass. [see NEHGR 142(1992):28.]

The fictitious Hugh and Frances Wells' purported son, Ens. Hugh Wells, was an actual person, but they were not his parents. He died testate at Wethersfield in 1678. His dau. Mary, b. of record at Wethersfield Oct. 14, 1650, married by 1668 an unidentified Thomas Robinson of New London, Conn. where they had at least four children, three baptized of record at the New London Cong. Church betw. Dec. 1674 and June 1679.

In part:

? Mary Wells, b. 14 Oct. 1650; m. by 1668, Thomas Robinson. He was propounded to be an inhabitant of New London, 12 Jan. 1665/6. Calling himself mariner, he bought land 11 Sept. 1667, and which with wife Mary they sold in 1671 (New London Town Records, 1647-66, p. 151; Deeds, 5:18). On 19 Nov. 1668, Hugh Welles of Wethersfield entered caution against recording or sale of any house or land that hath or doth belong to Thomas Robinson in behalf of said Welles his daughter Mary Robinson the wife of the said Thomas Robinson (New London Deeds, 3:29). [Donald L. Jacobus, TAG 28(1952):234.]

It should be quite obvious to the reader that Mary (Wells) Robinson, dau. of Ens Hugh Wells of Wethersfield, was alive in 1671 when she and her husband Thomas Robinson sold land in New London, Conn. whereas Mary, the wife of Thomas Robinson of Guilford, was buried in Guilford three years earlier. Thomas Robinson of Guilford never resided in New London, Conn. Thus, Mary Wells, dau. of Ens. Hugh Wells of Wethersfield, Conn., was NOT the wife of Thomas Robinson of Guilford, but of a different Thomas Robinson, of New London, Conn. Thomas Robinson, Jr., s. of Thomas of Guilford, also never resided in New London, the similarity of names being purely coincidental. For related details see John Latimer.

Revised 10/11/2016

Inscription
Barbour's Vital Records of Guilford include the record of Mary's cited burial date at Guilford. In 1818 all existing gravestones at the original Village Green cemetery (now a public park), but not the individual graves and remains, were moved to other town cemeteries. No extant relocated gravestone for Mary exists, if she had one to begin with.


Posted on Find A Grave originally created by: L J Steuben but maintained by: Don Blauvelt

Mary married Thomas ROBINSON before 1668. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Excerpt from "Welles Families': Ensign Hugh Welles, of Wethersfield, was appointed by the general Court in 1658 as adviser with others for pressing men for an expedition."
Hugh Welles was by trade a carpenter, and in his will gave his tools to his son John. The will is dated Nov. 20, 1678.
"The Gen. Court at Hartford, May 21, 1653, having rec'd orders from the Commissioners to appoint a military company, directed the same to be organized forthwith. Hugh Welles was appointed Drummer for the Company."
"The Townsmen have hired Hugh Welles to beate the drum for one whole year from the 25th of April, from that time twelve months, every night and morning, for the setting and the calling of the watch in the morning, and for to beate it every Lord's Day, and the Lecture dates, and for all other occasions of the townsmen shall stand in need for, and the townsmen have provided to pay him twelve pounds."

Hugh married Mary RUSCOE on 19 Aug 1647 in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Mary was born in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]