William Wells (1601-1671)

William Wells (1601-1671)

Early New England Immigrant and 1640 Co-Founder of Southold, NY (Long Island).

Vital Stats

 * Son of Rev William Wells and
 * 1608 : Birth in England
 * 1635 : Migration to American
 * 1640 : Co-Founder of town of Southold on Long Island
 * 1653 : Marriage (1) to Bridget Elizabeth Burton, widow of Henry Tuthill
 * 1654 : Marriage (2) to Mary Youngs
 * 1671-Nov-13 : Died in Southold, Suffolk Co, New York

Biography
NOTE: Quite a few of these items, such as birthdate, birthplace and time of immigration are uncoroborated.

William Wells was born in January 1608 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England. He sailed for America on June 10, 1635 settling in Lynn, Massachusetts. In 1653, he served as Deputy to the General Court, at New Haven, representing Southold, which then was under the jurisdiction of New Haven Colony. William was married in 1653 to Bridget Elizabeth Burton, the widow of Henry Tuthill. In 1654 William married Mary Youngs. William and Mary were the parents of Bethia, Hester, Patience, William, Mary, Deborah, Joshua, Mehitable, Ann and Deliverance.

In 1657 he was again elected Deputy, and in 1661, appointed an Assistant Magistrate. The next year, 1662, he was active in opposition to the union of New Haven Colony with Connecticut Colony, as the Government at Hartford was called, and refused to be a Freeman of Connecticut Colony. In 1664, Southold, with other Long Island Towns (which, from 1662, had been considered part of Connecticut Colony), passed to the Government of New York, then established by the English conquest of the Dutch New Netherland. Governor Nicoll appointed William Wells to be Sheriff of Eastern Long Island. The next year, 1665, he represented Southold, in the New York Colonial Assembly, at Hempstead, Long Island. William died on November 13, 1671 in Southold, Suffolk County, New York.

Children William Wells and Mary Young
William and Mary were the parents of Bethia, Hester, Patience, William, Mary, Deborah, Joshua, Mehitable, Ann and Deliverance.
 * 1) Bethia Wells
 * 2) Hester Wells
 * 3) Patience Wells
 * 4) William Wells
 * 5) Mary Wells
 * 6) Deborah Wells
 * 7) Joshua Wells (1664-1744)
 * 8) Mehitable Wells
 * 9) Ann Wells
 * 10) Deliverance Wells