Stranica 94 [94]
1746; (8) Samuel, born August 24th, 1749; (9)
Peter, born July 26th, 1752—died in infancy; (10)
Ebenezer, born May 3rd, 1754; (11) Phebe, born
October 14th, 1757; (12) Peter, born January 2zoth,
1762; (13) Timothy, born May 2oth, 1765. Captain
Thomas Wells served in the expedition composed of
New England troops, under the command of Sir Wil¬
liam Pepperell, which resulted in the conquest of
Louisbourg, in Cape Breton, in 1745. He died about
the year 1769, as his will was dated December 27th,
1768, and proved May 8th, 1769.
Thomas Wells, fourth son of Captain Thomas,
was born January 19th, 1741; married, in 1767,
follows: (1) William (of whom hereafter) ; (2) Mary,
married Wait Stephens, of New Chester, New Hamp¬
shire ; (3) Hannah, married Thorndike Proctor, of
Salisbury, New Hampshire; (4) Elizabeth, married
James Murray, of New Chester ; (5) Philip, married
Mary Ingles, of New Chester; (6) Ruth, married Dr.
Forbes, of New Chester. Thomas Wells held the
rank of Lieutenant in the Militia. He served in
the old French war, and was with General Amherst’s
expedition which conquered Canada in 1760. He
also served in the Continental army in the Revolu¬
tionary War. He died July 29th, 1831, at Chester,
New Hampshire, at the age of go years, retaining
his strength and faculties unimpaired to within a
few days of his decease.
William Wells, eldest son of Thomas, born June
30th, 1768, at Sandown, New Hampshire (then a
British Province), settled in Upper Canada in 1787,
being then 19 years of age. Being born a British
subject, he resolved never to abandon his birthright,
and, although his father had espoused the side of
the American revolutionists, and served in the Con¬
tinental army, he, the eldest son, determined that as
he was born, so would he live and die—a faithful
subject of the Crown of Great Britain. Conse¬
to Upper Canada, there, as a member of that loyal
band, the United Empire Loyalists, to live under
the glorious old flag of England. Upon his arrival
in Upper Canada, he drew land from the Crown in
the neighborhood of Mallorytown, in the County of
Leeds, and at once engaged in clearing his land.
After some time, in consequence of the death ofa
friend and near neighbor, to whom he was much
attached, he became discontented with his location,
and sold his land. He then purchased a large farm
on the bank of the River St. Lawrence, in the Town¬
ship of Augusta and County of Grenville, about
midway between the present Towns of Brockville
and Prescott, and there settled permanently for the
remainder of his life.
OE ry eee ae eee hel e
et
visit to New Hampshire, and there married Sarah
Clough, only daughter of Benjamin Clough, of
Salem, Massachusetts. Returning immediately to
Canada, he commenced active operations in the
lumber business, and in a few years became one of
the leading lumbermen inthe country. Fora few
years he confined his business operations to the
banks of the St. Lawrence, the Bay of Quinte, and
the Thousand Isles, Wells Island, one of the largest
being called after him. He also leased Grindstone
Island for a term of 99 years, with the right of
renewal from the St. Regis Indians. He had it
surveyed and laid out in farms, cleared the land,
built houses, and settled tenants on the farms, at
valuable, it was ceded to the United States, and
consequently all of his outlay and improvements
were lost, and for which he never received any
remuneration. Lumber becoming scarce on the St.
Lawrence, he removed his business to the Rideau
River, and from thence to the Bonnechere, one of the
tributaries of the Ottawa. Being the first lumber¬
man upon the latter river, he was obliged to go to
great expense in building dams and removing
obstructions, in order to get his lumber to market.
He continued in business until 1832, when he finally
retired, confining his attention to his farm until his
death.
Mr. Wells served in the Militia of Grenville for
many years, his first commission as ensign, bearing
date November 24th, 1804, was signed by Peter
Drummond, Esquire, Lieutenant of the County of
Grenville. (It thus appears that the old English
custom of the Crown appointing Lieutenants of
Counties who had charge of the Militia, prevailed
for some time in Canada.) His second commission
of Lieutenant was signed by Sir Isaac Brock, and
bears date February 21st, 1812. His third, as
captain, by Francis Gore, Esquire, Lieut.-Governor,
is dated October zoth, 1815. He was in active
service in the war with the United States of 1812;
in February 1813, was taken prisoner in his own
house, at which a military post was established, by a
strong party of the enemy, consisting of Forsyth’s
Riflemen and Dragoons, who crossed upon the ice
in the night and took them by surprise. There are
several shot holes still remaining in the ceiling of
the old house, which have never be repaired. Mr.
Wells was carried as a prisoner to Ogdensburg, N.Y.,
and shortly after released upon parole not to serve
until exchanged, which was not effected until May
13th, 1814. In a few years after the close of the
war, he resigned his commission, retiring with the
rank of captain. He was for many years in the
Commission of the Peace for.the old District of