EIGHTH GENERATION

97. Francis WELLS Sr. ⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁷²⁾⁽²⁷³⁾ was born in 1778 in Maryland or Delaware.⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁴⁸⁾⁽²⁷⁴⁾⁽²⁷⁵⁾⁽¹⁹⁹⁾ PubClark " "On the 14th instant [August 14, 1869], at his residence in Clark county, near this city, Francis Wells, one of the earliest settlers in this section of Indiana, died at the ripe old age of 91 years. He was born in the State of Delaware, but emigrated to the West and settled in Clark county in year 1806. He continued to reside there until the time of his death -- a period of 63 years.
Census Silver Creek Township 1850 HH 109/109 Clark Co.,Indiana
birth place for Francis Wells, son of James Wells and his first wife, is Connecticut.
SCCJ " Susanah who married Joseph Clifford, had two half brothers. (father James Wells Mother Sara;h Keith ?) Francis Wells and James Wells
SCCJ & AE "I do not have a date of birth for James Wells. He had two marriages; I do not know the name of his first wife. ???Sarah Keith ???
By his first wife he had the following children: Mary, Sarah, Francis and James.
I know>little about Mary and Sarah except the names of their husbands.
Francis and James both moved to Indiana while it was still Indiana Territory. In the 1850 Clark Co., IN census Francis' state of birth was shown as Connecticut but in the 1860 Clark Co., IN census his state of birth was shown as Delaware. In the Clark Co., IN 1850 and 1860 censuses the state of birth shown for Francis' brother, James, was Maryland
It seems likely that all the childrens and his unidentified wife Sarah Keith ??were born in either Delaware or Maryland He died on 14 Aug 1869 in Surry Co., NC..⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁷⁶⁾⁽²⁷⁵⁾⁽²⁷⁷⁾ Will Francis Wells of Clark County Indiana (date torn) "To be interred in Family Buring Ground alongside my first wife" (Hannah died 1809)
"The Daily Commercial" Newspaper, Tuesday, August 17, 1869:"On the 14th instant [August 14, 1869], at his residence in Clarkcounty, near this city, Francis Wells, one of the earliest settlers in this section of Indiana, died at the ripe old age of 91 years. He was born in
the State of Delaware, but emigrated to the West and settled in Clark county
in year 1806. He continued to reside there until the time of his death -- a period of 63 years."
He was buried on 17 Aug 1869 in Lot #89 on the farm in Clark Co., In.⁽²⁷⁵⁾⁽¹⁵³⁾ Heartage Rowan "We even felt we located the graves of Francis and his two wives, near the center of the cemetery."
"To be interred in Family Buring Ground alongside my first wife" (Hannah
died 1809)
"The Daily Commercial" Newspaper, Tuesday, August 17, 1869:
"Death of Another Old Citizen.
"The old pioneers of this section of Indiana are fast passing away.
One by one they are falling under the scythe of the great reaper Death, and
soon they will all be gathered to their fathers. But few of these settlers
are now left among us; but those whom death has spared bear all the
characteristics of the men and women of the early period of Indiana's
history. As a class of the population they stand out distinctly from the
present generation. They are men and women with frames hardened by labor,
with courage undaunted by danger, with honesty of character and bluntness of
speech. Unpolished and rough in exterior, they nevertheless are possessed
of such manly and womanly attributes as are now the exception instead of the
rule with the rising and present generations.
"On the 14th instant [August 14, 1869], at his residence in Clark
county, near this city, Francis Wells, one of the earliest settlers in this
section of Indiana, died at the ripe old age of 91 years. He was born in
the State of Delaware, but emigrated to the West and settled in Clark county
in year 1806. He continued to reside there until the time of his death -- a
period of 63 years.
"Mr. Wells was an honest man, a consistent Christian, a good
citizen, and throughout his long life enjoyed the confidence and esteem of
his fellow citizens. His virtues were many, and are worthy the imitation of
all he has left to mourn his departure."
Census Clark,Co., Indiana 1850 and 1860 " Francis and his wife Mary , and James and his wife Lydia were listed in Census in Silver Creek Twp."
Census Rowan Co 1800 "Francis Wells was listed with his family in 1800 Rowan Co. Census but by 1809 he had moved to Clark County in Indiana Territory."
EMail from Tony <[email protected]> Mar '98
Among the documents sent to me by Marguerite McKenzie in a letter dated 21 October 1990 was a document entitled "Comments on Francis Wells Family Cemetery." The document is not dated nor is the name of its author shown. The following is the content of that document without correction of spelling or punctuation:
I must tell you about this cemetery. Yesterday afternoon, a beautiful, rare,spring day, Hannah Klinstiver, a niece of hers who lives in Sellersburg and knew the way to go to the farm, and I, drove there. Part of the original farm is now owned by the Y.W.C.A of Louisville, KY. and there they have "Camp Chilen" for the girls in summers. They have nice dormitories, dining room, etc., and a wonderful lake with boats on it (fine fishing, too as we used to fish there, years ago.)
This lake is the old quarry where later limestone was quarried by a cement company which owned it. The lake is called Belnap Lake after the owners of the cement company - a prominent present day Louisville family.
We parked my car and walked up a good road, unpaved to the cemetery which is lovely, but disappointing as the older stones are gone -- graves only marked by broken head and foot stones of native stone. There must be at least thirty graves there, but all the stones left are these I copied. We even felt we located the graves of Francis and his two wives, near the center of the cemetery. We carried a spade and dug many times hoping to unearth a stone. Myrtle is growing over the ground and there are lovely old trees, some of them cedars, in the cemetery.
The main thing I wished you to see was the stone fence of native field stone. This is the first one I have seen in Indiana, but there are many in Kentucky surrounding the fields, cemeteries, etc. We call them "Slave Fences", as the building of them was done by the slaves in Kentucky, and it is a lost art. They are put up without mortar of anykind, yet many have survived for over 150 years.
When I saw this Slave Fence or wall, I wondered if Francis hadn't lived in Kentucky before coming to Indiana about 1809, bringing with him slaves who became free on entering Indiana. (My own ancestors did this when they came from N.C. as they stated a few years in Kentucky and then on to Indiana and the "mammy" is buried in the family cemetery on their farm and her stone reads "A beloved friend,Judah Black."
After exploring all we could her, we continued up the little road to the end and then climbed a hill or rounded knoll where the old home had stood. The hill and fields are all covered with beautiful bluegrass. On this knoll was the remians of the foundation and cellar of the house. I learned about the house form a man whose father and mother were living in it at the time it burned, in 1938.
It had five fireplaces so large one could use large tree-like logs. There were four bedrooms upstairs and four rooms downstairs with two stairways, - the front one an open one, and the back one was a closed one. The fire started under the back stairs when the people were gone.The house was built of brick fired on the farm and all the woodwork was of native walnut, with doors about three inches thick.The cellar was built of large cut limestone blocks with a partition about two feet thick of the same stone, making two rooms.
There were still little blooming jonquils around where the house had stood - pathetic.
A pile of rafters which had not burned, was nearby. They were handcut about twelve and eight inches, and so heavy, I could hardly lift one end. Into each end of these was driven a large metal S for reinforcing. I thought I knew a lot about old houses, but never have seen these put in the timbers.A well was not far from the house, Hannah remembered this well, as she said it had a large windlass over it.A large fine stand of trees are below this mound where the house stood.
A family story about the house is that the family stood in their yard to shoot at Indians, and this I can believe. In 1812 there was that terrible massacre at Pigeon Roose, near Charlestown, and this scare was the caouse of so many of the early pioeners leaving the Ind. Territory and going back to Kentucky, until the War of 1812 ended the bravery of the Indians and they all left.
Other of the settlers would not leave their houses, and so moved their families into a center fort for protection. Some fortified their homes and stayed there.
Wandering Indians occasionally made raid on stock, etc.., so this story of shooting Indians from the yeard seemed plausible, especially after seeing the perfect location of this house.
This was indeed the home of a well-to-do farmer of the early days. My friend Hannah and her niece each brought home one of the old bricks to put in their gardens.
Wouldn't you have loved seeing this house?
As I indicated I do not know when this document was written or who wrote it.
If you know the Hannah Klinstiver referred to in the document perhaps she
might be able to provide you with further information.

He was married to Hannah HOWELL about 1796 in Silver Creek Township, Clark Co., IN.⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁴⁸⁾⁽²⁷⁸⁾ Hertage "Francis Wells first wife was Hannah Howell born in Surry Co .NC about 1780"
Census Clark Co Ind 1850 Francis eldist son James by his first wife was born in Conn
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 11:00:21 EST
From: AECOLLIER <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Francis Wells, Clark Co., Indiana
Hello, Lois
My information is that Francis Wells died in Clark County, Indiana on 14 August 1869. I have a copy of documents provided to me by Marguerite McKenzie which deal with the probate of his will. These documents indicate that the will was probated in Clark County on 31 August 1869. The will being probated was dated 15 November 1865. These documents indicate that this will was recorded in Clark County Will Book E.
I have no direct information regarding the place of his burial, but I think there is strong evidence to indicate that he was buried in the Francis Wells Family Burying Ground. I quote the following language from his will: "First I direct that my Body be decently intered in the Family Burying Ground and along side of my First Wife ***."
Among the documents sent to me by Marguerite McKenzie in a letter dated 21 October 1990 was a document entitled "Comments on Francis Wells Family Cemetery." The document is not dated nor is the name of its author shown. The following is the content of that document without correction of spelling or punctuation:
I must tell you about this cemetery. Yesterday afternoon, a beautiful, rare,spring day, Hannah Klinstiver, a niece of hers who lives in Sellersburg and knew the way to go to the farm, and I, drove there. Part of the original farm is now owned by the Y.W.C.A of Louisville, KY. and there they have "Camp Chilen" for the girls in summers. They have nice dormitories, dining room, etc., and a wonderful lake with boats on it (fine fishing, too as we used to fish there, years ago.)
This lake is the old quarry where later limestone was quarried by a cement company which owned it. The lake is called Belnap Lake after the owners of the cement company - a prominent present day Louisville family.
We parked my car and walked up a good road, unpaved to the cemetery which is lovely, but disappointing as the older stones are gone -- graves only marked by broken head and foot stones of native stone. There must be at least thirty graves there, but all the stones left are these I copied. We even felt we located the graves of Francis and his two wives, near the center of the cemetery. We carried a spade and dug many times hoping to unearth a stone. Myrtle is growing over the ground and there are lovely old trees, some of them cedars, in the cemetery.
The main thing I wished you to see was the stone fence of native field stone. This is the first one I have seen in Indiana, but there are many in Kentucky surrounding the fields, cemeteries, etc. We call them "Slave Fences", as the building of them was done by the slaves in Kentucky, and it is a lost art.
They are put up without mortar of anykind, yet many have survived for over 150 years.
When I saw this Slave Fence or wall, I wondered if Francis hadn't lived in Kentucky before coming to Indiana about 1809, bringing with him slaves who became free on entering Indiana. (My own ancestors did this when they came from N.C. as they stated a few years in Kentucky and then on to Indiana and the "mammy" is buried in the family cemetery on their farm and her stone reads
"A beloved friend,Judah Black."
After exploring all we could her, we continued up the little road to the end and then climbed a hill or rounded knoll where the old home had stood. The hill and fields are all covered with beautiful bluegrass. On this knoll was the remians of the foundation and cellar of the house. I learned about the
house form a man whose father and mother were living in it at the time it burned, in 1938.
It had five fireplaces so large one could use large tree-like logs. There were four bedrooms upstairs and four rooms downstairs with two stairways, - the front one an open one, and the back one was a closed one. The fire started under the back stairs when the people were gone.
The house was built of brick fired on the farm and all the woodwork was of native walnut, with doors about three inches thick.
The cellar was built of large cut limestone blocks with a partition about two feet thick of the same stone, making two rooms.
There were still little blooming jonquils around where the house had stood - pathetic.
A pile of rafters which had not burned, was nearby. They were handcut about twelve and eight inches, and so heavy, I could hardly lift one end. Into each end of these was driven a large metal S for reinforcing. I thought I knew a lot about old houses, but never have seen these put in the timbers.
A well was not far from the house, Hannah remembered this well, as she said it had a large windlass over it.
A large fine stand of trees are below this mound where the house stood.
A family story about the house is that the family stood in their yard to shoot at Indians, and this I can believe. In 1812 there was that terrible massacre at Pigeon Roose, near Charlestown, and this scare was the caouse of so many of the early pioeners leaving the Ind. Territory and going back to
Kentucky, until the War of 1812 ended the bravery of the Indians and they all left.
Other of the settlers would not leave their houses, and so moved their families into a center fort for protection. Some fortified their homes and stayed there.
Wandering Indians occasionally made raid on stock, etc.., so this story of shooting Indians from the yeard seemed plausible, especially after seeing the perfect location of this house.
This was indeed the home of a well-to-do farmer of the early days. My friend Hannah and her niece each brought home one of the old bricks to put in their gardens.
Wouldn't you have loved seeing this house?
As I indicated I do not know when this document was written or who wrote it.
If you know the Hannah Klinstiver referred to in the document perhaps she
might be able to provide you with further information.
Tony
Hannah HOWELL was born about 1780 in Surry Co., NC..⁽¹⁵³⁾ Hertage "Francis Wells first wife was Hannah Howell born in Surry Co .NC about 1780" She died in 1809 in Clark Co.,Indiana.⁽²⁷⁶⁾ Will Francis Wells "To be interred in Family Buring Ground alongside my first wife (Hannah died 1809)"
Heartage Rowan "We even felt we located the graves of Francis and his two wives, near the center of the cemetery."

Francis WELLS Sr. and Hannah HOWELL had the following children:

127 i. Francis WELLS was born about 1796.⁽²⁴⁸⁾ Census Clark Co Ind 1850 Francis eldist son James by his first wife was born in Connecticut
+128 ii. Thomas WELLS/WELLES.
+129 iii. Wilson WELLS.
+130 iv. Jane WELLS.
+131 v. Howell WELLS.
+132 vi. James WELLS.
+133 vii. William WELLS.

He was married to Mary (--) (Wells) about 1810 in Clark Co.,Indiana.⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁷⁶⁾⁽²⁴⁸⁾⁽²⁷⁴⁾ Heritage "Francis Wells second wife was Mary (.....), born in Va about 1788"
Will Francis Wells "To be interred in Family Burying Ground alongside my first wife (Hannah died 1809)
Census Clark,Co., Indiana 1850"
Francis Wells 72 b: CT Farmer - property valued at $2,500
Mary Wells 62 b: VA
Priscilla Scott 17 b: IN
Census Clark,Co., Indiana 1850 " Francis and his wife,Mary , and James and his wife Lydia were listed in Census in Silver Creek Twp." Mary (--) (Wells) was born in 1788 in Virginia.⁽¹⁵³⁾⁽²⁴⁸⁾ Census Clark Co Ind 1850 Francis eldist son James by his first wife was born in Connecticut Francis Wells 72 b: CT Farmer - property valued at $2,500
Mary Wells 62 b: VA
Priscilla Scott 17 b: IN
Hertage "Francis Wells second wife was Mary (.....), born in Va about 1788" She died after 1818.⁽¹⁵³⁾ Heartage Rowan "We even felt we located the graves of Francis and his two wives, near the center of the cemetery." Francis WELLS Sr. and Mary (--) (Wells) had the following children:

+134 i. Mary WELLS.
+135 ii. Katherine WELLS.
+136 iii. Nancy WELLS.
137 iv. Priscilla Scott WELLS was born in 1833 in Indiana.⁽²⁴⁸⁾ Census Clark Co Ind 1850 Francis eldist son James by his first wife was born in Connecticut Francis Wells 72 b: CT Farmer - property valued at $2,500
Mary Wells 62 b: VA
Priscilla Scott 17 b: IN