Joshua Wells

Citations

1. [S593] William Richard Cutter, compiler, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, vol. I (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1910). Hereinafter cited as Families of the State of Mass. I (Cutter).
2. [S290] Sylvester Judd and Lucius Boltwood, History of Hadley, including the Early History of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby Masssachusetts (Springfield, Mass.: H.R. Hunting and Company, 1905), Families p.151.
3. [S593] William Richard Cutter, Families of the State of Mass. I (Cutter), [text has 1770, an obvious error].
4. [S762] Thomas W. Baldwin, compiler, Vital Records of Deerfield Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Company, 1920), 230.
5. [S593] William Richard Cutter, Families of the State of Mass. I (Cutter), "(IV) Joshua, third child of Ebenezer and Sarah (Waite) Wells, was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, August 31, 1695, and died in Greenfield, Massachusetts. April 21, 1768. He settled in the Green river district. His house stood on the site of what is now called the Arthur D. Potter place, and was palisaded during the French and Indian war. His lot was number fourteen, and was north of Cheapside and east of Green river. This was given to his son Abner. He sold to Oliver Cooley, in 1819, and Cooley to Gould in 1827. Gould sold to Henry W. Clapp in 1834, and he to Arthur D. Potter. He was sealer of weights and measures. Sixteen acres was laid out to him as his "pitch," number ninety. August 25, 1725, he was with, a party surprised by a band of Indians in ambush near Green river. One Indian was killed and one of the whites wounded. An army of two hundred and eighty men was raised in the Connecticut valley towns to send to the Kennebec during the French Indian wars in August, 1774- They surprised and killed Father Rasle and six chieftains and about thirty of the enemy. Joshua Wells was in this expedition. By death of Father Rasle and the subsequent death of Governor Vaudreuil the Indians lost their leaders and peace was restored. He was one of the organizers of the First Church, and on the committee to invite Rev. Mr. Billings. He married, April 6, 1770, Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Smead; she died May 2, 1773. Children: Joshua, born September 16, 1721; Ebenezer (see next paragraph); Martha, February 16, 1724; Elizabeth, October 17, 1726; Simeon, March 7, 1727; Asa, January 15, 1729; Elisha, November 12, 1731; Mary, August 6,1733; Joel, April 2, 1735; Esther, March 29, 1736; Elizabeth, December 15, 1737; Joel, May 6, 1739; Thankful, July 14, 1741, and Abner, December 15, 1742." (p. 460).