Thomas Welles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Welles
1st Treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1639–1641
Succeeded by	William Whiting
2nd Secretary of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1641–1648
Preceded by	Edward Hopkins
Succeeded by	John Cullick
Deputy Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1654–1655
In office 1656–1657
In office 1659–1660
17th Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1655–1656
Preceded by	Edward Hopkins
Succeeded by	John Webster
20th Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1658–1659
Preceded by	John Winthrop the Younger
Succeeded by	John Winthrop the Younger
Personal details
Born	(1594-07-10)10 July 1594 Stourton, Whichford, Warwickshire, England
Died	14 January 1660(1660-01-14) (aged 65) Wethersfield, Connecticut
Spouses	Alice Tomes Elizabeth Deming Foote
Children	6
Signature

Thomas Welles (born around July 10, 1594 – died January 14, 1660) was a very important leader in the early days of the Connecticut Colony. He is the only person in Connecticut's history to hold all four of the highest government jobs: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary.

In 1639, he became the first treasurer of the Connecticut Colony. From 1640 to 1649, he served as the colony's secretary. In this role, he wrote down the important Fundamental Orders of Connecticut into the official colony records on January 14, 1638 (which is January 24, 1639, in our modern calendar).

The Life of Thomas Welles

Thomas Welles was born in Tiddington, Warwickshire, England, around 1590. His parents were Robert Welles and Alice. He married Alice Tomes on September 28, 1615, in England. Alice was born around 1593.

After Alice passed away, Thomas Welles married again around 1646 in Wethersfield, Connecticut. His second wife was Elizabeth (Deming) Foote. She was the sister of John Deming and the widow of Nathaniel Foote, who helped start Wethersfield. Elizabeth had seven children from her first marriage, but Thomas and Elizabeth did not have any children together.

Thomas Welles first arrived in Hartford, Connecticut, around March 28, 1637. He came to Hartford with Reverend Thomas Hooker in June 1636.

He was chosen as a magistrate (a type of judge or official) for the Connecticut Colony in 1637. He held this important job every year until he died in 1660, serving for 22 years! He was elected deputy governor in 1654.

Thomas Welles became the governor of the Connecticut Colony in 1655. He also served as deputy governor in 1656 and 1657, working with John Winthrop the Younger. He was governor again in 1658 and deputy governor in 1659. He held the deputy governor position when he passed away on January 14, 1660, in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

It is believed he was buried in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Some people think his remains were later moved to the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford. Today, his grave does not have a marker. However, his name is on the Founders of Hartford, Connecticut Monument in Hartford's Ancient Burying Ground.

His Children and Their Lives

Thomas and Alice Welles had several children who grew up to be adults:

• Mary (born around 1618 – died 1647)
• Anne (born around 1620 – died 1680)
• John (born around 1622 – died August 7, 1659) settled in Stratford, Connecticut in 1645. He worked as a magistrate and a probate judge there.
• Thomas, Jr. (born around 1625 – died 1668) settled in Hartford, Connecticut. His daughter Rebecca married Captain James Judson. Their son David built the Captain David Judson House in Stratford.
• Samuel (born around 1628 – died July 15, 1675) became a Captain and lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Hollister first, and they had six children. After Elizabeth died, he married Hannah Lamberton.
• Sarah (born around 1631 – died December 12, 1698)

Famous Descendants

Many notable people are descendants of Thomas Welles:

• Daniel H. Wells (1814-1891), a justice and mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Heber M. Wells (1859-1938), the first governor of Utah.
• Briant H. Wells (1871-1949), a Major General in the U.S. Army.
• Elizabeth Wells Cannon (1859-1942), a women's rights activist and Utah State Legislator.
• Rulon S. Wells (1854-1941), a Utah state legislator and religious leader.
• Joseph Parrish Thompson (1819-1879), a leader against slavery and a religious leader.
• Dana Delany (1956-present), a famous actress and producer.
• Gideon Welles (1802 - 1878), who served as the United States Secretary of the Navy during the time of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.