Thomas Wellman facts for kids

Thomas Wellman was born in England around 1615. He later moved to America and passed away in Lynn, Massachusetts, on October 10, 1672. He was one of the first people to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Thomas is known as the ancestor of the Wellman family in New England.

When he was about 21 years old, Thomas traveled from London to Barbados in 1634 or 1635. He sailed on a ship called Hopewell. This journey was part of a big movement of Puritans (people who wanted to practice their religion freely) called the Great Migration.

Starting a New Life in America

After his time in Barbados, Thomas sailed to Massachusetts. He settled in Lynn around 1640. There, he married Elizabeth about 1642. We don't know her family's last name.

By the time he died, Thomas owned a large piece of land in Lynn, about 180 acres. His family's home on Summer Street in Lynn was used by many generations of Wellmans. It was finally taken down in the 1830s.

Thomas Wellman's Children

Thomas Wellman and his wife Elizabeth had five children. They were Abraham (born around 1643), Isaac (born around 1647), Elizabeth (born around 1660), Sarah (born around 1662), and Mary (born around 1664).

• Abraham married Elizabeth Cogswell around 1668. She was from Ipswich, Massachusetts. Abraham received half of his father's land and the family home. Abraham and Elizabeth gave statements to the grand jury during the Salem Witch Trials. They had eight children.
• Isaac married Hannah Adams in 1678 or 1679. She was from Malden, Massachusetts. Isaac also inherited half of his father's land. He was a soldier in King Philip's War, a major conflict between Native Americans and English colonists. Isaac helped capture Fort Narraganset in 1675. His family later received land in Westminster. Isaac also gave a statement during the Salem Witch Trials. He and Hannah had eleven children.
• Elizabeth married George Hull from Beverly, Massachusetts.
• We have records for Sarah until 1684.
• No records have been found for Mary after her father passed away.

Wellman Family in the American Revolution

Many descendants of Thomas Wellman fought in the American Revolutionary War. At least 34 family members took part in this important fight for America's freedom.

Here are some of them:

• Joseph Wellman (1737-1783/4) from Wrentham marched to Lexington. He served as a soldier until 1779.
• Thomas Wellman (1742–1818) from Lynnfield also marched to Lexington. He served until 1777.
• Jonathan Wellman (1747–1822) from Lynnfield joined the march to Lexington.
• Stephen Wellman (1746-after 1805) marched to Lexington with the Waltham militia. He was a corporal at the Battle of Dorchester Heights.
• Timothy Wellman (1757–1842) from Mansfield was a private soldier. He fought at the Battle of Dorchester Heights and the battle of Rhode Island.
• Jacob Wellman (1746–1834) from Lyndeborough was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
• Joseph Wellman (1747–1831) was a private in the Mansfield minutemen (soldiers ready to fight quickly).
• Peter Wellman (1750–1791) was also a private in the Mansfield minutemen. He fought in the battle of Rhode Island.
• Samuel Wellman (1751–1835) was a private in the Mansfield minutemen.
• Ebenezer Wellman (1752–1831) was a private in the Mansfield minutemen and fought in the battle of Rhode Island.
• Silas Wellman (1757-after 1818) was a private in the Mansfield minutemen. He served until 1782 at West Point, New York.
• Samuel Wellman (1760–1829) was a private in the Mansfield minutemen. He served until 1780, including the Battle of Trenton.
• Isaac Wellman (1757–1840) from Cornish was a private at the Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777).
• James Wellman (1754–1841) from Cornish was a ranger at the siege of Fort Ticonderoga and the Saratoga campaign.
• John Wellman (1758–1826) from Lyndeborough was a private at the siege of Fort Ticonderoga. In 1778, he was a corporal in the battle of Rhode Island.
• Reuben Wellman (1730–1798) was a private in the New Hampshire Regiment. He helped the Continental Army in New York during the winter of 1776-1777.
• Solomon Wellman (1758–1841) from Cornish joined the Continental Army under General Horatio Gates for the Saratoga campaign.
• Jacob Wellman (1761–1829) from Mansfield served from 1776 to 1783 as a corporal. He fought in the battles of Saratoga, Monmouth, and Yorktown.
• Abraham Wellman (1762–1829) from Lynn was a Continental Army drummer. He was wounded at the battle of Monmouth.
• Adam Wellman (1744/5-1802) from Wrentham was a gunner in an artillery company from 1776.
• Elijah Wellman (1733–1790) from Attleborough was a private soldier in 1777 and 1780.
• David Wellman (~1733-~1802) was part of the Stoughtonham militia.
• Jedediah Wellman (1748–1826) was a member of the Keene militia in 1776.
• John Wellman (1755–1831) was a private soldier from 1775 to 1776.
• Caleb Wellman (1761–1822) was a private soldier in 1777 and 1780.
• Oliver Wellman (1761–1848) from Mansfield joined the First Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army from 1779 to 1781.
• Benoni Wellman (1765–1840) joined as a private soldier in 1782.
• Darius Wellman (~1761- ) was a corporal in the Athens, Vermont militia in 1782.
• Adam Wellman (~1744-1786) from Salem was a privateer (a private ship authorized to attack enemy ships). He was a lieutenant on the schooner Success and commanded other ships.
• John Wellman (1748–1812) from Dedham was a ship's doctor on a brigantine (a type of ship).
• Jedediah Wellman (1762–1858) from Danvers sailed on a privateer in 1776 and was captured at Portsmouth.
• Samuel Wellman (1727-before 1787) from Salem was captured by the British in 1779.
• Samuel's son Oliver Kempton Wellman (1763-before 1790) served on a privateer in 1780.
• Samuel's son Timothy Wellman (1768–1834) served on the sloop Tyrannicide in 1776 when he was only 8 years old.

Notable Descendants

Two towns in America are named after the Wellman family:

• Wellman, Iowa was named for Joseph Edward Wellman.
• Wellman, Texas

Here are some other famous members of the Wellman family in America:

• Lemuel Wellman Wright (1790-1886), an inventor.
• Bela Wellman (1819–1887), a merchant during the California Gold Rush.
• Abijah J. Wellman (1836–1889), a state senator in New York.
• Samuel T. Wellman (1847–1919), another inventor.
• Augustus Ogden Wellman (1850-1916), an official for the Santa Fe Railroad. Wellman, Texas, was named after him.
• Arthur Holbrook Wellman (1855–1948), a state senator in Massachusetts.
• Walter Wellman (1858–1934), a journalist and explorer.
• Jack London (1876–1916), a famous author.
• William A. Wellman (1896–1975), a well-known film director.
• Harry R. Wellman (1899–1997), who was president of the University of California.
• James Milo Wellman (1922–1971), who started Wellman-Lord Engineering.