FAMILIES CONNECTED BY MARRIAGE WITH THE SECOND GENERATION OF TRUEMANS.
WELLS
William Wells, the first of the name in Point de Bute, was one of the Yorkshire band.He was a mason by trade, and built the Methodist Chapel at Thirsk before leaving Yorkshire.He married Margaret Dobson.The Dobsons lived in Sowerby, near Thirsk, and were among the first to accept the teachings of John Wesley.Mr.Wells did not come direct to Halifax, but landed at Boston, and, after staying there some months, came to Fort Cumberland.This was in 1772.He bought property in Upper Point de Bute, very near to that of his father-in-law, George Dobson.
This property is still in the name of its original owner, a rare thing in this country, as very few families hold the same property for a century and a quarter.
Mrs.Wells was the mother of thirteen children, six of whom died in early life.The remaining seven married and settled in the country.
They were married as follows:--George to Elizabeth Freeman, of Amherst;William to Catherine Allan, of Cape Tormentine; Mary to George Chappel, of Bay Verte; Elizabeth to Jonas Allan, of Cape Tormentine; Margaret to S.Freeze, of Amherst Point; Jane to Bill Chappell, of Bay Verte; and Joseph to Nellie Trenholm, of Point de Bute.
William Wells was an active member of the Methodist Church.He enjoyed a special gift in prayer, and not infrequently, in the absence of the minister, read the burial service over the dead.
I find this entry in the old journal: "June 3rd, 1811--Mrs.Jane Fawcett departed this life May 31st, very suddenly; was well about ten o'clock, and died before eleven o'clock; was buried Sunday afternoon by Wm.Wells, Esq."The following letter, written a century ago by Mr.Wells, may have some interest for his descendants.The letter was addressed to William Trueman.
"DEAR BROTHER--Am sorry to hear of Mr.Bennet's indisposition, but am glad his case is hopeful.I trust the Lord has more work to do for him yet.Respecting myself should be glad to come to see my dear friends, but the journey appears to be too much for me to perform, for I was exceeding bad yesterday, and altho this day I feel a little freer from pain, yet my weakness is great.If I should be better towards the latter part of the day maybe I may try to come, but I have hitherto felt worse at the latter part of the day.I pray God that our light afflictions may work out for us a far more and exceeding weight of glory.
"Yours affec., _W._ WELLS.
"Saturday morning, "Nov.13th, 1802."
The descendants of William Wells are widely scattered over New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and a good number have emigrated to the United States.Charles H., Charles C., James, and Joseph D.Wells, great-grandsons, represent the name in Point de Bute and Jolicure.The late W.Woodbury Wells, M.P.P., and Mr.Justice Wells, of Moncton, also are members of this family, while Lieut.-Governor Snowball is a great-grandson of William Wells.
BLACK.
William Black was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1727.When a young man he removed to Huddersfield, England, and engaged in the linen and woollen drapery business.In 1774 he prospected Nova Scotia with a view to settlement, and purchased a large block of land near the present town of Amherst.The next year he brought his family, consisting of wife, four sons and a daughter, to Nova Scotia, and settled on his new farm.
William Black was twice married, and lived to the great age of ninety-three years.He spent the last years of his life in Dorchester, where he left a large family by his second wife.He was the father of William Black, who has been designated the "Father of Methodism" in the Lower Provinces.
The Blacks have proved good citizens, and have contributed their full share to the development of the country.
PURDY
The Purdys were Loyalists from New York State.Three brothers came to this country--Henry, Gabriel, and Gilbert.Jacob, the fourth, remained in New York.
Henry Purdy settled in Fort Lawrence, Gabriel in Westchester, and Gilbert in Malagash.Mrs.Martin Trueman is a grand-daughter of Gilbert.The Purdys of Cumberland are all descendants of these brothers.
The family for the last century has always been able to count an M.D.
among its members, and the civil service has seldom been without a Purdy on its roll-call.
WOOD.
"The earliest record of the Wood family is the marriage of Thomas Wood and Ann Hunt, May, 1654, at Rowley, Mass.Their son John, born in 1656, married, in 1680, Isabel, daughter of Edward Hazen, presumably a forbear of the St.John Hazens.Issue of this union was a large family, of whom, Josiah, born April, 1708, was the twelfth child.He married Eleanor ------, and their son, Josiah, born March, 1740, was married in 1767 to Ruth Thompson.Their son Josiah, born 1776, after coming to New Brunswick, married Sarah Ayre, daughter of Mariner and Amy Ayre.Their two children, Mariner and Ann, were the father and aunt of the present Josiah Wood.
"Mr.Wood has a number of interesting documents of ancient date, among them two grants of land from the King to Robert Thompson, the great-great-grandfather of Senator Wood.The earliest, dated 1759 (in the reign of George II), was for 750 acres, one and a half shares of the original grant of the township of Cornwallis.The later document attests that in 1763 Robert Thompson was granted 500 acres more, individually by George III.
"Mr.Thompson does not appear to have gone into possession, and some forty years later his widowed daughter, ambitious for the welfare of her fatherless family, set out from Lebanon, Conn., with her son Josiah to find this lost heritage.
