Thomas John Wells, Convict "Baring" 1815

'Thomas Wells - "Our Convict · THOMAS WELLS, (Born Circa 1798/99), the patriarch of our Wells family in Australia, was indicted at the Second Sessions of the Old Bailey in 1815 for feloniously stealing a “looking glass”, value 35/- ($3.50 in modern day terms) on the 29th December 1814, and at the same sessions an Elizabeth Parker, aged 17, years, was indicted for feloniously receiving on the same day.

Thomas Wells was found guilty and sentenced to DEATH, which was commuted to LIFE at the end of the Sessions and Transportation. Thomas was 16 years old. Elizabeth Parker was found guilty and sentenced for one year and fined 1/-.

Thomas was transported about the Convict vessel BARING I, which departed from London on the 20/4/1815, arriving Sydney, 7th September, 1815. On the Indent of this vessel he was shown as being given “Life”, and was aged 17 years. Description - Complexion, Florid - Height, 5’4” - Hair, Light Brown - Eyes, Hazel. Offence - Burglary. In the Musters and Papers of the Baring I, - Reel 2417 - Thomas Wells, No. 217, was shown as having been at Newgate, London.

To try and find to whom Thomas was assigned, PRO Reel No. 631, the 1821 Muster was checked and this showed that Thomas Wells - Arrived, September, 1815 - Master of Ship, Lamb - Tried at Old Bailey - Transported for Life - How Disposed of - Servant to D. Horton - Whether Still Resident in the Colony, Yes. D. Horton appears to have been an emancipated convict, who arrived with the Third Fleet and who had land in the Hawkesbury District.

The 1822 Muster (A.O. REEL 1252 and P.R.O. REEL 72) showed Thomas Wells, Ticket of Leave, Landholder, had a 10 acre lease in the Windsor District, on which he had 4 acres of wheat and 6 acres of maize.

According to PRO REEL 66, the 1825 Muster, Thomas Wells, was a Landholder at Wilberforce.

Thomas received his Ticket of Leave No. 198/2332, on the 6th July, 1826. The ticket he is said to have held in the 1822 Muster cannot be located. On this ticket it showed that he was still in the District of Hawkesbury, was born in 1799 and he was by that time 5’7” tall, which showed that he had grown 3 inches since departing from London.

Thomas Wells obtained permission to marry Martha Shaw on 15th July, 1826.

THOMAS WELLS, BACHELOR, of the Parish of WINDSOR and MARTHA SHAW, SPINSTER, of the Parish of PARRAMATTA, were married in the Parish of Saint John’s, Parramatta in the County of Cumberland, N.S.W., by BANNS with consent of Governor Darling on the 12th day of September, 1826, by SAMUEL MARSDEN, CHAPLAIN. The witnesses to their marriage being James Buckley of Parramatta and Margaret Kelley of Parramatta.

Reference to the 1828 Census showed that Thomas Wells (Ticket of Leave) and Martha Shaw (G.S.) were residing at Webb’s Creek, Lower Portland Head (References Nos. W0965 and W0966). In Appendix 3, Page 438, Thomas is listed as having 50 acres - 15 acres cleared, 15 acres cultivated. Also in Appendix 3, Page 439, under the heading “Owned by Thos. Wells” - G. 1019, Cattle 144, Sheep 1230. G.1019 (see page 168 of the Census) refers to Mary Grant - Age 10 - B.C. - Rel.4. Employer or Remarks - Resides at Thos. Wells. Residence Lr. Minto. Also P.1061, William Pope (see page 304 of Census) age 50 years - F/B, FS - Year of Arrival 1811 (7 years) Rel. P. Occupation - Labourer, Employer or Remarks - Thos. Wells - Residence - Lower Portland Head.

After a little over two years of marriage Thomas and Martha had their first child, a son Thomas, born on the 28/12/1828, at Webb’s Creek. Their second child was also a son, William, born on the 7th June, 1831. Their third child was also shown as a son by the Minister, the Rev. Meares, as this child was baptised on the same day as William, and the name of this child was Julian, or Julia Anne, or Julia Hannah, born on the 4th December 1833 (Baptised with William on the 13th August, 1834). Two more daughters were born in fairly rapid succession, that is Martha, born Circa 1834/35 and Elizabeth, 1836/37, but no trace has been found of their birth dates. All the above children were born in the Hawkesbury/McDonald River Region. Thomas and Martha had two more children, as far as is known, a daughter Mary (or Mary Ann) born on the 9th November, 1840, and a son Charles, born 17th October, 1842.

In the 1837 Muster, Thomas Wells (BARING I) was shown as being 36 years of age, had a Ticket of Leave, and was a Landholder in the district of Windsor.

THOMAS WELLS obtained his Conditional Pardon No. 499 on the 19th December, 1836, backdated to 15th August, 1835.

In 1841 a Census of Inhabitants was taken (although it is understood that this was not complete). However, Thomas Wells and his family were still residing on the Hawkesbury. District of Windsor, Return No. 790, showed Thomas Wells, Cornelia, 2 males - Seven and Under 14 Years, 1 male - Twenty-one and under Forty-five, 1 female - Under Two, 3 females - Seven and Under 14 Years, and 1 female - Twenty-one and under forty-five. One male was married and two single - one Female married and four single. Under the section covering “Civil Condition” it is shown that two males were “Born in the Colony” and one male had arrived by “Other Free Passage”, four females were “Born in the Colony” and one female, by “Other Free Passage”. All members of the family were Protestant and under the section covering Occupation, was shown that one person was engaged in “Gardeners, Stockmen and Person Employed in Agriculture”. The family was shown to be living in a wood house which was finished.

From WELLS GEOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES 1948, Page 135, it was found that CORNELIA was “A Parish in the hundred of Hardings, County of Cumberland, NSW; bounded on the North and West by the Hawkesbury River from the creek near the S.E. corner of Solomon Wiseman’s 50 acres to the gully at W. Johnson’s 60 acres, on the S. by the abovementioned gully to its head, and by a line thence bearing E. to the centre of the Maroota road, on the E. by the centre of the Maroota road, and a line thence bearing N. to the head of the creek running into the Hawkesbury river near the S.E. corner of Solomon Wiseman’s 50 acres and by that creek to the said river. It contains 53 houses and 286 inhabitants.”

The Wells family continues, as far as can be ascertained, to live in the Hawkesbury district until possibly part of the 1840s when at the marriage of the eldest daughter, Hannah (Annie) or Julia Hannah to Thomas Brann (Brem on marriage certificate) their residence was shown as Liverpool Plains and District. In February, 1850 they were resident in the Wollombi.

Unfortunately, Martha’s death date has not been traced, but possibly she died whilst the family were moving around the Plains area, but Thomas Wells died at Springfield in the Warialda District on 5th February, 1881. He was in his Eighties, and had many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.