Individual Details
David Smith Wells
(4 May 1804 - Bet 1843 and 1850)
David Smith Wells and His Descendants
The fourth child of Thomas and Hannah Wells, David Smith Wells, was born 4 May 1804 in Nelson County, Kentucky. He was four when his mother died. He married Pamelia Bruner, daughter of John Bruner, in Nelson County August 7, 1826, and they were listed in 1830 in the U.S. Census of Nelson County, Kentucky, with their two baby boys, Alanson Oliver and John B., probably named for his grandfather John Bruner. We have not found them in the 1840 U.S. Census of Kentucky in any county, though their youngest son, Vardeman, born 29 January 1843, lists himself in every later census as being "born in Kentucky". We cannot verify when they moved to Grayson County, because that county’s records were burned in a series of courthouse fires beginning during the Civil War.
For whatever reason they were missing from the 1840 Kentucky census, by the 1850 Pamelia is listed in Grayson County, Kentucky, as a widow, the head of a household of seven children, with her oldest son, Alanson Oliver Wells, married and living nearby with his wife Elizabeth and two small sons. Her family shows as:
Pamelia Wells 46 (ca 1804) b. Kentucky 400 acres No township listed
John B. 20 (ca 1830) b. Kentucky Farmer
Thomas 18 (ca 1832) b. Kentucky Farmer
Elizabeth A. 16 (ca 1834) b. Kentucky
Hannah P. 14 (ca 1836) b. Kentucky
Joseph H. 12 (ca 1838) b. Kentucky
Parthenia 10 (ca 1840) b. Kentucky
Vardeman 7 (ca 1843) b. Kentucky
Nearby live: Alanson O. Wells 23 (ca 1827) b. Kentucky Farmer
Elizabeth 25 (ca 1835) b. Kentucky
David 2 (ca 1847) b. Kentucky
Peter 1 (ca 1849) b. Kentucky
Living on adjoining farms we find some future spouses: Abigail Shawler, 16, the future wife of John B. Wells, is living next house but one, just past the Adam Bruner residence (Pamelia’s brother? 42 that year). In Adam Bruner’s home is John T. Bruner, 15, future husband of his probable first cousin Parthenia Wells, then 10. In 1870, unmarried Elizabeth will be living with them. Clearly, widowed Pamelia has purchased or been given land beside Adam and Peter Bruner, 59, almost certainly her brothers, and they are probably looking after her.
By 1860 Pamelia Wells’ oldest son Alanson, born about 1827, has disappeared or died. Also gone are her sons Thomas, born about 1832, and Joseph H., born about 1838, though her second son John B. Wells, born about 1829/30, and wife Abigail Sawler or Shawler and their four children are living near widowed Pamelia. Pamelia Wells, now 56, still lives with her three daughters and youngest son, Vardeman, by then age 17.
In 1870 much has changed. Pamelia Wells, the widow of David Smith Wells, has disappeared. (No tombstone exists; she was probably buried on her farm.) Her youngest son, Vardeman, 26, is married and living in Grayson County. Back are the widowed Elizabeth Wells, widow of Pamelia’s oldest son, Alanson, and mother of his three nearly grown sons.
Two unmarried daughters remain in Grayson County: Hannah P., now 35, is a "seamstress" living with the Adam Bruner family. Elizabeth A., now 37, who is living with her younger sister, Parthenia, 29, and the latter’s husband (and cousin) John T. Bruner and their children.
In 1900 Elizabeth A. Wells is still unmarried, and living with her nephew, William L. Hilton in Leitchfield, Kentucky. By 1880 John T. and Parthenia Bruner have seven children--and were not further raced. But Hannah P. had a late marriage as the second wife of Hosea P. Stone, and by 1880 was the proud mother of Rebecca A. Stone, as well as stepmother to Hosea’s children by his first marriage. (Not further traced.)
The other three sons, John B. Wells, Thomas, and Joseph H. do not reappear in Grayson County, and we have been unable to trace the John B. or Thomas families further. Perhaps the answer to what became of them may be found in as-yet-unsearched Civil War records. Thomas is particularly difficult because we have no middle name and no wife’s name to identify him among the many "Thomas Wells" entries statewide--if he survived the War.
A "Vardeman Wells" born in 1868 and enumerated in Breckinridge Co. Kentucky in the census of 1900, however, just has to be ours! He has tentatively been listed with John B.’s family, as he was born too early to belong to Pamelia’s younger sons. That Vardeman was 32 in 1900, born in May 1868, married to 29 year old Benilla Muffett, and living with his brother-in-law Thomas Muffett and baby son Noyel, born in December 1898.
Researched and written by Marybelle "Preston" Wells
The fourth child of Thomas and Hannah Wells, David Smith Wells, was born 4 May 1804 in Nelson County, Kentucky. He was four when his mother died. He married Pamelia Bruner, daughter of John Bruner, in Nelson County August 7, 1826, and they were listed in 1830 in the U.S. Census of Nelson County, Kentucky, with their two baby boys, Alanson Oliver and John B., probably named for his grandfather John Bruner. We have not found them in the 1840 U.S. Census of Kentucky in any county, though their youngest son, Vardeman, born 29 January 1843, lists himself in every later census as being "born in Kentucky". We cannot verify when they moved to Grayson County, because that county’s records were burned in a series of courthouse fires beginning during the Civil War.
For whatever reason they were missing from the 1840 Kentucky census, by the 1850 Pamelia is listed in Grayson County, Kentucky, as a widow, the head of a household of seven children, with her oldest son, Alanson Oliver Wells, married and living nearby with his wife Elizabeth and two small sons. Her family shows as:
Pamelia Wells 46 (ca 1804) b. Kentucky 400 acres No township listed
John B. 20 (ca 1830) b. Kentucky Farmer
Thomas 18 (ca 1832) b. Kentucky Farmer
Elizabeth A. 16 (ca 1834) b. Kentucky
Hannah P. 14 (ca 1836) b. Kentucky
Joseph H. 12 (ca 1838) b. Kentucky
Parthenia 10 (ca 1840) b. Kentucky
Vardeman 7 (ca 1843) b. Kentucky
Nearby live: Alanson O. Wells 23 (ca 1827) b. Kentucky Farmer
Elizabeth 25 (ca 1835) b. Kentucky
David 2 (ca 1847) b. Kentucky
Peter 1 (ca 1849) b. Kentucky
Living on adjoining farms we find some future spouses: Abigail Shawler, 16, the future wife of John B. Wells, is living next house but one, just past the Adam Bruner residence (Pamelia’s brother? 42 that year). In Adam Bruner’s home is John T. Bruner, 15, future husband of his probable first cousin Parthenia Wells, then 10. In 1870, unmarried Elizabeth will be living with them. Clearly, widowed Pamelia has purchased or been given land beside Adam and Peter Bruner, 59, almost certainly her brothers, and they are probably looking after her.
By 1860 Pamelia Wells’ oldest son Alanson, born about 1827, has disappeared or died. Also gone are her sons Thomas, born about 1832, and Joseph H., born about 1838, though her second son John B. Wells, born about 1829/30, and wife Abigail Sawler or Shawler and their four children are living near widowed Pamelia. Pamelia Wells, now 56, still lives with her three daughters and youngest son, Vardeman, by then age 17.
In 1870 much has changed. Pamelia Wells, the widow of David Smith Wells, has disappeared. (No tombstone exists; she was probably buried on her farm.) Her youngest son, Vardeman, 26, is married and living in Grayson County. Back are the widowed Elizabeth Wells, widow of Pamelia’s oldest son, Alanson, and mother of his three nearly grown sons.
Two unmarried daughters remain in Grayson County: Hannah P., now 35, is a "seamstress" living with the Adam Bruner family. Elizabeth A., now 37, who is living with her younger sister, Parthenia, 29, and the latter’s husband (and cousin) John T. Bruner and their children.
In 1900 Elizabeth A. Wells is still unmarried, and living with her nephew, William L. Hilton in Leitchfield, Kentucky. By 1880 John T. and Parthenia Bruner have seven children--and were not further raced. But Hannah P. had a late marriage as the second wife of Hosea P. Stone, and by 1880 was the proud mother of Rebecca A. Stone, as well as stepmother to Hosea’s children by his first marriage. (Not further traced.)
The other three sons, John B. Wells, Thomas, and Joseph H. do not reappear in Grayson County, and we have been unable to trace the John B. or Thomas families further. Perhaps the answer to what became of them may be found in as-yet-unsearched Civil War records. Thomas is particularly difficult because we have no middle name and no wife’s name to identify him among the many "Thomas Wells" entries statewide--if he survived the War.
A "Vardeman Wells" born in 1868 and enumerated in Breckinridge Co. Kentucky in the census of 1900, however, just has to be ours! He has tentatively been listed with John B.’s family, as he was born too early to belong to Pamelia’s younger sons. That Vardeman was 32 in 1900, born in May 1868, married to 29 year old Benilla Muffett, and living with his brother-in-law Thomas Muffett and baby son Noyel, born in December 1898.
Researched and written by Marybelle "Preston" Wells
Events
| Birth | 4 May 1804 | Nelson Co., Kentucky |  | ||
| Marriage | 18 Aug 1826 | Nelson Co., Kentucky - Permelia Bruner | |||
| Death | Bet 1843 and 1850 |
Families
| Spouse | Permelia Bruner (1804 - 1860) |
| Child | Alanson Oliver Wells (1825 - 1870) |
| Child | John B. Wells (1830 - ) |
| Child | Thomas Wells (1832 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth A. Wells (1834 - ) |
| Child | Hanna P. Wells (1836 - ) |
| Child | Joseph Henry Wells (1838 - 1911) |
| Child | Parthenia Wells (1841 - ) |
| Child | Vardiman Wells (1843 - 1918) |
| Father | Thomas Wells (1778 - 1855) |
| Mother | Hannah Smith (1778 - 1808) |
| Sibling | William Wells (1798 - 1823) |
| Sibling | Rebecca Wells (1800 - 1803) |
| Sibling | Parthenia Wells (1802 - 1884) |
| Sibling | Alanson Oliver Wells (1806 - 1828) |
| Sibling | Matilda Wells (1808 - 1808) |
Endnotes
1. Robert H. Wells.