The Genealogy of one Vermonter, Darrell A. Martin

Thomas was born in Colchester, Essex, England, in 1620.¹ He was the son of Ensign Hugh Welles and Frances (--?--). He settled with his parents at Wethersfield, Conn., and by 1650 was a prominent citizen. He married Mary Beardsley in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, in May 1651.² He took the freeman's oath 1660 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts having gone there in 1659, with others, to select the site for the new town and his home lot in it.³ According to the History of Deerfield, "He took an active part in many skirmishes with the Indians." This was probably at the beginning of King Philip's War in an unknown date.³ Thomas died in 1676 in Hadley, Mass..⁴ He left a substantial estate of more than 732 pounds, including English lands worth 100 pounds.