hi,
this is my first day on this site, but I have been on Scotland's people for a couple of months
I have a John Wells born approx 1821 ( 50 in 1871 census) that I believe died in 1876. He was married to Elizabeth Wells age 43 so born approx 1826. They have a son Thomas aged 18 so born approx 1853. Living at 10 Queensbury Street Dumfries.
Look on the forward one page of this census and in the same house you will see James Wells age 30 his wife Margaret Wells, daughter Rachel McMurdo Wells age 12., a Sarah Burgess age 12 , George Wells age 5 and Walter McMurdo Wells age 3.
James Wells married Margaret McMurdo in 1865.
Rachel McMurdo was illegitimately born to Margaret in 1857. If you find this birth record ( Duncow Dumfries) you will see that the entry immediately below is that for Sarah McMurdo, born to Elizabeth (or Eliza) McMurdo a few days after Rachel.
In the 1861 census you will find Margaret, Rachel and Sarah living in Kirkmahoe with Margaret's parents Walter and Rachel McMurdo. Elizabeth is missing, and Sarah has a new surname Burgess.
So I think that the entry for Rachel McMurdo Wells in the 1871 census is incorrect. Her real name is probably still Rachel McMurdo, and I doubt that James Wells is her father. This means that George Wells and Walter McMurdo Wells are probably her half brothers.
So Thomas Wells and Rachel McMurdo lived in the same house in 1871, probably in different rooms. .That will be how they they met and ended up getting married six years later (2nd November 1877).
Now back to your initial question, I think that the parents of John Wells married to Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, are Thomas Wells and Janet Brown. This is from ands Old parish register of John Wells baptism 30th August 1822 birth 22 August 1822. I have not made any link to a Lawrence Wells at all!
Now I don't yet know how James Wells who married Margaret McMurdo is related to the Wells family living in the same house in 1871, but they surely must be. 10 Queensbury Street seems to be central to a long line of my ancestors. This is perhaps where the Lawrence Wells and Michael Wells links are. Certainly my Grandfather ( Thomas and Rachel Wells Grandson) used to talk about the family name being changed fro Walls to Wells. as per Michael Walls/Wells from Ireland? Time Will tell.
My father tels me that one day a man from Dumfries, a tramp, happened to chap on the door at their house ( then in Bonnybridge) asking to be fed. The conversation led to a story of how Walls became Wells. Apparently a Frank Walls went to the funeral of my Granmother (Jane Cunningham Wells nee Laurie). I think Frank Walls owned a transport cafe near Lockerbie)
Reading about Annie Wells/Walls and Michael Wells.Walls in this post inspired me. I have not been able to find Rachel Wells ( nee McMurdo) death certificate, so I tried Rachel Walls and there it is, Rachel Walls 1883 Dumfries.
I have Thomas Wells and Rachel living at 10 Queensbury Street in 1881 living with two sons John and Thomas, a third son William came slightly later. Also at the house is Thomas Mother Elizabeth and a brother George. George is probably Rachel's half brother, no relation to Thomas. So I wonder where James Wells, Margaret Wells (nee McMurdo), Walter McMurdo Wells and Sarah Burgess are? Any idea?
Are you a descendant of one of Thomas and Rachel's three sons John, Thomas or William? William is my Great Grandfather.
bluebike1
