Notes for William Weller
and
Ellen Mears
Introduction
Charlotte Weller was the grandmother of Alice Elizabeth1 Lambert, aka Alice Cummings. The purpose of this document is to present the information located to date about her father, William Weller. It is presented in chronological order, as much as possible.
William Weller
William Weller was born by 1818, as he would have been at least age 21 when he purchased land in 1839. He was probably born in New Jersey, the birthplace consistently recorded in his children's census records. No record of him has been found in the U.S. or Wisconsin censuses.
In the 1850 census, Ellen was living in Oneco, Stephenson Co. IL with her three children. She was listed first, as if she were the head of the household. There were two farmers in the household, but no William Weller. One of the farmers, Osbrook Bruin, age 35, born NY, apparently owned the farm, as he is shown with assets valued at $2200.
It is not clear what drew him to Wisconsin. By 1840 there was a Samuel Waller in Racine Co., a William Wheeler in Dane Co., and a Henry Mears in Rock Co., but there is no known connection of any of them with William. Ellen Mears' brother John did eventually move to Wisconsin. According to one of the Mears pension depositions, Jane Anderson Mears (1st wife of John P. Mears) states that they (John P. and Jane) were living with the Wellers around 1850. In 1872 John was a farmer in Glen Haven, Grant Co. WI.
On 20 Aug 1839 he was "of Grant Co. WI", when he purchased land (E1/2 SE1/4 & E1/2 SW1/4 & NW1/4 SW1/4 Sec 8 Town 4N, Range 4E, Iowa Co. WI) in Iowa Co. WI from Ezra Hall for $250. He sold or mortgaged that land 2 days later to Prudence Elmina Hall for $50. There is no mention of a wife for William or for Ezra.
By 1845, he was married to Ellen Mears, daughter of Joseph Mears and Sarah (Sally) Clark. She was born about 1827 in New York state (year based on est age of 18 at Melissa's 1845 birth). However, she may have been born a year or two later, as her parents moved from Pennsylvania to Rochester, Monroe Co. NY in 1828. William and Ellen had five children.
On 1 Apr 1848, William Weller received a land grant (SWNE Sec 8 Town 4N, Range 4E) in Iowa Co. WI. On 10 Jun 1848, William Weller and Elen Weller his wife, of Iowa Co., sold land in Iowa Co. WI (the land grant and other land - part of SE1/4 Sec 8 commencing at NE corner of Sec 8, running W 80 rods, then S 116 rods, then E 80 rods, then N 116 rods, Town 4N, Range 4E, Iowa Co. WI).
[William Weller paid $250 for the land but sold it for $50. Is this a mortgage rather than a sale?]
On 14 Oct 1848 he purchased land (undiv 1/2 W1/2 SW1/4, Sec 11 Town 4N, Range 4E) in Iowa Co. WI. On 27 Jan 1852, still of Iowa Co., he received clear title to that land. It appears that on 31 Dec 1846, Iowa Co. had sold the property to John Bracken, who failed to pay what he owed in taxes, etc. In 1850 William Weller was affirmed as the rightful owner. (source). The 1852 document is a quit claim deed by John Bracken.
On 14 Nov 1854 William Weller purchased land (S1/2 SE1/4 NE1/4 Sec 13, Town 9, Range 1E) in Richland Co. WI.
On 26 May 1856, in a power of attorney related to her grandmother's estate, Ellen (Mears) Weller gave her residence as Ithaca, Richland Co. WI.
On 1 Jun 1858, of Richland Co. WI, he received a land grant (NW1/4 NW1/4 Sec 13, Town 9, Range 1E) in Richland Co., in Ithica Twp or what is now Orion Twp, but was then Richmond Twp.
The last known record of Ellen Mears Weller is a 1 Feb 1862 (debt of mortgage) from William Weller and his wife Ellen Weller, to Jacob Krouskop.
The rest of the activity regarding William Weller's land is in his probate file. The land was purchased by his son George Weller for $100.
Several promissory notes are in William's probate file. On 1 Jun 1865 William Weller signed a note to AH Krouskop & Co., storekeepers, for $50.70. On 15 Jan 1866, William Weller, Sextonville, signed a note to McCorkle & Thomas, storekeepers, for $48.32. On 21 Feb 1866, William Weller died at Buena Vista, Richland Co. WI (per probate record).
On 26 Feb 1866, a petition for letters of administration was filed by widow Amanda M. Weller, requesting Enoch Prouty be appointed as administrator. Amanda is clearly a different person from Ellen Mears. No previous record has been found regarding her. An Amanda Weller was living in Buena Vista WI in 1870. Having died on 3 Dec 1898, Amanda M. (Weller) Warren, b. 1820, was buried in Fancy Creek Cemetery, Richland Co. WI.
The appearance of Enoch Prouty's name in the probate records is critical, since this affirms that William Weller is indeed the father of Charlotte (Weller) Prouty.
On 4 May 1866, Enoch Prouty declined appointment as administrator and on 5 May 1866, Amanda Weller petitioned again, requesting Samuel Doolittle to be appointed as administrator.
Other records found in the probate file include: quit claim from Amanda Weller; inventory; subpoena and publication of order to show cause; claims.
