The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-06

The name Wells seems to be derived
from the Saxon well, meaning a well,
a spring, or from the Danish wei, also
meaning spring.
Sometimes a cottager or small pro-
prietor would get the name. "At the
Wells.' or DE La Welle." which was
| afterward shortened into Wells.
No doubt many families of the name
may find the origin for their patro-
iymic in some John or Robert "of the
Well"
The name was spelled Wallys dur
ing the thirteenth century; then it was
Wellys, WHY'S, Wills, Well, de Well,
Wells appears to be the Dutch form,
found at New York in the seventeenth
century.
William the Conqueror gave one of
the hundred Norman knights who
came over with him the Manor of
Welles, and made him Baron, or Lord,
Welles: he was called Richardus de
Welles. In return for this honor he
was to see that the Kings household
was supplied with bread; he held the
manor by this tenure. Only four
English peerages older than this are
now in existence.
The story of the loaf of barley
bread being presented to the King an
nualIy by the Baron" has been done
into rhyme.
And first de Welles-my gallant
Nay shrink not now thy praise to
hear
Whose battleaxe and ready spear,
Such daring deeds have done,
l give thee lands in Lincolnshire,
Bravely by va1or won.
Some barley loaves-thy men to
feed
Who wounded on the ground did
bleed.
Thou savest them in their utmost
need.
AS fainting there they lay
This God-like charitable deed,
now with wealth repay.
80 for thy lands in Lincolnshire
My brave de Welles. my valiant peer,
On Christmas Day. of every year
In future shalt thou bring
A barley loaf upon thy spear,
AS baker to the King"
That the name Vaux is synonymous
with Wells, at first look, is strange,
but such is the case. In France-and
the first Wells was a Norman, as has
been shown-the name was Vaux,
Beaux or Baux-B and V being used
unfortunately in some parts of
France. Eau" is water, or well, or,
as one historian says, "Vaux signifies
brooks or running water"
THE Vaux were a potent race. They
were emperors of Greece, despots of
Roumania, princes Of Achaia, premier
dukes of the kingdom of Naples, dukes
or something else, and counts of this,
that and the other; also great consta-
bles, high chamberlains and stewards
Of the realm, under the kings of the
House Of Anjou, and generals of the
papal armies.
One Hieronymus de Vaux collected
the bones of as many Of his name and
lineage as he was able to find, and
out of piety erected monument to
their memory. Among the grande
danes whose names appear on the
monument are
Antonio de Vaux, Queen of Sicily.
Isabella de Vaux, Queen of Naples.
Cecilia de Vaus, Countess of Savoy.
Sibella de Vaux, Princess of Pied
mont.
Maria de vaux, Dauphiness of vi
enne.
Isabella de Vaux, Despotisses of
Servia.
These ancestors may be claimbed by
all bearing either the name Wells or
Vaux or Beaux or Vallibus.
Robert de Welles of Rayne Hall, Es-
sex. England, founder of the family in
that country, and born about Has, was
the eldest son of William de Vallibus,
which is the same word as Vaux, al
though II looks as though il were sew
eral times removed in relationship.
The Wells are related to the family
of Dymoke, which for so many cen
turtles has furnished the champion at
the crowning of a sovereign Of Great
Britain.
Even greater honors may be claimed
by the Wells, for Lord Leo de Weiles
was stepfather of the mother OF Hen
ry VII Of England. Margaret, Countess
OF Somerset and mother of Margaret,
Countess OF Richmond, the mother of
Henry, married Lord Welles for her
second husband.
John Welles, son of Lord Welles by
his wife Margaret, Countess of Somer-
set, married the Lady Plantagenet,
daughter OF Edward ~. Lord Leo was
then the grand stepfather OF one King
OF England. and the father-in-law OF
the daughter OF another king.
The family was founded In this
country by Thomas Welles, one OF
the English Puritans. who was born
In England about the year 1870 and inn
migrated 70 America 10 1929. lie land