"This is the story of an early immigrant to America, about 1630, named John Smith, who arrived with a wife and children in Massachusetts. His goal was to find a place to live, with people who wanted freedom of religion and speech and lack of prejudice in dealing with the Indians and people of all religions. The story in the book tells how this was accomplished over the next twelve generations"--

Vol 1 905p Vol 2 961p.

Thomas Welles (ca. 1590-1660), son of Robert and Alice Welles, was born in Stourton, Whichford, Warwickshire, England, and died in Wethersfield, Connecticut. He married (1) Alice Tomes (b. before 1593), daughter of John Tomes and Ellen (Gunne) Phelps, 1615 in Long Marston, Gloucestershire. She was born in Long Marston, and died before 1646 in Hartford, Connecticut. They had eight children. He married (2) Elizabeth (Deming) Foote (ca. 1595-1683) ca. 1646. She was the widow of Nathaniel Foote and the sister of John Deming. She had seven children from her previous marriage.