Fascinating Wellings family history

Andrea Rounds of Utah, USA, and members of her family, are planning a trip to Audlem this year to research their Wellings family history. Andrea has sent details and documents, which have been forwarded to Audlem District History Society, who are so helpful with genealogical information.

Many in Audlem will have heard fascinating talks by George Hardy about one member of this family, Job Wellings – marked with an * below. Job Welling and his wife, Frances, whom he met in Portsmouth after leaving Audlem, and their little son, Job Welling, Jr., were in the first Mormon handcart company, headed by Edward Ellsworth, to cross the Great Plains from the Mississippi to Utah in 1856.

There was one of the most detailed accounts of a handcart trek written on the trail by the secretary of the group. Little Job did die on the plains in Iowa and was buried about 10 miles further than the place he died, which was a prettier spot.

There is now a small monument marking the spot, which is located in a nature reserve. Andrea has kindly sent the photo of this monument which to this day remembers the infant son of an Audlem man in the middle of the United States.

Andrea says: John and Mary Ann (known as Ann) Wellings lived with their family in Audlem sometime before the 1841 Census through the 1861 Census. In 1871 John was a widower, with his wife, Mary Ann having passed away 18 Oct. 1865.

Mary Ann Wellings is supposedly buried in the Baptist Church church yard in an unmarked grave. I have attached census records for 1841-1871. The only street name I can read is Monks Lane in the 1841 census. I would like to be able to know the other roads the Wellings family lived on so that when our group comes for a visit in June I can go to the roads and know I am at least close to where they lived.

Below is a list of the family members:
John Wellings
Mary Ann (AKA Ann) Key/Keay Wellings
Samuel Wellings – born June 18th, 1824
John Wellings – born Nov. 23rd 1826
Mary Wellings- born July 3rd 1829
*Job Wellings – born Jan. 9th, 1833
David Wellings – born Oct. 7th 1835
Hannah Wellings – born Jan. 30th,1838
Thomas Wellings – born Dec. l8th, 1840

I have also attached a notice of John Wellings' death. He was visiting a son out of town when he passed away in April 1880, but it is said he was buried in Audlem. I am not sure where.
I also have a picture of the John Wellings home on Monks Lane taken in the 1960's if that would help to pin-point the home today.

I believe all of the children married and most moved away to neighboring villages.
Job Wellings left England for America in 1856 and went by the name Job Welling from then on. He came back to Audlem for a visit about 19 years later on his way to serve a mission in Australia. By that time his mother had already passed away.

I hope this info. is helpful in helping me find my ancestors and relatives in Audlem.
Thank you,
Andrea Rounds
Sandy, Utah, USA

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