EARLY WESLEYAN CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ENGLAND
& NEW BRUNSWICK
 DOBSON - WELLS CONNECTION IN YORKSHIRE ENGLAND

Bernice Richard, of Chicago, sent the following item about Early Wesleyan Connections between Yorkshire, England and Westmorland Co, NB. It is gleaned from a reference sent to her from England. Unfortunately the book it was taken from was unidentified. Her notes read: ...

This is in regard to the chapel built by William Wells, in Thrisk, before he came to New Brunswick. The name of the chapel was Octogan Chapel. In notes of John Wesley, "April 29 1766, I preached at noon in the new house at Thrisk, almost equal to that of Yarm." He had described the one at Yarm as such "Tuesday April 24, 1764 I preached in the evening at the new house in Yarm, by far the most elegant in England." This made Thirsk Chapel the second "most elegant" Wesleyan Chapel in the kingdom.

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The deed to the "New Room" as it was called, was dated August 9, 1766, and the deed has the signature of George Dobson (among others). William Wells' name was added in 1771, but both their names were removed in 1773, because of "going to settle in foreign parts." The chapel was built almost entirely at the expense of John Oastler, although there were some subscribers listed, among them was George Dobson, William Wells, John Atkinson, and Elizabeth Ward. When the building was taken down in 1816, it still had a debt of 80 pounds.

The chapel was built by William Wells bricklayer, who sometime afterwards emigrated to New Brunswick and whose granddaughter became the wife of Rev. John Snowball, a Wesleyan Missionary in that country. Mr. & Mrs. Wells were among the first Methodist of Thrisk, and suffered much persecution in the cause of Christ. After emigration they still proved faithful to God and his people; the latter dying in great peace at Point de Bute in 1833 aged 85; and her husband some years before her.

Editors Notes/CBB: William Wells d. 27 Apr 1819, ae 77 years, and is buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Pt. de Bute, as is his wife, Margaret (Dobson). She was the daughter of George Dobson, who emigrated from Yorkshire with his remaining children. George died in 1773.