Susannah Wells

The marble headstones of Susannah,

Betsey, and Joseph Wells were not originally erected in Westminster Cemetery, but

were located in the Wells Family Cemetery on a farm several miles south of

Westminster near Chapel Road. They were relocated here sometime after 1950 and

represent a design popular in this area from the 18th century to the middle of the 19th.

The Wells family was prominent in the early history of eastern Frederick County

before Carroll County was formed. It is obvious from the stones‟ placement in this

part of Section F that the Wells lot was not one of the original ones sold by the

Westminster Cemetery Company.

There are other instances around Carroll County where headstones from family

cemeteries were moved into church or public cemeteries in order to preserve them

from destruction or simply because no one wanted to bother maintaining a small

family graveyard. Some of the Beaver family headstones in Section K came from a

well-known family cemetery still extant along Maryland Route 140 behind the

Maryland State Police barracks. That cemetery has been poorly maintained for years

and is in danger of disappearing through neglect and/or vandalism. The Beaver and

Wells headstones are now safer standing in Westminster Cemetery, even if the remains

of the individuals did not accompany the stones when they were moved.