Thomas Welles

Thomas Welles
1st Treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1639–1641
Succeeded by	William Whiting
2nd Secretary of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1641–1648
Preceded by	Edward Hopkins
Succeeded by	John Cullick
Deputy Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1654–1655
In office 1656–1657
In office 1659–1660
17th Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1655–1656
Preceded by	Edward Hopkins
Succeeded by	John Webster
20th Governor of the Colony of Connecticut
In office 1658–1659
Preceded by	John Winthrop the Younger
Succeeded by	John Winthrop the Younger
Personal details
Born	(1594-07-10)10 July 1594 Stourton, Whichford, Warwickshire, England
Died	14 January 1660(1660-01-14) (aged 65) Wethersfield, Connecticut
Spouse(s)	Alice Tomes Elizabeth Deming Foote
Children	6
Signature

Thomas Welles (c. 10 July 1594 – 14 January 1660) is the only person in Connecticut's history to hold all four top offices: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. In 1639, he was elected as the first treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut, and from 1640 to 1649 served as the colony's secretary. In this capacity, he transcribed the Fundamental Orders into the official colony records on 14 January 1638, OS, (24 January 1639, NS).^[1] He was the magistrate during the first witch trials, the Hartford or Connecticut Witch Trials.^[2][3]