Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV, Part 21

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 878

USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV > Part 21

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WHEELER There are several families bearing this name distinct, at least as far as connection in this country is concerned, and all are very good stock and found in the early records. The name has figured credit- ably in both militia and civic annals through many generations, and now has living in New Hampshire some very worthy representatives.

(I) George Wheeler, immigrant ancestor of those herein traced, was born in 1600, in Salisbury, England, and was one of the founders of Concord. Massachusetts, where he located before 1640, and was made a freeman in 1641. He died there be- tween January, 1685, and June, 1687. He was twice married, but no record of his first wife is obtained. His second wife, Katherine, died June 2, 1685. He had five children born in England and three in Concord, namely : William, Thomas, Ruth, Eliza- beth, Hannah, Sarah, John and Mary. (John and descendants are mentioned in this article.)

(II) William, eldest child of George Wheeler, was born 1630, in England, and was consequently nearly ten years of age when the family settled in Concord. He died there December 31, 1683. We can easily conceive that his childhood was passed amid rude surroundings and that he bore a part in the struggles of subduing the forests and making a home. He was married in Concord. October 30, 1659, to Hannah Buss (mistakenly printed Beers in some instances), daughter of William and Anna Buss. She was born February 18, 16.12. Their chil- dren were: Hannah (died young), Rebecca, Eliza- beth, William. Hannah, Richard, John and George. (III) George (2), youngest child of William and Hannah (Buss) Wheeler, was born 1670, in Concord, where he lived through life and died July. 1737. He was married, August 14, 1695, to Abigail Hosmer, daughter of Stephen and Abigail ( Wood) Hosmer. She was born November 6, 1669. and died December 27, 1717. Mr. Wheeler married (second), December 3, 1719. Abigail Smith, who was born July 21, 1684, in Sudbury, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Smith. She died between Oc- tober 3 and December 30, 1728. Ile had sons James and Peter, who lived in Concord and Bedford, Massachusetts, and in Hollis, New Hampshire. His other children were: Tabitha, Abigail, Jemima, Daniel, Ephraim and Simon.

(IV) James, eldest son of George (2) and Abi- gail (Hosmer) Wheeler, was born September 5. 1702, in Concord, and lived in that part of the town which was included in Bedford when the

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latter town was incorporated in 1729. Thus his younger children were born in Bedford, while the older ones were born in Concord and all on the same farm. His wife Mary is supposed to have been a Minot. Their children were: Mary, Keziah, Lydia, James, Elizabeth, Daniel, Azuba and Thaddeus. (Mention of the last named, with descendants, ap- pears in this article.)

(V) Daniel, second son of George (2) and Abigail (Smith) Wheeler, was born April 23, 1736; married February 9, 1757, Amy Morsc. He died at "Patch Corner," Hollis, between January 1, 1775, and April 19, 1775. Their children leaving their na- tive place soon after their father's death, there have been no descendants of Daniel Wheeler living in Hollis for more than one hundred years. His widow married, April 7, 1779, Samuel Leeman, whose first wife was Love Wheeler, a daughter of Peter Wheeler and cousin of Daniel Wheeler, her first husband. She had no children by Leeman. After the death of her second husband she lived with her children, alternating between Benjamin, Jacob, Lydia and Daniel. She came to Benjamin's home in Concord, New Hampshire, May 26, 1803, and died at her son Jacob's home in Bow, New Hampshire, November 30, 1821, and is buried in the Bow ceme- tery, just south of Turee Pond, beside the grave of her son Jacob. Children of Daniel and Amy ( Morse) Wheeler: Lydia, born in Monson (now a part of Hollis) November 24, 1757. Abner, born in Monson, April 14, 1760. Jacob, born in Monson, March 5, 1763. Daniel, born in Monson, March 18, 1765. Benjamin, born in Hollis, August 18, 1768; see forward. Hannah, born in Hollis, about 1772, died 1862, aged about ninety.

(VI) Benjamin Wheeler, born August 18, 1768, married Polly Fitch, of Bedford, Massachusetts, born October 23, 1770, died April 27, 1818, in Con- cord, New Hampshire. He married (second) Han- nah Clement, born May 17, 1770, in Salem, New Hampshire. He died December 11, 1848. She died October 20, 1852, in Concord. She had no children. Polly Fitch was a daughter of David Fitch, a descendant of Zachary Fitch, the emigrant, and of kin with John Fitch for whom Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was named. Her father, David Fitch, was in Captain James Moore's company of the Bedford militia and the Concord and Lexington fight April 19, 1775, with the British force of eight hundred troops sent from Boston to seize some military stores. In the battle the English lost two hundred and seventy-three soldiers and the Ameri- cans less than one hundred. The British com- mander, Major Pitcairn, was mortally wounded, and soon after died in the Province Tavern, which stood on the west side of Washington street, Boston, nearly opposite the Old South Church.

In youth Benjamin Wheeler lived with his oldest sister, Lydia, who married Benjamin Winship, of Lexington, Massachusetts, and was there at the time and a witness of that battle, during which a British soldier came into their shay-house, and finding a halter there committed suicide by hanging himself. Between one hundred and forty and one hundred and fifty British soldiers committed suicide during the Revolution.

During his early manhood he lived in Bedford, Massachusetts, working on the farm and in the old grist mill on the Shawsheen river, owned and car- ried on by his father-in-law, David Fitch, and while in his employment he learned the business of miller and farming, also habits of industry, thrift and good morals. This homestead and mill privilege, owned and occupied by succeeding generations of

the Fitch families for one hundred and seventy- five years, was recently sold. After reaching the age of some twenty-five years he married Polly, oldest daughter of David Fitch and Mary Fowle, and moved to Woburn, Massachusetts, in 1794, and leased the farm of Squire Jonathan Simpson for the term of three years, where his son Benjamin Jr., the father of the writer of this sketch, was born.

On April 1, 1798, he, in company with Na- thaniel Wyman, leased for one year the grist mill and farm of one hundred and thirty acres of Dun- can Ingraham, commonly known as the Belknap farm, where his daughter, Mary Fitch Wheeler, was born. On April 7, 1800, he leased the farm of Samuel Carter in Lincoln, Massachusetts. On Oc- tober 24, 1801, he came to Concord, New Hampshire, and purchased a farm of thirty-four acres with buildings, for the sum of five hundred dollars, of Ebenezer Dustin, known as the Jacob Towle place. It was occupied at this time by Moses Noyes, a revolutionary soldier. He moved to this place, now known as "Wheeler's Corner," South street, early in the year 1802, bringing with him his effects on an ox-wagon built in Lexington, Massachusetts, by the grandfather of the late Major Lewis Downing. There were additions made to the original purchase by himself and son Benjamin, Jr., so that at the time of his death in 1848 there were one hundred acres in one body, excepting the passage of South street through it. Besides, they owned some seventy acres of wood and timber land in the nearby town of Bow. This old homestead, with two additional sets of buildings and about thirty acres of adjoining land, are now owned by his grandson, Giles Wheeler. The children of Benjamin and Polly (Fitch) Wheeler were: I. Benjamin Wheeler, Jr., born November 26, 1795: see forward. 2. Mary Fitch, born June 6, 1799, Woburn; died January 13, 1852, Concord, New Hampshire; baptized October 23, 1842, by Rev. E. E. Cummings; admitted to First Baptist Church, Concord.

(VII) Benjamin (2) Wheeler, son of Benjamin (I) and Polly (Fitch) Wheeler, was born November 26, 1795, in Woburn, Massachusetts; married, Sep- tember 18, 1828, Eliza Ordway, born December II, 1808, in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He died June 4, 1870. She died September II, 1881. in Concord, New Hampshire. He was drafted in the war of 1812, but his father could not well spare him from the farm, and provided a substitute. He served in the state militia, Sixth Company, Eleventh Regi- ment, Third Brigade; appointed ensign October 10, 1826; promoted to first lieutenant, July 21, 1827 ; promoted to captain, August 31, 1832; discharged March 31, 1834. Like all other children of his day, he had small advantages for schooling. The school where he attended was just south of and near the Orphans' Home of St. Paul's School, about two and a half miles distant from his home. Both were baptized: his wife October 2, 1842; he died Oc- tober 16, 1842. Received into the First Baptist Church, Concord, October 23, 1842, under the minis- trations of the late Rev. Ebenezer E. Cummings, D. D. The children of Benjamin (2) Wheeler and Eliza Ordway were:

(VIII) John Clement Wheeler, born October II, 1829, died April 21, 1894, on the old home- stead at "Wheeler's Corner," Concord, New Hamp- shire, unmarried. He lived here nearly his entire life engaged in farming. In early manhood he was more or less employed as a stone-setter on the bridge piers on Merrimack river, and was for a time employed on the United States General Post-

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office. Washington, D. C. He was named for his (step) grandfather John Clement, a revolutionary soldier from Salem, New Hampshire.

(VIII) Giles Wheeler, born August 7, 1834; married, January 30, 1858, Sarah W. Abbott, born October 18, 1835. She died December 1, 1902. She was the daughter of Charles Abbott and his wife Sarahı R. Carter, both being descendants of emi- grants who settled in Concord in 1727-Nathaniel Abbott and Ephraim Carter, prominent in town affairs in their day and generation. No better woman ever lived than Sarah W. Abbott Wheeler.

Giles Wheeler lived on the old homestead at "Wheeler's Corner" until twenty years of age, at- tending school in winter terms of some ten or twelve weeks each, in the little red school house eighteen by twenty feet, generally known as the "Iron Works" district, but officially in the town district system as district No. 18; and in addition to that attended two terms of a private school kept in town, one . term kept by Professor Hall Roberts, in the Athenian Hall, and one term by Rev. George S. Barnes, in the Natural Historical Hall. On leaving this school, May 7, 1853, he began learning the carpenter's trade, serving three years with Colby & Dow. On completion of this term of service he took the contract to build the present "Iron Works" school house for the sum of seven hundred and twenty- five dollars, and continued work at his trade until 1861, when he went to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to superintend a manufacturing business, remain- ing there three years. While there he was drafted for military service in the civil war, in both Con- cord, New Hampshire, and Plymouth, Massachu- setts, under the same call for recruits. Having no taste for roosting on the fence or sleeping on plowed ground, he procured a substitute, a Yankee, William Gilson, a native of Pelham, New Hamp- shire, who had already been in the army for nine months, who was ready and willing to rough it again; took his place, fought, bled and died vicari- ously for his principal.

Returning to Concord, January 2, 1864, he re- sumed work at his trade, and in 1865 and 1866 built his present residence, where he ever after lived. He was engaged in the lumbering business with Mark T. Ladd two years, and in October, 1873, went into the office of Edward Dow, architect ; continned in the business with him until the summer of 1885, when he received the appointment of superin- tendent of construction for the erection of the Concord post office and United States court house. After its completion he continued as building agent and superintendent of the high school house on School street, the Kimball and Franklin school houses, Margaret Pillsbury hospital, State Library building, Soldiers' Memorial Arch, and several business blocks on Main street, and occasionally making plans for buildings. He has held commis- sions as justice of the peace for some thirty years, and has been a member of the police commission of Concord from the beginning, and serving as clerk of the board; has attended every meeting of the board to date (1907). He has also served as administrator and executor in the settlement of many estates. He has been nominated for every po- litical office in his ward, also for inayor and state senator, but 'being a "wicked Democrat," has for- tunately always escaped an election. He is also the compiler of these genealogies and historical sketches. and the last living descendant of Daniel Wheeler, Sr., bearing the name of Wheeler, and has no descendants.

Isaac Fitch Wheeler, born April 18,

1836; married, December 8, 1867, Harriet E. Ordway. He died March 24, 1902. His wife died June 8, 1907. His middle name was from his grandmother's people, the Fitches of Bedford, Massachusetts. Ilis entire life was that of a quiet, unobtrusive, unevent- ful, industrious farmer, and was spent on the old homestead at "Wheeler's Corner." He lived at peace with all the world, owing no man anything, and died very suddenly of apoplexy in his own homc. Universally lamented, he left behind him

" Far worthier things than tears- The love of friends , without a single foe, God's finger touched him and he slept, Oh friend, say not good night,

But on some brighter shore bid us good morning."

(VIII) Albert Francis Wheeler, born March 15, 1839; died October 29, 1844.

(V) Thaddeus, youngest child of James and Mary Wheeler, was born December 16, 1742, in Bedford, Massachusetts, and was a pioneer settler of Hollis, New Hampshire, where lie was a farmer. He was married in that town October 17, 1769, to Elizabeth Farner, and their children were :

Elizabeth, Thaddeus, Minot, Theodore, Amos, James and Benjamin.

(VI) Minot, second son and third child of Thaddeus and Elizabeth (Farner) Wheeler, was born May 16, 1777, in Hollis, and settled about the beginning of the nineteenth century in Royalton, Vermont, where he was for many years an inn keeper. He was married, April 28, 1800, in Brook- line, New Hampshire, to Sarah Farley, who was born June 3, 1781, in Brookline, being a twin of Elizabeth. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Lucy Farley, and granddaughter of Samuel and Hannah Farley, pioneer settlers of Hollis. Benja- min Farley was born March II, 1756, in Hollis. Minot and Sarah (Farley) Wheeler were the parents of ten children.

(VII) Howe, son of Minot and Sarah (Farley) Wheeler, was born and reared in Royalton, Ver- mont, at a period when the country was new and the sorrowful experiences of the Revolutionary days were still fresh in the minds of the people. This town was burned and several of its citizens massacred by Indians during the Revolution, and the wife of Howc Wheeler belonged to one of the families that suffered most severely during that inhuman disaster. She was Amy Parkhurst, of Royalton, and a woman of strongly defined char- acter who preserved the New England traditions in their strongest form. Mr. Wheeler spent his de- clining years in Worcester, Vermont, where he died in the winter of 1869-70.

(VIII) Elisha, son of Howe and Amy (Park- hurst) Wheeler, was born in Calais, Vermont. He was a farmer and at one time resided in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Cheney, daughter of Joseph Cheney, of Bradford, New Hampshire, and had a family of nine children, five of whom are now living, namely: Mary L., widow of George G. Fox, of New Boston. Eliza- beth, wife of E. I. Barker, of Nashua. Susannah, wife of D. D. Dickey, of Hancock. Nathaniel N., who resides in Nashua. William W., also a resi- nent of that city.

(IX) William Wallace, son of Elisha and Eliza- betli (Cheney) Wheeler, was born in Cambridge- port, Massachusetts, August 4, 1846. His pre- liminary studies were pursued in the public schools, and he completed his education at the Francistown (New Hampshire) Academy. When eighteen years old he entered the employ of D. A. Gregg, of Wilton, this state, and subsequently going to Nashua he

(VIII)

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obtained the position of shipping clerk with Messrs. Spaulding and Stearns, flour and grain merchants. In 1884 he joined the Nashua police force, and hav- ing proved himself a man of unusual ability and worth as well as a most efficient officer, he was promoted to the rank of captain during the ad- ministration of Mayor John Spalding. He was later made deputy marshal and on January 1, 1905, was advanced to the position of marshal, in which capacity he is now serving. As the official head of the police force he has not only realized the ex- pectations of his personal friends and supporters, but is regarded by the citizens in general as an able public officer, possessing a requisite amount of . executive ability for any emergency which may arise, and his efforts in preserving the customary peace and good order of the city are heartily ap- proved and appreciated.

In politics Marshal Wheeler acts with the Republicans, but is absolutely free from partisan prejudice. He is an Odd Fellow, affiliating with Granite Lodge, No. I, and in his religious belief is a Baptist, being a member of the Crown Hill Church. For his first wife he married Anna E. Lane, daughter of David C. and Sarah (French) Lane, of Meredith, New Hampshire. His present wife was before marriage Minnie E. East- man, daughter of John and Margaret (Quinlin) Eastman, of Milford. His children, all by his first union, are: Lillian, wife of George G. Sadd, of Nashua. David S., corresponding clerk for the Boston & Maine Railway Company. Harry A., an operator in the employ of the Consolidated Wire- less Telegraph Company at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

(II) John, who may have been a son of George Wheeler, was a native of Concord, Massachusetts, and passed his life in that town, where he was prominent in town affairs and a deacon of the church. He died September 27, 1713. He was married, December 27, 1678, to Sarah Stearns, who was born January 14, 1662, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Beers) Stearns, of Lexington. Their chil- dren were: Joseph, Ebenezer, Thankful, John, Sarah, Abigail, Thomas, Jonathan and Nathan.

(III) John (2), third son and fourth child of Jolın (I) and Sarah (Stearns) Wheeler, was born February 6, 1684, in Concord, and continued to re- side in that town as late as 1721; probably passed his entire life there. He was married March 8, 17II, to Dorothy Hosmer, of Concord. Their chil- dren, born in Concord, werc: John, Dorothy (died young), Josiah and Dorothy.

(IV) Josiah, second son and third child of John (2) and Dorothy (Hosmer) Wheeler, was born . March 29, 1718, in Concord, and lived in that town. He was married, February I, 1741, to Mary Lee, who was born November 9, 1724, in Concord, daughter of Dr. Joseph and Ruth Lee. She died March II, 1799, having survived her hus- band, who died about 1790. Their children were : Josiah, Nathan, Mary, Anna, Abigail, Hepzibah, Dorothy and Thomas.

(V) Nathan, second son and child of Josiah and Mary (Lce) Wheeler, was born January 9, 1745, in Concord, Massachusetts, and was an early settler of Temple, New Hampshire, where he was a farmer and died May 7, 1834. He was an active member of the church, and served as tything man in 1785. He married Lydia Adams, who was born August 15, 1757, in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, daughter of Ephraim and Lydia (Kinsman) Adams. She died in October, 1800. Their children were : Nathan, Lydia and Josiah. (Mention of Josiah and descendants forms a part of this article.)

(VI) Nathan (2), eldest child of Nathan (I) and Lydia (Adams) Wheeler, was born in Temple. October 20, 1781, and died October 1, 1881. aged one hundred years. lacking twenty days. He was a merchant in Lyndeborough and Temple, and a leading man in both communities. For many years he was a deacon in the Congregational Church; in 1815 he was Captain Wheeler; in 1836 Nathan Wheeler, Nathaniel Kingsbury and men of that class gave character to the "Temple Lyceum and For- ensic Society :" he kept a record of events that was of much assistance to a historian of the town of Temple in compiling its history; and was a public man whose services were required in town affairs of Temple for many years. He served as tything man for years, and was moderator fourteen years, between 1824 and 1849, inclusive; and was select- man in 1844. He married Rachel Cummings, who was born in Temple, in 1784, and died in Temple, September 1, 1841, aged fifty-seven years. The chil- dren of this union were: Nathan C., Ephrain A., Luther, George T., Lydia, John. a son died in infancy, and Isaiah, whose sketch follows.

(VII) Isaiah, sixth son and eighth child of Nathan (2) and Rachel (Cummings) Wheeler, was born in Temple, February 7, 1824. After acquiring a practical education in the common schools and at the Academy of New Ipswich, he took charge of his father's farm which he later inherited, and taught school winters and engaged in agriculture the remainder of the year. There he resided until 1885, when he removed to Greenville, where he now resides. In both Temple and Greenville Mr. Wheeler has been a man of influence and has taken a part in public affairs and served in the legislature as a representative of each town. He is a member of the Congregational Church, and has served as deacon. He has a long and honorable record as a citizen, a christian gentleman and a business man. He married, in Temple, February 17, 1848, Eliza- beth Fisk Gutterson, who was born in Milford, April 18, 1823, and died in Greenville, May 21, 1873. She was the daughter of Josiah and Phebe (Buss) Gutterson, of Milford. Four children were born of this marriage: Lydia J., died in youth Lizzie A. Walter M, who is a fruit grower, and resides at Grand Junction, Colorado. Charles T., who resides in Greenville. He married, October 16, 1894, Lena Kimball, and they have two children : Doris and Elsie.

(VI) Josiah, third and youngest child of Na- than and Lydia (Adams) Wheeler, was born in Temple, May II, 1786, and died in Lyndeborough, October 4, 1874. He was a cabinet maker by trade, and settled in Lyndeborough. He was a man who took an interest in public affairs, and was town treasurer. He married (first), December 31, 181I, Dolly Shattuck, who was born September 1, 1788, and died August 14, 1845; (second). April 29, 1846, Dorothy (Whiting) Killan, who was born March 14. 1795, and died December 4, 1870. His children, all by the first wife, were: Dolly, who married Henry I. Kimball. Lydia, who married T. D. Rand. Josiah K., the subject of the next para- graph.

(VII) Josiah Kimball, son of Josiah and Dolly ( Shattuck) Wheeler, was born in Lyndeborough, July 15, 1822, and educated in the common schools of Lyndeborough and at Francestown Academy. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he followed the trade of pat- tern maker, principally in the employ of the Hamil- ton Corporation, cotton goods manufacturers, and was with them about ten years. When, having saved

"fit Wheelen

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enough from his carnings to buy a farm, he settled in Hudson, where he purchased a farm of one hun- dred and thirty acres on which he now resides. Although eighty-five years old, Mr. Wheeler is still able to look after his farm. He is a Republican, and represented Lyndeborough in the New Hamp- shire legislature in the early seventies. lle married (first), November, 1849. Abby Anna Marsh, who died June 12, 1865; and (second) Abbie Ann Wil- son, December 28, 1865, who was born in New Ipswich, July 28, 1836, daughter of Mathias S. and Laura ( Morgan) Wilson, of New Ipswich. They have an adopted daughter, Inez Moffatt, born in Monson, Massachusetts, February 2, 1876, who is a music teacher.

(Second Family.)

Among the numerous settlers of

WHEELER this name who located in Concord, Massachusetts, in its primitive period were several bearing the name of Thomas and also a large number of Johns. All of them appeared to be good citizens, so that the descend- ants of any may feel proud of their progenitors. Captain Thomas Wheeler, of Concord, rendered valuable military service to the colony, but appears to have left no sons who survived the period of youth. The point in England whence these people migrated cannot be obtained, and neither can the identity of the original ancestor be established.

(I) Sergeant Thomas Wheeler, sometimes re- ferred to as Thomas Wheeler, Senior, probably passed his adult life in Concord, Massachusetts. His wife's name was Sarah and their children, born between 1649 and 1673, were: Sarah, Joseph, Mary (died young), Thomas, Ann, Elizabeth, Timothy, Mary, Rebecca and Ruth.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. IV, Part 21

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 878

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 878