Thomas Wheeler (abt. 1603 - 1686)

Born about Oct 1603 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Beckley) Wheeler — married 6 Apr 1635 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England

Descendants

Died 4 Mar 1686 at about age 82 in North Stonington, New London, Connecticut

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Biography

He is the child of Thomas Wheeler and Dorothy Holloway

Thomas Wheeler was baptized 20 Nov 1603 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire so was likely born a few months before. He married Mary Beckley on 6 Apr 1635 also at Cranfield where their daughters Mary and Elizabeth were born (see R.D. Wheeler Vol 3 and the combined 1998 work of R.D. and G.B. Wheeler for parish register entry sourcing).^[1]

It is not known whether Mary traveled to America with him, whether she died in England, en-route or in the Colonies. A gap of almost 9 years passed between the baptism of Elizabeth in Cranfield (1637) and Isaac & Zipporah in Salem, MA (1648) so it is very possible that Mary died in this period and Thomas married a second Mary, surname unknown. See below for reference to an attached land deed supporting this second marriage.

He first appears in 1635, in Lynn, Massachusetts Colony, when he was elected constable and held other official positions while he live there. In 1642, he was admitted to the privilege of a freeman of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. ^[2]

According to Richard Anson Wheeler's 1900 work cited here^[2] and bearing in mind that the author is a direct descendant of Thomas Wheeler:

During his residence in Lynn, he married a woman named Mary, a young lady of his acquaintance who's family name is unknown, but our family traditions represent her as a woman of pleasing and attractive accomplishments, and in every way worthy of her "liege lord"; she graced her domestic duties with cheerful loveliness, filling Thomas's home with light and love.

This exact same text appears in the 1914 work on the Wheelers by Albert Gallatin Wheeler^[3] so clearly there is a strong family tradition regarding Mary's qualities. Both authors assert that they married in1645 and had 3 children.

However, it is important to note that this claim within the book is not sourced by any vital records of the Colony and he does not list Zipporah, a likely daughter of Thomas & the second Mary who was baptized at the same church in Salem on the same day as Isaac Wheeler.

As of yet no second marriage record to Mary Unknown has been found, nor a death or burial record for Mary Beckley Wheeler between 1637 (baptism of daughter Elizabeth) and the 1648 baptisms of Isaac and Zipporah.

Thomas Wheeler's English history and ancestry was unknown to A.G. and has since been extensively researched by R.D. and G.B. Wheeler in their 1998 works. The 1998 work does not mention a second marriage at all, but the 1657 indenture between Thomas and Robert Rand (Essex County Deeds Vol 1 #44, see attached image) describes Mary as Thomas Wheeler's "now wife", a convention which usually indicated a second (or later) marriage.

This "now wife" terminology is far from concrete proof but is at least an indicator that a second, probably American marriage to a Mary Unknown happened between 1637 and 1648. Unfortunately the "Mary Wheeler" gravestone in Stonington, CT sheds no light on her origins or age. (added by Brad Stauf November 2018)

In 1667, he sold his business in Lynn, and moved to Stonington, Connecticut Colony, following his good friend of James Noyes. In 1669, Thomas became a freeman in Stonington. ^[2][3]

Thomas was very involved with the building up of the town. In 1673, he was nominated to the Connecticut Colony General Court. The following year, (1674), he was one of the original nine who organized the First Congregational Church of Stonington. He helped with the road building and the building of the bridge between Stonington and Groton, (also in London County).

He died in 1686 at the age of 84 and is buried at the Whitehall Burial place located on the Mystic River.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Emmison, F. G. (1943) Bedfordshire Parish Registers, Volume XXVII, Cranfield: 1600-1812; pg 1; Retrieved from: https://archive.org/details/bedfordshirepari27bedf/page/n9/mode/2up
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Richard Anson Wheeler, (1900); History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900; Press of the Day Publishing Company, New London, Conn.; PG 636; Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/historytownston00wheegoog#page/n654/mode/2up
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Albert Gallatin Wheeler, American College of Genealogy (1914). The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America; PG 289-290; https://archive.org/stream/genealogicaland00genegoog#page/n12/mode/2up
4. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 July 2018), memorial page for Thomas Wheeler (1602–4 Mar 1686), Find A Grave: Memorial #8152245, citing White Hall Graveyard, Mystic, New London County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by New England Family (contributor 47735816).

See Also

• "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7FQ-L4W : 3 December 2014), Thomas Wheeler, 04 Mar 1686; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 3,224.
• "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7VD-4TL : 3 December 2014), Thomas Wheeler, 04 Mar 1686; citing , reference p 322; FHL microfilm 3,364.
• Williams, Stephen W. "The Genealogy and History of the Family of Williams" Printed by Merriam & Mirick, Greenfield. 1847. p. 208.see at googlebooks
• American Genealogical Research Institute, (1975); The Wheeler Family; Heritage Press, Inc., Washington, D. C.; PG 30 (4th Thomas Wheeler down from the top)
• Wheeler Genealogy; Raymond David Wheeler Vol. 3 (see attached images on this profile)
• Wheeler Family History...Including Descent from Henry Wheeler (c1503-1557) of Cranfield, Bedfordshire authors Raymond David Wheeler, Gordon Boyce Wheeler (see attached images on this profile)
• Massachusetts Land Records Essex > Deeds 1673-1681 vol 4-5 > image 631 of 711 Volume 5 original page 81

Web Address www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZZ-BT2W?i=630&cc= 2106411&cat=209907

• "History of the town of Stonington, county of New London, Connecticut, from its frist settlement in 1649 to 1900" by Wheeler, Richard Anson, b. 1817. Publication date 1900. WHEELER FAMILY Pgs. 636-657. https://archive.org/details/historytownston00wheegoog/page/636/mode/2up