George Wheeler, of Town End & Concord

George Wheeler, of Town End & Concord

• Birth: before 23 Mar 1605 - Town End, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England
• Parish records of Cranfield, England give George Wheeler's baptism as March 23, 1605/6
• Parents: Thomas Wheeler of Town End, Dorothy Holloway
• Married: Katherine Pin
• Death: 02 Jun 1687, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts

George Wheeler immigrated with wife and children between 1636 and 1640, as the child born in 1636 was born in England and the child born 1640 was born in Concord, Massachusetts.

From "The genealogical and encyclopedic history of the Wheeler family in America"

100. GEORGE WHEELER. Probably of all of the Wheelers who came to America before the year 1640 none was of greater distinction or of more importance to the town in which he lived than George Wheeler of Concord. His name appears on the Concord records the 1st year they were kept and every year thereafter till he died. The circumstantial evidence of his having been the brother of Timothy Wheeler and of Captain Thomas Wheeler is of the highest order. The English records make it quite clear that George Wheeler had a brother Thomas and Thomas is clearly proven to have been a brother of Timothy. With Timothy he owned considerable property jointly, and together they were in possession of most of the real estate left by the Rev. Peter Bulkeley. Authorities agree that George Wheeler came to Concord about the year 1638 with his wife Katherine and several children. Walcott in his History of Concord asserts that he was one of the few men who "were foremost in the town's business, by virtue of their large estates as well as their integrity and good judgment. He was a man of education, and the owner of a large amount of property, his house lot alone consisting of eleven acres, while he possessed lands in every part of the town, at Brook Meadows, Fairhaven Meadow, the Cranefield, by Walden Goose Pond, Flint's Pond, on the White Pond Plain, on the Sudbury line, etc. He held as many positions of trust and was as active in the direction of the town's affairs as any individual in Concord, serving at various times on substantially every committee of consequence, and leading in all matters of moment, as is evidenced by the fact that nearly every town deed and petition of any importance from either the Church or the civic community of that time bears his signature. His will, which is given here, is dated January 28, 1684-5 and was admitted to probate June 2, 1687, thus establishing the approximate time of his death.

http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/wheeler.htm

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32730759

• Birth: 1606
• Bedfordshire, England
• Death: Jun. 2, 1687
• Concord
• Middlesex County
• Massachusetts, USA

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Notes

Parish records of Cranfield, England give George Wheeler's baptism as March 23, 1605/6.

George, his wife, KATHERINE (PINN) WHEELER, and three of their children probably came to America from Cranfield Parish, Bedforshire, England around 1638/39. Although the names of the parents of George are not clear, it is evident that he had two brothers who also came to Concord, Captain Timothy Wheeler and Captain Thomas Wheeler.

The name, George Wheeler, appears in the Concord records from the time they were first kept until his death. He owned jointly with his brother, Timothy, considerable property including the original part of what is now The Colonial Inn in Concord (pictured at right). Together, the brothers owned most of the property left by Rev. Peter Bulkley. George possessed land in every part of the town including Brook Meadows, Fairhaven Meadow, The Cranefield, Walden Goose Pond, Fint's Pond, etc. His home lot and house consisted of eleven acres.

He took the oath of freeman on June 2, 1641.
In 1644, a petition was signed by George, Thomas & Joseph Wheeler and Robert Meriam on behalf of Mr. Ambrose Martin for compassion. On May 14, 1645, a petition was presented to the Town of Concord signed by George & Timothy Wheeler regarding the division of lands. At this time, George Wheeler received 20 acres of land. He was chosen to be an overseer of the south quarter. In 1666, proprietors listed: George Wheeler 24 lots & 434 acres; residence south near James Adam's. Capt. Timothy & Thomas Wheeler were also listed along with Samuel Merriam.

The known children of George & Katherine (Pinn) Wheeler:

1. William Wheeler b. 1631
2. Thomas Wheeler b. abt. 1633
3. Elizabeth (Wheeler) Fletcher b. Jan. 3, 1635
4. Sarah (Wheeler) Dudley b. Jan. 30, 1640
5. Ruth (Wheeler) Hartwell b. Feb. 23, 1641
6. JOHN WHEELER, my ancestor, b. Jan. 19, 1643
7. Mary (Wheeler) Fox b. July 6, 1645
8. Hannah (Wheeler) Fletcher b. 1654

NO TOMBSTONE REMAINS.

Family links:

Parents:

 Thomas Wheeler (1561 - 1635)

 Rebecca Sayre Wheeler (1565 - 1653)

Spouse:

 Katherine Pin Wheeler (1611 - 1684)

Children:

 William Wheeler (1631 - 1683)*

 Elizabeth Wheeler Fletcher (1636 - 1704)*

 Sarah Wheeler Dudley (1640 - 1713)*

 Ruth Wheeler Hartwell (1641 - 1713)*

 John Wheeler (1643 - 1713)*

 Hannah Wheeler Fletcher (1654 - 1697)*

Siblings:

 Thomas Wheeler (1588 - 1654)*

 Thomas Wheeler (1589 - 1654)*

 Grace Wheeler Brooks (1600 - 1664)*

 Timothy Wheeler (1601 - 1687)*

 Elizabeth Wheeler Breed (1602 - 1637)*

 George Wheeler (1606 - 1687)

 Joseph Wheeler (1610 - 1681)*

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Will of George Wheeler, Sr.,

I George Wheeler Senior in the Town of Concord in the County of Middlesex in the Massachusetts Colony in New England being in a confident measure of memory & understanding : praised be God : doe make this my last Will & Testament in manner and forme as follows:

loweth: First: My soul I commite to God y* gave it me believing in the Lord Jesus Christ my onely Lord & Savior who will raise my body att the last & great day to life eternall: & my body to decent buryall: first: I will y* my due debts be honebly paid & funnerall charges satisfied: for my temprall estate as foUoweth: first I will that my whole estate shall stande engaged & be responseable for my comfortable maintenance in all respects during the term of my life: & as to my funnerall charges to be borne by my whole estate also the charges of execution & all court confirmation and enroulment be borne by my whole estate: I will to my two sons Thomas Wheeler & John Wheeler my mansion dwelling house barns cow houses & orchards with y* part of the home lot joyning to said house & orchards down to the cross fence y* stood cross ye sd lot in equall right of p'"priety the lower part of sd lot down to John Scorthford house I give to my son Thomas & y* part of my lot lying between Joshua Wheeler & John Scorthford I give to my son John: I give to my two sons Thomas & John my six acers bought of Gershon Bulkeley lying over the hills equally in right: also I give to my sons Thomas & John my twenty eight acers of woodland lying in the north quarter over the river equall in right: also I give to the children of my son William, deceased as a legacy out of my estate the sume of sixty six pounds seven shillings to be paid to them by the executors of this my will in equall right of propriety onely my will is y* my medow at brooke medow on both sides of the brook excepting y* p*^ I give to my son Thomas as also my one acer in ash swamp at Fairehaven: be by the executors of this my will be dispoossed of to my son Williams children & to be as pte of y® above sd legacy: also the two acers & a halfe of a medow on the northwest side of the brake at brooke medow joyning to my son Williams pastor it is not my said son Williams but I will it to my executors to administer upon it as my estate: I give to my son Thomas my piece of medow at Brooke medow joyning to John Wheeler medow lying on the northwest side of the brooke three acers more or less: I give to my son John my two acers & a halfe of medow in spring medow more or less : I give to my two sones Thomas & John my medow in ye medow called the great medow with my pte of the post in equall right: I give to my son John my fourteen acers at the south field on the east side of the Country way againt Compe's house also two acers in muddy medow swamp: I give to my sons Thomas & John my fourty four acers lying north of Waldon Pond in equall right : I give to my son Thomas my fourteen acers lying on the southeast of the south river joyning to Nathaniel & John Billings I give to my son John my six acers joyning to Daniel Dane southeast from mount Taber: I give to my Sones Thomas & John my eight acers joyning to Mr. Flints pond lying by the east quarter lyne in equall right : I give to my son John my four acers in John Mills pastor joyning to the south river: also I give to my two sons Thomas & John out of my moveable estate five pounds a piece: I give to my son Thomas ten pounds out of my moveable estate in consideration he is short of his brothers in receit of parts (msg) give to my daughter ifoxes children six pounds equall amongst them: I give to my four daughters Elizabeth Fletcher, Sarah Dudly, Ruth Hartwell & Hanah Fletcher the sume of fifteen pounds apiece in good & currant Countery pay to be paid to them in Concord currant price : allso I will & reserve to my selfe during my life a comfortable maintenance in all respects & y^ Charge of my maintenance upon my estate viz begine in the year one thousand six hundred eighty & two on to the day of my Death : which said Charge is to come out & be leavied upon my estate I meane this my estate in this my will given & legacyes bequeathed: & my will is y* when that all Charges concerning my maintenance & decent buryall & otherwise be satisfied : y* then each legacye & estate given doe then abate their due & true & just proportion: what y^ executors of this my will shall bring in account truly due all & each of my children sons & daughters resting contented with their due part of my estate in this my will given be it more or less ye whole ore but part here given: for I know not the ay of my death & so not what my comfortable maintenance may spend : I give to my sons Thomas & John my seven acers lying in ye corner nere Watertovsm lyne also my will is that no legacy shall be required untill two years after my death: these lands I give to my two sons Thomas & John their heirs & assigns be it more or less also I will constitute & make my two sons Thomas Wheeler & John Wheeler the executors of this my will & equally to pay all legacys each his equall p portion: This I George Wheeler Senior make this my laste will all my former Wills to be anullity & voide. Witness my hand & seal this twenty eight day of January in the year one thousand six hundred eighty & four.

Geoege Wheeler (Seal) His X mark Signed & sealed in presence of Samuel Meeiam, Jonathan Hubaed & John Scoethfoed. By his Excellency the Governor""

The hereunder written Samuel Meriam and Jonathan Hubard witnesses to this will personally came & appeared before me & made oath on the holy Evangelist that they saw the above written George Wheeler signe scale & declare this to be his last will & testament. Sworne ye second day of July 1687 before me, E. Andeos.

John West, D Secr'y.

George Wheeler was an early settler of Concord: The first record I find of his name is in 1640. He appears to have been a person of some influence, and his name appears often on town records. He was selectman in 1660.

His house lot of 11 acres was at the (present) corner of Main and Walden Streets, and in conjunction with Capt. Timothy Wheeler, who I think was very probably his nephew, he owned a large amount of land in the center of the town. He had also land near the “frog-ponds” and at Walden Pond, and at Nut Meadow Brook.

His death is not recorded but his will was dated January 28, 1684/5 and presented for probate June 2, 1687. (Suffolk Prob. Reg. Vol. X fol. 1) His sons Thomas and John were named executors, but the former had died between the above dates and John was named sole executor.

The will names “the children of my son William deceased, sons Thomas and John, daughters Elizabeth Fletcher, Sarah Dudley, Ruth Hartwell and Hannah Fletcher, and the children of my daughter ‘Fox' “.

His age is not known, but as he had a son married in 1657, and as the birth of the youngest of his eight children occurred in 1645, it is probable that he was born between 1600 and 1610. I think it probable that he was a brother of Obadiah. [Katherine, wife of George, was sister to Obadiah Wheeler. She died 11 Feb. 1684 -- RRW]

Source: The Wheeler Families of Old Concord, Massachusetts

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GEORGE WHEELER, baptized Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England 23 Mar 1605-6, died Concord, Massachusetts 1687, m. Cranfield 8 Jun 1630 KATHERINE PIN, died Concord, Massachusetts 2 Jan 1684-5.

George Wheeler was baptised in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England on March 23 or 28, 1606. His wife was Katherine Pin, or, perhaps, Penn. She died in Concord, Massachusetts on January 2, 1684-5. George survived her but died before June 2, 1687, undoubtedly in Concord. Authorities agree that George Wheeler came to Concord about the year 1638 with his wife Katherine and several children.

George Wheeler was obviously an important man in town affairs. His name appears on the Concord town records the first year they were kept and every year thereafter until he died. Walcott in his History of Concord asserts that George was one of the few men who "were foremost in the town's business, by virtue of their large estates as well as their integrity and good judgment". He was a man of education and the owner of a large amount of property, his house-lot alone consisting of eleven acres. He possessed lands in every part of the town, at Brook Meadows, Fairhaven Meadow, the Cranfield, by Walden Goose Pond, Flint's Pond, on the White Pond Plain, on the Sudbury line, etc. He held as many positions of trust and was as active in the direction of the town's affairs as any individual in Concord, serving at various times on substantially every committee of consequence, and leading in all manners of moment, as is evidenced by the fact that nearly every town deed and petition of any importance from either the church or the civic community of that time bears his signature.

In Concord George was a selectman in 1660; on a committee to divide land in 1654; overseer of the south quarter of the town with three others. He also owned land jointly with Timothy Wheeler, who was, no doubt, a relative. With them sharing land, one could imagine them to be brothers, but it appears they were somewhat distant cousins.

The circumstantial evidence of his having been the brother of Timothy Wheeler is tempting. The English records make it quite clear that George Wheeler had a brother Thomas and a Thomas is clearly proven to have been a brother of Timothy. With Timothy he owned considerable property jointly, and together they were in possession of most of the real estate left by Reverend Peter Bulkely. However refer to the overseas ancestor section for clarification of this point.

George made his will on March 28, 1684 a few week's after his wife's death, but the will was not admitted to probate until June 2, 1687, which establishes the approximate date of death. He left a large estate administered by John, apperntly his only surviving son.

See the overseas ancestors section for George's ancestry.

REF: [1] The Ancestry of Edward Wales Blake - Edith Bartlett Sumner, 1948 (pgs.261-262).. [2] History of the Wheeler Family in America - Albert Gallatin Wheeler, Jr., 1914 (pgs.17-20). Concord Vital Records Concord in the Colonial Period - Charles H. Walcott, 1884. Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins - John B. Threlfall, 1990 (pgs.498-499).

Children:

1. William, bap. Cranfield, Eng. 24 Jul 1631, d. Concord, MA 31 Dec 1683, m. 30 Oct 1659 Hannah Busse, b. 18 Feb 1641.

2. Thomas, bap. Cranfield 14 Aug 1633, d. 1687, m. Concord, MA 10 Oct 1657 Hannah Harrod.

3. Elizabethÿbap. Cranfield, Eng. 3 Jan 1635-6, d. Concord, MA 14 Jun 1704, m. Concord 11 Oct 1656 Francis Fletcher, b. Concord 1636.

4. Ruth, b. abt. 1638, d. 1703, m. Concord, MA 26 Oct 1665 Samuel Hartwell, b. Concord 26 Mar 1645.

5. Sarah, b. Concord 30 Mar 1640, d. Concord 12 Dec 1713, m. 26 Dec 1665 Francis Dudley.

6. John, b. Concord 19 Mar 1642-3, d. 27 Sep 1713, m. 25 March 1663 Sarah Larkin, b. 12 Jan 1647, d. 12 Aug 1725.

7. Mary, b. Concord 6 Jul 1645, d. Concord 24 Dec 1678, m. 26 Oct 1665 Eliphalet Fox, d. 15 Aug 1711.

8. Hannah, d. Concord 5 Jul 1697, m. Chelmsford, MA abt. 1673 Samuel Fletcher.
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Links

• http://www.smokykin.com/ged/f001/f20/a0012010.htm
• http://www.gulbangi.com/genrpts/desctwheeler.pdf
• http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=5472&p=localities....

Parents disputed - see John Wheeler and Angnes/Ann Yeoman http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p416.htm#i...

http://miller-aanderson.blogspot.com/2011/07/george-wheeler-1605-16...

Comment from EH Oct 31 2014: these are not good sources for the Wheeler lines. Better ones were used in constructing the profile overview. ________________________

Birth: 1610 Death: 1676 Parents: Thomas Wheeler, Rebecca Wheeler (born Sayre) Siblings: Thomas Wheeler, Priscilla Wheeler, Grace Wheeler, Elizabeth Wheeler, Timothy Wheeler, George Wheeler, Susanna Wheeler, John Wheeler, Joseph Wheeler, Abiah Wheeler, Mary Wheeler, Ephraim Wheeler, Thomas Wheeler

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GEORGE 1 WHEELER m. KATHERINE PYN

George Wheeler was an early settler of Concord: The first record I find of his name is in 1640. He appears to have been a person of some influence, and his name appears often on town records. He was selectman in 1660. His house lot of 11 acres was at the (present) corner of Main and Walden Streets, and in conjunction with Capt. Timothy Wheeler, who I think was very probably his nephew, he owned a large amount of land in the center of the town. He had also land near the “frog-ponds” and at Walden Pond, and at Nut Meadow Brook. His death is not recorded but his will was dated January 28, 1684/5 and presented for probate June 2, 1687. (Suffolk Prob. Reg. Vol. X fol. 1) His sons Thomas and John were named executors, but the former had died between the above dates and John was named sole executor. The will names “the children of my son William deceased, sons Thomas and John, daughters Elizabeth Fletcher, Sarah Dudley, Ruth Hartwell and Hannah Fletcher, and the children of my daughter ‘Fox' “. His age is not known, but as he had a son married in 1657, and as the birth of the youngest of his eight children occurred in 1645, it is probable that he was born between 1600 and 1610. I think it probable that he was a brother of Obadiah.

[George married Katherine Pyn 9 Dec.1631 -- RRW] Katherine d. 2 Jan. 1684/5. According to a letter from Lexington genealogist Winifred Lovering Holman dated 21 June 1945, George Wheeler married first, 12 May 1645, Mary Studd.] His children by Katherine, as shown by his will and by the Town records were:

2. I Thomas 2 m. Hannah Harwood

3. II William 2 [b. 1633 – AY] m. Hannah Buss

4. III Ruth m. Samuel Hartwell

5. IV Elizabeth m. Francis 2 Fletcher [b. 1636 in Concord. They married 1 Aug. 1656. On April 15 1682, their son Samuel 3 Fletcher, who was born 6 Aug. 1657 and died 23 Oct. 1741, married another Elizabeth 2 Wheeler -- #3008. She was born 23 Feb. 1664. Samuel 3 Fletcher was a Corporal under Capt. Timothy Wheeler (#2901) and fought in King Philip's War. He was a Selectman 1705-7. – JCW]

6. V Hannah m. [Samuel] Fletcher [son of William, son of Robert - RRW] [Note: Births, Marriages and Deaths has “Hanna Wheler” marrying Samewell (Samuel) Smedly 11 July 1667 and “ffrancies ffletcher” marrying Elizabeth Wheeler 11 Oct. 1656. See also note under # 5 – JCW]

7. VI Sarah b. 30 March 1640 m. Francis Dudley [They married 26 Oct. 1665. Their son Joseph Dudley married Abigail Goble in Concord 25 Feb. 1689/90. She was the daughter of Thomas Goble (Gobill). Joseph and Abigail's son Benjamin Dudley was born in Concord 20 March 1698/9 and married Elizabeth Rice of Sudbury. Then their son Joseph Dudley married Mary Warren of Westborough in 1732 -- JCW]

8. VII John 2 b. 19 March 1643 m. Sarah Larkin

9. VIII Mary b. 6 Sept. 1645 m. Eliphalet 2 Fox [They married 26 Oct. 1665. He was the son of Thomas and Rebecca Fox. Eliphlet and Mary Wheeler Fox' daughter Mary married Peter Harwood – JCW]

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dowfam3&id=I82839
• THE WHEELER GENEALOGY.THE WHEELER FAMILY OF CRANFIELD, BEDFORDSHIRE SETTLERS OF COLONIAL NEW ENGLAND Volume 3 The Descendants of Thomas Wheeler of Town End, Cranfield, Bedfordshire. Compiled By Raymond David Wheeler Research Edition. KINSYSTEMS Dolgeville, New York. < PDF > “… Fortunately, the entry for one of those children identified this third Thomas Wheeler as Thomas Wheeler, "of the Town End" at the baptism of his son Richard on 13 June 1614. Each of the other four children fit into a logical sequence to form a family unit distinct from that of Thomas Wheeler of Bourne End and his son Thomas Wheeler of Wharley End. It is the family of Thomas Wheeler of the Town End [also of Austen Allen Close], that we cover in this volume.”