Family of Phineas Wheeler

(This person can be viewed within the Melton/Sharp Ancestry Chart by clicking here)

 

 

1.  PHINEAS⁸ WHEELER  (SHEPPARD⁷, SHEPARD⁶, THOMAS⁵, ISAAC⁴, ISAAC³, THOMAS², THOMAS¹)¹ was born Apr 3, 1785 in Stonington, New London Co., CT², and died Oct 3, 1849 in Lee, Berkshire Co., MA.  He married EUNICE BROWN, daughter of JOSHUA BROWN and EUNICE PALMER.  She was born Sep 27, 1786 in Stonington, New London Co., CT^3,4, and died Oct 9, 1864.  Phineas and Eunice are buried at Fairmount Cemetery, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA.

 

SCRAPBOOK

 

 

Notes for PHINEAS WHEELER:

The 1830 Census for Griswold, New London, Connecticut shows a Phineas living there. This census shows one male 10-15 yrs, one male 20-30, one 40-50, and one 60-70. Lastly, two females that are 40-50 years of age.

Phineas certainly fits as the male 40-50 yrs old, as does Eunice as one of the two females 40-50, but who is the other female that is 40-50? She might be a relative of either Phineas or Eunice, but it is unknown. Based on currently available information, the most likely person would be Eunice's Aunt Delia, but that's quite a long shot.

The 60-70 yr old male could very possibly be Eunice's father, Joshua Brown, and Edwin fits as the 10-15 yr old male.

It could be possible that whoever provided the census taker with the data was mistaken about Thomas' age, stating his age as 20, rather than his true age of 18.

However, the two youngest children (Sylvia and Joshua) don't appear in the household.

 

To summarize the major inconsistencies in the census with respect to the Phineas Wheeler family then (assuming Eunice's father was living in this household):

1) Thomas, the oldest son is at least 2 years younger than what is shown for him on the census.

2) The two youngest children don't appear in the household.

3) The unknown 40-50 yr old woman that is shown in the household.

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A Phineas Wheeler is shown in the Service Records for the War of 1812, which may or may not be this Phineas.

He is listed in Roll Box 223 and Roll Exct 602 and was an Ensign in 30 REG'T (RANDALL'S), CONNECTICUT MILITIA.

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Phineas appears in Stonington, New London Co, CT on the 1810 and 1820 census.

 

The 1810 census shows two males 10-15,  one male 26-44, two females under 10, two females 10-15, and two females 16-25, and one female 26-44.

The 1820 census shows three males under 10,  one male 26-44, one female under 10, two females 10-15, and one female 16-25.

 

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More About PHINEAS WHEELER:

Census 1: 1820, North Stonington, CT roll2 pg587⁵

Census 2: 1810, No Stonington, CT r38 pg277⁶

Census 3: 1830, Griswold, New London, CT rlM19_10 pg169⁷

Census 4: 1840, Lee, Berkshire, MA rlM704_175 pg66⁸

Occupation: 1840, Agriculture

 

More About EUNICE BROWN:

Census: 1860, Lee, Berkshire, MA - pg654-2

     

Children of PHINEAS WHEELER and EUNICE BROWN are:

              i.   THOMAS P.⁹ WHEELER, b. Mar. 14, 1812, Stonington, New London Co., CT; m. (1) MARY L. PERRY, Jul. 3, 1833, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA; b. Sep. 11, 1814, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA; d. Apr. 29, 1837, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA; m. (2) MARGARET CHASE, Oct. 4, 1838, New York; b. Abt. 1813, of Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY; m. (3) MARY ANN UNKNOWN, Bef. 1870; b. Abt. Sep. 30, 1839, MA; d. Jan. 27, 1915, Pittsfield, Berkshire Co, MA.

 

The three inscribed sides of Thomas P. Wheeler's Obelisk:

Located at Fairmount Cemetery in Lee, MA, the above picture is a composite of three photos that Mal Eckert of the Lee Historical Society took in Aug, 2006. They are three faces of an obelisk that is the grave marker for Thomas P. Wheeler and his first two wives. Each of the three of the faces contain an inscription, respectively addressing Polly, Margaret, and Thomas.  They read (left to right):

"POLLY L WIFE OF THOMAS P WHEELER DIED April 30, 1837 Age 22 Years"

"MARGARET, 2nd WIFE OF THOMAS P WHEELER DIED Jan 12, 1860 Age 45 Years"

"WHEELER (appears high on stone showing this to be the marker for the Wheeler family. Then below, the following inscription that is in line with those on the other faces).  THOMAS P WHEELER BORN date DIED date (dates unreadable from picture)

 

 

More About THOMAS P. WHEELER:

Census 1: 1880, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co, NY⁹

Census 2: 1840, Becket, Berkshire Co., MA pg83¹⁰

Census 3: 1850, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA pg 35

Census 4: 1870, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY

Occupation 1: Bet. 1870 - 1880, Farmer

Occupation 2: 1850, Laborer

Residence 1: Bet. 1868 - 1881, Stephentown Centre, Rensselaer Co., NY

Residence 2: 1838, Lee, Berkshire Co., MA

 

More About MARY L. PERRY:

Cause of Death: marasmus

Medical Information: Usually occurring only in very young children, this condition appears as an intense emaciation due to malnutrition.

 

More About THOMAS WHEELER and MARY PERRY:

Marriage: Jul. 3, 1833, Lee, Berkshire County, MA

 

More About THOMAS WHEELER and MARGARET CHASE:

Marriage: Oct. 4, 1838, New York

 

More About MARY ANN UNKNOWN:

Census 1: 1870, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY

Census 2: 1880, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co, NY ¹¹

 

More About THOMAS WHEELER and MARY UNKNOWN:

Marriage: Bef. 1870

 

              ii.   LUCY E. WHEELER, b. Jan. 1814, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. Feb. 29, 1816, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

 

Notes for LUCY E. WHEELER:

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taken from: Headstone Inscriptions of the Town of North Stonington, New London County, Conn.,

        Copied by Charles R. Hale, 1932.

 

#71 Brown Cemetery, No. Stonington, New London Co., CT, Directions: East of Town Hall1 ¾ miles

 

 

...

Brown, Capt. Joshua, son of Joshua & Eunice, died Sept. 10, 1828, age 31

Brown, Eunice, wife of Joshua, died Dec. 30, 1837, age 77

Brown, Giles, died Jan. 18, 1835, age 31

Wheeler, Lucy E., daughter of Phinehas & Eunice, died Feb. 29, 1816, age 2 yrs. 1 mo.

 

...

 

More About LUCY E. WHEELER:

Burial: Brown Cemetery, North Stonington, CT.

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             iii.    EDWIN P. WHEELER ¹², b. Aug. 15, 1817, North Stonington, New London Co., CT; d. Dec. 26, 1886, Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA; m. LYDIA UNKNOWN; b. Abt. 1815, New York; d. Feb. 14, 1865.

 

             iv.   SYLVIA E. WHEELER, b. Abt. 1823, Connecticut; m. DAVID SWEET, JR., May 1, 1844, Lee, Berkshire County, MA; b. Abt. 1823, of Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY; d. Oct. 1, 1893, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY.

 

Notes for SYLVIA E. WHEELER:

Interment Record for Sylvia E. Sweet

Name: Sylvia E. Sweet

Born:

Died or Buried:

Buried: Stephentown Association

County/State: Rensselaer, NY

Notes: No dates recorded; town: Stephentown; husband: David Sweet

 

More About SYLVIA E. WHEELER:

Burial: Stephentown Association

Census 1: 1880, Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY

Census 2: 1860, Stephentown, NY - pg221

 

Notes for DAVID SWEET, JR.:

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Interment Record for David Sweet

Name: David Sweet

Born:

Died or Buried: 01 Oct 1893

Age: 70y

Buried: Stephentown Association

County/State: Rensselaer, NY

Notes: town: Stephentown; mother: Esther Brown Sweet; father: David Sweet

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More About DAVID SWEET, JR.:

Burial: Stephentown Association

Census: 1860, Stephentown, NY - pg221

Residence: Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., NY

 

More About DAVID SWEET and SYLVIA WHEELER:

Marriage: May 01, 1844, Lee, Berkshire County, MA

 

             v.   JOSHUA ORRIN WHEELER, b. Sep. 17, 1825; d. Jun. 9, 1843, Lee, Berkshire County, MA²¹.

 

Notes for JOSHUA ORRIN WHEELER:

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Massachusetts Deaths, 1844: Vol. 8, Barnstable to Hampshire; Volume 9, Middlesex to Worcester     

 

WHEELER, Joshua Orrin 

  County: Berkshire Town: Lee

  Volume: 8 Page: 23

  Death Date: 9 June 1843 Title:  

  Age: 17y -m -d 

  Condition:  Male/Single

  Cause:  Inflammation in the Bowels

  Occupation:  Scholar

  Place of Birth:  Lee

  Father/Husband:  Phineas WHEELER

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More About JOSHUA ORRIN WHEELER:

Cause of Death: Inflamation of the bowels

 

 

 

Endnotes

 

1.  Wildey, Anna Chesebrough, Genealogy of the Descendants of William Chesebrough of Boston, Rehoboth Co. MA,  (New York, T. A. Wright, 1903).

2.  Barbour, Lucius Barnes, Barbour Collection - Stonington Vital Records prior to 1850, Vol 4, page 59, shown ar "Phinehas Wheeler born April 3, 1784."

3.  Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of Stonington, New London Co., CT from 1649-1900,  (New London, CT Press of the Day Publishing Co., 1900).

4.  Barbour, Lucius Barnes, Barbour Collection - Stonington Vital Records prior to 1850, Vol 4, pg16.

5.  Census, 1820, CT, New London Co, North. Stonington, Roll2, p587.

6.  Census, 1810, CT, New London Co, North. Stonington, Roll38, p149.

7.  Census, 1830, CT, New London, Griswald, Roll10, p169.

8.  Census, 1840, MA, Berkshire Co, Lee, Roll175, p66.

9.  Census, 1880, NY, Rensselaer Co, Stephentown, Roll922, p592b.

10.  Census, 1840, MA, Berkshire Co, Becket, Roll175, p83.

11.  Census, 1880, NY, Rensselaer Co, Stephentown, Roll922, p592b.

12.  Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of Stonington, New London Co., CT from 1649-1900,  (New London, CT Press of the Day Publishing Co., 1900).

13.  Census, 1860, MA, Berkshire Co, Lee, Roll487, p704.

14.  Census, 1840, MA, Berkshire Co, Pittsfield, Roll176, p199a.

15.  Census, 1850, NY, Columbia Co, Chatham,.

16.  Census, 1870, MA, Berkshire Co, Stockbridge, Roll602, p729b.

17.  Census, 1880, NY, Rensselaer Co, Stephentown, Roll922, p592b.

18.  Census, 1880, MA, Berkshire Co, Stockbridge, Roll521, p14a.

19.  Census, 1860, MA, Berkshire Co, Lee, Roll487, p704.

20.  Census, 1850, NY, Columbia Co, Chatham,.

21.  Massachusetts Deaths, 1844: Vol 8, Barnstable to Hampshire, Page 23.