Citation
  • "TAG: The Father of the Concord Wheelers" (The American Genealogist, Vol. 14, pp 1-4 (July 1837)).
Data
  • Category: Research
Detail
  • Publisher: The American Genealogist, Vol. 14, pp 1-4 (July 1837)
Content
  • Text: An article entitled "Captain Thomas Wheeler and Some of his Descendants," compiled by Mr. Homer W. Brainard, now of Amherst, Mass., was published in THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST in July 1935 (Vol. XII, beginning at page 4). Through the kind offices of Mrs. Helen Turney Sharps of Fairfield, Conn., arrangements were made by Mrs. William Anderson of Pittsburgh, Pa., to obtain a verbatim copy of the will of Thomas Wheeler "the elder," father of Thomas Wheeler, Sr., of Concord and Fairfield, of Timothy Wheeler of Concord, of Lieut. Joseph Wheeler of Concord, of Sergt. Ephraim Wheeler of Concord and Fairfield, and of Capt. Thomas Wheeler of Concord, and father-in-law of Obadiah Wheeler of Concord.

        This copy of the will of "the father of the Concord Wheelers" was made by T. H. Nicholls. Esq. of Birmingham, Eng., and is published by permission of Mrs. Anderson, at whose request the comments which follow are made by the Editor-in-Chief.

        The list of children given in Mr. Brainard's article is amazingly accurate in view of the fact that it was based almost entirely on entries in the parish register of Cranfield. The will reveals the existence of additional children, probably by the first wife. It also casts doubt on the identification of George of Concord as son of Thomas Wheeler "the elder." Such a son was baptized, and at the right date for such identification; but lack of mention of the son George in the will, which mentions every other surviving child by name, makes it doubtful whether this identification can now be sustained. If George son of Thomas "the elder" died young, as now seems likely, we cannot at present place the parentage of George of Concord.

        It has been supposed that Thomas "the elder" was twice married, both because there was a gap of about ten years between the birth of his first son Thomas and that of Timothy, and because he named more than one surviving son Thomas, & rare practice except when there were different mothers. The will reveals that the surviving (second) wife was named Rebecca.

        A slightly corrected account of the family of Thomas Wheeler "the elder" is presented below, followed by the verbatim copy of the will.

        THOMAS WHEELER, born probably about 1565, died at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, between 18 June 1633 and 24 Feb. 1634; married first, _____ ; married second, Rebecca _____

        Children (first certainly, others probably, by first wife):

            i. Thomas, b. about 1591; d. at Fairfield, Conn., in 1654; m. 5 May 1613, Ann Halsey.

            ii. Priscilla, m. _____ Cockes.

            iii. John.

            iv. Elizabeth, m. at Pullohill, Beds, 14 Nov. 1699, Allen Breed: they settled in Lynn, Mass. [See Coll. of Essex Institute, vol. 40, pp. 147-153.]

        Children, probably by second wife:

            v. Timothy, b. abt. 1601; d. at Concord, Mass., 1687, aged 86; executor of his father's will.

            vi. Thomas, bapt. 20 Nov. 1603; prob. d. young.

            vii. George, bapt. 28 Mar. 1605; prob. d. young.

            viii. Susannah, bapt. 31 May 1607; m. 20 Jan. 1633, Obadiah Wheeler, son of John of Cranfield.

            ix. Joseph, bapt. 18 Feb. 1609/10; d. at Concord after 1678.

            x. Abiah, bapt. 17 Jan. 1612/13.

            xi. Mary, bapt. 20 Oct. 1615.

            xii. Ephraim, bapt. 16 Mar. 1618/19; d. at Fairfield, 1670.

            xiii. Thomas, bapt. 8 Apr. 1620; d. at Concord, 10 Dec. 1676; Lieutenant, later Captain.

        The following will is on file at Birmingham, England. Words and phrases printed in italics have been crossed out in the original.

    In the name of God amen the seaventh day of december in the yeare of our lord god one thousand Sixe hundred Twenty and Seaven I Thomas Wheler sen of Cranfield in the County of Bedf. yeoman weake in bodie but of good and pfecte remembrance Gods holie name be praised doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge That is to say ffirst I give and bequeath my soule unto allmightie god my Creator hoping assuredly through the merittes of Jesus Christ to be made ptaker of life everlastinge And my bodie to the Earth whereof it is made Item I give and bequeath unto Rebecca my wife (for and during the terme of her life if she keepe herself a widow) all that Capitall messuage or tenement with the apptenances lying and being in the Towne end of Cranfield aforesaid wch I lately purchased of John Vause Esquire And after the decease of the said Rebecca my wife or day of her marriage with any pson whatsoever I give and bequeath the said Capital messuage or tenemente with all houses edifices buildings yards and gardens groundes comons pfitts and apptenances thereto belonging to Joseph Wheler my sonne and his heirs for ever uppon theese condicons followinge vize that he the said Joseph my sonne shall well and truly pay or cause to be payd out of my said messuage and pmisses the full sume of Thirtye pounds of lawfull money of England to my executor or executrix hereafter named or to such other pson or psons as my said executor or executrix shall nominate and appoynte of of debts where I owe And also pay or cause to be payd out of my said Messuage with the apputenances unto Thomas Wheler my youngest son the full sume of Twenty poundes of lawfull money of England wch sumes of Thirty poundes and twenty poundes to be payd by the said Joseph when he cometh to the full age of one and twenty years within one yeare after my decease And for the better payment of the said sumes by him the said Joseph I have surrendered to his use Twelve acres of Coppie hold land Provided allwaies and my will and minde absolutly is that if the said Joseph my sonne or his assigns doe not pay the said sumes of Thirty and twenty poundes in such maner and forme at such dayes and to such pson or psons as afore is expressed then the gift and bequest of the said Messuage or tenement with the apptenances shalbe voyd and of none effect to all intents and purposes whatsoever And I give and bequeath the said Messuage wth the apptenances comons and pfitts whatsoever to the said Thomas Wheler my yongest sonne and his heires for ever and for default of such issue the remaynder thereof to Efraim Wheler my sonne and his heirs for ever aniething herein to the contrarie hereof in anie wise notwithstanding Item I give and bequeath to Thomas Wheler of [colorly ?] my eldest sonne the sume of Twelve pence Item I give to Prisila Cockes my daughter twelve pence Item I give to John Wheler my sonne twelve pence Item I give to Elizabeth Broad* my daughter twelve pence Item I give to Suzana Wheler my daughter one ewe lame a table and frame standinge in the plor at Borne end house Item I give to Abiah Wheler my daughter one whyte weaninge calfe and Two table clootes Item I give to Marie Wheler my daughter one standinge bedsted and Two Table Clootes Item I give to the said Joseph my sonne one fframe scovell standing in the yard at my messuage at the towne end the old carte and ould wheeles and a dung carte Item I give to the said Efraim Wheler my sonne one frame scovell at the ould Barne end ffower principall postes for a house And all the longe timber under the little scovelles in the close yard at Borne end and one weaning calfe And my will is that Thomas Tomkins shall lawfully convey and assure That ffrehold I bought of him to the said Efraim my sonne and his heires for ever Item I give to the said Thomas Wheler my youngest son one pott one Tegg and ffive pounds of lawful money of England to be payd to him by my executor and executrix at the age of 24 years Item I give to Allin Broad my sonne in law one carte Bodie lying behind the stoles in the ould barne and 2 broad ristes Item I give and bequeath to the said Rebecka my wife all my movable goodes wthin my two dwelling houses at Borne end and the towne end (unbequeathed) and two heffers the one a red the other a little browne one and one ewe sheepe And also my will is that Timothie Wheler my sonne shall have halfe of my messuage closes lands and medowes at Borne end aforesaid and half the benefitt and pfitt thereof for Thre yeares next after my decease (for an ease or helpe towards the payment of my debts) All the rest of my goods and cattelles as well reales as psonales unbequeathed I give and bequeath to the said Timothie my sonne whome I make my full and sole executor of this my last will and testament And if he the said Timothie refuse to be executor of this my will then I make Rebecka my wife executrix of this my last will and I doe hereby utterly revoke and annull in deed and in law all former willes testamentes legaces bequestes and executors by me formely made And lastly my will is that the legacy of xx" shallbe payd by the said Joseph to the said Thomas my youngest sonne out of my said messuage with the appurtenances when he cometh to the age of xxi years In witness whereof I the said Thomas Wheler the elder have to this my last will and testament sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written

    signed
    Thomas Wheler the elder

    Postscrip the 18 daie of June 1633. Itm I give and bequeath unto Efraim Wheeler my sonne one little pshtle late Tomas Tomkins containing one rood and halfe with the apurtenances to the heires and assignes of the said Efraim for ever signed

    Thomas Wheler the elder

    Signed and delivered in the psenee of Tho: Arnald, Richard Arnald, Thomas Baker. No inventory.
    Probate 24 February 1634 granted to the executors named at the Archdeaconry Court of Bedford.

        To this we may add an item sent in 1932 by F. G. Emmison, Esq., Clerk of Records, Bedford, England, to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, from the Trevor-Wingfield Collection : Roll of Arrears of payment of Ship-Money, 1637. County of Bedford, Parish of Cranfield: "Thomas Wheeler gone into New England 01-05-00."

    * Probably the name should be read as "Bread."
Personal Names
PersonClaimDetailEvidence
Ann HalseyNameAnn Halsey [S366] [S2943]
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Thomas WheelerNameThomas Wheeler [S366] [S2943]
secondary
Thomas Wheeler, the elderNameThomas Wheeler , the elder [S2943]
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Relationships
PersonClaimDetailEvidence
Thomas WheelerFatherThomas Wheeler, the elder (~1565-) [S2943]
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Events & Attributes
PersonClaimDateDetailAgeEvidence
Thomas Wheeler, the elderBirthabt 1565England [S2943]
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Thomas WheelerBirthabt 1591England [S366] [S2943]
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Thomas WheelerMarriageMay 5, 1613Ann Halsey, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England [S366] [S2943]
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Thomas Wheeler, the elderWillDec 7, 1627Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England [S2943]
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Thomas Wheeler, the elderCodicilJun 18, 1633Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England [S2943]
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Thomas Wheeler, the elderProbateFeb 24, 1634Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England [S2943]
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Thomas WheelerDeath May 5, 1654 - Aug 23, 1654Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States [S2943]
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Thomas Wheeler, the elderMarriage 2nd [S2943]
Rebecca _____
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