Samuel Wheeler (1757 - 1818)

Born 13 Jan 1757 in Smithfield, Northampton, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 8 Jun 1818 at age 61 in Nathans Ferry, Clermont Co., Ohio, USA

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Private Samuel Wheeler served with Northumberland County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

Biography

Samuel Wheeler was born on 13 Jan 1757 in Smithfield, Northampton, Pennsylvania (now located in Monroe County); and baptized on 12 Feb 1758 at the Dutch Reformed Church in Smithfield. He was the son of Joseph Wheeler and Maria Alice Holmes. At the time of Samuel Wheeler's birth, Smithfield was located in a region known as the Minisink by early Dutch settlers. Minisink was a fairly large region that encompassed parts of New York (Orange and Ulster Counties), northeastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey that were situated within the Upper Delaware River Valley.^[1] Records of the Dutch Reformed Church at Smithfield indicate that his mother was born at Smithfield, while his father was born in Esopus (which is now Kingston, Ulster, New York).^[2]

Samuel married Elizabeth Drake.

Migration Westward

Samuel made the decision to migrate into the Northwest Territory in 1800, after he lost the land that he held in Pennsylvania for years, when it was determined that he did not actually have title to it. He first settled in Bloom Township (now in Fairfield County, Ohio) nearby his wife's family (i.e.Abram and Effe (Drake) Courtright). But, he soon became discontented with the area and set out for Mason County, Kentucky in 1802, to live nearby his own siblings, John and Joseph Wheeler and Eleanor Desha. Samuel and Elizabeth spent four years in Kentucky before Elizabeth's longing to be near her family and personal sickness became too much to bear. In 1806,^[3] Samuel and Elizabeth returned to their log cabin in Bloom Township where their daughter, Effie was born the following year. All of their children returned to Bloom Township with them, except their eldest son, Joseph. From Bloom Township, the remainder of their children would set out for other parts of Ohio as they aged. Samuel and Elizabeth would remain together in Bloom Township until he passed away in 1818. The preceding information has been adapted from DV Courtright's family history book^[4]

Samuel passed away on 18 Jun 1818 in Clermont County, Ohio while visiting his son, Benjamin Drake Wheeler.

Revolutionary War

Samuel's first enlistment with the Northumberland County Militia took place in 1777, for a period of 3 months, under Captain Thomas Gaskins in Colonel John Kelly's Regiment.^[5]

In 1780, Samuel joined Captain Thomas Robinson's company, patrolling the frontier as a Ranger and a Native American spy. Shilling certificates and muster rolls show his service in Robinson's Rangers.^{[6] [7]}

Samuel's widow, Elizabeth, applied for pension on 6 Jul 1847. Her claim was initially denied for lack of evidence, and she passed away before her appeal could be seen to fruition. Their son, Edward, subsequently spent several years accumulating the documentary evidence (copies of shilling certificates, witness testimony, etc.) that was needed to prove her claim to no avail.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Minisink," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 28 Oct 2022. Minisink
2. ↑ Records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Smithfield, Pennsylvania, 1741-1814. Photoreproduction of original from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. Digital Images: Family Search. Image 5 of 12. Accessed 28 Oct 2022. Whieler/Homs Marriage Record
3. ↑ Hervey, Scott. A Complete History of Fairfield County, Ohio. Siebert & Lilley Printers, 1877, page 40. Digital Images: Internet Archive. Accessed 24 Dec 2022]. 1806 Bloom Township Taxpayer
4. ↑ Courtright, Dudley Vattier. History of the Van Kortryks or Courtrights. Heer Printing Company, 1924. Pages 53-54. Digital Images: Internet Archive. Accessed 24 Dec 2022. Migration Westward
5. ↑ Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 1773-2007. Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, ca. 1800-ca.1912. Application File R.11378, Samuel Wheeler, Pennsylvania. Citing National Archives and Records Administration. Digital Images: Digital Public Library of America. Accessed 28 Oct 2022. Samuel Wheeler, Rejected Widow's Pension Application File
6. ↑ Montgomery, Thomas Lynch and Fuller, Frank. Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series. Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1906; page . Digital Images: Google Books. Accessed 28 Oct 2022. Shilling Certificate
7. ↑ United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783. Samuel Wheeler, Payment for Service in Robinson's Rangers. Citing Pennsylvania Archives Fifth Series v.8, Ser 5 v. 8, 1906-1906. Digital Images: Family Search. Image 698 of 706. Accessed 24 Dec 2022. Robinson's Rangers