George Arthur Wheeler (1858 - 1936)

Born 4 Jan 1858 in Murray, Salt Lake, Utah, USA

Descendants

Died 19 Jul 1936 at age 78 in Milburn, Sanpete, Utah, USA

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Biography

• Find A Grave Memorial

George Arthur Wheeler Birth 4 Jan 1858 Murray, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA Death 19 Jul 1936 (aged 78) Milburn, Sanpete County, Utah, USA Burial: Fairview Pioneer Cemetery Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah, USA Memorial ID: 12245156

George A. was a sheep man, setteling early in Milburn, Sanpete Co., Utah. His parents: Thomas A. and Ann Walker Wheeler. He married first: Thurza Merinda Nay, 1869-1889 (married: 25 Nov 1887) she died in child birth. George later married Annie Deseret Vance, 1875-1928 (married: 21 Jun 1899).

George Arthur Wheeler By Ronald V. Wheeler and Mary Lynne Wheeler York

George Arthur Wheeler was born in South Cottonwood (Murray) Utah on January 4, 1858. He was the third child born to Thomas Arthur and Ann Walker Wheeler.

He helped take care of the farm as a young 14 year old teenager while his dad went on an LDS mission (his older brother had died). He worked hard and was excited because his dad promised him payment of some kind (he was probably hoping for property).

When his father returned, however, he wanted George to go on a mission and tried to get George ready for that but he didn't deliver on the payment. George was upset about what seemed like his dad breaking his word (it might have been he was just slow on the draw). So, at age 17, he left home and went to work for a Mr. Erickson herding sheep. He herded 4,000 sheep from Skull Valley South West of the Great Salt Lake, across the Orem bench to Tintic Valley (near Eureka). He worked for years, taking his payment in sheep.

Eventually he ended up in Milburn, Utah, and at age 29, he married Thursa Merinda Nay on November 25, 1887, and began to homestead 440 acres in North Milburn.

Their first child was a stillborn baby boy which was buried on the property next to a wild yellow rose bush.

They had another child, a boy, named John Arthur Wheeler, born July 15, 1889, who lived only for six days. Thursa died from childbirth complications on July 28, 1889. Both were buried in the Fairview Pioneer Cemetery.

Before George reached the young age of 32, he had lost a wife and two babies. George had to have been a survivor though, living at 6,500 feet altitude in Milburn, with short summers and long winters—continuing to farm on his homestead.

It wasn't until June 21, 1899, when he was 41, that he married Annie Deseret Vance, age 24, from Milburn. Annie Deseret was the youngest daughter of Isaac Y. Vance and Annie Christinia Johanson (born February 3, 1875).

Some time during the years after Thursa died, George sold all of his sheep to Swen O. Nielson for $2 a head. He decided he didn't want to be out on the desert again when his wife was expecting a baby.

Their first child was Annie Teola who was born June 10, 1900. Other children followed including: Nora, George Arthur, Jr. , Elva, Henry Vance, Isaac Wilford, Isabelle, and Thurman Woodrow.

When Henry was born, George was already almost fifty years old. This had to be a particular challenge for both father, George and for his wife Annie Deseret and for the children.

George was said to be honest. He was a worker, and was said to be stern. But there was joy and happiness in the family. He bought a piano and Teola and some of the other siblings learned to play the piano. The family sang and learned to love music from early on. When Teola left home, the family used a player piano, and still sang together many nights. Teola, Bill, Woodrow and Henry all expressed a love for the music in their home.

Uncle Bill (Wilford) said they always had birthday and Christmas celebrations, and Santa Claus always left them something.

Another sad blow to the family was when their daughter Nora, died in 1921. Woodrow tells of the family moving to Fairview so the kids would all be closer to school in the Fall and Winter of 1920-21. "Most of us kids caught the Red Measles during the winter and we were kept in a dark room all of the time because light was believed to be bad on the eyes. My sister Nora died with it on March 3, 1921. She was 19." She was buried in the Fairview Pioneer Cemetery.

The children one by one, went off to find work, fortunes, and family --many leaving for Salt Lake. Teola left first to be a housekeeper, Art went to barber school, and then Elva went to find work. George asked Henry (called Vance in the early years) to stay and help him with the sheep and farm.

They had sheep, chickens, pigs, cows and horses. They raised barley and wheat and also planted a large garden.

Annie Deseret died on June 12, 1928, at the age 53, of summer pneumonia. Her death left a huge void in the family. Thurman Woodrow, the youngest child was only ten at the time.

Around the time of Annie Deseret's death, George was hit by a hay fork, and had a bout with kidney stones and they decided to go to Salt Lake for recovery-- staying with one of the daughters. The younger kids went with him.

Henry stayed behind to take care of the farm. He met and began dating Ethel Marie Bills who was working for a neighbor, Swen O. Nielson as a cook. They were married on June 24, l931.

George and the family came back to Milburn the following spring. But George could not do much farm work after that. He would have been about 70 by then. Bill, Miranda, Henry, Ethel as well as Belle and Woodrow all helped care for George in his last years.

Ethel said that in the beginning, she thought it was a scary bunch of people she had gone to live with. One day, she left and took the train back home to Fairview. Her dad told her that she would never want for a roof over her head or for food on the table if she would stick it out with Henry. Her mother said, "Get back on that train and make it work." She was glad she did. (We wonder if the family was still grieving and depressed from losing their mother. Or, it might have just been the "Wheeler way".)

Uncle Bill (Wilford) married Merinda Jensen one of his teenage friends, and they lived in the Bill's place for the first winter. They nearly froze to death, and moved back into the back part of the Wheeler family house with George. Henry and Ethel lived in the front part.

The family struggled, like everyone throughout the depression years. But, Ethel said they had eggs to sell or trade, and always had food to eat. Ronald said they sold cream each week also that gave them cash to buy groceries or supplies.

Ethel was thankful, when in the bottom of the depression, George went out and bought Henry a new pair of overalls and a dress and coat for Ethel. She said theirs were threadbare. (He probably bought clothes for Bill and Merinda and the rest of the kids, too.)

One day, Ethel was making a meal for a hungry man that had come by. He began to be difficult, and George heard the commotion and came and drove him off for her. She was grateful for someone to watch out for her when Henry was away.

George fell one night in a rain storm and contracted pneumonia. He became very sick and died on July 19, 1936, at the age of 78. He left quite a posterity of hard-working and intelligent children. He is buried in the Fairview Pioneer Cemetery.

Afterword: It's often hard to say what a person is like unless you live with them--especially when so many people "put on the dog" or can be hypocritical. But the scriptures say: "by their fruits ye shall know them." While some of us "characters" get bad press when we "bark" or "holler" or "cuss". . .it often can be just the catalyst to get everybody moving! The opposite. . .smiling sweetly and saying you are so wonderful but requiring nothing will produce nothing but a lot of lazy bounders or a sea of entitled children.

Grandpa George must have had the right amount of bark and setting goals and even being generous from time to time to produce some good fruits including working and providing for a happy family and kids who went on to have families themselves and accomplish their goals and dreams as well.

He didn't hang around and bellyache or wait for his ship to come in. He latched his lasso upon a star and went for it. He left behind family, did without friends and girlfriends to go make a name for himself. He postponed pleasure and posterity while he was working on his goals.

To us his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he left a name to be honored. He set up traditions to be followed. He might have been the one who coined. . . "You're burning daylight" or "My grandfather said. . .Get BACK to WORK!" While we might blame some of our tempers or orneriness on "the Wheeler" side, it may not be all bad. If we can propel ourselves and our families forward to get the work done, to be smart financially, or to get going with developing our talents, or doing what it takes to get an education of one kind or another. Sometimes you have to be just ornery enough to survive! mly

Family Members Parents: Thomas Arthur Wheeler 1830–1900 Ann Walker Wheeler 1827–1897

Spouses: Thirsa Marinda Nay Wheeler 1869–1889 (m. 1887) Annie Deseret Vance Wheeler 1875–1928 (m. 1899)

Siblings: Wilford Thomas Wheeler 1854–1869 Ann Elizabeth Wheeler Labrum 1856–1932 Sarah Ellen Wheeler Jones 1860–1943 Isabella Wheeler Howe 1861–1941 (m. 1882) Josiah Wheeler 1863–1946 Henry Joseph Wheeler 1866–1943 Jesse Wheeler 1868–1932 Nora Wheeler Brown 1873–1954 (m. 1898)

Children: John Arthur Wheeler 1889–1889 Annie Teola Wheeler Nelson 1900–1992 Nora Wheeler 1901–1921 George Arthur Wheeler 1904–1971 Elva Wheeler Wolbert 1906–1988 Henry Vance Wheeler 1907–1992 Isaac Wilford Wheeler 1910–1990 Isabelle Wheeler Taufer 1913–2002 Thurman Woodrow Wheeler 1917–1996

Sources

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 February 2020), memorial page for George Arthur Wheeler (4 Jan 1858–19 Jul 1936), Find A Grave Memorial no. 12245156, citing Fairview Pioneer Cemetery, Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah, USA ; Maintained by Alan L. York (contributor 46811045) .