John Wheeler (abt. 1758 - 1823)

Descendants

Died 12 Mar 1823 at about age 65 in Aurora, Preston, West Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Kristina Wheeler [send private message] and Mark Ross [send private message]

YDNA

YDNA analysis is currently on going with the only current matches (outside of 3 descendents on two lines) in Spain, Albania, Sardinia and dominican republic. Even those are not close. Work continues through YDNA analysis on other sites the Family Tree DNA to hopefully start narrowing down a country. It is suspected that John's roots are likely not English in Nature.

The YDnA of John's line is a branchy off the J-Z600 tree with no other matches, it's comparable is J-Z2509 with 299 members, a match with a 9 step distance at 111 has the last name of Walters.

Biography

“History of Preston County West Virginia,” Oren F. Morton, 1914, Page 403 John Wheeler, a son of English parents, came from Hagerstown in 1804, and settled near Eglon on a farm of 325 acres. John J., the one son to remain, lived on the Lawton farm between Amboy and Rowlesburg. William, a magistrate, lived on the home farm but at length went to Indiana. Two sons of John remained, David locating at Reedsville and Henry H., settling at Rowlesburg in 1851, where he was a magistrate 37 years.

“History of Preston County West Virginia,” Oren F. Morton, 1914, Page 478 WHEELER John -m. Catharine Gauer -c-2: 1. Matilda -m. Nicholas Elsey. 2. John† -b. 1794, d. 1864 -m. Sarah Rinehart. 3. William -b. 1799, d. 1884 -m. Charlotte Rinehart -Lewis. 4. Jacob -m. Margaret Grimes -Lewis.* 6. Abraham -Upshur.*

Conflicts

It is common to see John Wheeler and Catherine Gower/Gowers/Gauer in the family trees online as connected and the parents of the children that I will list. I truly ask that we speak and collaborate on anything that is changed on her -

But evidence that does not conflict itself when I view those trees is rare, I have yet to have a solidified unquestionable view of which of the records attached to John Wheeler is truly ours and makes total sense when you line all the evidence up.

There is also potential that he had a 2nd wife.

In a nut shell from when I left the genealogy world a decade ago the story was he was born on a ship bound from England, his mother died on the ship and he was raised in a German colony. His mother's last name was Weiler, but that those who raised him wanted him to have less struggles so it became Wheeler to make him English. This "succint" information I believe came to from a fellow researcher I talker to years ago by the name of Phil Wheeler and in general what I'd seen made sense.. but I never got around to fully questioning every bit of evidence and put it through the ringer. This time I do plan on that.

The children of John and Catherine tend to be able to easily identify as related, the legends follow the census records. And parents at times are referred to in documents as J Wheeler and C Wheeler.

My aim in this page is to take all the evidence and either "prove, disprove" or put why I believe it conflicts. And perhaps taking all of the evidence that I find from all trees online and stories we will at least have a solid non conflicted story. And it's great to say our DNA matches - so my story must be right -that doesn't work when we each have different stories for him.

Here goes his story, I am to "prove things" first my proving of all the children. I also question whether they would have a John, then another son Johnathon.

DNA Notes

• Have checked Kristina Wheeler against Jordan Morgan, and Bouchonnet not a match
• YDNA matches for David and Samuel's lines
• DNA through lines show for Abraham, David, Jacob, Samuel and Jane

Biography

The early years

John was born to unconfirmed parents in 1758. One researcher believes he may have been board on board a ship coming from England to America.

His siblings are currently unknown.

Family Life

He would marry Catherine Gower/Gauer about 1780 and they would have:

• Matilda Wheeler (1792-?)
• John Wheeler (1794-1864)
• Jane Elizabeth Wheeler (1798-1853)
• William Wheeler (1799-1884)^[1] Williams death record supports a father by the name of John Wheeler
• Samuel Wheeler (1802-1878)
• Jacob Wheeler (1804-1874)^[2]
• Johnathon Wheeler (1808-1870)
• David Wheeler (1810-1890)
• Abraham Wheeler (1813-1887)

MARRIAGES OF JOHN AND CATHERINE'S CHILDREN When did they leave the nest? If Catherine has died before 1820, then who took care of the younger children?^[3]

• 1. John and Sarah Rinehart Married June 11, 1821 Randolph County
• 2. William and Susan Catherine Rinehart About 1822 Randolph County
• 3. Jane Elizabeth and Nicholas Elsey Married about 1819 Monongalia County
• 4. Samuel and Catherine Irons Were they married in Penna, Maryland or Va. about 1825
• 5. Jacob and Margaret Grimes Marriage about 1823 Lewis County
• 6. Jonathan W and (1) Susannah W Spriggs married, November 12, 1833 (2) married Susannah P McCalley October 18,1844 in Lewis County Court House. Jonathan was then age 36
• 7. David and Phoebe Hall Married March 25, 1833 Harrison County Court House
• 8. Abraham and Elizabeth White Marriage about 1835- When did he leave Preston County

Throughout the years

Death

Online Notes to transcribe and fit it

Found online query from Patricia Hannon

Hi Janet, As far as I know my John WHEELER was never in South Carolina. According to one source he was a Presbyterian preacher and was a Rev. War vet who was present at the surrender at Yorktown. His wife was Catherine GOWER, and their known children were John WHEELER m. Sarah RINEHART, William WHEELER m. Susannah Charlotte Rinehart, Samuel WHEELER m. Catherine IRONS, Jacob WHEELER m. Margaret GRIMES, David WHEELER m. Pheobe HALL, Abraham WHEELER m.1. Elizabeth WHITE m.2. Susan JONES, George Jehu WHEELER, Jonathon WHEELER, Matilda WHEELER m. Nicholas ELSEY. The family was primarily in Momongalia/Preston County, VA (now WV).

Looking for death/burial info on John WHEELER, b. circa 1758 on board ship from England to America; Rev. War veteran; lived in Lancaster Co., PA before 1800; settled in Monongalia/Preston Co., VA (WV) around 1800; according to a family tradition he was living at age 110 in Ohio. He was probably living with one of his grown children or grandchildren at that time. Could they have been in Ashland County? Known children of John WHEELER and his wife, Catherine GOWER were: John, William, Samuel, Jacob, David, Abraham, George Jehu, Jonathon and Matilda (married Nicholas ELSEY).

Another Posting

I just found in a Preston Co., WV history book that my 4th great grandfather, John WHEELER, came with his wife and children from "Lancaster Co., PA in 1800". Also, John WHEELER was supposed to have been "a Presbyterian preacher of England and emigrated to this country before the Revolutionary War, in which he was a soldier under Washington, and was present at the surrender at Yorktown." I have from a family bible of one of John's grandsons that John was born on board ship from England to America. I checked some Lancaster history books and found some Rev. WHEELERs living in Lancaster in the 1880s, so looks like some of my John's relatives may have stayed in Lancaster. John WHEELER married Catherine GOWER/GAUER/GOUR, and their (known) children were: John b. 1794, William b. 1799, Samuel b.1802, Jacob b. 1804, David b. 1811, Abraham b. 1812, George Jehu, Jonathon and Matilda. Does anyone connect with this family?

Notes from John Wheeler: Notes for JOHN WHEELER: Around a bend in the Cheat is the town of Rowlesburg. In the rear of the town is a mountainous wall. Below the peninsula on which the town stands, the hugh bluff presses the river so closely as to compel costly trestling and side-cutting to enable the railroad to gain a foothold. Such is the topographical setting of Rowlesburg. In 1775, the year that the Massachusetts framers fired at Lexington and Concord, one Hezakiah Frazer made a clearing on this tonque of land. He and the WHEELERS and Goffs, his successors in ownership, seem to have lived here in isolation the next three-fourths of a century.

James This SUPPOSITION from Chuck Thornton Possible the father of John. Our "John" was supposedly born either in England or aboard ship (unknown) on the crossing about 1758. Tragedy befell his family-his father died aboard the same ship. Now we have a widow (maiden name unknown) with at least one male child. The things unknown are more accurate than the things known: 1 Ships name; 2 passengers list; 3 Were there other children? 4 Did she remarry? The first documentation on John, Sr. state's that he served in Rev. War under George Washington at the surrender of Yorktown. The National Archives as yet (7/15/2000) do not substantiate this. Research by Chuck Thornton leads him to believe that he fought in the US Navy at the "Battle of the Capes" on Sept. 5 1781. Then we find evidence of John again on the scene a few years later with a wife and some children in Lancaster Co., Pa and then moving on to what is now WV. Speculation about John, Sr. is that he had other siblings. These may have been Ambrose, Elizabeth and Benjamin. Ambrose was an ensign in the US Navy and was killed in battle-"Battle of the Capes". Ambrose being the senior child fathered at least two children and possibly three. His first son was named James and following the English tradition of first born grandsons, could lead one to believe that the father of Ambrose, John, Elizabeth and Benjamin and the husband who died aboard ship was named James Wheeler.

A SNEAK PEAK AT OUR WORK IN PROGRESS

About the time of the publications of the "Rinehart Book" in May of 2001, June and I started searching for Wheeler land records in Preston County, West Virginia. The "Rinehart Book" is an excellent resource for some early Wheeler information in the German Settlement area of Preston County. This publication led us to the Simon Dairy, and I have quoted it in this article. We found Wheeler Lane Road, unknown to us previously in the Eglon area. Most importantly was the chance meeting of Mrs. Clifton (Grace) Bachtel of this area. She knew of the location of a Wheeler farm. This farm, being the one, mentioned in a booklet of the Eglon community published in 1933. EARLY DAYS OF JOHN WHEELER

0 10 16 26 45 0 10 16 26 45 Not

LN Firstname Lastname 10 16 25 45 + 10 16 25 45 + 16 Jno Wheeler 3 2 2 . 1 2 1 1 . 1 . . W460 1810 census The earliest record of John Wheeler that I have found is in the First Census of the United States 1790 from Heads of Families-Virginia, 1792. Also a reference from the book " Maryland Revolutionary Records", by Newman, published 1967, which deals with Maryland Revolutionary Records of Non-Pensioners and has a John Wheeler listed on page 106. In Scharf's History of Western Maryland, Soldiers Lands April 1787 the following information. " Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the Governor to employ a competent person to lay out vacant lands belonging to the State Westward of Fort Cumberland in 50 acre lots. Officers received four lots, privates 1 lot. On page 161 "John Wheeler, Artillery Regiment, Lot number 1734." This land is now underwater at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. There is no indication that John ever settled on this land. The settlement of this land probably never occurred. Another reference known to many Wheeler researchers are "History of Upshur County" (located in the Charles Gibson Public Library, 105 East Main St., Buckhannon, Upshur Co., WV, 26201, Phone/Fax (304) 472-2339, Pp 598-599. "John Worthington Wheeler, merchant and farmer, Malta, W.Va. Born October 25, 1851. Citizen of Barbour County, son of Abram Wheeler, soldier in Union army, and Elizabeth (White) Wheeler. Quote as follows: Grandfather, John Wheeler, was a Presbyterian preacher of England and immigrated to this country before the Revolutionary War, in which he was a soldier under Washington, and was present at the surrender at Yorktown. Grandfather was the owner of twenty slaves, whom he liberated, early in the nineteenth century for conscience sake." Wiley's History of Preston County indicates that John had a cabin in Rowlesburg before 1793. It would be very interesting to find the documentation that Wiley used to make this statement. He must have gone back east, married and then came to the site of Aurora after 1800 from Lancaster, Pa. or Hagerstown, Md. John Wheeler probably was first in Lancaster County, Pa. It being a hotbed of German immigrants that arrived from the Philadelphia Port. At this time, other bits of information indicate that John was of English origin. Why was he in a German area, with German families and married to Catherine Gower (Gauer, Gour), who is "Penna. Dutch"? That being the name the German immigrants at the time were using because of the dislike for the German Empire. According to a story told to Charles M Wheeler Jr. by our father "While visiting in his (CMW) grandfathers home (HHW) as a child, German was spoken." Charles also remembers that Dad told him "John was from England and had been adopted by a family from Heidelberg". Henry H Wheeler died in 1908, my Dad being 22 at that time. Yet, somewhere in history the English origin arose. Some of the history books that record the fact include, from Abraham line's "History of Upshur County", from Samuel's "Genealogy, Descendants of John Wheeler, English Ancestry" and history " History of Preston Co." Morton's, p 403 " John Wheeler, a son of English parents, came from Hagerstown in 1804, and settled on a farm of 325 acres. PRESTON COUNTY 1800 In "History of Preston County", Wiley p 428 state's John Wheeler came from Lancaster County, Pa. in 1800 to the site of Aurora. " I learned also, that along with the Wheelers, the Whitehairs, Rineharts, and the Fritchies came from Alsace Lorraine to Hagerstown, MD. Half of the group stayed there and rest went to Aurora, W.Va." This statement comes from a letter written in 1980 by a member of the family. The Fritchies did not but the rest is true. Morton's also writes of John Wheeler being in the area in 1804, coming from Hagerstown, Maryland and in the company of John Felton. The date of 1804 does not coincide with early legal history of John Wheeler. Court records for that year list John on personal property tax list for 1802,03,04,05,06. A tithables list, a list for insolvent, and a work crew list in 1803 also names John. In October 1804 at Monongalia County Court, he paid up with the Sheriff for 1802. This means he was in the county by at least 1801. Daniel Felton, (son of John) was born in Frederick County, Maryland, January 19, 1807. If John Felton came with John Wheeler then they arrived before 1803 then John Felton did not bring his family with him on the early trip. Charles Byrn's Tithables List for 1812 records John Wheeler with two males over 16 and 3 horses. The same tithables list for 1813 shows John Wheeler with one male over 16 and 2 horses. A search of the War of 1812 records produced John Wheeler's (first son) record; he served during the 1813 census period having served about three months. As previously, noted John Wheeler was to have settled in Eglon on a 325-acre farm. As of this date, we have not found the location of this farm. Somewhere I found that he settled on the Deakins land. This led to search of the possible site that was granted to Deakins. Starting with Land Grants in 1784 up to 1789, the sites acquired in the Head of Youghiogheny (1) 1000 acres adjoining another tract, apparently of his, (2) 269 Head of Yough (5) 281- adjoining their 238 acre tract. In 1786, the Deakins acquired well over 7000 acres with 1185 acres at Big Yough and Horseshoe Road. In 1787 they acquired another 7000-8000 acres and in 1788 they acquired another 2500 acres and in 1789 another 11000 acres. The calculations are coarse and are shown to illustrate the task of trying to find 325 acres of Deakins land near Eglon. Again, I think that Wiley is misstating some information. If John had settled on a farm in Eglon around 1804, then all his tax information and other legal documents would have been found in Randolph County. William, his son, settled in the Eglon area and documentation to that fact was found in Randolph County. Now for the decisive moment or supposition as my dear wife would recommend. My calculations and suspicions are that he settled on land that belonged to Deakins. This could be about anywhere in eastern Preston County, since the Deakins owned so much land. There is no record of purchase. Perhaps he did not stay the 10 years that Deakins and Hoye required. From the "Pioneer History of Aurora", 1890 is the statement; John Wheeler settled further out on the Deakins land closer to the river. Please look at the Preston County map for the lane called Deakins off Lantz Ridge. This is close to Rowlesburg, just above the town on top of the hill. Someday Wheeler DNA will be discovered here and prove me to be correct in my suppositions. His son John Jr. bought land in the immediate area in 1842. Before that, he was in the Maple Run area for several years. Did the youngest son come back to the area he was raised as a child? Did John settle here from prior knowledge of the land from his early visit to the county? Down the backside of this mountain brings us to foot of Laurel Mountain where he was supposed to be in 1826, from the Simon Dairy.

Catherine is not on the 1820 census. I would again suppose that she is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Sources

1. ↑ West Virginia, Deaths Index, 1853-1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: "West Virginia Deaths, 1853–1970." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah. From originals housed in county courthouses throughout West Virginia. "Death Records.". Film #827559
2. ↑ West Virginia, Deaths Index, 1853-1973, death listing for Jacob states father was J. Wheeler and mother was C. Wheeler. FHL Film #825106
3. ↑ Online query and listing

“History of Preston County West Virginia,” Oren F. Morton, 1914

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• Phil Wheeler