Henry Wheeler Sr (bef. 1635 - bef. 1697)

Born before 8 Feb 1635 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail (Allen) Wheeler — married about 1658 in Salisbury, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before Jan 1697 at about age 61 in Boston, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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Henry Wheeler Sr migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Parentage; Date and Place of Birth

Henry Wheeler, the son of John Wheeler and Agnes (Yeoman) Wheeler, was baptized on February 8, 1634/5 at St. Edmund's in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.^[1][2]

Immigration; Residency as a Youth in New England

As discussed in his profile, Henry's father, John Wheeler, probably immigrated to New England in 1639 (or perhaps a bit earlier), and Henry (only about 4 at the time), his mother and most of his siblings probably accompanied him. Since John Wheeler and his family initially setted in Salisbury, Massachusetts and removed to Newbury about 1650,^[3] Henry presumably lived with his family in Salisbury until about the age of 15 and then lived with with his family in Newbury until about the time of his marriage.

Marriage

Henry married Abigail Allen.^[2][4][5][6] Their marriage is confirmed by the birth records of Henry's children, which state that his wife's name was Abigail, and the will of Abigail's father, William Allen, which includes a bequest to daughter Abigail Wheeler.^[7][8]

Henry and Abigail's date and place of marriage are uncertain. Familysearch.org's "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001" database includes information from a 1895 compilation of Salisbury marriage information collected by John French Johnson from town and county records and "other" sources, which says that they were married in 1569.^[9] No reliable later source repeats that assertion and no evidence supporting it has been found. There is no entry for Henry and Abigail's marriage in Topsfield Historical Society's 1915 Vital Records of Salisbury.^[10] Both Davis and Hoyt state that they were married "about" 1659,^[2][5] while Torrey's New England Marriages to 1700 states that they were married "by" 1659.^[6] Based on the date of birth of their first-born child (April 1659), however, a marriage date in 1659 is very improbable and a marriage date in 1658 seems much more likely. Since Abigail's family lived in Salisbury, it is reasonably probably that they were married there.

Children

Henry and Abigail had the following children, all born in Salisbury:

1. Henry, b. April 13, 1659,^[11][5] m. before December 1682 Rachel Squire probably in Boston,^[12][4] d. 1684^[4] probably in Boston^[12]
2. Abigail, b. March 7, 1660/1^[11][4][5]
3. William, b. September 6, 1663,^[11][4][5] m. May 26, 1686 Ann Phippen,^[13] d. before May 6, 1704^[13]
4. Moses, b. June 24, 1665^[11][4][5]
5. Ann/Anne (twin), b. May 27, 1667,^[11][4][5] probably m. November 22, 1687 Thomas Riggs (of Gloucester) in Amesbury^[10][5]
6. James (twin), b. May 27, 1667, m. 1st about 1690 Grizzell Squire, m. 2d October 2, 1738 Elizabeth Brintnal in Rehoboth, d. April 1753 in Rehoboth. (See discussion and sources in James' profile.)
7. Josiah, b. April 23, 1669,^[11][4][5] m. Elizabeth ______^[4][5]
8. Ruth, b. July 15, 1671^[11][4][5]
9. Nathaniel, b. March 28, 1675,^[11][4][5] m. November 9, 1697 Mary Bridges in Boston,^[14]
10. Jeremie/Jeremiah, b. July 17, 1677^[11][4][5]
11. Benjamin, b. January 15, 1681/2^[15][4][5]
12. Mary, b. June 5, 1685,^[11][4][5] perhaps m. October 14, 1702 Thomas Harris in Salisbury^[10][5]

Occupation

Henry was a mariner by occupation. A record refers to Henry as the master of a ship built in 1677 by George Carre, Jr. and James Carre.^[16] Henry was referred to as "Mr." in Salisbury town records, but he had mininal landholdings in the town, which suggests that his status was based on non-landholding activities.^[17] Henry showed up rarely in Salisbury town records, but, in 1681, was appointed to carry a letter to reverent Mr. Nicholas Noyes.^[18] According to Hoyt, he was described as a "seaman" in a 1684 deed.^[5] Further supporting evidence for the assertion that Henry was a mariner is provided by the fact that Henry's two eldest sons, Henry Jr.^[19] and William,^[13] became mariners.

Residency in Salisbury and Boston

After his marriage, Henry and Abigail settled in Salisbury, as shown by both the fact that the births of his children were recorded there and a number of other records.^[17] However, at the time of his death, Henry was "of Boston."^[20][5] The date of Henry's move from Salisbury to Boston is uncertain. He may have had residences in both places for a period of time in the 1680s and continued to maintain connections with Salisbury (at last through the Salisbury church) even after he considered himself a resident of Boston. A "Henry Wheler" was included in Boston tax lists for 1681, but Henry was on the Salisbury tax list and received a land alottment in Salisbury in 1682.^[17] Henry sold a house and land in Salisbury to his brother-in-law (husband of his wife's sister Martha), Richard Hubbard, in 1684.^[5][20] However, the birth of Henry's daughter Mary in June 1685 was recorded in Salisbury town records.^[11][4][5] Although Henry and his wife were probably primarily living in Boston by the late 1680s, "Mrs. Wheeler" was included on a list of members of the Salisbury church in 1687^[21] and, according to Hoyt, Henry was admitted as a member of the Salisbury church in 1694.^[5]

Death

Based on a deed dated January 28, 1696/7 which refers to Abigail Wheeler as the relict and widow of Henry Wheeler, Henry died sometime before that date.^[20][5] No Henry Wheeler appears on the list of inhabitants of Boston in 1695, which suggests that he may well have died before that date.^[22] Since the deed refers to Henry as "late of Boston," it is probable that Henry died in Boston.^[20][5]

Chronology of Records

• 1662/3. At a Salisbury town meeting on January 20, 1662/3, Henry Wheeler was granted half of John Gill's ten acre lott toward Exiter Ridge.^[23]
• 1665. A November 7, 1665 deed by John Clough of Salisbury to William Horne of Dover of all his estate in Salisbury included deed of "5 acres butting on Henry Wheelar's."^[24]
• 1666. The inventory of the estate of Richard Goodale of Salisbury taken October 4, 1666 included "land by Henry Wheelars."^[25]
• 1668. John Wheeler named his son Henry Wheeler as executor of his will that he made on March 28, 1668.^[26]
• 1669. Henry Wheeler witnessed a deed dated March 18, 1668/9 by John Stevens Sr and John Stevens Jr, both of Salisbury, to Nathaniel Weare of Hampton.^[27]
• 1669. In a case against Ann Chase for fornication, Elingnor Baily and Judith March, midwives of Newbury, who attended upon Ann Chase on Nov. 23, 1669, deposed that Ann had told them that when she lived "with Henry Wheeler at Salsbury as a servant, shee went from ye house of her master to lodg at ye house of Richard Hubberd & left this man John Allen in her masters house, and shee knew nothing of his coming from thence untill hee met her by ye way she was going to her lodging."^[28]
• 1677. James Freese testified that in 1677 George Carre, Jr. and James Carre built a ship at old Mr. Carre's island for Mr. Allen of which Mr. Henry Wheeler went master. Sworn September 25, 1682.^[16]
• 1679. Hen. Wheeler, aged about 43 years, deposed that being at Mr. George Care's house about six weeks ago, with Tho. Woodbridge and Mr. Isaac Burton, said Carr said he would carry on the ketch according to the agreement, ect. Sworn 2: 10: 1678.^[29]
• 1681. The 1681 Boston tax list for Division 3 (Capt. Daniel HInkman's Company) included the name of Henry Wheler.^[30] (It is unclear whether this record relates to this profile's Henry Wheeler or his son.)
• 1681. At a Salisbury town meeting on July 4, 1681, Cornet Severans and Mr. Wheeler were appointed by the town of Salisbury to carry a letter to reverent Mr. Nicholas Noyes from the town and church of Salisbury manifesting their hopes of obtaining him.^[18]
• 1682. A copy of the rates made by the selectman of Salisbury on April 25, 1682 and filed at a Quarterly Court in Ipswich in September 1682 listed Henry Wheeler as having 2 cowes, 1 swine, 6 acres of pasture, 2 houses, 1 head, 2 commonages, and a total estate of £9-3-0.^[31]
• 1682. At a Salisbury town meeting on May 18, 1682 lots were drawn and Henry Wheeler was allocated lot 17, consisting of 12 acres.^[32]
• 1684. Henry Wheeler of Salisbury, seaman, deeded a house and land in Salisbury to Richard Hubbard in 1684.^[5] (Hoyt indicated that he was uncertain whether this record related to this profile's Henry Wheeler or his son,^[5] but the language of the 1697 deed referenced below makes it clear that the 1684 deed was by this profile's Henry Wheeler.)
• 1694. Henry Wheeler admitted as a member of the Salisbury church.^[5]
• 1697. Richard Hubbard of Boston, by deed dated January 28, 1696/7, sold to Abigail Wheeler of Boston, relict and widow of Henry Wheeler late of Boston, the house and land that Hubbard had purchased from Henry Wheeler by deed dated December 25, 1684.^[20]

^{[6] [9] [22] [30] [19] [17] [32] [18] [23] [26] [27] [25] [24] [12] [20] [7] [8] [10] [15] [11] [21] [5] [14] [13] [4] [2] [3] [1] [16] [31] [29] [28]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Parish registers of St. Edmunds, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. FHL Film # 1279311. Viewable at Family History Centers. See image attached to this profile.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Davis, Walter Goodwin. The Ancestry of Annis Spear 1775-1858 of Litchfield, Maine. 1945. p. 135. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} See the profile for John Wheeler.
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15} Wheeler, Albert Gallatin. The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America. American College of Genealogy, 1914. pp. 429-430. Link to pages at archive.org.
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26} Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Mass., with some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Hampton. Part One. 1897. pp. 354-355. Link to pages at hathitrust.org.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Volume 3. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. p. 1636. Link to page at americanancestors.org.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Essex County Probate Records, Vol. 11, pp. 10-13. FHL Film # 007703073, images 319-320. Link to images at familysearch.org.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Davis, Walter Goodwin. The Ancestry of Abel Lunt 1769-1806 of Newbury, Massachusetts. 1963. p. 92. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Johnson, John French. Married in Salisbury, Mass. 1641 to 1800. Collected from Town & County Records and Other Sources. 1895. p. 271. Link to page at familysearch.org.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3} Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849. The Topsfield Historical Society, 1915. p. 513. Link to page at archive.org.
11. ↑ ^{11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11} Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849. The Topsfield Historical Society, 1915. p. 252. Link to page at archive.org.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} The fact that Henry Jr. married Rachel Squire before December 1681 is established by a deed dated December 8, 1681 by Philip Squire to his son-in-law Henry Wheeler and his daughter Rachel. Since Philip Squire lived in Boston and the deed says that Henry Jr. was "of Boston", they were probably married in Boston. Since Henry was "of Boston" in December 1681, he was probably living in Boston when he died in 1684. See Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 12. 131-132. Link to deed at hathitrust.org.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3} Wheeler, Albert Gallatin. The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America. American College of Genealogy, 1914. p. 430. Link to page at archive.org.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Wheeler, Albert Gallatin. The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America. American College of Genealogy, 1914. p. 431. Link to page at archive.org.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849. The Topsfield Historical Society, 1915. p. 253. Link to page at archive.org.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Volume VIII 1680-1683. The Essex Institute, 1921. p. 429. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3} See "Chronology of Records" in this profile.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2} Salisbury Town Records 1638-1858, p. 202. FHL Film # 007902519, image 112. Link to page at familysearch.org.
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 12. 131-132. Link to deed at hathitrust.org.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5} Essex County Deeds, Vol. 11, p. 251-252. FHL Film # 007462657, image 490. Link to image at familysearch.org.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Mass., with some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Hampton. Part One. 1897. p. 24. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} First Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston. 1876. Second Edition, 1881. pp. 156-170. Link to pages at archive.org.
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1} Salisbury Town Records 1638-1858, p. 116. FHL Film # 007902519, image 68. Link to page at familysearch.org.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} "Old Norfolk County Records." The Essex Antiquarian. Volume VI (1902). p. 41. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1} "Old Norfolk County Records." The Essex Antiquarian. Volume VI (1902). pp. 83, 84. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1} The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume II 1665-1674. The Essex Institute, 1917. pp. 200-201. Link to pages at hathitrust.org.
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1} "Old Norfolk County Records." The Essex Antiquarian. Volume VII (1903). p. 137. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1} Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Volume IV 1667-1671. The Essex Institute, 1914. pp. 243-244 fn. Link to pages at hathitrust.org.
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Volume VIII 1680-1683. The Essex Institute, 1921. p. 36. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
30. ↑ ^{30.0 30.1} First Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston. 1876. Second Edition, 1881. p. 71. Link to page at archive.org.
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1} Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Volume VIII 1680-1683. The Essex Institute, 1921. p. 391. Link to page at hathitrust.org.
32. ↑ ^{32.0 32.1} Salisbury Town Records 1638-1858, p. 202. FHL Film # 007902519, image 114. Link to page at familysearch.org.

See also:

• Roberts, Gary Boyd. Notable Kin (Carl Boyer, 3rd; Santa Clarita, California; 1998) Volume One, p120
• Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents (New England Historic Genealogical Society; Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA; 2009)