Thomas WHEELER

Abt 1602 - 1686  (~ 84 years)

• Name	Thomas WHEELER
  Born	Abt 1602	Cholderton, Wiltshire, England
  Gender	Male
  Baptism	20 Nov 1603
  Occupation	Constable - 1635
  Immigrant?	Y
  Died	6 Mar 1686	Stonington, New London, Connecticut
  Buried	Old Whitehall Burial Place, Stonington, Connecticut
  Person ID	I32615	Main
  Last Modified	4 Nov 2023

  
  

  Family	Mary MNU,   b. Abt 1617,   d. Abt 1680, Stonington, New London, Connecticut  (Age ~ 63 years)
  Children	1. Isaac WHEELER,   b. 1646, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Jun 1712, Stonington, New London, Connecticut  (Age 66 years)   2. Elizabeth WHEELER,   b. 1648, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Aug 1672  (Age 24 years)   3. Sarah WHEELER,   b. 1650, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts
  Last Modified	17 Dec 2023
  Family ID	F12010	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  HISTORY OF STONINGTON CT, by Richard Anson Wheeler, page 636. First appears in Lynn MA in 1635, where he was elected constable, and held other official positions later on. In 1642 He was admitted as freeman of the commonwealth of MA, purchasing large tracts of land there, including a mill site, upon which he built and operated a saw and grist mill. Thomas sold out his business and real estate there, and removed to Stonington in 1667. He was an intimate friend of Rev. James Noyes. Freeman of CT in 1669. and was nominated and elected one of the Stonington reps. to the CT General CT in 1673. 1674 his name appears among the immortal nine who organized the First Congregational Church of Stonington, June 3, 1674. Built a residence in North Stonington, where Col. James F. Brown now resides, where they lived and died. —— THE WHEELER FAMILY IN AMERICA,THE DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS WHEELER, STONINGTON, CONN., pages 289 through 349, by Inez E. Coolby-Brayton, 1934. Located in the DAR Library, Washington, DC. The following from the HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., by Judge Richard Anson Wheeler is, perhaps, the best expression of all that is known of his life. "Thomas Wheeler, the ancestor of the Wheeler family of Stonington, Conn., and region round about, was doubtless of English origin, but the place of his birth, and nationality are not certainly known, nor has the time of his migration to this country been ascertained, so as to associate him with any of the passengers of the early emigrant ships. The first knowledge that we have of him in this country is when he appears as a resident of the town of Lynn, Mass., in 1635, when and where he was elected constable, and held other official positions later on. In 1642 he was admitted in the privilege of a freeman of the commonwealth of Mass., purchasing large tracts of land there, including a mill site, upon which he built and operated a saw and grist mill. During his residence in Lynn he married Mary ____, a young lady of his acquaintance, whose family name in unknown, but our family traditions represent her as a woman of pleasing and attractive accomplishments, and in every way worthy of her liege loard; she graced her domestic duties with cheerful loveliness, filling his home with light and love. They were married in 1645, and became the parents of three children. What induced our ancestor, Thomas Wheeler, to leave Lynn, Mass., and sell out his business and real estate there, and take up his abode in the town of Stonington in 1667, is not fully understood, but whatever motive actuated him in coming this way it is plainly evident that he intended to make Stonington his final home. He was an intimate friend of Rev. James Noyes, who came to Stonington the same year that he did, and it has been supposed that the friendship between them was the cause of his coming. But that as it may, there were men of his name that lived in the English home of the Noyes family, and crossed the ocean about the same year that he did. Thomas Wheeler was made freeman in the Connecticut Colony in the year 1669, and was nominated and elected one of the Stonington representatives to the Connecticut General Court in the year 1673. The next year his name appears among the immortal nine who organized the First Congregational Church of Stonington, June 3, 1674, and his wife, Mary Wheeler, was one of the partakers with the church in their first communion service. Soon after Thomas Wheeler and his wife came to Stonington to live, he and his son Isaac built them a residence in North Stonington, where Col. James F. Brown now resides, where they lived and died. Thomas Wheeler left a will, which was lost by being burned when the infamous Arnold burned the city of New London, Sept. 6, 1781. The existence of his will is proved by his descendants referring in it in later instruments conveying the real estate that belonged to him and given to them in his will. They are both buried in the old Whitehall burial place, situated on the east bank of the Mystic river. He died March 6, 1686, age 84 years, consequently he was born 1602.