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Thomas WHEELER was born about 1591 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England. He died on 23 AUG 1654 at Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut. @T4113@

Parents: Thomas WHEELER and Mrs. Thomas WHEELER.

Spouse: Ann HALSEY. Thomas WHEELER and Ann HALSEY were married on 5 MAY 1613 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England. Children were: Captain Thomas WHEELER, Richard WHEELER, Mary (Mariah) WHEELER (twin), Joseph WHEELER (twin), Alice W HEELER, Anna (Hannah) WHEELER, William WHEELER, Ephraim WHEELER, Obadiah WHEELER, John WHEELER, Sarah WHEELER.


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2700. THOMAS WHEELER. May be a brother of Ephraim No. 7900. He was undoubtedly born at Cranefield, Bedfordshire, England. The dates of his birth and baptism are not available, as the parish registers at that place were not kept un til 1600, but it is recorded in these registers that Thomas Wheeler and Anne Halsey were married as early as May 5, 1613. He may have come to America with the Rev. John Jones' Company in the ship Defiance, which landed in New Engl and Oct. 3, 1635, for, with his wife, children, and most probably some grandchildren, he was in Concord as early as April 17, 1636-7, when he was made freeman there. Of his life in Concord, substantially nothing is known. Being a supporter of the Rev. John Jones at the time of the dissension in the Church at Concord, he became one of those who removed with him to Fairfield in 1644, settling at Pequonnock, on Uncoway Brook, where his home lot of 2l/2 acres is recorded, Jan., 1649. This was at Black Rock. His will was dated Jan. 16, 1653-4, and proved Aug. 23, 1654, mentions his wife Ann. To his eldest son Thomas he gave all of his property in Concord. He also mentions his daughter S arah Sherwood and her son Thomas Sherwood; and his grandchildren Mary, James, Thomas and John Bennit. His son John was made executor and was to receive the estate in Fairfield. The will of his widow Ann was dated Aug. 21, 1659, an d probated Oct. 20, 1659, showing that her death occurred between those dates.

Children: (born at Cranefleld, England.)

2701. MARIA WHEELER, baptized Oct. 20, 1615.

2702. ANNA WHEELER, baptized Feb. 20, 1617. (Called Hannah.) Mar

ried 1639, James Bennett, of Fairfield, Conn. Ch: 1. Sarah B ,

who m. John Osborn. 2. Hannah B . 3. James B . 4.

Thomas B . 6. John B . 6. Mary B . 7. Jane B? .

2703. WILLIAM WHEELER, baptized March 16, 1618.

2704. THOMAS WHEELER, baptized April 8, 1620.

2705. JOHN WHEELER, baptized Feb. 27, 1024.

2706. SARAH WHEELER, baptized Aug. 10, 1628; m. Thomas Sherwood.

Ch: 1. Thomas S . 2. Sarah 8 , who m. John Whitlock.
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Captain Thomas Wheeler may have come to America with the Rev. John Jones' Co. in the ship Defiance, which landed in New England Oct 3,
1635. He was in Concord as early as April 17, 1637

Thomas Wheeler was born in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England about 1590. He married Ann Halsey on May 5, 1613 in Cranfield. She was the daughter of Thomas Halsey and wife
Phebe. It was a double wedding with Robert Halsey and Ann Wheeler. Presumably it was a case of brother and sister marying a sister and brother, but the relationships have not been proven. From Bedfordshire tax list, the Roll of Ar rears of Payment of Ship Money, 1637, is listed, "Thomas Wheeler gone into New England 010500". He was made a freeman of the colony on April 17, 1637.
Thomas Wheeler came to America with numerous other Wheelers and was in Concord, Mass. for a time, where he was called Thomas Wheeler Senior. He, his family and others went to Fairfield, Connecticut with the Reverend John Jones in September 1644. Land was recorded to him in January 1649-50 and at the same time, land adjacent to his was recorded to Thomas Wheeler, Jr. He is said to have settled at Black Rock, erecting a stone house or fort, on whose plank ro of he mounted two four-pounders, one pointed toward the mouth of the harbour and the other toward the Indian fort, now called the Old Fort at the head of the harbour. The Indian fort had at times a garrison of 200 Indians and serv ed as their protection in the numerous wars they had with the Indians of the interior.
Children of Thomas Wheeler and Ann Halsey
1) Ann, baptised January 30, 1613, buried in Cranfield July 16, 1615
2) Alice, baptised June 15, 1616; m. John Billington on October 16, 1634
3) Anna, baptised February 15, 1617; m. James Bennett about 1639. James died 1659 and Anna m. Joseph Middlebrook , who was born about 1610 and d. 1686.
4) Thomas, Jr.
5) Elizabeth, baptised November 4, 1622
6) John, baptised February 27, 1624, d. 1690; m. (1) Judith Turney in 1660 (2) Elizabeth Rowland
7) Sarah, baptised August 10, 1628; d. before 1659; m. Thomas Sherwood, Jr.

Ancestral File Number: C468-42
!ORDINANCE: Ancestral File, Lake Stevens Family History Center, WA, Mar 1994.

Fairfield 1645, was a lieut. in 1653, came from Concord with fir st sett. bring. w. Ann, and ch. prob. all adult, or marriageable , exc. one or two, and perhaps his eldest s. Thomas may not hav e accomp. the f. At least from his w ill, pro. 23 Aug 1654, wh. w e read imperfect. as part of the rec. in this place is burn. i t is clear that the est. in Concord, old homestead, was giv. t o Thomas; Fairfield est. to John; with notice of wid. and thre e ds. of wh. Hannah, the eldest, m. a. 1639, James Bennett, ha d two ch. at Concord, and was now d. leav. four; ano. was Sara h Sherwood; and a third not m. without name. His wid. in her wil l of 21 Aug 1659, pro. Oct foll. names eldest s. Th omas, and ch.

Thomas Wheeler came to Ameirca with the Rev. John Jones' Compan y in the ship Defiance, which landed in New England 3 October 16 35, for, with his wife, children, and most probably some grandch ildren, he was in Concord as early a s 17 April 1636/1637, when h e was made freeman there. Of his life in Concord, substantiall y nothing is known. Being a supporter of the Rev. John Jones a t the time of the dissension in the Church at Concord, he becam e one of th ose who removed with him to Fairfield in 1644, settli ng at Pequonnock, on Uncoway Brook, where his home lot of 2.5 ac res is recorded, January 1649. This was at Black Rock. His wil l was dated 16 January 1653/1654, and proved 23 August 1654, men tions his wife Ann. To his eldest son Thomas he gave all of hi s property in Concord. He also mentions his daughter Sarah Sherw ood and her son Thomas Sherwood; and his grandchildren Mary, Jam es, Thomas and John Bennit. His son John was made executor and w as to received the estate in Fairfield.

Thomas' will proved 23 Aug. He was a brother to Ephraim Wheeler, who was an
appraiser of his will. His brother Lieut. Thomas Wheeler, of Fairfield, was an
overseer of his will. (If this is right, Thomas, Sr. who was born 1565, had 2
sons named Thomas. One Thomas, Sr. & one Lieut. Thomas Wheeler. I'm confussed
on these Thomas Wheelers). Thomas, Sr. came to Concord from Fairfield, about
Sep 1644 & in Jan 1649\50, he had land next to his son, Thomas, Jr.

WHEELER

THOMAS WHEELER, known as Senior, came to Concord, Massachusetts, and from there removed to Fairfield, Connecticut, coming presumably with the party which Rev. John Jones brought from Concord in September, 1644. His brother or half -brother, Lieut. Thomas Wheeler, came from Concord with him. English families at that period sometimes gave the same name to two living children, and this was done occasionally in the early days in New England. Great confusion is found in printed accounts, due to the fact that there were two Thomas Wheelers in Fairfield, another in Milford, and still a fourth in New Haven, all on the coast of Connecticut, and at least three of these men gave the name Thoma s to sons.

The will of Thomas Wheeler, Sr., dated May 5, 1654, and proved August 23, 1654, named his wife ANN; gave his Concord property to his eldest son, Thomas, and his Fairfield lands to his son, John; mentioned his daughter, Sarah, wife of Thomas Sherwood and their son Thomas; his daughter, (Anna) Bennett, and his four grandchildren, Mary, James, Thomas, and John Bennett; and appointed his brother, Thomas Wheeler, lieutenant, with Robert Lockwood and Andrew Ward , overseers of his estate. One of the appraisers was Ephraim Wheeler, another brother of Thomas, Sr.

The will of his widow, ANN, dated August 21, 1659 named her elder son, Thomas, and his wife and children; children of her daughter, Hannah, specifying Sarah and Hannah Bennett by name; her grandchild, Sarah Sherwood, and Annis She rwood, wife of her son-in-law. She also gave Rebecca Turney, her best hat, and to Ann Squire, a petticoat. Part of the will in the damaged record volume is illegible, and may have named also the son, John. Her estate was inventori ed on October 20, 1659.

From the above, it is clear that Thomas died between May 5, and August 23, 1654, and that his widow, Ann, died between August 21 and October 20, 1659. The "Wheeler Family in America" contains many inaccuracies with regard to this Wheeler family. The most careful study was made of record sources before reaching the conclusions stated herein. The Wheeler book gives the marriage of Thomas and the baptisms of his children in England. These have not been verifi ed independently, but have been added to our account as given in the Wheeler book. According to this, Thomas Wheeler married at Cranefield, County Bedford, England, May 5, 1613, Ann Halsey.

Thomas and Ann (Halsey) Wheeler were the parents of:
I--Mary, bapt. Oct. 20, 1615; no further record.
II--ANNA, bapt. Feb. 20, 1617. (See following.)
III--William, bapt. Mar. 16, 1618; d. early.
IV--Thomas, bapt. Apr. 8, 1620; m. Sarah; lived in Concord.
V--John, bapt. Feb. 27, 1624; d. at Fairfield, 1690; m. (first) Judith Turney,
b. abt. 1635; m. (second) by 1673, Elizabeth Rowland, who died about
March, 1702-3.
VI--Sarah, bapt. Aug. 10, 1628; m. Thomas Sherwood, Jr.

SECOND GENERATION

ANNA WHEELER (II), daughter of Thomas and Ann (Halsey) Wheeler, born in England and baptized there February 20, 1617; married James Bennett (Bennett I). She was presumably identical with the child who, in Fairfield records, was al ways called Hannah. She married (second) Joseph Middlebrook.

REFERENCES--WHEELER: Research, Donald Lines Jacobus. "Families of O
Fairfield," Vol. I, pp. 662, 667. Fairfield Probate Records, Vol. I, pp. 1 and 53.

Source of the above:
Bullard, Edgar J. Bennett and Allied Families. Detroit, Michigan. 1931.

Date: 07 OCT 2009

• Married: 5 MAY 1613 in Cranfield, Beds, England

1. Maria Mary Wheeler b: 20 OCT 1615 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England c: 20 OCT 1615 in Bourne End, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England
2. William Ephraim Wheeler b: 16 MAR 1618 TO 16 MAR 1618 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England c: 20 FEB 1617 in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom

• Married: ABT 1639 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

• Married: ABT 1646 in England

1. Elizabeth Wheeler b: 23 FEB 1664 in Concord,Middlesex,Massachusetts,USA

• Married: 5 MAY 1613 in England, Befordshire

1. Sarah Wheeler b: 10 AUG 1628 in England, Bedfordshire

1. Thomas Wheeler

• Married: 5 MAY 1613 in Cranefield, Bed, Eng

• Married: 5 MAY 1635 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

1. Hannah Wheeler b: 10 FEB 1617 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, , England c: 20 FEB 1617 in Cranfield, Bedford, England
2. John Wheeler Sgt . b: 27 FEB 1624 TO 27 FEB 1624 in Cranefield, Bedford, England c: ABT 1624 in of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA