Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts was settled in 1635 by English Puritans.
Richard Wheeler was born about 1614 in England.
He married Sarah Prescott. She was the daughter of John Prescott and Mary Platts of Medfield.
Sarah and Richard's children included:
Sarah Wheeler (1645),
Mary
Wheeler (1646),
Samuel
Wheeler (1650/1),
Hannah Wheeler (1653)
Joseph Wheeler (1655/56)
Abraham's children from his second marriage included:
Abraham Wheeler (1659),
Isaac Wheeler (1661),
Jacob Wheeler (1663, died as an infant),
Zebediah Wheeler ((1664/65),
Sarah W
heeler (1666/67),
Elizabeth
Wheeler (1669),
Samuel
Wheeler (1671)
At first the Wheelers lived in the part of Dedham that was set off to Medfield.
They moved to Lancaster where where Abraham built a garrison house.
Abraham died on February 9, 1675/75 when they were attacked by the indigenous people.
After his death Sarah married Joseph Rice of Marlborough.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Abraham Wheeler was born on December 1659 in Dedham, Massachusetts. His parents were Richard Wheeler and Sarah Prescott
He married Tabitha Stone in Lancaster.
Abraham and Tabith's children included:
Abigail Wheeler (1683, married Daniel Stone),
Jonathan Wheeler (1684, married married Hannah Russell),
Samuel Wheeler
He died in 1695.
On a Lord's day morning Mr. Abraham Wheeler, going from the garrison to his own house, on some occasion, was then shot by an enemy that had lain in ambush for him. Though mortally wounded Wheeler wrested the gun from the indian, and carried it toward the garrison till he was met by his friends. (History of Lancaster)
Jonathan Wheeler was born about 1684 in Dedham Norfolk County, Massachusetts. His parents were Abraham Wheeler and Tabitha Stone.
He married Hannah Russell.
Abraham Wheeler (1711, married Martha Blood),
Hannah Wheeler (1713),
Jonathan Wheeler (1715),
Jerathmeel Wheeler (1715),
Sarah Wheeler (1717),
Simon Wheeler (1719),
Sampson Wheeler (1721),
Oliver Wheeler (1722),
Mary Wheeler (1724).
Jonathan was living in Lancaster in 1718.
Jonathan died in 1747.
Abraham Wheeler was born in 1711 in Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. His parents were Jonathan Wheeler and Hannah Russell.
He married Hannah Wood
Abraham Wheeler (1743, married Mary Morse),
Hannah Wheeler (1744),
Martha Wheeler (1745),
Shadrach Wheeler (1747, died young),
Abigail Wheeler (1748),
Zadock Wheeler (1750),
Shadrack Wheeler (1751),
Alice Wheeler
(1753),
Walter Wheeler (1755),
Jesse Wheeler (1757, married Hannah Dwinnell),
Lucy Wheeler (1761),
Jeremiah Wheeler (1764).
Hannah died on December 3, 1824 at age 103.
from The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America by Albert Gallatin Wheeler
Richard Wheeler. He lived in that part of Dedham, Mass., that was set off to Medfield, removing later to Lancaster, Mass., where he built a garrison house at which he was massacred by the Indians, Feb. 9, 1675-6. He married at Lancaster, June 2, 1658, Sarah Prescott, the dau. of John Prescott and Mary (Platts) Prescott, of Medfield. Her father, John Prescott, was a blacksmith from Sowerby, in the parish of Halifax, west-riding, Yorkshire, England. After the death of Richard Wheeler, his widow Sarah (Prescott) married at Dedham, Dec. 22, 1677, Joseph Rice, of Marlborough, Mass.
Children, 1st marriage: (born at Dedham, Mass.)
Sarah Wheler (sic) born Feb. 4, 1645; d. Oct. 26, 1656.
Mary
Wheeler, born Oct. 5, 1646.
Samuel
Wheeler, born Jan. 4, 1650-1; d. Oct. 25, 1656.
Hannah Wheeler, born Aug. 30, 1653.
Joseph Wheeler, born Feb. 5, 1655-6. It is claimed that he was killed by the Indians Aug. 22, 1675.
Children, 2d marriage: (first two born at Dedham, others at Lancaster.)
Abraham Wheeler, born Dec. 7, 1659.
Isaac Wheeler, born 1661.
Jacob Wheeler, born Nov. 25, 1663; d. Dec. 21, 1663.
Zebediah Wheler (sic), born Jan. 2, 1664-5.
Sarah W
heeler, born Feb. 1, 1666-7.
Elizabeth
Wheeler, born May 24, 1669.
Samuel
Wheeler, born Feb. 29, 1671. He was one of the first four soldiers who went in the Canada expedition in 1690 from Lancaster. It is very probable that he was killed, or died, on that expedition, as the inventory of his estate at Lancaster is dated April 7, 1691.
An early American tavern (or ordinary) was an important meeting place and they were strictly supervised. Innkeepers were respectable members of the community. Taverns offered food and drink. An inn also offered accommodation.
A History of the Town of Keene from 1732 by Simon Goodell Griffin, Frank H. Whitcomb, Octavius Applegate (Jr.)
Col. Abraham Wheeler, son of Abraham and Hannah Wheeler of Keene, was born in 1743; married Mary; had seven children, born in Keene between 1769 and 1779; member of the militia company here in 1773, and his father was at the same time on the alarm list; was a private in Col. Ashley's regiment that marched to the relief of Ticonderoga in 1776; a private in the company of Capt. Davis Howlett of Keene, Ashley's regiment, that marched from Keene to oppose Burgoyne in June, 1777; afterwards a colonel in the militia.
He owned the farm on Beech hill known as the Luther Nourse place and built that house ... in 1773, and the barn in 1775 — raised on the 17th of June. He removed from there to Ash Swamp and kept the tavern, and probably built the house, now known as the old Sawyer tavern, two miles from the Square, where he was succeeded by his son-in-law, Josiah Sawyer.
He died in 1814, aged seventy-one. His mother, Mrs. Hannah Wheeler, lived to the age of one hundred and three, and died Dec. 3, 1824.
A militia is a military unit composed of citizens who are called up in time of need.
