(Sir) Thomas Wheler b. 1465 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England
d. May 27, 1456 at Wing, Buckinghamshire, England (81 years old) m. Joan Jane Buckingham(b. 1469 in Wing,
Buckinghamshire, England). They were
married in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England in 1490.
**This
Thomas Wheeler was knighted by King Henry VII on June 16, 1487 for bravery at
the battle of Stoke(Field) Simnel’s Rebellion.
This was the last battle in the War of the Roses. The battle was a victory for Henry's army. To signify
his victory Henry raised his standard on Burham Furlong. The spot is marked by
a large stone memorial with the legend "Here stood the Burrand Bush
planted on the spot where Henry VII placed his standard after the Battle of
Stoke 16 June 1487".[9] Henry knighted many of his supporters in the
aftermath of the battle. A handwritten list of the new knights by John Writhe survives inserted into a copy of the book Game and
Play of Chess.[10] Thirteen new bannerets were created and fifty two men
were knighted.
Thomas
Wheler then changed the family name to Wheeler after being Knighted.
Sources:
Ancestral Wheeler Family of Cranfield, Bedfordshire,
England, Whose Descendants Settled in Colonial New England. Raymond David
Wheeler Publication: Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 94-78109
**I am directly descended from this Thomas Wheler. Funny thing is that I stayed in a cottage in England this summer in Stewkley, which is the village right next to the Parish of Wing! The lady that owns the cottage has been very helpful in finding information about this Thomas.
Hi, I am also directly descended from Thomas Wheler (Wheeler). Our family settled Woodbury, CT and then part of the family moved to Ohio. I would be interested in finding out how we are related. Linda Wheeler
ReplyDeleteLinda, I have my family lineage on a later post. You could start there. I also have a book written about the Wheeler family with various different lines…
DeleteHello, Steven,
DeleteMy grandfather, Lionel Brough Wheeler, was an uncle to Sir Charles Wheeler, the sculptor. I came to the USA in 1963, and reside in Palo Alto, California. I would be most interested to hear if you have information per this branch of the Wheeler family. Thank you.
I am also directly descended from Thomas Wheeler he is my 14th great grandfather, my family settled in KY then in Wheeler Hollow, Vallonia IN. I would love to connect with other family members. I am trying to find our family coat of arms,family crest if anyone could help.
ReplyDeleteVirginia Wheeler (Perez)
Virginia, I can send you a photo of the Wheeler Family Crest. Let me know if you are interested, steve
DeleteI would love that, my email is perezvl01@gmail.com
DeleteThank you very much for the help.
Also, how are we related, or how are you related to Thomas Wheeler?
Virginia, I sent an email out this morning with the Crest. also posted on the blog.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am going to try and do a quick rundown of how I am related to Sir Thomas by just listing the direct male relatives down to my father.
ReplyDeleteSir Thomas Wheeler
Henry Wheeler
Obadiah Wheeler
John Wheeler
Dr John Wheeler
Henry Wheeler Sr
John Wheeler Sr
Thomas Wheeler
Richard Wheeler I
Richard Wheeler II
Richard Wheeler III
Jesse Wheeler
John Jehu Wheeler
William Alison Wheeler
John William Wheeler I
and my father John William Wheeler II
My brother John William Wheeler III
His son William Robert Wheeler
How closely are we related?
I will spend some time this week and post by Friday! Just looking, we are descended from Henry…Looks like we are distant cousins. Will confirm soon…
DeleteI'm also related to Thomas Wheeler. WE are most likely distant cousins as well. -Robert Wheeler
DeleteDoes anyone know of any Wheeler grave sites in Cranfield England?
ReplyDeleteI am also a direct descent from Thomas, though my branch settles the Midwest and comes from Obadiah Wheeler, who was the great great something grandson of Thomas - Levi Berg
ReplyDeleteHi Steven,
ReplyDeleteI am local to you. I too am a direct descendant of Sir Thomas. He is my 14x great grandfather, Henry is my 13 great grandfather, then through Thomas for 3 generations, Isaac Wheeler, Sr and Jr (both in the Revolutionary war), Stiles Denison Wheeler, Calvin Wheeler, great great grandfather and finally his daughter, Ethel Marguerite. I've stumbled upon your website after doing some searching on Google. Thanks for all your research and if you need anything from me, not sure that you would since you are a CT local and have already gone to England, please let me know.
Hi Donna, would love to speak with you. I currently live in East Lyme, CT. I am a school administrator in Groton, CT.
DeleteSteven -
ReplyDeleteI am also in the line from Thomas Wheler (b. 1465). My line is through John (b. 1533), son of Henry (b. 1503) and brother of your Thomas (b. 1526). I am curious if you have more information or references to the knighting of Thomas Wheler by King Henry VII. Doing a quick search online, I couldn't come up with anything. I am thinking about a trip to England later this year, and may retrace some of your steps in Cranfield.
Thanks,
Richard Wheeler
Hi Richard, my father's name is also Richard! I am trying to confirm this Knighting of Thomas Wheler from sources in England. Still working on it, however, it may prove to be inconclusive.
Deletehe was kinighted by Edward 1n 1487 at the last battle of the roses. I searched under : Sir Thomas Wheeler 24 May – Lambert Simnel is crowned King "Edward VI of England" in Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. He claims to be Edward, Earl of Warwick and on 5 June lands in Furness with an army to challenge Henry VII for the throne.[4]
Delete16 June – Wars of the Roses: at the Battle of Stoke Field, the final battle of the conflict, the rebellion of pretender Lambert Simnel, led by John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln and Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell, is crushed by troops loyal to Henry VII.[4]
My Grandfathers name is Kermit Rooselvelt Wheeler our Wheeler descendants settled in Alabama and Georgia.
DeleteI an Robert A. Wheeler in Georgia, and my father came from New York in the 1960's. I have three daughters
DeleteIf Wikitree is accurate, he's my 14th great-grandfather, I only discovered it today. we were wheelers for four generations, Gregoire's, a Mathew, Hartshorn, , Wolfinbarger, then Rarick. If anyone can dispute this please feel free. I would like to read as much as I can about him.
ReplyDeleteWikitree (Rarick-42)
I am related to Thomas three different times. The first two he and Joan are my 12th great grandparents as my mom's Halsey line married one of his third great granddaughters. Then my Mom's Halsey line married his 2nd great granddaughter married. Then my Dad's Shaw line through his 4th great granddaughter Abigail Wheeler.
ReplyDeleteI found out recently that my son-in-law's brother-in-law's grandmother was a Wheeler. I have since connected his Wheeler line. So he and I are 13th cousins 4 times removed.
I would like your permission to use your stories and pictures and I would definitely credit you and your website.
Carla Johnson
Thomas Wheeler and Ann Halsey Wheeler are my 9x great grand parents. looking for more distant cousins to find out more of our shared history contact me at prdelmar@gmail.com
DeleteCarla, that is fine!
Delete24 May – Lambert Simnel is crowned King "Edward VI of England" in Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. He claims to be Edward, Earl of Warwick and on 5 June lands in Furness with an army to challenge Henry VII for the throne.[4]
Delete16 June – Wars of the Roses: at the Battle of Stoke Field, the final battle of the conflict, the rebellion of pretender Lambert Simnel, led by John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln and Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell, is crushed by troops loyal to Henry VII.[4]
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSir Thomas Wheeler is my 14th great grandfather. My ancestors settled in Fairfield, Connecticut on my paternal side.
ReplyDeleteHi Christy, I am trying to find proof that he was actually knighted. Any ideas??
DeleteI have found that the main sources for the knightship of Thomas Wheeler are hard to come by today. The biggest reference material is the book: Sources:
DeleteAncestral Wheeler Family of Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, Whose Descendants Settled in Colonial New England. Raymond David Wheeler Publication: Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 94-78109, which is out of print. The other source that has been mentioned a few time at other genealogy website is book: Game and Play of Chess by John White. This is available, but costs about $60.00 American Dollars. Other sources are family data that has passed down regarding that fact that he and the family before him retained titles of Knighthood and Baronships. If I see more data regarding his knighhood and how it came to exist, I will say something in the future.
I wanted to add that John Thomas Wheeler was my 15th greatgrandfather on the paternal side of my family tree.
DeleteI reviewed a copy of Raymond Wheeler's book (Ancestral Wheeler Family of Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, Whose Descendants Settled in Colonial New England) a few months ago at the NEHGS in Boston. I didn't find any reference to a knighthood of Thomas Wheeler. I'm very interested if anyone has any actual evidence. Thanks.
DeleteI actually descend from Thomas' brother David, but enjoyed reading this entry. I never knew until recently that I had a Wheeler connection, which is funny because I met one of my best friends online about 10 years ago (he lives 300 miles away from me- I'm in Maine, he's in Massachusetts), and.. you guessed it- he is a Wheeler. Now I am scrambling to find our common ancestor (because I have to assume we might have one!).
ReplyDeleteI have done exstnsive reasearch on wheelers our family tree is on Ancestry.com tree . Kermit Wheeler & Alice Thelen Family Trees please feel free to view
ReplyDeleteI'm a Wheeler living in CT. Just started an ancestry profile today and I'm trying to confirm this lineage is the same as mine. Did the family eventually end up in Salisbury/Concord Mass? Then Canada?
ReplyDeletethanks for the info he is my 13th great-grandfather
ReplyDeleteHello 'cousins'. Thank you for sharing this Steven, and all the other contributors.
ReplyDeleteA line of Wheelers (descended from Sir Thomas) arrived in Australia from Gloucestershire in Jan 1838. They were respected sawyers brought out by the Macarthurs to build St John's church in Camden. Jonathan Wheeler had also fought at Waterloo in 1815. He came with his wife Jane and family on the Layton, losing 3 children to a measles epidemic which took 70 children on the voyage.
Grateful for your collective research and information.
Beth (Canberra, Australia)
Hi (very) distant cousins across the world!
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I also live in Canberra and am a descendant of Sir Thomas (I also cannot find evidence about this knighthood and even if it was an inheritable title) through his son William. William's descendants married into the Cox family of Stagsden Bedfordshire, then the Allens, and then the Valentines from the Great Stukeley area in Huntingdonshire. The Valentines then finally married into Gailer family (my grandmother was a Gailer). I also appreciate all the work done on the Wheelers - but it is so hard verifying everything due to lack of hard evidence and many people on Ancestry etc not checking their (often conflicting) data and perpetuating mistakes.
Are you sure the Wheeler coat of arms above is the correct one for our family? I am not sure that it is; it is one of a number of Wheeler ones published on the web, but none appear to be our family ones based on who they were granted to (according to COAD website, similar designs to the one above were granted to Wheelers in Middlesex and Kent - presumably in the same family. What is the source of the one on this blog site? It would be good to know.
Cathie (Canberra, Australia)
I am related to Sir Thomas and Joan Buckingham three different times. The first two they are my 12th great grandparents going from Henry>John>John> Elizabeth and down and Henry>John>John>Mary and down. Then as my 13th great grandparents going Henry>John> Thomas "the Elder of Bourne End" down. On a funny note my son-in-laws niece was confused on who she was related to. So her mom asked me if I would add the neices father's side to what I had already done of Her (mom) parents side. I pulled up a 5 generation pedigree chart and recognized two names and found a connection to her(mom) and my son-in-law on their dad's side to my side. When she (mom) gave me her husband's maternal grandmother's last name I started laughing. As the last name is Wheeler. I started inputting everything and found out that the grandmother is my 13th cousin twice removed. She is the 14th great granddaughter of Sir Thomas and Joan Buckingham. I am interested as is the other family in knowing about the Wheelers. I would like your permission to use the pictures of churches/houses and things that you have on your site with giving you the credit for them.
ReplyDeleteThis is a long shot. This wheeler is my 16 great grandfather Samuel Wren Wheeler (1875-1931) is where I need help with.HE had a daughter Leona Wheeler. She was my great grandmother and we dont have much information on her. She died giving birth. Not sure if you have any more than I have but thought I would ask.
ReplyDeleteSit Thomas Wheeler was my 12th great grandfather. My Wheelers go down to my great grandmother. They settled in Pennsylvania. I would love any information on the Wheeler history!
ReplyDeleteThought I would introduce myself via my lineage, starting at Sir Thomas born 1465; John Thomas born 1514; Francis born 1540; John Dominic born 1565; John born 1591; John born 1614; John William born 1642; Richard born 1668; William born 1687; John born 1713 or 1719; Roland senior born 1748; William a born 1762; Eliza a born 1808; James H born 1828; John a born 1866; Albert born 1900; James Albert born 1930.
ReplyDeleteI have a Facebook page titled descendants of John William wheeler. If anyone is interested in joining I would love to see you introduce yourself.
Robert Mac wheeler.
I am interested. I am on Facebook as Bob Wheeler. my email : bobwheeler500@gmail.com
Deletewww.facebook.com/groups/477543889362176
ReplyDeleteMy lineage, (from at least Sir Thomas Wheeler) is:
ReplyDeleteSir Thomas; Henry Wheeler; William Wheeler; Richard Wheeler; Thomas Wheeler; John Wheeler; John Wheeler III; Samuel Wheeler B. 1712; Capt. Seth Wheeler Born 1747; Timothy Beadle Wheeler Born 1779; Russell Clark Wheeler Born 1810; Timothy Beadle Wheeler, Born 1858; Robert Clark Wheeler ; Robert H.L. Wheeler; Robert A. Wheeler (me)
does anyone know if Moses Wheeler of Stratford Connecticut (death 1698) is related to Sir Thomas Wheeler ?
DeleteI have been researching the family of my great-great grandmother, Mary Esther Wheeler Burrows (1802-1845, Stonington,Connecticut, USA) It seems that Sir Thomas Wheeler is my 12th great-grandfather.
ReplyDeleteI've exhausted all leads in verifying the accuracy of the information regarding the knighthood of Thomas Wheeler/Wheler. A list of those knighted under King Henry VII at the battle of Stoke Field, prior and subsequent appointee's is available and list no one by the name Thomas Wheler or similar. Although most references point to the Raymond David Wheeler book, his writing makes no mention of this either and there are no references outside of Wheeler family genealogy research pages. While I would like nothing more than for this information to be historically accurate, it is unfortunately improbable.
ReplyDeleteI-FT351547. I think this will be the Y to Thomas Wheeler. Some of you might see M-253 but this is because you have refined the results further.
ReplyDeleteI have a 12 generation direct ancestor Lady Katherine Yalden / Yealden (born Wheeler) her father is listed as : Sir Thomas "The Elder" Wheeler, of Bourne End
ReplyDeleteHer father
born in 1561 - Odell, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England
died in 1635 - Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England & her mother is recorded as: Katherine Rebecca Sayre
Her mother
born in 1572 - Odell, Bedford Borough, Bedfordshire, England
died in 1653 - Cranfield, Central Bedfordshire, England
- IF Any-one can help me find out the connections it would be great. Our line went through Katherine's daughter Elizabeth Bridger (born Yealden / Yalden) onto Wickens line which ended in Australia.!??!