Horace Wheeler~Timbuctoo

This telegraph key and receiver was used between 1860 and 1870 by Mrs. Horace Niles Wheeler at Timbuctoo California.  Horace and Margaret (Havens) Wheeler spent nearly 20 years there mining for gold.  She used this device to communicate with her husband, Horace N. Wheeler (My great, great grandfather) at the office of a water company ten miles away.  Mrs. Wheeler became quite proficient at it's use.
This is the actual box on which the accompanying telegraph equipment was mounted.  It is basically untouched and the original pencil marks used to install the set can still be seen after a little over 150 years!

Jack and Anna Wheeler, October 5, 1935

This picture of my grandmother, Anna (Rippel) Wheeler was taken on the back porch of their home at 10 Godfrey Street, Mystic in the 1950s.
Jack and Anna Wheeler were married on October 5, 1935 in the house of Anna's mother on Church Street in Mystic.  My Uncle, Robert Wheeler and Father Richard just recently told me the story of how Jack and Anna met.

**Jack was the manager of the Socony Gas Station on East Main Street in Mystic.  (This was diagonally across from the Catholic Church.) He worked for a Mr. Len Hermes.  One day he noticed a beautiful girl walking with Charlie Rippel.  Jack was curious and thought how pretty she was.  Another time he had seen Anna walking by alone.  Jack got the nerve up to ask Charlie Rippel one time who the girl was.  Charlie told him that she was his sister.  One thing lead to another and they began a courtship that lead to a wonderful and loving relationship.  I have never met someone as kind, generous, and loving as my grandmother, Anna Wheeler was.  I miss her.

The "Wheelers" Pub, Highclere, England

We ventured across the pond yet again this past summer!  I think that I am addicted!  This time we stayed for two weeks.  Our first week we stayed in Bath.  We rented a beautiful cottage that was once a brewery.  One day we decided to visit Highclere Castle, both my wife and I are Downton Abbey fans.  On the way we drove by this pub.  Of course the name caught my eye.  We wanted to have lunch here, but it wasn't open.  I couldn't help myself  and had to take a pic!

My Lineage From the Immigrant Thomas Wheeler, b. 1602 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England d. 1686, Stonington

1.    Thomas Wheeler was b. 1602 in Wharley,Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England.  He was baptized on November 20, 1603 at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England Church of England, St. Peter and Paul.  He d. in Stonington, Connecticut Colony, on March 6, 1686.  He was buried in the Whitehall Cemetery along the Mystic River.

Thomas’ father was:

2.    Thomas Wheeler b. 1571 at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England.  He was called the Thomas of the “Town and Wharley end”.  He married Dorothy Holloway on April 13, 1600 at Chalgrave, Bedfordshire.   He d. October 2, 1643 and was buried in Clerkenwell, St. James Church, London, England. 

Thomas’ Father was:

3.    Thomas Wheeler b. 1526 at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England.  He died after 1574  at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England. 

Thomas’ Father was:

4.    Henry Wheeler born 1503 at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England.  His Will was probated on March 17, 1557. (Date of his Death) 

Henry’s Father was: 

5.    (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. 

Thomas’ father was: 

6.      Henry Wheler b. 1433 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England d. Unknown m. Mary Elizabeth Cole (She was b. 1438 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England d. 1475, Cranfield)

Henry’s father was:

7.      Henry Wheler b. between 1414 and 1416 Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England d. 1470 Cranfield  He m. Mary Wheler(b. 1390, Cranfield d. 1440 Cranfield)

Henry’s father was: 

8.    4.  Richard Welere b. 1399 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England d. 1439-40 in Cranfield

Richard’s father was:

9.    5.  John Thomas Welere b. 1375 d. 1420 Both in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England 

John’s Father was:

10.  Sir John Welere, Knight b. 1348 d. 1398 in England.

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

Sir Thomas Wheeler

   (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.

Jonathan Wheeler Cemetery

My dad and I visited the Jonathan Wheeler Cemetery yesterday to begin part of our "fall cleanup". I am truly amazed at how far it has come! I can remember when I was really young driving down Wheeler road with my father and Grandfather looking for the cemetery. We stopped just below where the Pequot Golf Course is now and pulled off the side of the road. There, we made our way through brush, briars, poison ivy, and other New England varieties. I remember how neglected and buried this place was in the middle of nowhere. I only really began my fascination with family history and genealogy after my grandfather passed away. My dad and uncle were going through the many family stories and treasures and I became hooked. The intrigue and mystery of how ancestors persevered, lived, and died has become a treasured hobby. I only wish that I could spend more time researching, discovering, and writing about their lives. For now, I cherish the time my dad and I spend caring for the little plot of land that holds the remains of my ancestors and their many stories

England, 2010

Our trip to England this summer was fantastic.  We stayed in the Peak District for the first week in a small little village called Monyash.  Our host was very generous and thoughtful.  Bakewell was about 4 miles away and was a definite highlight of our trip.  We missed the open market on Monday of that week, but had fun exploring the side streets and many shops.  Then, we were off to Stewkley, about 40 miles north of London.  We stayed at Dormer Cottage with Jill Scott.  This was the very same place were my dad and I stayed just one year before.  Angela enjoyed both places but preferred the north.  However, she throughly loved the town of Woburn and Woburn Abbey.  This is home of the Duke of Bedford.  His surname is Russell, the same as Angela's Great Grandmother.  Angela was able to trace her family genealogy back to this illustrious family at Woburn Abbey.  It was a special visit.  We had a hard time leaving.  It felt good to be home, but the beauty and simplicity of England is calling us back!

Return To England!

My wife, son, and myself will be visiting England this summer for 2 weeks.  We will stay in Derbyshire, Monyash for the first week, then back to Buckinghamshire, Stewkley for the last week!  My son Jack is very excited to visit the place where my father and I stayed.  He can't wait to meet Jill Scott, our most wonderful host at Dormer Cottage.  I can't wait to show Angela Woburn Abbey, home to the Russell Family.  She is connected to a Sir John Russell from the 1500's that was from Bedford, England.  And of course, I can't wait to share Cranfield with them both.  It will be neat for Jack to see where the Wheeler family came from and to visit the church.   We have British friends that have lived in the states for over 25 years.  They have family that live in Sheffield.  We plan to meet up with them when we are in Monyash.  Angela and I both love Jane Austen, especially the movies that have been about her books.  It will be neat to see some of the places that she mentions in her novels.  

Horace Niles Wheeler

Horace Niles Wheeler was my great, great grandfather.  He is by far one of the most adventurous family members, with the exception of our great ancestor, Thomas Wheeler.  Horace was born on February 1, 1831 in Stonington, Connecticut.  His mother, Esther Ann Potter died on October 10, 1837, Horace was only 6 years old.  His father Gilbert, remarried quickly to Angelina Byron Wood on March 15, 1840.  Family stories dictate that he struggled with his new family situation.  Horace's relationship with his father, Gilbert became strained and distant.  When he was only 16 years old, he went out to sea to earn money and to explore the world.  He returned to Stonington village in 1852 and fell in love with Margaret Havens.  They were married on June 21, 1853.  The events that took place next altered their life forever.  They boarded a ship in Stonington Harbor that was headed for San Francisco.  The ship went around Cape Horn and the journey lasted almost six months.  They spent nearly 20 years in a small mining town called Timbuctoo.  Horace did not strike it rich, but found enough gold to return to the east coast.  They left California in 1878 by stage coach to Indiana.  From there they took a train back to Connecticut.  Horace owned and operated a jewelry store at 123 Water Street in Stonington Village.  He made a fine ring out of one of his last pieces of gold.  This ring is still in our family today.   His story has inspired me to write a book about his life.    

The Swan Pub, Stewkley

The Swan Pub was one of the very first places that my dad and I found.  We arrived in Stewkley from London in record time.  We decided to explore the nearby market town of Leighton Buzzard.  There were several grocery stores, home stores, and a train station.  The narrow roads and driving on the opposite side was a bit unsettling for me.  My dad didn't seem to be bothered by it, as he had been to Scotland for Electric Boat several times in his career.  As it was getting close to lunch, we decided to head back to Stewkley to grab a bite to eat before meeting Jill at Dormer Cottage.  The Swan Pub caught our eye.  It later became a familiar place to us during our stay in England.  The locals were so welcoming and helpful.  One gentleman, Frank was curious about our trip to England.  We had a great conversation as we explained our family's roots in the local area.  He later walked back to his house to retrieve a map that would become more helpful as we navigated through the local roads and roundabouts.  The bartender and waitress were bantering back and forth, creating very humorous entertainment.  I was amazed at how friendly everyone was.  We made plans to head back to the pub for Easter roast the following day.  The locals made The Swan a regular stop.  My dad and I both commented on how we wished that we had this kind of community experience back in the states.  The Swan was a definite highlight on this remarkable trip.  I can't wait to make my way back there on a return trip.