George Wheeler

b 25 Mar 1605, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, , England
d 02 Jun 1687, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts
c 25 Mar 1605, Warley, Cranfield, Bedford, England
61 23 Jun 1944, !&		Obadiah Wheeler
	John Wheeler	b 1510
	\| b ABT 1538 1540	Mrs. Obadiah Wheeler
Thomas Wheeler	d 1566	b 1510	Thomas Sayer
\|b 1563	\|	William Sayre
\|d Feb1634	Alice Sayre	b 1500	John Squire	>
\|	b 1541	Alice Squire	Margaret
George Wheeler	61 24 Apr 1947	b 1505
\|Mary Studd-1 +
\|m 08 Jun 1630
\|Cranfield, Bedford, , England	\|
Rebecca
b 1572	\|
d May1653

Children

1		William Wheeler
2		William Wheeler

Notes

Probably of all of the Wheelers who came to America before the year 1640 none was of greater distinction or of more importance to the town in which he lived than George Wheeler of Concord. His name appears on the Concord records the 1st year they were kept and every year thereafter till he died. With his brother Timothy he owned considerable property jointly, and together they were in possession of most of the real estate left by the Rev. Peter Bulkeley. Authorities agree that George Wheeler came to Concord about the year 1638 with his wife Katherine and several children. Walcott in his 'History of Concord' asserts that he was one of the few men who 'were foremost in the Town's business, by virtue of their large estates as well as their integrity and good judgment.' He was a man of education, and the owner of a large amount of property, his house lot alone consisting of eleven acres, while he possessed lands in every part of the town, at Brook Meadows, Fairhaven Meadow, the Cranefield by Walden Goose Pond, Flint's Pond, on the White Pond Plain, on the Sudbury line, etc. He held as many positions of trust and was as active in the direction of the town's affairs as any individual in Concord, serving at various times on substantially every committee of consequence, and leading in all matters of moment, as is evidenced by the fact that nearly every town deed and petition of any importance from either the Church or the civic community of that time bears his signature. His will, which is given here, is dated January 28, 1684-5 and was admitted to probate June 2, 1687, thus establishing the approximate time of his death.

Will of George Wheeler, Sr.

I George Wheeler Senir in the Town of Concord in the County of Middlesex in the Massachusetts Colony in new england being in a confident measure of memory & understanding; praised be God: doe make this my last Will & Testament in manner and forme as followeth: First: My soul I commite to God yt gave it me believing in the Lord Jesus Christ my onely Lord & Savior who will raise my body att the last & great day to life eternall: & my body to decent buryall: first: I will yt my due debts be honebly paid & funnerall charges satisfied: for my temprall estate as followeth: first I will that my whole estate shall stande engaged & be responseable for my comfortable maintenance in all respects during the term of my life: & as to my funnerall charges to be borne by my whole estate also the charges of execution & all court confirmation and enroulment be borne by my whole estate: I will to my two sons Thomas Wheeler & John Wheeler my mansion dwelling house barns cow houses & orchards with yt part of the home lot joyning to said house and orchards down to the cross fence yt stood cross ye sd lot in equall riht of prpriety the lower part of sd lot down to John Scorthford house I give to my son Thomas & yt part of my lot lying between Joshua Wheller & John Scorthford I give to my son John: I give to my two sons Thomas & John my six acers bought of Gershon Bulkeley lying over the hills equally in right: also I give to my sons Thomas & John my twenty eight acers of woodland lying in the north quarter over the river equall in right: also I give to the children of my son William, deceased as a legacy out of my estate the sume of sixty six pounds seven shillings to be paid to them by the executors of this my will in equall right of propriety onely my will is yt my medow at brooke medow on both sides of the brook excepting yt pt I give to my son Thomas as also my one acer in ash swamp at Fairehaven: be by the executors of this my will be dispossed of to my son Williams children & to be as pte of ye above sd legacy: also the two acers & a halfe of a medow on the northwest side of the brake at brooke medow joyning to my son Williams pastor it is not my said son Williams but I will it to my executors to administer upon it as my estate: I give to my son Thomas my piece of medow at Brooke medow joyning to John Wheeler medow lying on the northwest side of the brooke three acers more or less: I give to my two sones Thomas & John my medow in ye medow called the great medow with my pte of the post in equall right: I give to my son John my fourteen acers at the south field on the east side of the Country way againt Compe's house also two acers in muddy medow swamp: I give to my sons Thomas & John my fourty four acers lying north of Waldon Pond in equall right: I give to my son Thomas my fourteen acers lying on the southeast of the south river joyning to Nathaniel & John Billings I give to my son John my six acers joyning to Daniel Dane southeast from mount Taber: I give to my Sones Thomas & John my eight acers joyning to Mr. Flints pond lying by the east quarter lyne in equall right: I give to my son John my four acers in John Mills pastor joyning to the south river: also I give to my two sons Thomas & John out of my moveable estate five pounds a peice: I give to my son Thomas ten pounds out of my moveable estate in consideration he is short of his brothers in receit of parts (msg) give to my daughter ffoxes children six pounds equall amongst them: I give to my four daughters Elizabeth Fletcher, Sarah Dudly, Ruth Hartwell & Hanah Fletcher the sume of fifteen pounds apiece in good & currant Countery pay to be paid to them in Concord currant price: allso I will & reserve to my selfe during my life a comfortable maintenance in all respects & ye Charge of my maintenance upon my estate viz begine in the year one thousand six hundred eighty & two on to the day of my Death: which said Charge is to come out & be leavied upon my estate I meane this my estate in ths my will given & legacyes bequeathed: & my will is yt when that all Charges concerning my maintenance & decent buryall & otherwise be satisfied: yt then each legacye & estate given doe then abate their due & true & just proportion: what ye executors of this my will shall bring in account truly due all & each of my children sons & duaghters resting contented withtheir due part of my estate in this my will given be it more or less ye whole ore but part here given: for I know not the day of my death & so not what my comfortable maintenance may spend: I give to my sons Thomas & John my seven acers lying in ye corner nere Watertown lyne also my will is that no legacy shall be required untill two years after my death: these lands I give two sons Thomas & John their heirs & assigns be it more or less also I will constitute & make my two sons Thomas Wheeler & John Wheeler the executors of this my will & equally to pay all legacys each his equall p portion: This I George Wheeler Senir make this my laste will all my former Wills to be anullity and voide. Witness my hand & seal this twenty eight day of Jenuary in the year one thousand six hundred eighty & four. George Wheeler (Seal) His x mark Signed & sealed in pr senc of Samuel Meriam Jonathan Hubard John Schorthford By his Excellency the Governor

The herunder written Samuel Meriam and Jonathan Hubard witnesses to this will personally came & appeared before me & made oath on the holy Evangelist that they saw the above written George Wheeler signe seale & declare this to be his las will & testament.

Sworne ye second day of July 1687 before me E. Andros John West, D Secry.

Source: 'History of the Wheeler Family in America', 1914, Albert Gallatin Wheeler, Jr., p 17-19.

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