| Notes |
- Preeminent among the men of Colonial times who were influential by reason of their wealth, social position and official importance stands Captain Timothy Wheeler of Concord, Massachuset.
The date of his arrival in America is not fixed, but the fact that he joined the Concord colony as early as 1639, having come, it is claimed, from Charlestown, and became a freeman thereof May 13, 1640 is of record, and is the first mention of him that is to be found. He came from Odell, Wiltshire, England, and probably brought with him his wife Jane. His rise to prominence was very rapid after his arrival in Concord and his high influence in the affairs of the colony within a very short time is the subject of wide mention by all historians. His activity in the general welfare of the colony was continuous, and he took time from his military duties to serve on various town civil committees and serve as Representative for eighteen years, being a signer of almost every petition presented in the town's behalf during his lifetime there. He lived in the East Quarter of the town in the house of the then late Rev. Peter Bulkeley, the first minister of Concord, having taken over almost all of the real estate of that gentleman after his demise; this he did jointly with his brother George Wheeler. It was in that house that the treaty with the Indians was made in 1636 by which the tract of land six miles square was ceded to the "English Undertakers" to establish Concord.
6 May 1646 he was made Ensign of the train band, or organized military company of foot soldiers, and later he became its Captain and was the head of the military magazine of the town.
In 1664 it was thought advisable to get from the Indians new and formal deed to the lands comprising the New Grant, and it is natural to assume that the town selected trustees in such a matter its foremost men of high standing. The following deeds show for themselves the position of Caption Timothy Wheeler in this connections:
Deed to Timothy Wheeler
"To all People to whom these presents may come, Greeting Know ye that We, Mary Neepanaum John Speen and Sarah Speen Dorothy Winnetow Peter Muckquamack of Natick and Indians For and in Consideration of a valuable sum of money to us in hand paid by Captain Timothy Wheeler Henry Wodis James Blood and John Flint The Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, and therewith to be fully satisfied and contented have sold and by these presents do sell aliene enfeoffe and confirm unto the said Captain Timothy Wheeler, Henry Woodis James Blood & John Flint of Concord in the County of Midehoof of themselves and the rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord a certain Tract or parcel of Land containing by Estimation a Thousand acres be the same more or less and is situate lying and being within the last Grant of Land by the General Court to the said Town of Concord and is bounded Southeast by Sudbury & the Land of Stow alias (Pompasitticutt) and Northwest by the said Stow running by them upon that Line about a Mile and a Quarter, near to a Hill by the Indians called Maaruphanit and from thence by a strait Line to the North River at the old bounds of the Said Town of Concord unto them the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood & John Flint for themselves and for the use & behoof of the Rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord to them their heirs assigns and successors forever and we the said Mary Neepanaum John Speen and Sarah Speen his wife Dorothy Winnetow Peter Muckquamuck and James Speen and Elizabeth his wife, do hereby covenant and Promise to and with the aforesaid Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood & John Flint and the Rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord that we are the true proprietors of and have good Right & full power to grant bargain & sell the above grantd & bargained premises unto the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood and John Flint and the Rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord to them their heirs successors and assigns forever and that the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood John Flint and the Rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord them their heirs assigns and successors forever shall and may at all Times and from time to time forever hereafter peaceable have hold occupy possess and enjoy the above granted Premises in fee simple, be the same more or less without the Let denial or contradiction of us the said Mary Neepanaum John Speen, & Sarah Speen his wife Dorothy Winnetow Peter Muckquamuck and James Speen and Elizabeth his wife, or any of us or any of our heirs or any other person or persons whatsoever lawfully claiming & having any Right Title or interest therein or to or in any part or parcel thereof ---
In acknowledgment of this our act & Deed we have hereto put our hands and seals this fifth Day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty & four
Signed Sealed & Deld in James Speen, his mark X and seal
the presence of Sarah Speen, her mark O and seal
Moses Parker James Speen, his mark X and seal
Noah Brooks Elizabeth Speen, her Mark X and seal
Samuel Wheeler, Junr. Dorothy Winnetow, her mark + and seal
Benjamin Bohow, his mark B
Sarah Bohow, her mark G
John Speen & Sarah his wife James Speen and Elizabeth his wife and Dorothy alias Winnetow acknowledged the within written instrument to be their Act & Deed.
May 5, 1684 before Petr Bulkley Assist.
Deed to Captain Timothy Wheeler
"To all People to whom These presents may come Greeting
Know ye that We John Thomas and Naanonsquaw his wife Tasunsquaw The Relict of Wawbon Decd. and eldest Daughter to Tasatawan Sagamore decd. Thomas Wawbon her son Solomon Thomas John Nsquaw James Casumpal Senr and Sarah his wife & Sarah the Relict widow of Peter Conoway Indians for and in Consideration of the sum of one and twenty pounds, fifteen of it long since paid to us (blank in record) and the Remainder Which is six pounds is now paid to us by Captain Timothy Wheeler Nenry Woodis James Blood & Flint of Concord the Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge and therewith to be fully satisfied and contented have sold and by these presents do sell aliene enfeoffe and confiem unto the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood and John Flint of Concord in the County of Middlesex in the Massachusetts Colony in New England for the use & behoof of themselves and the Rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord a certain Tract or parcel of Land containing by Estimation Eight Thousand acres be the same more or less and is situatelying and being within the last Grants of Land by the General Court to the Town of Concord and is bounded Southeast by the old bounds of the said Town of Concord and is bounded Easterly partly by Billerica partly by a Farm formerly laid out by Major Willard for himself and partly by Chelmsford till it meets with Nashoby Line and then Westerly by the said Nashoby to the Southeast Corner of the said Nashoby and (then northerly) by the said N (ashoby) tilly it meets with St(ow) and so bounded northwest by the said Stow till it comes Near to a Hill by the Indians call Naaruhpanitand then running upon a strait Line to the North River at the old bounds of the said Town of Concord unto them the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood and John Flint agents for the Town of Concord and to the rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord to them their Heirs and Successors and assigns forever and we the said John Thomas and Nasquaw James Casumpat and Sarah his wife and Sarah the Relict widow of Peter Connoway do hereby covenant and promise to and with the foresaid Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood and John Flint and the rest of the Proprietors of the Town of Concord that we are the true Proprietors of and have good Right and full power to grant bargain and sell the above granted and bargained premises unto the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood & John Flint and the rest of the Proprietors of the Town of Concord to them their heirs Successors and assigns forever and that the said Timothy Wheeler Henry Woodis James Blood and John Flint & the rest of the Proprietors of the said Town of Concord them their Heirs Successors & assigns shall and may at all times & from time to time forever hereafter peaceable have hold occupy possess and enjoy the above granted premises in fee simple be the same more or less without the Let denial or Contradiction of us the said John Thomas and Naanonsquaw his wife Tasunnsquaw widow and eldest Daughter of Tasattawan Late Sagamore decd Thomas Wawbon Solomon Thomas John Nasquaw James Casumpat Senr & Sarah his wife and Sarah the Relict widow of Peter Conoway or any of us or any of our heirs or any other person or persons whatsoever lawfully claiming & having any Right Title or Interest therein or to or in any part or parcel thereof.
In acknowledgment of this our act & Deed we have hereto put our hands and seals this fourteenth Day of August in the year of our Lord one Thousand Six hundred Eighty and four.
Signed Sealed & Del'd,
Ebenezer Ingolds
Joseph Shambert his mark W
Andrew Pittamey his mark A
Joseph Wooley
John Thomas his mark II and seal
Naanunsquaw her mark N and seal
Tasunsquaw her mark N and seal
Thomas Wabon his mark X and seal
Solomon Thomas his mark S and Seal
James Casumpat Senr his mark Z and seal
John Nasquaw his mark T and seal
Sarah the widow of Peter Conoway her mark } and seal
Sarah the wife of James Casumpat her mark C and seal.
Timothy Wheeler was one of the early proprietors of Watertown, Massachusetts, to which place he generously gave the land for its ministerial uses. Being possessed of good education himself he earnestly desired the youth of Concord to have the advantages of learning, and to be sure of its establishment he made provision by gift to the town in his will under which the first regular school in Concord was established. He was very wealthy for the times, having property in Concord, Watertown, Mystic, Charlestown and Boston, etc., and by his various public gifts showed himself to be a high-minded man of generous instincts. His will is here given:
Will of Timothy Wheeler
In ye name of God Amen: I Timothy Wheeler of Concord in ye County of Middlesex in New England aged 82 years being at psent infirm of body yet having a sound and disposing mind doe resigne up my soul into ye hand of God my heavenly father who have by his son & spirit savd & sanctified it. And my body I comit to ye earth to be therein decently interred according to ye discretion of ye executrix of this my will afterward expressed: And as to my temperall estate which God of his bounty has bestowed upon me: it is my will & pleasure: yt it be disposed in maner as followeth. Imprimis I give to ye Revnd Mr. Edward Bulkley twenty shillings in money. Item I give to Joseph Estabook twenty shillings in money: I give to ye Towne of Concord my house yet stands near Eliaz: Flegs house wth ye land yt it stands on, & is joyned to it, wch is about three acers be it more or less bounded by ye high-way on ye north east by my land viz ye gutter & Eliazer Flegs land on ye north west & southe by it I say I give to ye sd towne to be improved as followeth viz yt about half an Acre of ye sd Lot be layd out to ye training part ye fense to run fro- ye corner of ye house to ye
bow of ye hill upo a strait line ye dwelling house with the rest of ye land with all yt is upo it I give to be improved for ye furtherance of learning & ye support of a school in ye sd Towne. Also I give to ye Towne of Concord forty Acres of wood-land lying in ye east quarter near to Eliz. Ballie land bounded as it is to be seen in ye House Records it is to be fro time to time improved for ye use & benefit of ye ministry of ye sd Towne: I give to Mary Brooks my Brother Calibs Daughter twenty pounds: I give to my cousin Joshua Wheeler three pounds in corn also I give to my cousins Sam Wheeler & his sister Susanna shipley twenty shillings apeice: I give to Jos Wheeler my brother Thos: his son, all my right in ye village also to Ephraim & Deliverance Wheeler my Broth Tho his youngest son. I give ten acres of meadow be it more or less lying at ye upper end Elm-brook brook-meadow not farr fro Jos. Danes meadow this to be equally divided between yow. I give to ye two youngest sons of my Nephew Sargt. Thos. Wheeler viz Ephr: & Joseph four acres of meadow lying neer Virginy bounded by meadow of Tim: Wheeler Junr on ye north & meadow of Jo. Hoar on ye east & meadow of Abraham Taylor on ye south. To Sarah Jones my grandchild I give five Acres of meadow lying in Elm brook meadow butting upon John Hoars meadow. Also I give to Sarah Jones twenty acres of woodland lying in ye north quarter bounded by land of Mr. Jo Flints & whereas I gave to my Son & Daughter Prout all my estate at Mystick viz ye one half of it to them & ye other half to her heirs it is now my will yt my grandchild Tim. Prout be possessed of ye half thereof when he shall be of age also to ye sd Tim I give five pounds to be payd when of age I give to my Son Prout five shillings in money to Ebenr my grandson I give my house in Boston with all yt belongs to it: to Jos. Prout my grandson I give my Land in Boston wch I had of my Cousin Southfort viz. Eben & Jos: to be possessed of ye sd house & land after ye decease of my wife: To my daughter Rebecca Minot I give & bequeath after ye decease of my beloved wife viz: my Homested in Concord yt is my house & Barn wth all ye priviledges thereunto pertaining: it is my will yt in case either of my two youngest grand children shall dye before he come to age yt wch is given ye pson deceased shall be equally divided between the two surviving. To my beloved wife Mary I give all my lands in Charleston; also my land at ye Towne end up. wch J. Mark lives also all other parcels of lands not given away together wth all my goods & chattels: Finally I make and Constitute my beloved wife Mary sole executrix of this my will Desireing & enjoyning her yt all my just debts be satisfied: & in order to ye due performance of this my will I request the help of my son Mr. Jam. Minot my Brother Calib Brooke, & my nephew Sargent Wheeler yt. would afford yt best assistance to my beloved wife, yt this is my last will & testament all former wills being null & void in testimony hereof I set to my hand & seal this first day of Marcy in ye year of our Lord 166? Anno qe Regni Jacobi Sucundi tertio
Timothy Wheeler (Seal)
Signed sealed, & published in ye presence of us Joseph Estabrooke, Luke Potter, James Blood, Humphrey Barrett.
By his Excellency.
The within written Luke Potter, James Blood, Humphry Barrett personally appeared & made Oath that they saw ye within named Tymothy Wheeler signe seale & Declare ye within writing to be his last will & testament & that att ye doing thereof he was of sound mind & understanding to ye best of their perceiving.
Sworne ye 7th September 1687
before me
John West D. Secr. E. Andros
A true copy Attest,
John R. Nichols
Assistant Register.
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Reference:
"History of the Wheeler Family in America", 1914, Albert Gallatin Wheeler, Jr., p 134-139.
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1604 - 1687 (~ 83 years)
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