Descendants of Joseph WHEATON
Generation No. 1
1.
Joseph1 WHEATON1,2 was born 6 March 1766 in
Medway, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA3,4,5, and died 5 April
1844 in Williamsfield Tw, Ashtabula, Ohio, USA Age 786,7,8. He married (1) Sarah WHEELER9,10
1790 in Fairfield, Chittendon, Vermont, USA11,12. She was born Abt. 1762 in Connecticut, USA13,14,
and died 23 February 181815,16. He married (2) Sarah "Sally" UNKNOWN wife of Joseph
WHEATON17,18 Aft. 181818. She was born Abt. 177119,20,
and died Bef. 184021,22.
Notes
for Joseph WHEATON:
MARRIAGE:
Jacobus, Donald Lines, "History and Genealogy of Families of Old
Fairfield";
1654-1809; Vol II, Parts 6-9; Pgs 1016; Copy in the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Aug 1995; NOTES: See footnote (HGF001)
SPOUSE-CHILDREN:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton, Clinton
OH;
1794-1861; Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the personal possession
of
Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton; 1794-1812; NEHGS, MSS 16,
Sub-group
I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US census 1790, 1800, & 1801,
Fairfield,
VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
CHILDREN-LAND-BIOGRAPHY:
Vermont, Franklin, Fairfield Town Records; 1780-1858;
FHL
#0028189, Vols 1 & 1A; Pgs 1:29, 1A:?, 1A:38, 1A:70; Copies in the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Apr 1996; NOTES: (WWD191, 199, 201,
202,
& 204).
BIOGRAPHY:
Doane, Gilbert Harry, Some Early Records of Fairfield, Vermont;
1772-1810;
Free Press Interstate Printing Corp, 1938; FHL #1697883, Item 14; 56
pgs;
Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Mar 1996;
NOTES:
(DGH001, Pg 5).
CENSUS:
HEADS OF FAMILIES AT THE FIRST CENSUS OF THE US TAKEN IN THE YEAR 1790
VERMONT;
1791; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 1966; Pg 24;
Akron-Summit
County Public Library; NOTES: 1-0-1-0-0 (WWD015).
CENSUS:
HEADS OF FAMILIES AT THE SECOND CENSUS OF THE US TAKEN IN THE YEAR 1800
VERMONT;
1800; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 1927; Pg 73;
Akron-Summit
County Public Library, R 929.3643 Un3c 1800; NOTES:Has a 1796 map
of
Vermont (WWD016).
!CENSUS:
Jackson, Ronald Vern, et al, Editors, VERMONT 1810 CENSUS INDEX; 1810;
Accelerated
Indexing Systems, Inc, Bountiful, UT, 1976; Pg 299; Akron-Summit
County
Public Library, R 929.3743 J137v 1810; NOTES: (WWD017).
!CENSUS-BIRTH-RESIDENCE:
1830 Census for New York, Batavia Twp, Genesee County,
Joseph
Wheaton Extracts; 1830; FHL #0017150; Pgs 336 & 387; Copy in the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Oct 1996; NOTES: Has age as 60-70
(WWD212).
!CENSUS:
1840 Ohio Census for Williamsfield Twp, Ashtabula Co; 1840; National
Archives,
M704-376; Pg 190, Frame 0092; Copy of page in the personal possession
of
Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: (WWD223).
!LAND:
Letter from Leigh Flashman Hanscom, Laconia NH (sent from Salt Lake City
UT)
to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1814-1845; Letter date 13 Jan 1997; Pg 1; In
the
personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Deed
Records,
Genesee Co NY; 1811-1814; FHL #0987167, Vol 4; Pg 114; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Joseph
Wheaton,
26 Feb 1814 (FLE024).
!LAND:
Letter from Leigh Flashman Hanscom, Laconia NH (sent from Salt Lake City
UT)
to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1814-1845; Letter date 13 Jan 1997; Pg 1; In
the
personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Deed
Records,
Genesee Co NY; 1828-1831; FHL #0987176, Vol 24; Pg 24; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Joseph
Wheaton,
26 Dec 1824 (FLE024).
!LAND:
Letter from Leigh Flashman Hanscom, Laconia NH (sent from Salt Lake City
UT)
to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1814-1845; Letter date 13 Jan 1997; Pg 1; In
the
personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Deed
Records,
Genesee Co NY; 1824-1828; FHL #0987174, Vol 19; Pg 137; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Joseph
Wheaton,
16 Jul 1825 (FLE024).
!LAND:
Letter from Leigh Flashman Hanscom, Laconia NH (sent from Salt Lake City
UT) to
Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1814-1845; Letter date 13 Jan 1997; Pg 1; In
the
personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Deed
Records,
Genesee Co NY; 1831-1834; FHL #0987167, Vol 29; Pg 241; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Joseph
Wheaton,
19 Jan 1833 (FLE024).
!LAND:
General Index to the Deeds of Williamsfield and Sheffield Townships,
Ashtabula
County Ohio; 1800-1908; Vol I, FHL #965558, Geneva Public Library,
Geneva,
Ohio; Pages 190, 192, 193; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: Pages of Wheaton entries only (ACG011).
!LAND:
Williamsfield Township, 1820 Plat Book of Ashtabula County Ohio; 1820;
Geneva
Public Library, Geneva, Ohio ; Page 2; Copy in the personal possession of
Dean
Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: (ACG013).
.
!DEATH-BURIAL:
Cemetery Inscriptions, Ashtabula County, Ohio, Vol 1; ; Ashtabula
County
Genealogical Society, 1977; Pages 49 & 53; Copy of pages in the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: (ACG002).
!DEATH-BURIAL-AGE:
Email from Roger Cobb of Ashtabula County, Ohio Cemetery
Inscription
to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1768-1844; Email Dated 22 Mar 1998;
Attachment;
In the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998;
NOTES:
Ashtabula County Ohio Cemetery Inscriptions 1990; ; Ohio DAR GRA GRC
Series
2 Vol 32, Williamsfield Township Cemetery; ; In the personal possession
of
Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: (CR_001).
!BURIAL:
Gravestone Photograph; 1844; Photograph #575-15 by Dean Wheaton; ;
Photograph
in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH, May 1998.
Joseph's
birth can be approximated from three sources.
First from the 1830
Genesee
County NY census where he is listed as 60-70 years old. This implies
that
he was born in the decade between 1860 and 1770. He is also listed as
60-70
years old in the 1840 Ashtabula County OH census, not in agreement with
the
1840 census. His gravestone gives his
death date as 5 Apr 1844 and his age
as 78
years. Computing his birth year by
subtracting 78 from 1844 leads to
1766. Assuming that two of the three records that
agree are correct, his birth
can
be determined as occurring in 1766.
Unfortunately, where he was born or who
his
parents were has not yet been found.
Joseph
apparently came to Fairfield VT with his future father-in-law Joseph
Wheeler
in 1787. He is first mentioned as "J Wheaton's farm" in the Fairfield
Town
Records in a recording of a 22 Sep 1792 highway survey. He is later
mentioned
in the town meeting minutes as a town official: 15 Mar 1792, chosen
Hayward;
13 Mar 1804, chosen one of sixteen Surveyors of Highways; 1 Mar 1813,
chosen
one of fifteen Path Martins. Note that the town records are not in
chronological
order. Joseph is not mentioned in the
town records after the 1813
entry.
Joseph
was enumerated in the 1791 Vermont Census in Fairfield, Chittenden County
and
in the 1800 Census in Fairfield, Franklin County (Franklin was made from
Chittenden
in 1796). The children's age groupings
do not quite match with the
birth
dates given in the town records: two males and one female less than 10
years
and one male 10-16 yrs.
The
Fairfield Town Records on page 1A:63 record the births of Joseph's five
children.
The recording appears to have been made well after their births as
they
are recorded on five consecutive lines following a recording of the 11 May
1812
Town Meeting minutes and are followed by recording of an announcement for
another
Town Meeting dated 23 Sep 1811. It may have become fashionable about
this
time to record children's births in the town records as those of several
other
families also appear on nearby pages.
The
town records imply the construction of a school house between the meetings
of
1802 and 1803. Since the meetings were held in March each year, it is
probable
that it was built in the summer of 1802 (the Town House was not built
until
six years later, between the 1808 and 1809 town meetings). Joseph's
children
must have attended school there.
In
1810 the family was again enumerated by the census in Fairfield.
Sometime
between 1 Mar 1813 when he was selected as a Path Martin in Fairfield
and
26 Feb 1814 (based on migration information it is probable that they moved
by
sleigh during the winter), Joseph and Sarah moved to Genesee County, New York
where
he purchased land in Batavia Township (T12, R2, Sec 4, Lot 5, 160 acres)
for
$363.82. Possibly he was motivated by the War of 1812 which was unpopular in
Vermont
and a hardship as the Vermonters were caught between the British of
Canada
to the north and the War Hawks to the south (see Vermont History).
Four
years later, Sarah died (1818). It is
probable that Joseph remarried quite
soon
after her death as the 1830 Census enumerated seven additional children (two
boys
ages
10-15, one make 15-20, two girls ages 5-10, and one girl age 10-15, and one
female aged 15-20 and an 8th child age 20-30 is almost certainly Harlow. It is probable that the four oldest children
are from the 2nd wife's 1st marriage and the youngest three are hers and
Joseph's.
The
family probably lived on that Batavia Township farm until it was sold on 16
Jul
1825 for $2,500, a handsome increase in eleven years. A few months before
selling
this land Joseph bought another farm in an adjacent township on 26 Dec
1824
(T12, R1, Sec 10, Lot 12, 95 acres) for $587.31. On 19 Jan 1833, Joseph
sold
this farm for $900.
Some
time after Jan 1833 and before Jan 1839 Joseph moved to Ashtabula County,
Ohio.
On 2 Jan 1839 he purchased 61.55 acres of land in Lot 3, Section 5 of
Williamsfield
Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio. Lot 3 is the S 1/3 of W 1/2 of
Sec 5
and contained approximately 100 acres. It is likely the land Joseph
purchased
was the east end of the lot as the 1856 plat shows a dwelling labeled
"J
French" on that end on the west side of the north-south road that bisected
the
section (the land was sold in 1852 to Homer French). This road was the only
one
in the section at that time.
On 16
Jul 1840 Joseph sold the 61.55 acre parcel to his son Joseph W Wheaton.
In
1840, Joseph was enumerated by the census in the household of his son Joseph
Wheeler
Wheaton, in Williamsfield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio.
There
was no mention of a wife in the July 1840 land sale nor was a female of
the
expected age enumerated by the 1840 Census. Therefore it must be assumed
that
Sally died before 1840.
Joseph
died 5 Apr 1844 at age 78 and was buried in the West Williamsfield
Township
Cemetery. This can be used to compute
his birth as 1844 - 78 = 1766
NOTE:
The two Williamsfield Township Cemetery inscription records (DAR and
Ashtabula
County Genealogical Society) give his death as 5 Apr 1844 and 5 Apr
1811(?).
Since the recorders of the second have a doubt about the year and 11
could
be easily mistaken for 44, the DAR record was used as it is more
consistent
with other facts. The grave was visited and photographed by Dean
Wheaton
14 May 1998, although the stone is highly weathered the inscription
recorded
by the DAR is correct except that no birth date is given on the stone.
Where
the DAR record obtained the birth year is unknown but is believed
incorrect. The DAR record (and gravestone) gives his
age as 78 which can be
used
to compute his birth as 1844 - 78 = 1766.
More
About Joseph WHEATON:
Burial:
Unknown, Williamsfield Tw, Ashtabula, Ohio, USA23,24
Notes
for Sarah WHEELER:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1998-07-13
RIN=6544
!PARENTS-SPOUSE-CHILDREN:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton OH; 1794-1861; Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton;
1794-1812;
NEHGS, MSS 16, Sub-group I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US
census
1790, 1800, & 1801, Fairfield, VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
!DEATH-BURIAL-BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton,
Clinton
OH; 1862-1835; Postmarked 30 Nov 1996; 2 Pgs; In the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1996; NOTES: DAR Cemetery, Church,
and
Town Records; ; 974.7 qD23, Vol 12, New York State Library at Albany; Page
10B;
Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997;
NOTES:
Wheaton entries for Daws Cemetery, Batavia, Genesee County, NY, birth
computed
from age and death in this record (FLE021-A).
Sarah
died at age 56 and was buried in the Daw's Corners Cemetery in Batavia
Township.
There is a stone marking her grave: "Im Memory of Mrs. Sarah Wheaton,
the
wife of Joseph W. Wheaton who departed this life Feb. 23 1818 aged 56."
More
About Sarah WHEELER:
Burial:
Unknown, Daws Cemetery, Batavia Twp, Genesee, New York, USA25,26
Notes
for Sarah "Sally" UNKNOWN wife of Joseph WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1998-07-13
RIN=8573
!SPOUSE:
Letter from Leigh Flashman Hanscom, Laconia NH (sent from Salt Lake
City
UT) to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH; 1814-1845; Letter date 13 Jan 1997; Pg 1;
In
the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Deed
Records,
Genesee Co NY; 1831-1834; FHL #0987167, Vol 29; Pg 241; Copy in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997; NOTES: Joseph
Wheaton
and Sarah (Sally) his wife, 19 Jan 1833 (FLE024).
!CENSUS:
1840 Ohio Census for Williamsfield Twp, Ashtabula Co; 1840; National
Archives,
M704-376; Pg 190, Frame 0092; Copy of page in the personal possession
of
Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, May 1998; NOTES: (WWD223).
Sally's
death is put prior to 1840 as her husband Joseph Wheaton was enumerated
by
the 1840 Census in Williamsfield Twp, Ashtabula County, Ohio living with his
son
Joseph Wheeler Wheaton. There is no mention of an elderly female who could
have
been Sally in that census. Nor was a
wife mentioned when Joseph sold land
to
son Joseph W Wheaton in Jul 1840.
Children
of Joseph WHEATON and Sarah WHEELER are:
i. Jerry2
WHEATON27,28, b. 14 October 1794, Fairfield, Franklin,
Vermont, USA29,30; d. Unknown.
Notes
for Jerry WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1996-05-01
RIN=6547
!BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH;
1794-1861;
Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the personal possession of
Dean
Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton; 1794-1812; NEHGS, MSS 16,
Sub-group
I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US census 1790, 1800, & 1801,
Fairfield,
VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
!BIRTH:
Vermont, Franklin, Fairfield Town Records; 1780-1858; FHL #0028189, Vol
1A;
Pg 63; Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Apr
1996;
NOTES: (WWD202).
ii. Sarah
WHEATON31,32, b. 23 July 1795, Fairfield, Franklin, Vermont,
USA33,34; d. Unknown; m. Sylvanus HUMPHREY35,
Genenee County, New York, USA35; b. Abt. 179036;
d. Unknown.
Notes
for Sarah WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1996-05-01
RIN=6548
!BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH;
1794-1861;
Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the personal possession of
Dean
Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton; 1794-1812; NEHGS, MSS 16,
Sub-group
I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US census 1790, 1800, & 1801,
Fairfield,
VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
!BIRTH:
Vermont, Franklin, Fairfield Town Records; 1780-1858; FHL #0028189, Vol
1A;
Pg 63; Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Apr
1996;
NOTES: (WWD202).
Notes
for Sylvanus HUMPHREY:
Addresses
???? Ashtabula County, Ohio, USA
2. iii. Melville
WHEATON, b. 23 January 1800, Fairfield, Franklin, Vermont, USA; d. 2 June 1875,
Evangeline Twp, Charlevoix, Michigan, USA.
3. iv. Joseph
Wheeler WHEATON, b. 16 April 1802, Fairfield, Franklin, Vermont, USA; d. 4 July
1857, Genesee, New York, USA.
v. Harlow
WHEATON37,38, b. 3 September 1807, Fairfield, Franklin,
Vermont, USA39,40; d. Unknown; m. Unknown wife of Harlow
WHEATON40, Bef. 182540; b. Abt. 180540;
d. 7 November 182540.
Notes
for Harlow WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1996-05-01
RIN=6550
!BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH;
1794-1861;
Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the personal possession of
Dean
Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton; 1794-1812; NEHGS, MSS 16,
Sub-group
I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US census 1790, 1800, & 1801,
Fairfield,
VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
!BIRTH:
Vermont, Franklin, Fairfield Town Records; 1780-1858; FHL #0028189, Vol
1A;
Pg 63; Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Apr
1996;
NOTES: (WWD202).
Notes
for Unknown wife of Harlow WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1997-11-01
RIN=8571
!DEATH-BURIAL-BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton,
Clinton
OH; 1862-1835; Postmarked 30 Nov 1996; 2 Pgs; In the personal
possession
of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1996; NOTES: DAR Cemetery, Church,
and
Town Records; ; 974.7 qD23, Vol 12, New York State Library at Albany; Page
10B;
Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Jan 1997;
NOTES:
Wheaton entries for Daws Cemetery, Batavia, Genesee County, NY, birth
computed
from age and death in this record (FLE021-A).
Harlow's
wife died at age 20 and was buried in the Daws Corners Cemetery in
Batavia. There is a stone marking her grave: "In
Memory of Mrs. Harlow
Wheaton,
who died Nov. 7, 1825 aged 20."
More
About Unknown wife of Harlow WHEATON:
Burial:
Unknown, Batavia Twp, Genesee, New York, USa40
Generation No. 2
2.
Melville2 WHEATON (Joseph1)41,42
was born 23 January 1800 in Fairfield, Franklin, Vermont, USA43,44,
and died 2 June 1875 in Evangeline Twp, Charlevoix, Michigan, USA45,46. He married Anne HUNT47,48
Abt. 1830 in Canada49,50.
She was born Abt. 1812 in Canada51,52, and died 5 June
1883 in Eveline Twp, Charlevoix, Michigan, USA53,54.
Notes
for Melville WHEATON:
[Joseph
and Sarah Wheeler.FTW]
UPDATE:
1997-11-11
RIN=258
!BIRTH:
Vermont, Franklin, Fairfield Town Records; 1780-1858; FHL #0028189, Vol
1A;
Pg 63; Copy in the personal possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Apr
1996;
NOTES: (WWD202).
!BIRTH:
Letter from Leigh Hanscom, Laconia NH to Dean Wheaton, Clinton OH;
1794-1861;
Letter postmarked 22 Jun 1995; Pg 1; In the personal possession of
Dean
Wheaton, Clinton OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Wheaton; 1794-1812; NEHGS, MSS 16,
Sub-group
I, Series A, Sub-series 1; ; Copy in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jun 1995; NOTES: Data from US census 1790, 1800, & 1801,
Fairfield,
VT Town Records, Book 1, Pg 63 (FLE011).
!CENSUS-BIRTH-BIOGRAPHY-SPOUSE-CHILDREN:
1851 Canada West (Ontario) Census for
Brant
County; 1851; Brantford Public Library, Brantford, Ontario, microfilm
rolls
C-947 and C-948, Personal, pg 209, lines 1-9, Agricultural, pg 241, line
46;
Pgs 209 & 241; Copies of relevant pages in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Nov 1994; NOTES: Agricultural lists farm information and
crops
harvested (WWD116, pg 2-14).
!CHILDREN:
Letter from Veda Wheaton Anderson to Dean
Wheaton;
1873-1968; Letter dated 29 Oct 1992; pg 4; P/P Dean Wheaton,
Clinton,
OH, Oct 1993; NOTES: Cover letter and
copied pages from her
mother's
bible (Lillie Bacon Wheaton), gives married names of Andrew's sisters
(WVE001).
!SPOUSE-CHILDREN-BIOGRAPHY:
Letter from Judy Burton Schilthelm to Dean Wheaton;
1849-1989;
letter dated 1 Nov 1992; pgs 29-31; P/P WD Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Oct
1993;
NOTES: Contains a letter from Bertie Foster, 31 Mar 1981 quoting her
great
uncle Robert Wheaton with story about Melville and striking an officer.
!NATURALIZATION:
Naturalization Registers of Upper Canada, Gore District,
Wentworth
County; 1828-1850; National Archives of Canada, RG 5 B 47, Vol 6,
Wentworth,
Entry 38, Reel C-15692; Pg 4; Copy from the microfilm in the
personal
possession of Dean Wheaton, Clinton, OH, Feb 1995; NOTES: Entry for
Melville
Wheaton 29 May 1841, has his signature (NAC001).
!DEATH:
Death Records of Charlevoix County Michigan; 1868-1905; FHL Microfilm
#0965393,
Volume I, #112; pg 8; Extracts in the personal possession of Dean
Wheaton,
Clinton, OH, Jan 1995; NOTES: Given name is listed as Melvin, age as
77,
birth in Vermont, & occupation as farmer, no parents given (WWD127, pg 2).
Melville's
birth and that of his four siblings are recorded in the Fairfield
Town
Records on page 1A:63. The recording appears to have been made well after
their
births as they are recorded on five consecutive lines following a
recording
of the 11 May 1812 Town Meeting minutes and are followed by recording
of an
announcement for another Town Meeting dated 23 Sep 1811. It may have
become
fashionable about this time to record children's births in the town
records
as those of several other families also appear on nearby pages.
It is
likely that Melville moved with his family to Batavia Township, Genesee
County,
New York sometime between 1 Mar 1813 when his father was selected as a
Path
Martin in Fairfield's Town Meeting and 26 Feb 1814 when his father
purchased
land in Batavia Township. Melville
would have been thirteen years old
if
the move was made in 1813 (most probable), a bit too young to be on his own.
Nothing
further is known of him for certain until 1841.
Melville
took the Oath of Allegiance to Upper Canada (now Ontario) on 29 May
1841
in the Gore District, Wentworth County, Upper Canada. His residence was in
Brantford
Township and his occupation was laborour. He would have been 41 years
of
age at this time. The record contains a rarely found personal signature
which
is in an excellent hand indicating that Melville must have had a very
good
education. Since the Oath includes the fact that the signer has resided in
"Her
Majesty's Dominion" for seven years, it can be concluded that Melville
came
to Upper Canada in early 1834 or before.
Most likely he was there before
1834
as his first child was born in Canada in 1833.
The
Canadian 1851 Census for Brantford Twp, Brant County, Ontario has two
parts:
personal and agricultural. In the personal census Melville is listed as
a
farmer born in Vermont and of the WU (Wesleyan Methodist) religion . His wife
Anne
and seven children (Joseph through Andrew) are listed with their ages, all
listed
as born in Canada. A nine year old orphan, William Taws, is also living
in
the household. The census also indicates that they are living in a log house
of
one story and no other family resides there. Melville is the tenant of one
Andrew
Westbrook. Westbrook was a Dutch immigrant who was a United Empire
Loyalist
from New York and owned a lot of land in Brant County given to him by
the
British government in payment for his loyality during the American
Revolutionary
War. He was a rather stern and demanding landlord. Possibly this
is
the reason the Melville and the family are no longer in Brant County by 1861
when
the next census was taken.
In
the Canadian 1851 Personal Census for Brantford Twp, Brant County, Ontario:
the
following data is in records of five fields each, a sixth (computed birth)
has
been added by this author. The fields
are: Name, Sex, Age at Next
Birthday,
Birth Place, Occupation, and Computed Birth (from age and birth). The
data
records are: Melville, M, 55, VT, Farmer, 1796; Anne, F, 40, Canada,
,1811;
Joseph A, M, 19, Canada, ,1832; Mary Jane, F, 15, Canada, ,1836; Sarah
Ann,
F, 12, Canada, ,1839; Elizabeth, F, 10, Canada, ,1841; Charles M, M, 7,
Canada,
,1844; Catherine, F, 4 (or 6), Canada, ,1847; Andrew, M, 3, Canada,
,1848.
In
the agricultural portion of the census, the following data is in records of
two
fields each: Item, Amount. Concession, Unreadable; Lot, Unreadable; Held,
30
acres; Under cultivation, 19 acres; Under crop, 13 acres; Under pasture, 6
acres;
Garden/Orchard, --; Wood/Wild, 11 acres; Wheat, 12 acres (167 bushels);
Barley,
--; Rye, --; Peas, --; Oats, 1 acre (16 bushels); B Wheat, --; Indian
Corn,
--; Potatoes, --; Turnips, --; Clover, --; Carrots, --; Mangle Wurtzel,
--;
Beans, 2 1/2 bushels; Hops, --; Hay, 3 Tons/Bundles; Flax/Hemp, --;
Tobacco,
--; Wool, --; Onions, 3 (no measure given); Apples, --; Cabbage, --;
Maple
Sugar, 60 Lbs; Cider, --; Fulled Cloth, --; Linen, --; Flannel, 21 Yards;
Oxen,
2; Milch cows, 3; calves, 1; horses, --; sheep, --; pigs, 6; butter, 200
lbs;
cheese, --; beef, 400 cwts; pork, 500 cwts; fish, --.
Based
on these harvests, it can be inferred that the family's primary efforts
centered
on their milch cows and hogs. Working of the fields was by oxen and
not
horses. They were well provisioned with wheat for flour (and possibly had
some
for sale for cash) and maple sugar. Anne must have worked hard to make
flannel
for clothing. It is interesting that they grew none of the root crops
such
as potatoes, carrots, or turnips.
There
were no Wheaton's found in the 1861 or 1871 Censuses for Brantford Twp,
Brant
County, Canada West. Son Joseph was enumerated in the 1861 Census in
Culross,
Township, Bruce County, Canada West but none of the other family
members
have been found in that census. It is
probable that Joseph had been in
Bruce
County for several years prior to the census.
It is also highly likely
that
his sister Sarah was also in the area prior to the census. In the late
1850s,
Sarah would have been in late teens, unusually young for a female of
those
times to be on her own. Were her
parents also in the area or was she
living
with Joseph and his wife?
Melville,
Anne, and all of their children have been located in Michigan vital