Richard Wheeler

On the 4th of July 1616, the day his youngest son, William was baptized, Richard Wheeler sen of Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England wrote his will. He was buried in Cranfield two days later on 6th of July 1616. At that time his eldest son Richard was not yet seventeen years old, but had been born before the register was started.

the old church in Cranfield
Cranfield Village

Richard Wheeler sen. was buried 6 July 1616 in Cranfield.
Children of Richard Wheeler and wife Elizabeth:
baptized at Cranfield:
1. Richard Wheeler ca 1600 -
2. Susan Wheeler buried 10 Dec 1601
3. William Wheeler bp 27 June 1602 - dy
4. Lewis Wheeler bp 6 Aug 1604 -
5. Thomas Wheeler bp 7 April 1606 -
[perhaps the Thomas who settled in Milford CT, whose brother was William of Strafford CT - Brainard]
6. Elizabeth Wheeler bp 1 May 1608 -
7. Ann Wheeler bp 12 July 1609 - dy
8. Ann Wheeler bp 29 Apr 1610 -
9. ? Margaret Wheeler bp 8 Sept 1611 - dy
10. Henry Wheeler bp 15 June 1612 -
11. Sarah Wheeler bp 7 Mar 1613/14 -
12. John Wheeler bp 10 Dec 1615 -
13. William Wheeler bp 4 July 1616 -
[perhaps the William Wheeler of Stratford, who is known to have been a brother of Thomas of Milford CT]

Abstract of the Will of Richards Wheeler the elder of Cranfeilde, co Bedford, husbandman, dated 4 July 1616.
- my body to be buried at the discretion of my executors.
- to Lewis Wheeler my third son, fifty pounds payable at his age of 21 years with yearly use for him according to the statute, he having interest for his maintenance after the age of 17 years.
- to my son Thomas Wheeler, fifty pounds at his age of 21 years, with interest as in the case with Lewes.
- to Henry Wheeler my son, fifty pounds payable at his age of 21 years, with interest as aforesaid.
- to John Wheeler forty pounds payable at his age of 21 years, with conditions as aforesaid.
- to Elizabeth Wheeler, Anne Wheeler & Sarah Wheeler, my daughters, fifty pounds a piece payable at their ages of 21 years or at marriage, their portions to be set out at interest, and they severally to have the interest of their portions at their ages of 14 years, for their maintenance.
- I make Willyam Wheeler my son sole executor, & until he attain the age of 21 years I make my wife Elizabeth Wheeler, Josias Chapman & Willyam Woodell of the Elme guardians of my said son Willyam.
- I give to my wife all my utensils & household stuff & firewood about my yards.
- to my eldest son Richarde Wheeler, £10 at his age of seventeen years.
- to my wife, £10 in money besides.
- if any of my children die before their portions are due, such portions shall be divided among the rest.
- to Willyam Woodell & Josias Chapman, fifty shillings a piece for their pains.
[No witnesses given in the registered copy of this will.]
Administration granted 8 Oct 1616 to Elizabeth Wheeler, the relict, during the minority of William Wheeler the executor.
[Archdeasonry Court of Bedford, Register 28, folio 209.]
source:
Coddington "The Wheelers of Bedfordshire and New England" - The American Genealogist 28:139

William Wheeler 1616 - 1666 DEL | his parents
& Sarah ? ca 1621 - 1709
& William Brooks of Milford CT
of Stratford CT & Delaware

Willliam Wheeler of Stratford CT, who died at Delaware in 1666 was the brother of Thomas Wheeler who settled in Milford CT. [wills of both brothers tell us this.]
William wrote his will 17 January 1666 and it was proved 8 November 1666.
had wife Sarah, brother Thomas Wheeler, two sons and a daughter;
Nathaniel Wheeler was a witness.
Sarah Brooks presented the Inventory.
His children are named in his brother Thomas Wheeler's will of 18 Nov 1672
     " Item I doe give to my brothers children here, viz: William, Thomas & Sarah ten pounds to be equally divided amongst them."

Sarah married 2nd 1666 William Brooks of Milford CT.
The will of William Brooks, 1 Dec 1684, named wife Sarah;
- two shillings to the wife of Thomas Wildman, she having rec'd her portion,
"and I doe further declare yt I know not that shee is any wayes related to mee";
- William and Thomas Wheeler, sons of my wife;
- Sarah wife of James Biscoe; Hannah dau of Elder Buckingham;
- Richard Bryan and Jobamah Gunn.

Sarah ? [Wheeler] [Brooks] died 5 June 1709 ae 88.

Children of William Wheeler and wife Sarah:
1. Sarah Wheeler
     married 6 Dec 1676 James Briscoe bp 6 May 1649 - 25 Oct 1711
          son of Nathaniel & Mehitable
2. William Wheeler, blacksmith d. 12 Nov 1705
     married 10 April 1682 Ruth Smith ca 1663 - 27 Sept 1705 ae 42
     a. Ruth Wheeler 14 Jan 1682/3 [bp 30 Aug 1695]
          married ca 1701 Josiah Rogers of Branford CT
     b. Sarah Wheeler bp 30 June 1695
          married Branford CT 8 April 1715 Samuel Beers
     c. Samuel Wheeler bp 30 June 1695 - 22 Oct 1705
     d. Rebecca Wheeler ca 1691 bp 30 June 1695 - dy
     e. Elizabeth Wheeler 12 Jan 1696/7 bp 17 Jan 1696/7 - 25 Aug 1755 ae 59
             died Branford CT
          married Branford 28 Nov 1722 Noah Rogers
    f. William Wheeler bp 7 July 1700 - prob dy
    g. Rhoda Wheeler 9 Dec 1701 bp 28 Dec 1701
         married Nathaniel Wheadon of Branford CT
3. Thomas Wheeler bp 16 Feb 1672/3 as son of "sister Brooks"
        called Jr to distinguish him from his cousin - rem to Durham CT
           on 10 Nov 1729, Thomas Wheeler formerly of Milford, now of Durham, conveyed to son Job of Durham.
           In 1713 then of Milford he conveyed land which the town of Milford granted him in 1688
     married Mary --
               adm to Milford Church 3 Oct 1697 four eldest children baptized that date
       a. Mary Wheeler
             married Durham 15 Dec 1711 Samuel Parsons
       b. Eleanor Wheeler
            married Durham 14 Jan 1713/14 Joseph Seward
       c. Abigail Wheeler
            married Milford 27 Oct 1714 Joseph Merchant
       d. Joseph Wheeler
       e. William Wheeler bp 5 Dec 1697
        f. Job Wheeler bp 25 Dec 1698
            married Durham 29 April 1731 Jane Squire
        g. Jemima Wheeler bp 3 Aug 1701 -
        h. John Wheeler bp 26 Sept 1703 - 4 Oct 1703
        i. Elizabeth Wheeler 9 June 1705 -

sources: Susan Woodruff Abbott - Families of Early Milford CT 1979 p799
Jacobus - The Families of Old Fairfield Vol 1 [1930] p 679/83

parish church    another site    Cranfield Village
I found this report rather interesting --
1. CRANFIELD Church, Bellframe (SP 956642) Felling date range: 1479 - 1519
Bellframe timbers (7/17) 1428, 1430, 1432, 1452, 1466(H/S), 1466(2), 1467(H/S), 1468(H/S); 1469(+5-10 NM).
Site Master 1342 - 1469 ( t = 6.2 London1175, 5.8 Oxon93, 4.7 E. Midlands)

The church is a Grade I listed building with a 15th century tower containing a complex surviving timber bellframe. English Heritage commissioned this tee-ring study to attempt to date its phases of development and assist making decisions about the structure in the immediate future. see

07 Dec 2009