Wheeler

   The origin of the name "Wheeler" is English: not surprisingly, it's an occupational name for a maker of wheels (for vehicles or for use in spinning or various other manufacturing processes), from an agent derivative of the Middle English term whele (‘wheel’). The name is particularly common on the Isle of Wight; on the mainland it is concentrated in the neighboring region of central southern England.
   But many families by that name were first found in Worcestershire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066, at Martin Hussingtree. An early family Coat of Arms is green; then, on a gold horizontal stripe are three green lions. The Crest is a silver griffin's head emerging from a crown. The Family Motto is: "Avito jure"—translated, "By ancestral right."
   The spelling of the name has been recorded in different ways, depending on the spelling skills of various church and town clerks. Variations include Weiler, Wheller, Weller, Wheyler, Wiler, Wyler, and countless others. But whenever original signatures are obtainable, the name is always spelled "Wheeler."
   Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants in the American Colonies were: Joseph Wheeler, who settled in New England in 1630; Mercy Wheeler, who settled in Massachusetts in 1633; Henry Wheeler, who settled in Virginia in 1623; and Isaac Wheeler, who settled in Charlestown, Mass., between 1620-1650. Wheelers were among the first to settle in Concord, Dedham, Boston, Charlestown and Newbury, Massachusetts, and Stonington and Stratford, Connecticut, according to Savage's Genealogical Dictionary.

Gardenier

   Our family's line can be traced back to EVERT/EDWARD WHEELER (born about 1665). His ancestors are a mystery. But he wound up at Kinderhook, in the territory along the Hudson River south of Fort Orange (Albany), an area in dispute. Throughout the 1700's, there was prolonged trouble over the Massachusetts boundary line, with New Englanders claiming the Hudson River as their western boundary and New Yorkers claiming control over land extending into Connecticut. This antagonism was further inflamed by the cultural disparity between the primarily Dutch New Yorkers and the English New Englanders. Evert, formerly a New Englander, apparently wasn't disturbed at all by the culture clash, as he married a local girl named JOSYNTJE JANSE GARDENIER (born @ 1665). The marriage record described the groom as a "young man from NEW ENGLAND", meaning that he had probably moved to New York from the New England area (some say New London, Connecticut, where many Wheelers lived), and that this was his first marriage.
   The Banns were posted on 13 October 1689, at Albany Reformed Dutch Church in Albany, Albany County, New York (the Gardeniers were Lutherans). They had at least fourteen children, born between 1692 and 1719, and their family resided in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., New York (see the 1720 Albany Census). The known children are as follows:

CHILDREN OF EVERT WHEELER AND JOSINA GARDENIER

JAN WHEELER (c. 1692 - d. aft 1740) was baptized 11 Sept 1692 at the Reformed Dutch Church of Albany: "Jan, son of Evert Wiler & Josine Jansen, witnesses Maas Cornelisz, & Sara Jansz." He married Anna Margaretha Loescher, born ca 1693/4 at Hochspeyer, Germany. Anna Margaretha died after 16 Jan 1740.

SARA WHEELER (c. 1694) was baptized on 27 May 1694 at the Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Sara, daughter of Evert Wile & Josine Jacobsz, witnesses Jacob Winnen & Eva Winnen." Sara married Willem SLUYTER and had Cornelia, Edward, Niclaes, Lea, Willem, Jacob, and Cornelis. She died ca 1724/1727.

BREECHJE WHEELER (c. 1696 d. aft 1762) was baptized on 10 May 1696 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Breechje, daughter of Evert Wiler & Josina Gardenier, witnesses Johannes Oothout, Hendrik Hansz, & Hester Fonda." On 19 June 1719, she married Johannes SEGAR(S) and had the following children: Hilletie, Hendrick, Thomas, Roeleff, Johannes, Albertus, Hilletie, Jacob, and Josytje. Brechie died aft 1762.

ROBERT WHEELER (c. 1697/1699 d. aft 1752) -m- 27 Oct 1717 West Camp Lutheran Ch New York, as "son of Edwart Wihler of Kinderhook" [now Columbia Co NY] to Catharine HEYL. They had the following children: Edward, Hendrick, Anna, Josyna, Sara, Margaretha, Johannes, Samuel, and William.

MARIETJE WHEELER (c. 1698 d. aft 1716) was baptized on 26 Jun 1698 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Marietje, daughter of Eduward Wieler and Josyntje Gardenier, witnesses Jan Fondaas & Marretje Fondaas."

THOMAS WHEELER (c. 1700 prob died abt late 1720's) was baptized on 5 Jan 1700 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Thomas, son of Eduwart Whiler & Josyna Jacobsen, witnesses Jaen Fyn & Alida Fyn." On 26 Jun 1722 Thomas married Catharina Haver, at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "With Banns Thomas Wyllaer and Chath. Haver." They had two children, Edward and Margrita.

JACOB WHEELER (c. 1701) was baptized on 12 Oct 1701 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Jacob, son of Edward & Josyntje Whiler, witnesses Ariaantje & Jacob Janse Gardenier." Probably died as an infant.

EVERT WHEELER, JR. (c. 1704) was baptized on 13 Feb 1704 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Evert, son of Edward Wieller & Josina Jansse, witnesses Evert Van Alen & Helena Gardenier." He married Maria WOODCOCK and had Josyna, Arientje, Helena, Sara, John, Edward, Thomas, Samuel, Hendrick, Abraham, Jacob, Marytje, Anaache, and Annatgen/Hanna.

HELENA (or LENA) WHEELER (c. 1706) was baptized on 25 Dec 1706 in Albany. She married Roeloff de KLERK and had Hilletie, Josina, Hilletie, William, Edward, Jacomyntje, Elizabeth, and Hendrik.

HENRIK WHEELER (c. 1708) was baptized on 26 Sep 1708 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Henrik, son of Evert Whieller & Josina Gardenier, witnesses Henrik & Catharina Van Rensselaar." Probably died as an infant.

DOREATHE WHEELER (c. 1710) was baptized on 5 Nov 1710 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. She died aft 1727.

SAMUEL WHEELER (c. 1713 d. 1771) was baptized on 12 Dec 1713 at Reformed Dutch Church of Albany. "Samuel, son of Edderd & Josyne Wiele, witnesses Obedias & Cornelia Couper." He married Margaretha VAN WOERDT and had Josyna and Ailtje.

JOHN WHEELER (b. 1713/1716) -m- Elizabeth Wheeler and had John, Edward, Maria, Josyna, Anatje, Helena, William, Samuel, and Jacob.

JACKEMYNTIE WHEELER (c. 1716/1719) was baptized in 1717 in Kinderhook, Columbia CO New York. No further record.

ELYSABETH WHEELER (c.1716/1719 d. after 1738) was baptized in 1719 in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., New York. No further record.

Book Information Book Image Name: Year Book of the Holland Society of New York Author: Theodore M. Banta Publisher: Knickerbocker Year: 1903 Chapter: Some Records of the Early Lutheran Church, New York Jan Wheeler Family: 59. 65, 75, 87, 88 (Index: 94- 118) View Book A Study of the Early Lutheran Church Registers of New York City, Hackensack, Kinderhoek, and Hudson River Valley.

   Within two generations, this extensive family settled both sides of the Hudson from as far south as Dover Dutchess Co., Ulster Co., Greene Co., Columbia Co., Albany Co., Rockland Co., and Rensselaer Co. Descendants spread up and down the Hudson in the second and third generations.
   Our branch of the family, through son JAN WHEELER, stayed in Kinderhoek as well. Jan joined the Albany County Militia and is listed in the 1715 roll call of Captain Abraham Van Alstyn's Company. He served with brothers Robert and Edward, as well as in-laws Dirk, Jacob, Andreis and Jan Gardenier. Also in the company was ensign Stephanis Van Alen and his brothers Luycas, Lowrence, Jacobus and Johanis Van Alen.

Loescher

   Jan married ANNA MARGARETHA LOESCHER (1693 - 1740) in 1714, in Kinderhook, in what is now Columbia County, New York. She was born in Hochspeyer, Germany, then sailed to America with her family in the great Palatine migration of 1709, finally settling in Elizaville, Columbia County, New York.
   Jan and Margaretha were devout Lutherans, and there are extensive records of them attending the Klinkenberg Lutheran Church there in the early 1700s, as well as neighboring churches in the area. And it was at one of these churches where they probably met the Haus family, which also had sailed to New York in the 1710 migration... and their daughter, SARAH WHEELER, fell in love with a young man named JOHANNES HAUS.
   Jan and Margaretha Wheeler had the following children:

CHILDREN OF JAN WHEELER AND ANNA LOESCHER

EPHRAIM WHEELER was born 21 Feb 1715 (Greene Co. New York) and baptized in 1715 at NYC Lutheran. (NOTE: according to naming patterns in widespread use in the Hudson Valley at that time, Jan Wheeler should have named that eldest son for his own father. Was Ephraim also called Evert?) He married Anna Catherine KUHN and died 10 May 1808 in Dover (Pawling) Dutchess Co. NY. Their children included: Anna Catherine, born 3 Nov 1735; Margaretha, born 6 Jan 1739, married Thomas WHEELER (born 12 Jan 1735), son of Edward and Maria (WOODCOCK) WHEELER; Valentine Ephraim, born 7 May 1741, married Helena DUTCHER and second Sarah DUTCHER. He died 11 Oct 1782 in Dover, Dutchess Co., NY; Edward, born 1745 married Mary DUTCHER. Died 10 Feb 1824 in Herkimer Co., NY; George, born 11 Jan 1746 Columbia Co. NY, married to Catherine COLOYN (or LYON); Helena married 9 Dec 1766 to Isaac COLE; Sarah married 15 Dec 1766 to Gottlieb Wynant FRICK; Elizabeth married 3 Jan 1774 to Edward WHEELER; Maria married 1 June 1775 to Samuel WARD.

RACHEL WHEELER. No further information

ELISABETH WHEELER. No further information.

SEBASTIAN WHEELER (b Nov 1721 in Kinderhook) was baptized on 7 Jan 1722 in Gospelhook as an Evangelical Lutheran. Sponsors: Sebastian Loscher; Anna Maria Loscherin. (Source: Baptism Record of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Athens, Greene County; Athens Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church: 1704-1918)

JOHN WHEELER. No further information.

CONRAD WHEELER married Magdalena and had a child named Andries. Sponsors: Andrees Richter; Liesabeth (Source: Baptism Record of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Athens Athens Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church: 1704-1918) Location: Town of Athens, Greene County—Denomination: Evangelical Lutheran

SARA WHEELER, baptised: 25 Aug 1728, Kinderhook Reformed Church, Kinderhook, Columbia Cty, New York. She married JOHN HAUSE III. (Children listed below.)

NIKLAS WHEELER was born 25 Nov 1728, probably in Columbia Co NY, and died 24 June 1810 Brunswick, Rensselaer Co NY, leaving a will. He was buried in Brunswick between his two wives: 1st ca 1757 Maritje DECKER (1737-1796) and 2nd ca 1798 Mary ______ (d 17 June 1808). Children, all by 1st wife Maritje DECKER, all b Columbia Co NY: John b ca 1759; Jemima bp 1761 m Nicholas STICKELS; Elizabeth bp 1763 sps Jacob JUGER, m Phillip COON or KUHN; Margaret bp 1765 sps Johannes WHEELER, Anna PROPER; m John FINGER; Jane bp 1767 m Jacob COON or KUHN; to VERMONT; Mary b ca 1769 m William HAYNER; Sarah bp 1771 m John VAN ARNUM; Peter b 1773. No further information; George N. bp 1778 sps Geo. WHEELER & w Marie DENRY; m Nelletje/Ellen TEELING dau of Alex.; lived Greenbush, Rensselaer Co., NY; Catharine bp 1781. m Thomas BETTS; Nicholas Jr bp 1785

GEORGE WHEELER. See below.

   Niklas (or Nicholas) and his brother George were Loyalists and fled to Canada. After the war, Nicholas returned to the USA and settled in Brunswick, Rensselaer Co., New York, but George remained in New Brunswick, Canada, and most of his descendants today are Canadians.
   During the 1760's and early 1770's Kinderhook inhabitants were also threatened by the claims of powerful landowners in the Livingston and VanRenssalaer families. These controversies slowed this area's agricultural development and by 1763 the Village had fifteen homes and the Dutch Reformed Church. John Hause and Sarah Wheeler left the area and settled in Rockland County, where they raised a close-knit family with at least nine children:

Wheeler arms from (left to right) Kent, Warwickshire, Salop and Ossory.

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