The history of the Wheeler family in England, as shown by Burke, substantiates the fact that they are found in various shires among the landed gentry, knighthood, members of parliament and baronets in the seventeenth century, and one was a governor of the Leeward Islands. They are found in the counties of Worcester, Warwick, York, Middlesex, Durham, Kent, and Nottingham. In the world of letters, members of the Wheeler family are pre-eminent, and the number of authors and their valuable contributions to theology, history, science, art, poetry, philosophy and travels are something remarkable and surpassed by very few of any one name.
Farmer states that thirty distinct families of the name of Wheeler resided at Concord, Massachusetts, between 1650 and 1680. John Wheeler of Concord, went to Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1644. John Wheeler, of Stratford, Connecticut, supposed to have been a son of John of Fairfield, was a signer of the fundamental articles of agreement for the settlement of Woodbury, Connecticut. He died May 12, 1704. By his wife Ruth, he had seven children. The fourth child, Thomas, baptized May 25, 1673, married Sarah Stiles, August 20, 1701. He was killed by the fall of a tree March 2, 1728.
(IV) Henry Wheeler, who from the best obtainable evidence is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Stiles) Wheeler, was born in Connecticut, September 11, 1717. He removed to Long Island, New York, where others of the family had preceded him at an early date in the settlement of Newtown and Middleburg, and later settled in Dutchess county, New York. He married Deborah Underhill, born August 6, 1723.
(V) Thomas, son of Henry and Deborah (Underhill) Wheeler, was horn October 23, 1752, died 1820, on Long Island, New York. He married Elizabeth Connor, born March 19, 1756. Children, probably all born in Dutchess county, New York:
- Deborahann (as written in family Bible — meant no doubt for Deborah Ann), born December 21, 1774.
- Rebecca, January 20, 1776.
- William, June 1, 1780.
- Phebe, October 17, 1782.
- Henry, October 31, 1784.
- Thomas, February 25, 1787.
- Elizabeth, June 25, 1789.
(VI) William, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Connor) Wheeler, was born in Dutchess county, New York, June 1, 1780, died 1851. He was of Chatham, New York. He married Martha, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Keys) Thorn. She was born March 3, 1776. Children:
- Samuel Smith, born July 16, 1801; married, February 26, 1824, Maria Boardman.
- Phebe Ann, born April 28, 1803; married, December 5, 1826, George Jerome.
- Alonzo, January 12, 1805, see forward.
- Romelia, born April 10, 1807; married, October 27, 1833, Robert W. Murphy.
- Mary Eliza, born May 8, 1809; married, December 20, 1832, Solomon Crandall.
- William Connor, born June 21, 1811; married, October 21, 1852, Frances W. Allen.
- Alexander Feayer, born July 18, 1813; married, March, 1841, Elizabeth Barnes.
- Stephen, born May 9, 1815.
- Joseph Thorn, born September 23, 1818; married, September 29, 1842, Mary Ann Backus.
- Thomas Barnes, born April 11, 1820; married, December 31, 1851, Rebecca Prout Markle.
(VII) Alonzo, son of William and Martha (Thorn) Wheeler, was born January 12, 1805, died at Albany, New York, 1867. He received a good education and in his early years of manhood taught school. He also acquired a knowledge of the wagon makers and wheelwright business, and after a removal to Westerlo, Albany county, New York, associated himself with Samuel Wheeler (his brother) in the wagon building business. He was of a mechanical inventive mind, and for a long time was engaged in perfecting a tool that would mortise a square hole. He finally succeeded and the first mortising machine ever made for that purpose was his invention. In 1829, he moved to Four Mile Point, a mile above Coxsackie, and engaged in the same business there. He became interested in whaling, made one voyage of three years, and made several voyages to different ports. He later removed to Chatham, New York, where he was in partnership with William Conner Wheeler, (a brother). They operated a sash, door and blind factory at Chatham, and manufactured agricultural implements of various kinds. He built the first successful railway tread power. In 1849 the business was removed to Albany and continued under the firm name of Wheeler, Melick & Company. He was a Democrat in politics. He married, November 6, 1832, Harriet Hatch, daughter of Richard W. and Abigail (Hatch) Bishop. Children:
- Seth, see forward.
- Jane, born at Chatham, New York, April 30, 1840.
- Ann, born at Chatham, March 7, 1843.
- Martha Thorn, born at Albany, New York, June 29, 1853.
(VIII) Seth, eldest child and only son of Alonzo and Harriet Hatch (Bishop) Wheeler, was born in Chatham, New York, May 18, 1838. He was educated at The Albany Academy, and is a mechanical engineer, inventor, and prominent business man of Albany. He succeeded his father in Wheeler, Melick & Company, manufacturers of agricultural implements, then the largest concern in the eastern states in that line of manufacture, with which he was identified until 1872. In 1871-72, he built and patented a machine for furnishing wrapping paper in rolls instead of flat sheets, the then prevailing method. His invention also printed such matter as desired on each sheet as it left the roll. In 1874, he organized the Rolled Wrapping Paper Company, for the manufacture of rolled paper under the patents that had been issued him. This company did not prove successful, and in 1877 the Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company was organized with Seth Wheeler as president. This company is one of Albany's successful manufacturing enterprises. They have a large foreign business, being established in Canada, England, Germany, France and Switzerland. They operate under the Wheeler patents, of which Mr. Wheeler has had issued to him at home and abroad nearly one hundred, covering machinery and product of his own mill as well as other lines of invention. He is largely interested in the Wheeler Rent and Power Company, of which he is president, and vice-president of the Cheney Piano Action Company of Castleton, New York. In the financial institutions of Albany he occupies a prominent position and influence. He is president and trustee of the Albany County Savings Bank and director of the Albany County Bank. He is a member of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His fraternal relations are with the Masonic order, belonging to Temple Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and Temple Chapter, No. 5, Royal Arch Masons. His club is the Fort Orange. He is a man of force and character and administers the affairs of his varied interests with conservative, careful, well-balanced judgment.
He married, April 3, 1860, Elizabeth, born July 11, 1839, died January 2, 1911, daughter of William Alexander and Sarah Maria (Sternberg) Boyd. (See Boyd III). On April 3, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. Seth Wheeler celebrated their golden wedding and received the congratulations and loving wishes of a large number of relatives and friends gathered in honor of the occasion. Children, all born in Albany, New York:
- Edgar, January 1, 1861, died February 27, 1908. He was educated in the public schools of Albany, and in 1879 entered the employ of the Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company, later becoming secretary of the company, holding that position at the time of his death. He was an enthusiastic wheelman, charter member of the Old Albany Bicycle and Comuck clubs, and with General Robert Shaw, owned and rode the first high style wheels ridden in the city. He was a member of the Albany Club and other organizations. He married, in 1888, Alice Birch. Children:
- Archibald Birch, born April 26, 1889;
- Thomas Boyd, June 14, 1892;
- Edgar Thorn, April 5, 1898.
- Harriet Elizabeth, born October 1, 1862; married Howard Martin, and has Elizabeth Boyd Wheeler, born February 1, 1890.
- William Alonzo, born February 18, 1870. He was educated in the Albany public schools; entered the employ of the Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company in 1887, and is the present treasurer of the company (1910). He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Fort Orange, Albany Country, Albany Yacht, Mohican Canoe and Albany Automobile clubs. He married, October 9, 1898, Rubie Holt Hyme, of Washington, D. C.
- Sarah Boyd, born June 30, 1874; married, October 19, 1899, Joseph Scott House.
- Seth, see forward.
(IX) Seth (2), youngest son and child of Seth (1) and Elizabeth (Boyd) Wheeler, was born in Albany, New York, April 1, 1878. He was early educated at The Albany Academy; prepared for college at Stevens Preparatory School and entered Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, with class of 1903. Immediately on, leaving Stevens he entered the employ of The Maryland Steel Company of Sparrows Point, Maryland, remaining one year. In 1904, he was assistant superintendent of the by-product coke oven department of the Michigan Alkali Company at Wyandotte, Michigan. In 1905 he returned to Albany, entered the employ of the Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company and in 1907 became vice-president and general superintendent. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; The University, Albany Country, Mohican Canoe, Stevens and Beta Theta Pi clubs, the latter of New York City. He belongs to the New York National Guard "Troop B" of Albany. His fraternity is the Beta Theta Pi. He is a Republican in politics. He married, at Detroit, Michigan, November 3, 1904, Alice Emily Chadwick Fitch, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, daughter of Charles Henry and Violo (Look) Fitch.
(The Boyd Line)
(II) Alexander, first born American child of John (q. v.) and Ann (Logan) Boyd, was born in Albany, New York, February 2, 1762, died in Schoharie county, New York, in 1854. He was a prosperous farmer, owning a great deal of land and many slaves. He was active in his support of the Whig party, in which he was a leader, and held many of the town and county offices. In 1813, he was elected to congress and served with credit. He was for many years a deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church, He married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Becker. Children:
- John, born July 29, 1784; married Kate Van Epps; no issue.
- Helen, born December 10, 1785; married Dr. James Van Gasbeck, a practicing physician of Schoharie county.
- David, born November 3, 1788; married Nancy Van Derzee; nine children.
- Ann, born March 7, 1791; married George Dial; has issue.
- Albert, born March 1, 1793; married Ann Byron; seven children.
- Peter, born August 25, 1795; married Laney (or Helen) De Voe; four children.
- James, born December 6, 1797; married Emily Stimpson; two children.
- Margaret, born February 10, 1800; married John C. Van Vechten; nine children.
- William A., see forward.
- Nancy, born February 2, 1805; married Daniel Larkin; four children.
- Alexander (2), born February 26, 1807.
- Hugh, died young.
- Delia, born July 15, 1812; married Jehiel Larkin; no issue.
(III) William A., ninth child of Alexander and Elizabeth (Becker) Boyd, was born September 13, 1802, died September 17, 1880. After leaving school he spent several years farming. In 1850 he removed to Albany, and in partnership with Roger D. Boyd, his son, engaged in the dry goods business. In 1859 they removed their business to Hamilton, New York. In 1874 the firm dissolved, William A. Boyd retiring to Albany, where he passed the remainder of his days. He was of sunny, genial, warmhearted disposition, with a host of warm friends. He was a member of the Reformed church, and politically was a Republican. He married (first) Margaret Dougherty, of Middleburg, New York, who died in 1838, leaving two children. He married (second) Sarah M. Sternberg, of Livingstonville, New York, born September 1, 1807, died October 25, 1881. Children:
- Roger D., born June 22, 1828; married Delia Godfrey.
- William Alexander, born June 10, 1930; married Fanny Williams.
- Elizabeth.
- Henry H., died in childhood.
- Edwin, died in infancy.
- Martha, born July 22, 1844; married Rev. Charles F. Hull, September 16, 1869.
- Mary, twin of Martha, unmarried.