Wheeler Family Heritage

William W. Wheeler, Sr. Born: ca. 1780 North Carolina Died: between 1830 and 1840 probably in Wayne Co., IL Buried: unknown Married: by 1812 Ann Mathis (?) Records: 1809-1812 - Illinois, Wayne Co. - Hargraves Rangers: Then in the order were the rangers, the first of whom were organized as early as 1809 in this State. They were called into existence by the law of self-protection from the Indians, who, in 1811, commenced their raids and perpetrated many terrible massacres, burning houses, stealing stock and capturing the women and children. The Indians were secretly aided and encouraged in this attack upon the whites by English emissaries, and they were the first and provoking cause that culminated in the war of 1812-15.  Nearly all the first white English settlers were identified with these rangers, and they pursued the murderous midnight marauders, and at times visited upon them summary, terrible, but deserved punishment . . . These rangers did much to make this count...

Dorcas Watkins Born: 1832 Illinois Died: between 1873 and 1880 Buried: possibly at Shrewsbury Cemetery Married: Martin Taylor ca. 1849 Records: 1860 - Sep. 5 - Illinois, White Co., Twp. 3S, Range 8E, Post Office Burnt Prairie [Mill Shoals Twp.] - census: Taylor, Martin N., 29, no occupation, personal estate $3000 b. IL Darcus, 28, b. IL illiterate Matilda 10, b. IL Sarah 8, b. IL Jane, 4 b. IL Samantha 2 b. IL Rebecca 2/12 b. IL 1865 - July 3 - Illinois, White County, Seven Mile Prairie - census: 1 male under 10 James 1 male 30-40 Martin 1 female under 10 Rebecca 2 females 10-20 Matilda, Sarah 1 female 40-50 Dorcas (?) 1870 - June 6 - Illinois, White Co., Burnt Prairie - census: Taylor, Martin N., 39, farmer, personal estate $250, b. IL Dorcas, 38, keeping house, b. IL, illiterate Sarah 18, at home b. MO, can't write Jesse, 14, male at home, b. IL, can't write Samantha 12, at home b. IL, illiterate Rebecca 10, at home, b. IL Logan 8, b. IL Sher...

Martin N. Taylor Born: ca. 1831 Illinois Died: Buried: unknown Married: 1) Dorcas Watkins ca. 1849 & 2) Caroline Moody 1882 in White County, Illinois Records: 1860 Sep. 5 - Illinois, White Co., Twp., 3S, Range 8E, Post Office Burnt Prairie [Mill Shoals Twp.] - census: Taylor, Martin N. 29, no occupation, personal estate $3000 b. IL Darcus 28, b. IL, illiterate Matilda 10, b. IL Sarah 8, b. IL Jane(?) 4, b. IL Samantha 2, b. IL Rebecca 2/12, b. IL living next to William Taylor age 55, Robert Taylor age 19, James Taylor age 34, Isaac Taylor age 23, James Taylor age 33, Daniel Taylor age 24 1865 - July 3 - Illinois, White County, Seven Mile Prairie - census: Taylor, M. H. or N. (?) family - census smudged on name 1 male under 10 James 1 male 30-40 Martin 1 female under 10 Rebecca 2 females 10-20 Matilda, Sarah 1 female 40-50 - Dorcas (?) 1870 - June 6 - Illinois, White County, Burnt Prairie - census: Taylor, Martin, 39, farmer, personal estate $250, b. I...

Elizabeth Jane Renfro Born: ca. 1838, Illinois Died: Buried: Married: William W. Wheeler  ca. 1857 Records: 1840 - Illinois, Wayne Co. - census - Nathan Rentfrow family: 1 male under 5 - M. age 2 1 male 20-30 - Nathan age 27 1 female under 5 - T. age 4 1 female under 5 - E. age 3 1 female 20-30 - N.S.(?) age 18 or a first wife 1850 - Sept. 16  - Illinois, Wayne Co., District 11 - census: Renfro, N. 37, male, farmer, real estate $102(?), b. KY N.S.(?), 28, female, b. IL T. 14, female b. IL E. 13 female b. IL M. 12, male, b. IL A. 10, male b. IL W.(?) 8, male, b. IL (twin?) A.W. 8, female b. IL (twin?) living next to M. Renfro family age 25(?) - maybe a brother to N. Renfro 1860 - July 27 - Illinois, Wayne Co., Twp. 3, Range 8 East [Barnhill] - census: Wheeler, Wm. W. 28, farmer, personal estate $1000, b. IL Elisabeth 22, b. IL Wm. Nath. 2, b. IL Elija 1/12 b. IL Children: William Nathan Elijah John Wesley Charles W. (maybe)

William  W. Wheeler, Jr. Born: ca. 1832, Illinois Died: probably before 1870 as he does not appear on the census Buried: unknown Married: Elizabeth Jane Renfro ca. 1857 Records: 1840 - Illinois, Wayne Co., census: 1 male 5 to 9 - could be William 1 male 15-19 - could be Martin 1 male 20-29 - Thomas 2 females 15-19 - one could be a sister and one could be Thomas' wife 1 female 50-59 - probably William & Thomas' mother 1850 - Sep. 5 - Illinois, Wayne Co., District 11 - census: Wheeler, Thomas, 36, farmer, personal estate $300, b. KY - this is probably William's older brother E. 27, female, b. IL W.R. 5, male, b. IL C. 8/12 (?), male, b. IL Wheeler, W.W. [William W.] 19, farmer, b. IL, attended school within the year 1854 - Feb. / March - Illinois, Hopewell Baptist Church: [Page header] A new list of names of the members of Hopewell Church in 1854 . . . Nathan Renfro 10x [William's father-in-law?] Elizabeth Renfro 11 departed this life Oct (?...

Rebecca Frances Taylor Born: 20 June 1860 IL Died: 3 Oct. 1942, Mill Shoals, White Co., IL Buried: Thomason Cemetery, Wayne City, Wayne Co., IL Married: William Nathan Wheeler , 11 April 1880, White Co., IL Records: 1860 - Sep. 5 - Illinois, White Co., Twp. 3S, Range 8E, Post Office Burnt Prairie - census: Taylor, Martin N. 29, no occupation, personal estate $300, b. IL Darcus 28, b. IL, illiterate Matilda 10, b. IL Sarah 8, b. IL Jane 4, b. IL Samantha 2, b. IL Rebeca 2/12, b. IL living next to William Taylor age 55, Robert Taylor age 19, James Taylor age 34, Isaac Taylor age 23, James Taylor age 33, Daniel Taylor age 24 1870 - June 6 - Illinois, White Co., Burnt Prairie - census:  Taylor, Martin 39, farmer, personal estate $250, b. IL Dorcas, 38, keeping house, b. IL, illiterate Sarah 18, at home, b. MO, can't write Jesse 14 male, at home, b. IL, can't write Samantha 12, at home, b. IL, illiterate Rebecca 10 at home, b. IL Logan 8, b. IL Sherman ...

William Nathan Wheeler Born: 4 June 1859, Sims, Wayne Co., IL Died: 23 March 1923 Arrington Twp., Wayne Co., IL Buried: Thomason Cemetery, Wayne City, IL Married: 11 April 1880, White Co., IL, Rebecca Frances Taylor Records: 1860 - July 27 - Illinois, Wayne Co., Twp. 3, Range 8 East [Barnhill] - census: Wheeler, Wm. W. 28, farmer, personal estate $100, b. IL Elisabeth 22, b. IL Wm. Nath. 2, b. IL Elija 1/12, b. IL 1870 - June 18 - Illinois, Wayne Co., Barnhill Twp. - census: Odell, Joseph, 57, farmer, real estate $2700, personal estate $900, b. KY Elizabeth 49, keeping house, b. TN Joseph B. 19, farmhand, b. IL Mary 9, b. IL, attended school Bearden, Morris, 12, b. IL, attended school Wheeler, Nathan 12, b. IL, attended school - is this William Nathan? - could be, see below. Lock, Thomas, 12, b. IL, attended school 1870 - June 3 - Illinois, White Co., Burnt Prairie - census: Hunsinger, Peter, 56, farmer, real estate $5000, personal estate $800, b. KY Frances 48...