Joseph Wheelock

  General Notes:

The Wheelock Family in America, 1637-1969, Walter T. Wheelock, Uxbridge, MA, Privately Published, 1969

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information: The Descendants of Reverand Ralph Wheelock ¹¹⁵⁷
Joseph Wheelock and his brother Samuel were heirs to their father's estate in Medfield, which they sold in 1690 to Joseph Plimpton. [Src: History of Medfield, Tilden; Suffolk Deeds, pp.17-63]. This, presumably marks the approximate date when Joseph moved to Lancaster. His brother, Timothy, is reported to have fought in an "expedition" against Canada circa 1688. He lived in Lancaster at the time, suggesting that Joseph may have arrived with his brother earlier than 1690. [Source: "The Story of Colonial Lancaster", by Marion Fuller Safford, 1937, The Tuttle Publishing Company, Rutland, Vt.]

A document, dated April 1704 lists all the garrisons of Lancaster. Joseph Wheelock is listed "on ye West Side Penicook River Called ye Neck - Serg't Josiah White, a Garrison Himselfe Comander - Joseph Wheelock, John Glazier, George Glazier, Joseph Glazier".

The Lancaster Vital Records record the date on which Joseph and his wife Elizabeth became members of the Church of Christ in Lancaster, under John Prentice, Pastor, 2 Feb 1728/29.

Joseph died in 1752, and left a will, Worcester County Probate case 63717. The will, written in 1743, lists (in order) his wife Elizabeth, eldest son Joseph, son Jonathan, eldest daughter Elizabeth Sawyer, daughters Mary Osgood, Abigail Eames, Ruth Houghton, Martha Houghton, granddaughter Dorothy Eames, and son John Wheelock, to whom he leaves all his real estate and appoints as the sole executor of the estate. Joseph added a codicil in 6 Mar 1752 (1750?) ammeding the will to reflect the death of his wife, which is recorded in the Lancaster VRs as 9 Feb 1751. The will was proved 20 July 1752.

• Web Reference: The Will of Joseph Wheelock, 17Nov 1743.

Joseph married Elizabeth. (Elizabeth was born about 1673 in Medfield, Massachusetts, British American Colonies.)