Capt. Thomas Wheeler was born about 9 April 1620 at Cranfield, Bedford, England (baptized 8 APR 1620) and died 10 December 1676 at Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He is NOT Thomas Wheeler of Milford, CT.

• parents: Thomas Wheeler, yeoman (1565-1634) & Rebecca

He married before 1640 to Ruth Wood, who was born about 1626 at Matlock, Derby, England and died 17 March 1640/41 at Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

• applied for Freeman status 18 May 1642 Concord, Middlesex, MA
• prob. removed 1644 to Fairfield Co., CT 1644 with Thomas, Elder.
• Proprietor 1669 in Nashua, Hillsborough, NH, with bro. Joseph
• Along with Capt. Hutchinson, led the defense of Brookfield in King Philip's War; wounded and rescued by son

 Notes for Thomas WHEELER: Captain Thomas Wheeler, of Concord Massachusetts, this 'gallant and intrepid' Indian fighter was among the most interesting and important characters of our colonial period, and was preeminent among the few pioneers through whose restless daring the frontiers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony were so persistently extended.

The date of his arrival in America and the name of the ship in which he came are not known. Several historians assert that he was a resident of Concord as early as 1640, and even before this date was in this country trading among the Indians. The first written record that refers to him, however, is in 18 May 1642, when he took the oath of freeman at Concord, Massachusetts.

He was one of the original proprietors of the Ockoocangansett Plantation -- the land purchase from the Indians which became part of Marlborough, Massachusetts. His high standing is proved by the important part taken by him in the direction of the welfare of the various communities in which he dwelt; on several occasions being one of those to take title from the Indians, and to hold in trust, lands intended for the establishment of new colonies. His greatest historical prominence was reached during King Philips' War in which he took a very active part, receiving wounds of so severe a character that he died the following year. This exciting encounter he made the subject of the following 'Narrative,' often referred to as an 'epic of colonial times.'

Links

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/i/g/John-Higgins/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0647.html
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=arciek&id=I20982