Ransom T. Wheeler

In the book "History of Shelby County, Texas 1988" by the Shelby County Historical Commission, there is an article written by Travis W. McCary.

"Ransom Wheeler was born October 17, 1812 in Blount County, Tennessee. He married Laviny Lemons about 1833. Their first three children were born in Tennessee. They came to Texas by wagon train, pulled by oxen, and settled on a homestead patent of 640 acres. This land was located along the Attoyac River sixteen miles west of Shelbyville in the Arcadia Community. They built a log home of the type built by most pioneers. Ransom and Laviny had fifteen children. .She died giving birth to the fifteenth child. Five years later, Ransom married his brother Martin's widow, Sarah Ann. Martin and Sarah Ann had two children, Henry and Henderson. Ransom and Sarah Ann had four more children, Blount, Molly, Dutch and Emma. ... All of Ransom's nineteen children who reached adulthood had large families. His brothers and sisters had large families" (p. 892).

In another article by Evie Dockens Wilson, she talks about Ransom's wives, "I don't know who either one of his wives was. One may have been named Lemmon as a cousin Homer Lemmon visited us often. Great Granddaddy lived between Aiken and Arcadia, Called Walnut Grove district. Ransom Wheeler, Sr. donated the land for the Walnut Grove School and Church, but I do not know if he donated the land for the Wheeler graveyard or not, nor do I know if they are buried there, but I think they are. All the children married and moved away except Lycurgus (he was called Curg) and he married Amanda Choate."

"School property is all growed up where the Walnut Grove school and church was, but the big trees are still there that were in Rance Wheeler, Sr.'s front yard" (p. 893).

Listed in book "The First Settlers of Shelby & Harrison County, TX" p. 40

Wheeler, Ransom 640 acres emigrated April 1839

In the book "The 1840 Citizens of Texas", Volume 2, Tax Rolls by Gifford White c1984, Ransom Wheler is located under Shelby County under Poll 1. No land or other property is listed p. 188.

In "1840 Citizens of Texas Vol. 1 Land Grants", a single man could receive a Class 2 land grant of 640 acres. A married man could receive 1280 acres. If a married man came to Texas without his family, he would be allotted the single man grant of 640 acres (xi).

Ransom Wheeler arrived in Texas in April 1839 receiving a Class 3 land grant of 640 acres in Shelby County. The certificate was dated September 5, 1839 (p. 266). "After the settler located vacant land to his liking, he had it surveyed and began the process of gaining title to his land. After he had satisfied the required 3 years of residence, he could petition the Board in which the land lay for an Unconditional Certificate" (xii). The date of Ransom's Unconditional Certificate is September 4, 1843 (p. 266).

In 1850 census of Shelby Co., shows him to be 37 years old.

WHEELER, Ransom 37 M Farmer TN 400

Lavincy 33 F TN

Caroline 15 F TN

Leondez 13 M TN

Fernando 12 M TN

Parron 10 M TX

Francis 9 F TX

Minervy 8 F TX

Lyacurgis 5 M TX

Marthy 4 F TX

Massy 2 F TX

Wm. S. 2/12 M TX

From the 1860 Shelby Co., TX Census

       REAL ESTATE PERSONAL PROPERTY

WHEELER, Ransom 48 M Farmer TN 1372 1200

Lavina 43 F TN

C. (Caroline) 24 F TX

F. (Francis) 19 F TX

M. 18 M Farm labor TX

L. (Lycurgus) 15 M TX

M.J. 12 M TX

M. (Mary) 11 F TX

W.S. (William?) 10 M TX

C. (Cicero) 8 M TX

R. (Ransom, Jr.) 7 M TX

S.F. (Florence) 5 F TX

N.B. 3 F TX

Sarah 1 F TX

1870 Shelby Co., TX Census

Wheeler, Ransom 57 M Farmer TN 1025 1200

Sarah Ann 35 F Keeps house LA

Carline 35 F At home TN

Ransom 15 M School TX

John 14 M TX

Florence 14 F TX

Henderso n 13 M TX

Napoleon 11 M T X

Henry 11 M TX

Molly 7 F TX

Emma 2 F TX

Blunt 9/12 M TX

C. 5 M TX

Cooper, E. 8 F TX

1880 Shelby Co., TX Census

Wheeler, R. 67 M Farmer TN

S.A. 46 F Wife LA AL

E. 12 F Dau TX TN LA

B. 10 M Son "

P. 8 M " "

H. 23 M " "

May be listed as a member of the Newbern Lodge of Freemasons in Shelby County, Tx.

Newbern Lodge No. 97 and Buena Vista - Shelby County Texas

1851 - 1877

Wheeler, Ransom F. C. 01-23-1858 - M. M. 07-27-1858

http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.org/Shelby/Masonry/masonnewbern...

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