Rebecca Wheelock

Genealogists have variously reported that Rev. Wheelock married Rebecca Barber, Rebecca Wilkinson, and Rebecca Clark. An article by Christopher Gleason Clark, in the January 1998 issue of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol 152, entitled "The English Ancestry of Joseph Clark (1613-1683) of Dedham and Medfield, Massachusetts" provides compelling evidence that Rev. Wheelock indeed married Rebecca Clarke.




The key components of this evidence are as follows:

• The parish registers of Wraplingham, County of Norfolk, England, contain a recording of the marriage between Ralph Wheelock, cleric, and Rebecca Clarke, 17 May 1630.
• The will of Rebecca's father, Thomas Clark, refers to his grandaughter Marye Wheelock.
• The baptism of Marye Wheelock, daughter of Ralph Wheelock, cleric, is recorded in the Banham, County of Norfolk parish registers. (Banham is near Wraplingham).
• The will of William Clark, uncle to Elizabeth Clarke, is witnessed by Ralph Wheelocke "in his unmistakable hand."



Ralph Wheelock's will refers to George Barber as his "brother-in-law". This led to the speculation that the maiden name of Rebecca must have been Barber. But it is shown in the article that George Barber married Rebecca Clarke's sister, Elizabeth Clarke, thereby explaining the reference in Ralph Wheelock's will.

In 1637 Rebecca, her husband Reverend Ralph Wheelock and their four children left England for the Massachusetts Bay Colony in search of relief from religious persecution for their Puritan faith. Her parents Rowland Clarke and Mary (Hobart) Clarke had preceded her in 1635. (wab)

References

• Rowland Clarke married Margaret Micklewood and they had the following children:[1]. 6. Thomas b. Mar 1568, married Mary Canne; their daughter Rebecca Clark married Rev. Ralph Wheelock and emigrated to New England.
• 1. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Volume 152 January 1998 “The English Ancestry of Joseph Clark (1613-1683) of Dedham and Medfield, MA” by Christopher Gleason Clark. -
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jun 25 2016, 17:45:09 UTC