A Patriot of the American Revolution for NEW YORK - VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor #: A123915

Apparently, a small group of Baptists living in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York became upset with the religious and/or political conditions there and migrated in the late 1770s to form a settlement on the Holston River called Sinclair Bottom in what was then Washington County, Virginia. One of the leaders of this group was the Rev. Thomas Woolsey, and James Wheeler and family were among this group. A New Paltz document (attached) shows them living there in 1765.

Toby Tyler shared a document on Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/63901087/person/441113...). Some excerpts from this include:

Articles of Association [This was a petition of sorts to support a trade boycott with Great Britain: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Association]

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION. Page v3:581 General Association adopted by the Freemen, Freeholders, and Inhabitants of the City and County of NEW-YORK, on SATURDAY, the 29th of APRIL, 1775, and transmitted for signing to all the Counties in the Province. Persuaded that the salvation of the rights and liberties of America depends, under God, on the firm union of its inhabitants in a vigorous prosecution of the measures necessary for its safety, and convinced of the necessity of preventing the anarchy and confusion which attend the dissolution of the powers of Government, we, the Freemen, Freeholders, and Inhabitants [of the City and County of NEW-YORK,] being greatly alarmed at the avowed design of the Ministry to raise a revenue in America, and shocked by the bloody scene now acting in the Massachusetts-Bay, do, in the most solemn manner, resolve never to become slaves; and do associate under all the ties of religion, honour, and love to our Country, to adopt and endeavour to carry into execution whatever measures may be recommended by the Continental Congress, or resolved upon by our Provincial Convention, for the purpose of preserving our Constitution, and opposing the execution of the several arbitrary and oppressive Acts of the British Parliament, until a reconciliation between Great Britain and America, on constitutional principles, (which we most ardently desire,) can be obtained; and that we will in all things follow the advice of our General Committee, respecting the purposes aforesaid, the preservation of peace and good order, and the safety of individuals and private property.

Among the signers of this document on 11 July 1775 were a James Wheeler, a Jesse Wheeler, and an Oliver Wheeler in the County of Ulster and town of Marlborough (from The History of Ulster County New York by Alphonso T. Clearwater, page 136)).

Traceable from Ulster Co. New York to Washington Co. Va., circa 1771-1780 was a Rev. Thomas Woolsey, and his sons George, Richard, and Zephaniah Woolsey. Thomas Woolsey settled in the midst of a tract of land containing 996 acres originally patented by one Charles Sinclair on the 8th day of Aug. 1753, called then and now Sinclair Bottom

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The following quote is from http://www.gdcooke.org/ss/default.aspx/page/org2-o/p2613.htm:

Thomas Woolsey was in the Marlborough area of Ulster Co., New York in 1763 when, on the "first Tuesday in April" he was named as a Path Master for one of the roads in the precinct of Newburgh, predecessor to Marlborough.3

That Thomas Woolsey of New York and of Southwest Virginia is the same man is shown by the records of the Linville Creek Baptist church where in 1772, he was received into the church by letter, "from a church in 'New York Government, and now ordained for the Ministry by Order of this Church, by the Rev. Mr. Jno. Alderson.'" Just the next year, on the second Sunday in August 1773, Thomas was dismissed from the church, with no reason given.4

When Thomas Wolsey settled on the south fork of the Holston, he built his home in the neighborhood of a group of hardy pioneer Baptists. These included the Pierces and Wolseys, who took up land independently and jointly, as well as the Holliotts, Coles, Wheelers, Thomases, and Bishops. The land of these early settlers lay around a magnificent tract of 996 acres, known then and still called Sinclair's Bottom. This great tract had been patented by Charles Sinclair on 3 August 1753 who had lived on it until the French and Indian War massacres of 1755 drove him out.

The land around Sinclair's Grant was the property of the speculative Loyal Company. From the Loyal Company Thomas Wolsey bought a tract of nearly a square mile, 613 acres. On the edge of the tract, a Baptist Meeting House was erected. The date of the survey for this 613 acres to Wolsey is February 23, 1775 in the Fincastle records, but the meeting house probably had existed before this.

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From Toby Tyler on Ancestry.com:

Early Wheeler records on Personal Property Tax Lists 1782-1790 Washington Co. VA Includes all of the County of Washington as it existed in the years 1782-1790, which today includes either parts of and/or the whole counties of Smyth, Scott, Lee, and Wise County.

1782—Col. Arthur Campbell’s precinct. Note: Arthur Campbell lived near today's Marian, Smyth County Virginia James Wheeler 2 2 7 Stephen Wheeler 1 2 0

1783---Col. Arthur Campbell’s precinct, Captain Arthur. Bowens company 1783

James Wheeler         1  0  2  7

Stephen Wheeler      1  0  2  0

1784---Col. Arthur Campbell’s precinct

James Wheeler          1  4  8

Oliver Wheeler          1  4  5

Stephen Wheeler       1  0  2

1785---Robert Campbell’s Precinct

James Wheeler           1  0  4  5

Oliver Wheeler           1  0  4  5

Stephen Wheeler        1  0  0  2

1786---Captain Bowens precinct. Note: Today’s location is Marian, Smyth Co. Va. and surrounding area.

Jesse Wheeler             1  0  0  2  1

James Wheeler           1  0  0  5  6  

Oliver Wheeler           1  0  0  4  7

Stephen Wheeler        1  0  0  0  3

1788---Upper District

Jesse Wheeler             2  0  3

1789---Upper District

Oliver Wheeler           1  0  4

James  Wheeler           1  0  9

William Wheeler        1  0  1

1790---Upper District

 James Wheeler            1  0  7         Jesse Wheeler       3  0  3

 Stephen Wheeler         1  0  2         Oliver Wheeler      1  0  6

 William Wheeler         1  0  2

Deed Washington County 1792 attached. Sinclair or St. Clair Bottom. Joseph Cole Jr. Deed to Trustees of Sinclair Bottom Church June 20 1792. James Wheeler, John Thomas, Jonathan Bishop

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Apparently the Sinclair Bottom Baptist Church split apart with many members following Rev. Brundage and forming a new congregation farther north in Kentucky in the early 1800s. See this Church history article: Old Union Church and the United Baptists of Johnson County, by John Sparks, from Johnson County, Kentucky: History and Families, Turner Publishing Company, 2001, pg. 36 (attached).

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(Adapted from material provided by Toby Tyler on Ancestry.com)

Washington County Surveys (Smith County History) lists 400 acre survey on South Fork of Holston on 30 Aug 1781 for James Wheeler.

James Wheelers Land plat for 290 acres of land on South Fork of the Holston , 6 June 1782 (attached)

James Wheeler proved in court that he had made actual settlement 1774. The Land Commissioners for the district of Wash. and Montgomery Co. Va. certified that James Wheeler was entitled to 400 acres of land in Wash. Co. Va. on the waters of the South Fork of the Holston River, noting the improvements, by actual settlerment made 1774.

On March 7 1803, James Wheeler Sen., father of Stephen Wheeler Sen., sells his farm to his son Stephen Wheeler Sen.:the land where the Middle Fork of the Holston River meets the South Fork. See Deed book 3 page 40. On March 14 1803 in a separate Deed of conveyance and for a peppercorn (legal term) a year, he leases the same farm he bought 7 days ago back to his father James Wheeler Sen. and Abigail his mother, to live out their lives there, that James Wheeler is to be in actual possession of the premises and in no way molested for the remainder of his and Abigail Wheeler's life. Deed book 3 pages 41 and 42. James lived here only a short time and died within a year, after 21 Feb. 1804. Deeds are in Wash. Co. Courthouse, Abingdon, Va.

James Wheeler's will dated 21 Feb 1804 (attached in partial form) left 126 acres patented by Edward Morgan to his son Jesse Wheeler. This 126 acres was in Wash Co Va adjoining Arthur Bowen and John Patterson. In 1807 Edward Morgan deeded this same 126 acres to Jesse Wheeler, Heirs and assigns. Jane Wheeler is living on this property in 1815 Washington Co Va.

Will names sons Stephen, Jesse and Oliver and daughters Abigail Jayne (wife of Henry) and Lyda Cole (wife of Sampson). Names Stephen Wheeler and Sampson Cole as executors. Also names some grandchildren.

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jun 1 2018, 20:18:49 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jun 10 2018, 19:21:39 UTC

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James Moses Wheeler

Military: Revolutionary War - Virginia Calvary

Military: Revolutionary War - Virginia Calvary

James Moses Wheeler was another son of Stephen Moses Wheeler, who was born in Norfolk, Virginia and grew up in Norfolk. He moved to Wheelers Ford, Virginia, and then to Paintsville Kentucky which was called Floyd County. It is Lawrence County today but was Floyd County in the 1700's. James Moses moved from Floyd County to Hoodsfork of Blaine Creek, Kentucky.

GEDCOM Source

Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. @R-1668579344@ Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=43001438&pid...

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Nov 7 2019, 21:32:32 UTC

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• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 20 2016, 21:04:51 UTC

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The Re. James Wheeler who moved to VA in the 1770s is not the ,Reverend James Wheeler, of Washington County, VA son of Ebenezer and Mary Minot....since he stayed in Mass. thru at least the 1790 US census

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 18 2023, 20:24:03 UTC

Found still in Worcester county MA with just 2 in household in US census for 1790 AND as a 45+ yearold in 1800 as well