Welcome To The Genealogical History of Rebecca Wheeler Great Grandmother of Stephen Arnold Douglas

First Generation
Obadiah Wheeler was born in Odell, Bedford, England about 1506. He died in Cranfield, Bedford, England about 1536.
Children of Obadiah Wheeler
1) John
2) Agnes

Second Generation
John Wheeler was born about 1538 in Odell, Bedford, England. He married Alice Sayer, daughter of William Sayre and Alice Squyre (Squire) about 1579, in Cranfield, England. Alice was born in 1541 in Hinwick, Bedfordshire, England. She died April 15, 1567 in Cranfield. John died April 15, 1567 in Cranfield.
Children of John Wheeler and Alice Sayer
1) Thomas
2) John b. about 1563 in Odell; d. January 22, 1644. Married Elizabeth.
3) Timothy
4) Ephraim

Third Generation
Thomas Wheeler was born March 2, 1563, christened March 2, 1565, in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England. He married about 1588 to Rebecca, who was born about 1572 and died May 1653 in Cranfield. Thomas died February 11, 1635 in Cranfield.
Children of Thomas Wheeler and Rebecca
1) Priscilla, b. about 1585 in Cranfield
2) Thomas
3) John, b. 1597 in Cranfield; d. December 27, 1611
4) Thomas b. about 1599 in Cranfield
5) Timothy b. about 1601 in Cranfield
6) Elizabeth b. July 18, 1602 in Wharley, Cranfield; d. March 17, 1690 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts
7) Susannah b. about 1603 in Cranfield
8) Joseph b. about 1605 in Cranfield
9) Abdiah b. about 1607 in Cranfield
10) Mary b. abt 1609 in Cranfield
(This list of children was obtained from LDS, and differs somewhat from others. I chose to stay with this list.)
Thomas Wheeler was born in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England about 1590. He married Ann Halsey on May 5, 1613 in Cranfield. She was the daughter of Thomas Halsey and wife
Phebe. It was a double wedding with Robert Halsey and Ann Wheeler. Presumably it was a case of brother and sister marying a sister and brother, but the relationships have not been proven. From Bedfordshire tax list, the Roll of Arrears of Payment of Ship Money, 1637, is listed, "Thomas Wheeler gone into New England 010500". He was made a freeman of the colony on April 17, 1637.
Thomas Wheeler came to America with numerous other Wheelers and was in Concord, Mass. for a time, where he was called Thomas Wheeler Senior. He, his family and others went to Fairfield, Connecticut with the Reverend John Jones in September 1644. Land was recorded to him in January 1649-50 and at the same time, land adjacent to his was recorded to Thomas Wheeler, Jr. He is said to have settled at Black Rock, erecting a stone house or fort, on whose plank roof he mounted two four-pounders, one pointed toward the mouth of the harbour and the other toward the Indian fort, now called the Old Fort at the head of the harbour. The Indian fort had at times a garrison of 200 Indians and served as their protection in the numerous wars they had with the Indians of the interior.
Children of Thomas Wheeler and Ann Halsey
1) Ann, baptised January 30, 1613, buried in Cranfield July 16, 1615
2) Alice, baptised June 15, 1616; m. John Billington on October 16, 1634
3) Anna, baptised February 15, 1617; m. James Bennett about 1639. James died 1659 and Anna m. Joseph Middlebrook , who was born about 1610 and d. 1686.
4) Thomas, Jr.
5) Elizabeth, baptised November 4, 1622
6) John, baptised February 27, 1624, d. 1690; m. (1) Judith Turney in 1660 (2) Elizabeth Rowland
7) Sarah, baptised August 10, 1628; d. before 1659; m. Thomas Sherwood, Jr.

Fifth Generation
Thomas Wheeler, Jr. was baptised in Cranfield April 9, 1620. He married (1)Sarah Merriam, daughter of Joseph Merriam and Sarah Goldstone. Sarah Merriam died on February 1, 1676; (2) Sarah (Beers) Stearns on July 23, 1677. Sarah Stearns, daughter of Isaac Stearns and Sarah Beers, was born in Watertown, Mass. on December 5, 1639 and died in Concord on January 21, 1724. After Isaac Stearns died in 1676, his widow, Sarah Beers, married Sgt. Thomas Wheeler of Concord on July 23, 1677. Thomas was her daughter's father in law.
Thomas had come to America with his parents and other relatives. He was appointed Sergeant in 1642 in Concord, but in 1644 he and the other Wheelers went with Reverend John Jones and a large company to Fairfield, Connecticut. He later returned to Concord and lived on land bequeathed by his father. He was called Senior until the return of Lieutenant Thomas Wheeler, after whose death he was again called Sergeant Thomas Wheeler, Senior.
Children of Thomas Wheeler and Sarah Merriam
1) Sarah, b. July 10, 1649; d. 1743; m. John Smedley on May 5, 1669
2) Joseph, b. August 18, 1651; d. in Concod March 16, 1676
3) Ann, b. December 22, 1653; d. Concord March 20, 1676
4) John
5) Mary, b. December 20, 1658; d. Concord, May 26, 1668
6) Thomas, b. March 29, 1662; d. Concord June 12, 1695
7) Elizabeth b. February 23, 1664; d. Concord October 26, 1744; m. Samuel Fletcher on June 15, 1682
8) Timothy, b. July 24, 1667; d. Concord April 14, 1718; m. May 19, 1692 to Lydia Wheeler, b. 1675
9) Rebecca, b. April 3, 1670; d. Concord November 6, 1710
10) Ruth, b. April 10, 1673; m. Joseph Warren on March 11, 1696

Sixth Generation
John Wheeler was born in Concord, Massachusetts on February 18, 1655. He married Sarah Stearns, daughter of Isaac Stearns and Sarah Beers. Sarah Stearns was born on January 14, 1662 in Watertown, Mass. and died December 19, 1727.
Children of John Wheeler and Sarah Stearns
1) Joseph b. November 27, 1679 in Concord, Mass.; m. Sarah Ball
2) John, b. December 6, 1683 in Concord; d. June 30, 1737; m. Dorothy Hasmar
3) Sarah b. November 11, 1686 in Concord; d. December 1, 1743; m. Zachariah Maynard
4) Abigail, b. December 29, 1689 in Concord; m. Thomas Ball
5) Sarah, b December 29, 1689 in Concord; m. Samuel Merriam
6) Thomas b. June 24, 1692 in Concord; d. March 30, 1750; m. Mary Munroe
7) Jonathan
8) Nathaniel b. September 28, 1702 in Concord; d. October 7, 1723
Seventh Generation
Jonathan Wheeler was born April 19, 1696 in Concord, Massachusetts. He married Sarah _____ about 1717 and died July 10, 1779 in Sutton, Worcester, Massachusetts. Sarah was born about 1698 in Concord.
Children of Jonathan Wheeler and Sarah ___
1) Rebecca
2) Sarah b. February 7, 1721 in Concord
3) Nathaniel b. February 5, 1723 in Concord; m. Hannah Marsh December 29, 1748. He died in 1756.
4) Hannah b. April 1725 in Concord
5) Olive, b. January 1, 1727 in Concord; m. Nathaniel Merriam on December 27, 1748
6) Jane, b. February 12, 1728 in Concord
7) Millison, b. December 2, 1730 in Concord
8) Jonathan b. September 13, 1732 in Concord
9) Abel b. August 27, 1735 in Concord; m. Rebeckah Clark Wakefield on July 24, 1760 in Sutton, Worcester, Mass.

Eighth Generation
Rebecca Wheeler was born on August 26, 1718 in Concord, Massachusetts. She married Asa Douglas in 1737, and removed to Jericho Hollow, Massachusetts, which eventually became Stephentown, New York. The new Mrs. Douglas was very lonely, as the nearest neighbor was four miles away. She didn't see another white woman in the area for the first six months she was there, as the area was inhabited by Indians at that time. Asa died November 12, 1792 and his widow survived him by some fourteen years. She died on June 12, 1809.
Children of Rebecca Wheeler and Asa Douglas

1) Sarah, b. Plainfield, CT on February 26, 1738. She died April 28, 1826
2) Asa, Jr. b. December 24, 1739 in Plainfield; d. April 17, 1812; m. Sarah Robbins
3)Rebecca, b. in Plainfield January 3, 1741; d. unmarried on April 28, 1826
4) William, b. Plainfield August 22, 1743; m. Hannah Cole in 1765
5) Hannah, b. Plainfield January 17, 1744; m. Honorable James Brown
6) Lucy b. Canaan, CT January 12, 1746; d. in 1749; m. Major Jonathan Brown (1753-1836). He entered the Army as a private and rose to Major. At
Bennington, Bemis Heights and Saratoga, he gave valuable civil service. He was placed on the pension rolls of Rensselaer County, NY at the age of 80 for service of ensign in NY Continental Line. He died in Pittstown, Rensselaer County, NY in 1836 at age 83.
7) Olive b. Canaan, CT September 7, 1748; m. General Samuel Sloane
8) Wheeler b. in Canaan, CT April 10, 1750; m. Martha Rathbone
9) Jonathan b. Canaan, CT on February 14, 1752; m. Rhoda Hancock
10) Nathaniel b. Canaan, CT August 11, 1754; m. Prudence Brown
11) John b. 1758 d. 1808; m. Hannah Brown, sister of Prudence
12) Benajah
Ninth Generation

Benajah Douglas was born on December 15, 1760 in Plainfield, CT. He married Martha D. Arnold,
daughter of Stephen Arnold and Martha Gardiner. Known as Patty, Martha Arnold was born in 1762 in Kingston, RI and died on April 1, 1818 in Brandon, VT.
Children of Benajah Douglas and Martha D. Arnold
1) Stephen Arnold
2) John
3) Beriah, b. 1773 d. September 29, 1802 in Stephentown, NY. Practiced medicine in Stephentown for a short time in 1820.

Tenth Generation

Stephen Arnold Douglas was born in 1762 in Stephentown, NY. on the Douglas Homestead. He married Sallie Fiske in 1811, and died in 1813 in Brandon, VT, while holding his two month old son.
Children of Stephen Arnold Douglas and Sallie Fiske
1) Stephen Arnold

Eleventh Generation

Stephen Arnold Douglas was born on April 23, 1813 in Brandon, VT. He was known as "The Little Giant", during his very distinguished political career. He died in 1861. He married (1) Martha D. Martin, who died January 19, 1853; (2) Adele Cutts, who survived him, and in 1863, married General Robert Williams.
Children of Stephen Arnold Douglas and Martha Martin
1) Robert Martin Douglas