Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/77

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

51

place, which was near Hampton, New Hampshire, where he remained for a few weeks, and then pushed on into the wilder- ness through deep snows and the bitter cold of winter to Swampscott falls on the Pis- ci'taqua river. There he bought a large tract of land from the Indians, and founded the town of Exeter, New Hampshire. In 1643 the colony of Massachusetts Bay ex- tended jurisdiction over that territory, and the Rev. Air. Wheelwright, wdth six or eight other proscribed persons, removed to WellS; Maine, where they were allowed to take up land and to organize a church. However, in May. 1644, the general court of Massachu- setts declared "his banishment taken off," and in 1647 he accepted a call to the church at Hampton, New Hampshire, as an assist- ant to the Rev. Timothy Dalton.

In 1656 he returned to England, where he remained for nearly six years. He came back to New England, and on December 6, 1662, was settled as pastor at Salisbury, Massachusetts. Died there November 15, 1679, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. No stone or monumental shaft marks his last resting place. It is claimed that John Wheelwright, his eldest son. did not come to America in 1636 with the family.

(II) Samuel W'heelwright. son of Rev. John and Mary or Marie (Hutchinson) Wheelwright, was born in 1635, in county Lincoln, England. When about twenty-one years of age he received a grant of two hun- dred acres of land from his father at Wells, and afterward became prominent in political affairs. He took an active part in the de- fence of Wells, Maine, during King Philip's war ; was town clerk twenty-nine years at Wells. Died May 15 (or 13), 1700, at Wells, Maine. He married Esther Houchin, daugh- ter of Jeremy Houchin, of Dorchester, Mas- sachusetts, and had issue, several children.

(HI) Colonel John (2) Wlieelwright, son of Samuel and Esther (Houchin) Wheel- wright, was born about 1664, at Wells, Maine. He was brought up in a frontier settlement inured to hardships and the priva- tions incident to that time. In early man- hood he was commissioned as a lieutenant of the militia, afterwards as captain, major, then colonel ; he served as an officer under Major Couvers at Pemaquid and Sheepscot, thence to Trebonit. and w'as afterwards sta- tioned at Fort Alary on the Saco river. He was endowed with a brave and noble spirit.

and being a judicious and energetic man, his aid was sought on all occasions of pub- lic danger. "He was a man of war and a host within himself," therefore just the man for those times, and was frequently called upon to defend the settlers against the In- dians and other enemies during the numer- ous Colonial wars.

He was one of the selectmen of Wells. Maine, and was town clerk there forty years. Later he was judge of the court of common pleas, also judge of probate in York county, Maine, and one of the councilors of the prov- ince. Died August 13, 1745, aged eighty- one years, and his will, dated April 11, 1739, sets out the names of his wife and children then living. He married, January 28. 1689, Mary Snell. daughter of Captain George Snell, a mariner of Portsmouth, New Hamp- shire, by wdiom he had eleven children. His daughter. Esther Wheelwright, when only seven years of age, was captured by the In- dians and taken to Canada. He endeavored to secure her exchange and return, but with- out avail. Some years later she was bap- tized into the Roman Catholic church, and afterwards became sister superior of the Ursuline Convent, at Quebec.

(lY) Jeremiah Wheelwright, son of Colo- nel John (2) and Alary (Snell) Wlieelwright, was born Alarch 5, 1697-98, at W^ells, Alaine. He was a lieutenant in the expedition sent from New England in 1745 to capture Louis- burg, and is said to have served under Gen- eral W^olfe in Canada. Died at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1768. He married Alary Bosworth. daughter of Bellamy and Alary Bosworth, of Bristol, Alassachusetts, later in Rhode Island, and had issue.

(V) Jeremiah (2) Wheelwright, only son of Jeremiah (i) and Alary (Bosworth) Wheelwright, was born June 13, 1732, at Portsmouth. New Hampshire. He was schoolmaster at Ipswich, Alassachusetts, for a short time, and served as commissary in the expedition to Canada under command of Colonel Arnold, and died January 28, 1778, from the effects of exposure in that cam- paign. Alarried Alary Davis, daughter of Abraham Davis, of Gloucester, Alassachu- setts, to whom he w^as published August 3, 1754. in a notice filed with the town clerk.

(VI) Abraham W^heehvright, son of Jere- miah (2) and Alary (Davis) Wlieelwright, was born July 16. 1757, at Gloucester, Alas- sachusetts. In July, 1775, he sailed on board