The Revolutionary War pension
application of John Wheeler and the widow’s pension of his widow, Susanna Wheeler,
were obtained from the online subscription website, Fold3 https://www.fold3.com John Wheeler served several tours of duty
from North Carolina and Virginia. The number W 8.999 is Susanna’s pension application number. It was common for pension applicants to tear
the Family Record out of the family Bible and submit it with the application. There
are over 50 pages in this pension file – much more than could be included in
this post. I tried to include genealogical information of dates of births,
marriage and deaths. For details of John Wheeler’s service, you will need to check
Fold3 or the National Archives.
NC/VA John Wheeler / Susanna Wheeler W
8.999
At the age of 76 years, in 1832, John Wheeler made an application for a pension based
on his services during the Revolutionary War. He stated he was born in Prince
Edward County, Virginia, but did not know the precise date as the book
containing the record of the ages of himself and his father’s family was lost
during the war. John Wheeler is confident he served as much as three years. The
only person perhaps now living and who served with him would be Josiah Ramsey,
who moved to Missouri many years ago, but he might be dead as he was old when
he moved there. John Wheeler has lived
in this country [Kentucky] upwards of 30 years.
“George Mays, John Jackson, Israel
H. Pickins, James Brice and Stephen Young, old and respectable citizens of
Crittenden County, Ky this day appeared in Open Court and made oath that they
were well acquainted with John Wheeler and Susannah his wife. Some of us for 40 odd years, & others of
us for 30 odd years past. … John Wheeler is now dead and died in the year 1838 as they verrily believe. That Susannah
is now living in this county with her son Isaac Wheeler. That they knew John Wheeler was a pensioner on Government
when he died, for services rendered during the Revolutionary War &
that John & Susannah Wheeler lived
together during all the time they knew them as man & wife & raised a
large family of children respectable & worthy citizens & worthy members
of Society. That they had often heard both John & Susannah say they were
legally married during the Revolutionary War & often heard John talk with
lively interest & feelings of Scenes of the Revolutionary War; that
Susannah is yet a widow never married Since her husband John Wheelers death ...”
Susanna Wheeler was the widow of
John Wheeler, who died 24 Nov 1838. He was a private in a company commanded by
Capt. Bohannon of the company commanded by Col. Christian in the North Carolina
line for 2 years and is inscribed on the roll of Kentucky at the rate of $80 per
annum to commence 25 Nov 1838. A Certificate of Pension was issued 5 July 1845.
Susanna Wheeler made the following
declaration when she applied for a widow’s pension 1 May 1844, “aged on the 21
July 1843 just 82 years of age, having been born on the 21st day of
July 1761 … She stated she and
her husband resided in North Carolina and from her best recollection in Greene
County at the time her husband first entered the service. Her father, Henry
Clark, lived at a plantation on Kendrick’s Creek something like 5 miles from
Long Island on Holston River. She was well acquainted with her husband for
several years before they married. He lived about a 1 ¼ miles from her husband,
with a Mr. John Stewart. Susanna had a brother named Benjm. Clark, who would go
with the men scouting and guarding the settlement frontier. Susanna and John
Wheeler were married at her father’s in North Carolina, she thinks in Greene
County on 15 Dec 1779. She arrived at that date by the age of her oldest child
who was born 16 Nov 1780, just a month lacking one day after their marriage.
The date is set down in the Bible now in her son Isaac’s possession.
About two years after their
marriage, they moved over the mountains into a different portion of North
Carolina. She has been living in this country since 1798. Her husband died in
this county when it was Livingston
County. She has remained a widow ever since … living with her son Isaac. She is
old & feeble & unable to travel about & cannot go to court without
great pain and risk. She had 13 children by Mr. Wheeler and raised 10 of
them. [signed] Susanna (X her mark)
Wheeler.
John Barnett, a clergyman of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, testified he had known Susanna and her husband
for about 30 years; both belonged to the church; understood Jno. Wheeler was a
soldier in the Revolutionary War and received a pension. He preached Jno.
Wheeler’s funeral sermon.
FAMILY RECORD
BIRTHS
Henry Wheeler was born November 16th
1780
James Wheeler was born October 16th
1782
John Wheeler was born December 9th
1784
Maryann Wheeler was born December
25th 1786
Sally Wheeler was born May 10th 1789
Benjamin Wheeler was born March 22
1791
Polly Wheeler was born July 28th 1793
Matilda Wheeler was born June 25th 1798
Isaac Wheeler was born June 25th
1800
Susan Wheeler was born March 11th
1804
Susannah Clark Wheeler was born
July 21st 1762
Henry Clark Sr was born 8th 1732
Sarah Jones was born July the 26th
1737
DEATHS
John Wheeler Departed this Life
the 24th day of November 1838
Aged about 86 years.
Separate piece of paper not part
of the Family Record: “Look out, widow says 2 errors in
family record. Matilda was born Apr. 15
1798 & she the widow born July 21, 1761”
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