Colonial Wheeler Cousin Connections

December 18, 2021 at 10:02 pm | Posted in Barker, Bowker, Dustan, Hopkinson, James, Spofford, Stickney, Watts, Wheeler | 9 Comments
Tags: Colonial America, Essex County MA, Family History, Genealogy, Haverhill MA, Jonesboro ME, New Brunswick Canada

Before I start, I have to explain that this post is to help my writing muse overcome my internal editor. Research has been ongoing, but completing coherent profiles is a challenge. I also wanted to do a quick summary of generations in the distant past that by my “semi-methodical” system would not get profiled for quite a long time. As most of these folks have not been featured on the blog, their dates and other information are subject to review. Are you ready? I’ll see whether I can present it where everyone can follow.

I had the great pleasure a few weeks ago, to have an informative email correspondence with a “new” cousin, Bob Wheeler. He was born in New York State and removed to Nova Scotia during the 1960’s. He has retired recently to New Brunswick. Bob contacted me because he is researching some Stickney’s in NB, and thought he had some connected to our Maugerville bunch. Although there was no direct connection that I could find, I did a search for “Wheeler” in my family tree software and found one with a common ancestor to Bob’s 8th grandparents, John Wheeler (1591-1670), the immigrant, and Agnes Yeoman (1595-1662). Through that line, Bob and I are 9th cousins twice removed. I’ll explain the details of that in a bit. On a whim I decided to have a look at the descendants of John and Agnes Wheeler and found another connection that may be even closer. Let’s take a look, shall we?

I’ll start with Lydia Lockwood Stickney (1794-1886) m. Watts Bowker (1790-1870), my 3rd-great grandparents. Lydia’s parents were Samuel Stickney (1769-1815) m. Elizabeth James (1775-1847), my 4th great grandparents, who lived in New Brunswick. Samuel Stickney’s mother was Elizabeth Barker (1740-1831) m. Isaac Stickney (1741-1794), my 5th great grandparents, who moved from Rowley, MA to New Brunswick. Elizabeth’s mother was Mary Spofford (1714-1790) m Jacob Barker (1713-1783). The Spofford surname goes through several spellings, take your pick. Mary’s father was Capt John Spoford (1678-1735) m. Dorcas Hopkinson (1676-abt 1720). They are likewise connected to Rowley, Essex County, MA. John’s mother was Sarah Wheeler (1652-1732) m. John Spoford (1648-1697). She was born in Bradford, Essex Co, MA. Sarah’s father was David Wheeler (1625- after 1676) m. Sarah Wise/Wyeth (unsure of dates). David was with his parents, John and Agnes, when they came over from England in 1634 on the John and Mary out of Southhamption. This makes John and Agnes Wheeler my 10th great-grandparents via Lydia L Stickney.

Bob Wheeler is directly descended from David Wheeler’s brother, Henry Wheeler (1633-1696) m. Abigail Allen (1640-1696).

David and Henry Wheeler also had a sister, Elizabeth Wheeler m. Thomas Dustin of Kittery, Maine. That name rang some very loud bells. Their son, Thomas Dustin (1652-1732) was married to Hannah Emerson, who was the Hannah Dustin that was kidnapped during an Indian raid at Haverhill, MA in 1697. When she escaped, not only did she kill her captors, but she also took their scalps! One of their daughters, Abigail Dustin (1690-1727) m. Samuel Watts (1691-after 1763) at Haverhill. Their son Samuel H Watts (1716-1787) m. Alice “Elsie” Bean (1736-1802) moved from Haverhill to the settlement that became Jonesboro, Maine. Their daughter, Elizabeth “Betsey” Watts (1764-1854) m. Levi Bowker (1763-1850) in Jonesboro and moved to nearby Machias, Maine. Their eldest son was Watts Bowker who was married to Lydia L Stickney!

If I’ve figured it correctly, John and Agnes Wheeler were Lydia’s 6th great grandparents, and Watt’s 4th great grandparents, and thus making Lydia and Watts Bowker 5th cousins twice removed! I wonder whether Lydia and Watts Bowker knew they were cousins. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did, given that so many lines on my mother’s maternal side were all in Essex County, MA from the 1630’s thru the 1760’s. John and Agnes Wheeler are my 9th great-grandparents via Watts Bowker. Which also “removes a removed” between me and Bob Wheeler. We’re now 9th cousins once removed.

Are you lost? It took me awhile to figure it out. I’ve updated the Index tab on the blog to include all of these couples. As I said, it will be quite awhile before I get them all profiled, but I didn’t want to wait to tell you about this previously undiscovered connection. Many thanks to Bob Wheeler, for bringing this part of our family to my attention! Merry Christmas and Happy 2022!