William Wheeler was baptised on 24 November 1769 at the parish church of St Nicholas, Kingsey, Buckinghamshire, England to parents George Wheeler (1751-1827) and Ann Coles.
St Nicholas, Kingsey
The village of Kingsey is just one mile away from Towersey. Kingsey is a small village and civil parish in Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is near the boundary with Oxfordshire, about two miles east of Thame and a mile south of Haddenham.
Historically people from this village and those surrounding it were known by the derogatory term ‘wetfeet’, because of the high water table of the area leading to the ground being so waterlogged.
William Wheeler was listed as a labourer of Bledlow in the 1798 (Buckinghamshire Posse Comitatas), must have moved the four miles over to Bledlow from Kingsey for work.
His father George was also listed on the Buckinghamshire Posse Comitatas as a labourer of Kingsey.
William Wheeler married Mary Bonham on 24 November 1790 at Ashendon, Buckinghamshire, just six miles from his birthplace in Kinsey.
They had a large family of at least 12 children baptised at Bledlow.
- George b 1790
- John b 1793
- Sarah Emma b 1797 d 1834 Towersey. Married George Smith, 6 children.
- William b 1804
- James b 1805 & d 1805
- James b 1807 d 1808
- Ann b 1810
- Mary b 1812
- Thomas b 1814
- Rebecca b 1816
- Rachel b 1818 d 1820
- James b 1821 d 1822
In 1813 and in 1818 William Wheeler looks to leasing a cottage and orchard at Pitch Green, Bledlow from this document held in the Buckinghamshire Archives.
Copy Conditional Surrender to secure £1500, 29 October 1813. (1) John Mead, formerly of Nash Lee, Ellesborough, now of Bledlow, yeoman
(2) Elizabeth James of Aylesbury, widow, and John James of Chatham, Kent, Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines. D-CN/2/11/94
Messuage (formerly occupied by Thomas Slater, now by William Wheeler) and adjoining plot (2 roods 15 perches) at Pitch Green,, also 5 acres 3 roods 13 perches in Perry Field, allotted at the Inclosure in lieu of several pieces in the Common Fields of Bledlow. D/CN/Box 3/V
Copy Agreement, with conditions of sale, for purchase of Lot 1 of the estates of John Mead, a bankrupt, by John Wright, agent for Robert John Smith [later 2nd Baron Carrington], 5 Dec 1818 D/CN/Box 3/V
Printed sale poster for the ‘Estate of John Mead, a bankrupt, being part Freehold, Copyhold and Leasehold’, to be sold at the King’s Head in Aylesbury.
Lot 1: Brick and Tiled Farm House (rooms detailed) with orchard and closes of arable, meadow, and pasture land adjoining the homestead containing altogether 45 acres at Bledlow (in the occupation of John Wright)
Lot 2: Copyhold cottage and orchard (2 roods 15 perches) at Pitch Green, Bledlow (in the occupation of William Wheeler and — Woodbridge)
In 1827 A George Allen was convicted of stealing a milking bucket, and William Wheeler of Bledlow was a witness at the assizes. Justices case notes for Michaelmas Session 1827 [part of Q/JC/6A]. Buckshire Archives.
R. v George Allen, Bledlow
Previously convicted for stealing from a cowhouse a milking bucket, 6 June, value 3/-, one yoke, one fork, property of James Stevens.
Witnesses: James Sherriff, James Stevens, of Bledlow, Ann Parker, of Bledlow, Michael Prentice, in service of Stevens in June, William Wheeler, of Bledlow
Not guilty
William Wheeler died in November 1838 and was buried at Bledlow on 26 November 1838. The burial register states he was 69 years of age. Ref D-CN/2/11/97
It is unknown where and when his wife Mary Wheeler died.
