Like his siblings, no record of birth for Edward is to be found in the Vital Records of Massachusetts. Edward grew up on his fathers farm in Charlton. The house he lived in, and one barn, are still standing on present day Gould Road.

He married his neighbor [1], Martha Daggett, on Independence Day, 4 July 1776. A few months later, his father died, leaving the bulk of his estate (including farmhouse and lands) to his eldest sons, Seth, Edward, and Paul. The three were also charged with the care of their mother, Abigail (Chapin) Wheelock [10].

At the time, Edward was the only one of the three married, his wife pregnant. His older brother, Seth, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, having by this time already marched on the 1775 Lexington Alarm, and served in several campaigns in 1776.

Perhaps because of the obligations of war, Seth sold his portion of the inheritance to Edward and Paul for 140 pounds [2]. The two remaining heirs then divided the land and buildings [3], living together with their mother and the younger children.

A few months later (Sep 1777), Edward's wife gave birth to their first child, Relief, and brother Paul went off to fight in the war. Though most of his brothers fought, no record of Edward's enrollment has been found; it may be that he relinquished service to care for the family and farm.

Edward remained on the inherited estate for 17 years. Deeds indicate that his brother Paul also remained, sharing the house with Edward [4].

In 1781, Jacob Davis and 64 others purchased the township of Salem in Caledonia Co, VT, and were given a charter. Edward Wheelock was one of these; in 1798 his name appears on a list of proprietors for the town, delinquent in their payment of taxes [7]. Other names on the list were Jacob Davis, Nehemiah Stone, Abijah Lamb, Paul Wheelock, and others from Charlton, MA. The boundaries of Salem were held in dispute for many years, delaying it's settlement [13]. It's unlikely that Edward Wheelock ever established residence there.

In 1783, his brother in law, Robert Kelley, died. Edward was appointed guardian of three of the children: Abigail, Joel, and Chapin Kelley.

Edward appears in the 1790 Census, residing with 4 males under age 16, and 5 females. One of the females is his wife, Martha; one may be his mother, Abigail; the other three are probably daughters. Of the four males, two are accounted for in the Charlton Vital Records, Silas and Reu. Marcus Waite in his "papers" refers to additional male children Eli and Paul. Unfortunately, Edward is not found on any further census records.

In Dec 1793, Edward sold his portion of the estate to his brother, John Wheelock of Spencer [5]. On the same date, his mother released him from his obligation to care for her [6].

Edward and family removed to Augusta, Oneida Co, NY sometime before 1799. He appears on deeds there as early as 1797, at which time he purchased lot 28 in 'New Petersburgh', now part of Augusta [14]. His son in law, Jabez Howe, moved to Augusta in a similar time frame.

In 1801 he and his wife sold land to John Goodhue in[15], and to Elias Hamilton [16]. In 1807 he (without his wife listed) sold the residue of his farm on lot 28 (the part not previously conveyed to Silas Wheelock, as stated in the deed) to Reu Wheelock [17].

Edward appears on tax assessment rolls in Augusta in 1799, 1801, 1802 and 1803 [18]. His whereabouts after 1807, when he sold land to his son Reu, is unknown.

Other children of Edward and Martha appear in Batavia, Genessee County, NY, (in the 1805-1810 time frame) [8, 9].

No death record or headstone for Edward or Martha has yet been found.

(Written by Roderick B. Sullivan, Northborough, MA, Aug 2000, updated Dec 2006, Jan 2015, and Nov 2017)

Notes and Sources

1. The marriage of Martha and Edward is listed in the Charlton Vital Records. The Worcester County Registry of Deeds has a deed showing that Captain Paul Wheelock's land abutted that of Deacon Nehemiah Stone, Martha's stepfather (Book 77, pg 322). Martha's brother, David, also married into the Wheelock family.
   
2. Worcester County Registry of Deeds: Seth Wheelock to Edward and Paul Wheelock, 23 Jun 1777, Book 77, Pg 321.
   
3. Worcester County Registry of Deeds: Paul Wheelock to Edward Wheelock, 24 Jun 1777, Book 77, Pg 322; Edward Wheelock to Paul Wheelock, 24 Jun 1777, Book 77, Pg 322.
   
4. Worcester County Registry of Deeds: Edward Wheelock to John Wheelock, 16 Dec 1793, Book 119, Pg 642; Edward sells his land to his brother John, along with buildings, and refers to Paul Wheelock, owner of one of the buildings.
   
5. Worcester County Registry of Deeds: Edward Wheelock to John Wheelock, 16 Dec 1793, Book 119, Pg 642.
   
6. Worcester County Registry of Deeds: Abigail Wheelock to Edward Wheelock, 16 Dec 1793, Book 120, Pg. 59. Abigail releases Edward from his "maintenance" obligations stipulated in her husbands will. These "obligations" transferred to Edward's brother, Seth.
   
7. The Vermont Journal, Classified Ads, 25 April 1798.
   
8. "Western New York Land Transactions, 1804-1824, Extracted From the Archives of the Holland Land Company", Karen E. Livsey, published by the Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 1991. These records show purchases of land in Genessee County by Reu and Eli Wheelock, and purchases in Erie County by Silas Wheelock.
   
9. "Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, NY, 1788-1890", Edited by F. W. Beers, Syracus, NY, J. W. Vose and Co, Publishers, June, 1890, pg. 289. A reference is made to Relief Wheelock, wife of Jabez Howe, both of Batavia, NY.
   
10. Will of Captain Paul Wheelock of Charlton, Worcester County Probate Office, Case Number 63782.
    
11. Oneida Deeds
    
12. "Howe Genealogies", Daniel Wait Howe, date not given, pg 97; the genealogy of Relief Wheelock and Jabez Howe.
    
13. "Annals of Salem, VT", by Pliny H. White, date of publication unknown, online at www.Ancestry.com, Dec 2006.
14. Oneida County Deeds, Bk 32, Pg 560. On 3 Oct 1797 Edward Wheelock purchased 205 acres in New Petersburgh, lot 28, now part of Augusta, for $699.97. A portion of this property was foreclosed on in 1821, but Edward does not sign or witness the documents at the foreclosure sale.
15. Oneida County Deeds, Bk 12, Pg 123. On 18 Mar 1801 Edward and Patty Wheelock sold 52 acres to John Goodhue for $131, near the southeast corner of the original lot 28.
16. Oneida County Deeds, Bk 22, Pg 24. On 6 May 1801, Edward and Patty Wheelock sold 50 acres to Elias Hamilton for $120. The land was near the southwest corner of the original lot 28.
17. Oneida County Deeds, Bk 19, Pg 122. On 2 Dec 1807, Edward Wheelock (his wife Patty not listed) sold the residue of his farm on lot 28 (that portion not heretofore conveyed to Silas Wheelock), consisted of 52 acres, to Reu Wheelock, for $700 . Silas Wheelock was present at the signing.
18. "New York, Tax Assessment Rolls of Real & Personal Estates, 1799-1804", online at Ancestry.com, retrieved Nov 2017.