Birth: calculated 17 Aug 1841, Rutland, Worcester Co, MA
Death: 17 Mar 1925
Burial: Rutland Rural Cemetery, Rutland, Worcester Co, MA
Father: Charles Bartlett
Mother: Elizabeth M. Read
Spouse: Sarah Tatem Wheelock
Marriage: 2 Oct 1878, Worcester, Worcester Co, MA
Birth: about 1943
Spouse: Kenneth Ray Wheelock
Marriage: 1963
Spouse: Gary William Wheelock
Marriage: 8 Oct 1977, Winooski, VT
Birth: Jul 1852, NY
Death: 19 Jun 1931, Ellicott, Chautauqua Co, NY
Father: John Parmelee Buchanan
Mother: Sabra Jane Wilcox
Spouse: George G. Wheelock
Marriage: about 1882
Notes:
In 1880, Belle Buchanan, age 27, servant, born New York, was living in Youngsville, Warren County, Pennsylvania, not far from Sugar Grove, Warren County. Her parents (whose identity is revealed below) were enumerated on the same census page.
She likely married George Wheelock shortly after his first wife died, probably around 1852. Their son, George Granville Wheelock, was born 5 Sep 1883 in Sugar Grove.
In 1900 Belle Wheelock, age 47, widowed, was again in Sugar Grove, dressmaker. There were no others in the household.
On 7 Jan 1897, Mrs. Belle Wheelock was elected a Sunday school teacher in Sugar Grove.1
Belle's father, John Parmelee Buchanan, lived in Jamestown, Chautauqua County, New York, not far from Sugar Grove - which may explain why Belle had moved there by 4 March 1902, when her father's obituary identified her as one of five surviving children, referring to her as "Mrs. Belle Wheelock of Jamestown."2
The 21 Oct 1903 edition of the Jamestown Evening Journal noted that "Miss Buchanan and Mrs. Belle Wheelock of Jamestown [were] spending a few days with friends" in Youngsville, Pennsylvania (where the family had previously lived, and where her father was buried).
The 1905 Jamestown city directory listed her as a resident, and identified her as the widow of George G. Wheelock. George Wheelock [her son], upholsterer, was living at the same address.
In 1910 Belle Potter [sic], widow, age 57, was living with her son, George Wheelock, again in Jamestown. George's wife, Marcia F. Wheelock, and their daughter, G. Ruth Wheelock were also in the household, along with George's brother in law, James V. Nash. It is not known whether Belle remarried to a man with surname Potter, or whether the name Potter in the 1910 census is an error. In all previous and later records, she is called Belle Wheelock. Belle Potter does not appear in Jamestown in any other U.S. or New York state census records.
In 1913, Mrs. Belle Wheelock and George Wheelock attended the funeral of Mrs. Sarah Melvina Alvord in Jamestown.3
The 2 Jan 1917 edition of the Jamestown Evening Journal noted that Mrs. Belle Wheelock was visiting relatives in Warren (near Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania).4
In 1920 Belle Wheelock was listed in the Jamestown city directory as the widow of George. Belle Wheelock is found in Jamestown in the 1925 New York state census, age 72, and in Ellicott in the 1930 federal census, aged 77. She is not found in the 1940 census.
She is likely the Belle Wheelock that died 19 June 1931 in Ellicott, Chautauqua County, New York.
Explanation of Some Inconsistencies in the Records of Belle Wheelock:
The 1900 census record for Belle Wheelock in Sugar Grove states that she was born July 1862, but also states that she was 47 years old. Both cannot be correct. Most of the census records for Belle support an 1852 or 1853 birth date. The "1862" is difficult to read in the census record, and could be "1852".
The 1900 census also states that Belle Wheelock was the mother of seven children, five of whom were living. There is no other indication that Belle had that many children. Since she was single in 1880, and married George G. Wheelock in 1883, she couldn't have given birth to that many children between those two dates. The 1910 census says she had one child, still living. This is more consistent with the other records.
As noted above, the 1910 census lists her as Belle F. Potter, "mother" of George G. Wheelock, head of household. There are two likely explanations for the surname Potter: (1) it was a mistake, the informant or census taker got it wrong, or (2) she married someone with surname Potter between 1905 and 1910. He died or they divorced, and she reverted back to the surname Wheelock. The other possible explanation - that Belle Potter and not Belle Wheelock was his mother - seems unlikely given that Belle Wheelock and George Wheelock clearly had a close relationship since they were living at the same address in 1905, and attended a funeral together in 1913. Belle Potter does not appear in any other census records (U.S. or NY state) living in Jamestown; nor does the Jamestown City directory show a Belle Potter living there. There was a Bertha Bell Potter in Jamestown in 1900, married to George W. Potter. The two also appear in the Jamestown city directory in 1901. But Bertha Bell Potter also appears in the 1910 census living in Jamestown with her husband George W. Potter, at a different address in and a different household from the Belle Potter that was living with George Wheelock. Genealogies at Ancestry.com indicate that she was a different woman altogether, not the mother of George Wheelock. Finally, a search of New York state newspapers at FultonHistory.com on 24 Sep 2022 did not reveal any Belle Potter living in Jamestown in the correct time frame. This all points to the conclusion that the surname Potter was a mistake.
Research Notes:
A Belle Wheelock, age 47, born July 1852, NY is enumerated in the 1900 Census living in Sugar Grove, Warren Co, PA, dressmaker. There were no others in the household. She was the mother of 7 children, 5 of whom were still living in 1900.
The 1894 death record for George G. Wheelock in Warren County, Pennsylvania indicates that he was the son of Abner and Lydia, and was married at the time of his death.
In a 1905 city directory for Jamestown, NY, Belle Wheelock is listed as the widow of George G. Wheelock, and is living at the same address as George Wheelock, upholsterer (352 East 4th St).5
In the 1907 Jamestown, NY city directory, she was living at the same address as George Wheelock, loungemaker.
Per 1910 Census, Belle, widow, is living with her son, George Wheelock, in Jamestown, NY. She is listed as Belle F. Potter, age 57, placing her birth around 1853.
She is listed as Belle Wheelock in the Jamestown city directory in 1920 as the widow of George. Belle Wheelock is found in Jamestown the 1925 New York state census, age 72, and in Ellicott in the 1930 federal census, aged 77. She is not found in the 1940 census.
A Belle Wheelock died 19 Jun 1931 in Ellicott, Chautauqua Co, NY, NY death certificate number 37137.6
Her husband is presumed to be George G. Wheelock, 1823-1894, son of Abner Wheelock and Lydia Tillotson.
Parentage:
Mrs. Belle Wheelock of the Jamestown, New York, area seemed to associate with people whose surname was Buchanan. For example, the Jamestown Post-Journal notes in 1903 that Mrs. Belle Wheelock and Miss Buchanan of Jamestown spent a few days with friends.7
In 1913 she attended the funeral of Mrs. Sarah Melvina Alvord in Jamestown with her son, George Wheelock. Also at the funeral was Fred Buchanan of Terra Haute, Ind., and Mrs. Charles Buchanan and son of Warren, Pa.3
Finally, an obituary in the Jamestown Post-Journal makes clear why Belle would be associating with people with that surname. The obit is for John Parmelee Buchanan who died in Jamestown on 4 March 1902 Five children survived him: George W. Buchanan, of Tidioute, Pa.; Charles A. Buchanan of Kane, Pa.; Frederick H. Buchanan of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Mrs. Belle Wheelock and Margery Buchanan of Jamestown.2
Sources:
Birth: May 1847
Death: 19 Aug 1890
Spouse: Joseph Brayton Wheelock
Marriage: Mannsville, Jefferson Co., NY
Birth: 21 Mar 1942
Father: Milton H. Danker
Mother: Helen E. Park
Father: Jimmy Harrison
Mother: Doreen Ann Wheelock
Partner: William Sutherland
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Birth: 16 Aug 1840
Death: about 1916
Burial: 9 Mar 1916, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY
Father: William Hawxhurst
Mother: Saran Ann Austen
Spouse: George Gill Wheelock
Marriage: 3 Nov 1873
Notes:
She was the widow of Henry S. Hallet, of Boston, MA.
HOME INDEXBirth: 26 Mar 1743, Leominster, Mass.
Father: Joseph Wheelock
Mother: Abigail _____
Notes:
No birth, baptism, mariage, or death record for Elisha is found in Henry Nourse, The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1643-1850.
HOME INDEXBirth: 23 May 1826, Orange, Franklin Co, MA
Father: Alexander Wheelock
Mother: Lois Cheney
Notes:
Elizabeth Field, age 44, born in MA, is enumerated in the 1870 Census living in Grand Rapids, MI, with her husband, George Field, and Lois Whelock, age 74.
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