OurNorthernRoots
Benjamin Wheelock
1639 - -
Name Benjamin Wheelock Birth 8 Jan 1639 Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts 
Gender Male Notes - Benjamin Wheelock, b. 8 Jan 1639/40 in Dedham, Massachusetts, was probably the first Wheelock born in the American colonies. The Dedham Vital Records record the birth date of Benjamin as follows: "Benjamin born 8 of the 1[0] Month of 1639". His baptism date is given as follows: "ye 12 of ye 11th month 1639". He lived for about ten years in Dedham, where his father, Rev. Ralph Wheelock, was an active leader in town affairs. He moved with his family to Medfield, MA in 1651, the year of its founding and first settlement. He married Elizabeth Bullen in 1668. The Medfield Town records indicates that he owned a house in that same year. In 1669 he received a small grant of land in Medfield "between his house and the brook, taking in some part of the brook". In 1675 he is listed in the Medfield town records as a proprietor, along with his brother Gershom, and his father, Ralph. Sometime around 1688 he removed with his family to Mendon. The first notice of him in the Mendon records is in 1688 when he acquired land from Mathias Puffer: "Mathias Puffers forty Acre Lott Now Benjemin whelocks with all the Rights and Priuelidges there unto belonging or any wayes Appertaining: As appears by A Deed of Sale baring Date Aprill 25: 1688". A year later, he appears on a list of those paying taxes to "defray Mr. Rawson's Salary." Benjamin Wheelock's name appears as a proprietor on a historical plaque in the center of Mendon, amongst the third group of settlers. In 1693 Benjamin served the town as a "Tything Man", along with two others. According to the Annals of Mendon "tithing men were to present all the idle and disorderly persons, profane swearers or cursors, Sabbath-breakers and disorderly persons, that they may be duly punished and discouraged." In 1696 he served as a Constable, in 1700 as a selectman, and in 1701 on a special committee to "give the selectmen instructions". In 1706, or thereabouts, Benjamin Wheelock acquired possession of the "ancient" Benjamin Alby corn mill, which he purchased from Mathias Puffer. In 1713 he deeded mill priveledges to his sons Obadiah and Benjamin, Jr. Later, in 1719, all three deeded the mill to Josiah Wood. Benjamin is reported to have lived on the "Old Rehoboth Road, near where Andrus Wheelock lived and died". According to the proprietors' records, "The House Lott being forty Acres Laid out upon the East side of the Road Leading to Rehoboth Nere the Round Medow : and bounded as followeth Weasterly on the Abouesd Road Northerly upon the Land of Samuel Thayer Easterly Partly upon the Mill Riuer : and Partly on Medow and southerly upon Comon Land -- Laid out by Joseph White --" There is some uncertainty about the second wife of Benjamin. The Mendon Vital Records indicate that his first wife, Elizebeth, died in 1689, yet show two additional children born to "Benjemen and Elizebeth" in 1693 and 1695. There is no marriage record for Benjamin indicating a second marriage. Walter T. Wheelock, in "The Wheelock Family in America, 1637-1969" asserts that Elizabeth French, widow of Jonathan Thayer, was "probably" his second wife, but cites no sources. Charles Pope, in his book "The Pioneers of Massachusetts" indicates that "John French [father of Elizabeth French] died 1692, age 80 years. Division of estate was made to Dependence, Thomas, Samuel, to Temperance, wife of John Bowditch, to Elizabeth Wheelock of Mendon, and the child of Mary Lamb, deceased." The Elizabeth referenced here was probably his daughter, Elizabeth French. By process of elimination, it seems likely that Elizabeth French must have married Benjamin Wheelock. Torrey agrees with this conclusion, and lists the marriage in "New England Marriages Prior to 1700". No record of death is found for Benjamin, nor has any record been found for the settlement of his estate.
Person ID I19897 OurNorthernRoots Last Modified 18 Aug 2024
Father Reverand Ralph Wheelock, b. 14 May 1600, Dorrington, Shropshire, England d. 11 Jan 1684, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Age 83 years) Mother Rebecca Clarke, b. 26 Aug 1610, Banham, Norfolk, England d. 1 Jan 1681, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts (Age 70 years) Marriage 17 May 1630 Wramplingham, Norfolk, England Family ID F4041 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Elizabeth Bullen, b. 3 Feb 1645/1646, Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts d. 22 Oct 1689, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 43 years) Marriage 21 May 1668 Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts Children + 1. Benjamin Wheelock, b. 12 Dec 1678 Family ID F5517 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- Benjamin Wheelock, b. 8 Jan 1639/40 in Dedham, Massachusetts, was probably the first Wheelock born in the American colonies. The Dedham Vital Records record the birth date of Benjamin as follows: "Benjamin born 8 of the 1[0] Month of 1639". His baptism date is given as follows: "ye 12 of ye 11th month 1639". He lived for about ten years in Dedham, where his father, Rev. Ralph Wheelock, was an active leader in town affairs. He moved with his family to Medfield, MA in 1651, the year of its founding and first settlement. He married Elizabeth Bullen in 1668. The Medfield Town records indicates that he owned a house in that same year. In 1669 he received a small grant of land in Medfield "between his house and the brook, taking in some part of the brook". In 1675 he is listed in the Medfield town records as a proprietor, along with his brother Gershom, and his father, Ralph. Sometime around 1688 he removed with his family to Mendon. The first notice of him in the Mendon records is in 1688 when he acquired land from Mathias Puffer: "Mathias Puffers forty Acre Lott Now Benjemin whelocks with all the Rights and Priuelidges there unto belonging or any wayes Appertaining: As appears by A Deed of Sale baring Date Aprill 25: 1688". A year later, he appears on a list of those paying taxes to "defray Mr. Rawson's Salary." Benjamin Wheelock's name appears as a proprietor on a historical plaque in the center of Mendon, amongst the third group of settlers. In 1693 Benjamin served the town as a "Tything Man", along with two others. According to the Annals of Mendon "tithing men were to present all the idle and disorderly persons, profane swearers or cursors, Sabbath-breakers and disorderly persons, that they may be duly punished and discouraged." In 1696 he served as a Constable, in 1700 as a selectman, and in 1701 on a special committee to "give the selectmen instructions". In 1706, or thereabouts, Benjamin Wheelock acquired possession of the "ancient" Benjamin Alby corn mill, which he purchased from Mathias Puffer. In 1713 he deeded mill priveledges to his sons Obadiah and Benjamin, Jr. Later, in 1719, all three deeded the mill to Josiah Wood. Benjamin is reported to have lived on the "Old Rehoboth Road, near where Andrus Wheelock lived and died". According to the proprietors' records, "The House Lott being forty Acres Laid out upon the East side of the Road Leading to Rehoboth Nere the Round Medow : and bounded as followeth Weasterly on the Abouesd Road Northerly upon the Land of Samuel Thayer Easterly Partly upon the Mill Riuer : and Partly on Medow and southerly upon Comon Land -- Laid out by Joseph White --" There is some uncertainty about the second wife of Benjamin. The Mendon Vital Records indicate that his first wife, Elizebeth, died in 1689, yet show two additional children born to "Benjemen and Elizebeth" in 1693 and 1695. There is no marriage record for Benjamin indicating a second marriage. Walter T. Wheelock, in "The Wheelock Family in America, 1637-1969" asserts that Elizabeth French, widow of Jonathan Thayer, was "probably" his second wife, but cites no sources. Charles Pope, in his book "The Pioneers of Massachusetts" indicates that "John French [father of Elizabeth French] died 1692, age 80 years. Division of estate was made to Dependence, Thomas, Samuel, to Temperance, wife of John Bowditch, to Elizabeth Wheelock of Mendon, and the child of Mary Lamb, deceased." The Elizabeth referenced here was probably his daughter, Elizabeth French. By process of elimination, it seems likely that Elizabeth French must have married Benjamin Wheelock. Torrey agrees with this conclusion, and lists the marriage in "New England Marriages Prior to 1700". No record of death is found for Benjamin, nor has any record been found for the settlement of his estate.
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Event Map 
Birth - 8 Jan 1639 - Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts 
Marriage - 21 May 1668 - Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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