Author: Tenney H Wheatley Jr.
John Wheatley
John Wheatley, the man often called the father of the New England Branch of the Wheatley Family of America, was born in 1718 in Dublin, Ireland.
John’s father was a surgeon in the British Navy and died in 1731. His mother and sister lived in Dublin. John remained in school until he was 14 years of age. His mother intended him to be a mariner so she bound him to a commander of a vessel for seven years. The commander agreed to return him to Dublin to see his mother once a year. The commander sailed directly to America, landing in New London or Norwich, CT.

The ship’s captain sold his indentures to a nearby farmer which John was bound to remain until majority. At first, he suffered from the hardship not being accustomed to physical labor. The story is told that John was sent off to school and the teacher returned word that he could not instruct the pupil so advanced. John soon began teaching school and went to sea in-between terms. He intended to return to Ireland to visit his family and relatives but he never made it. In time family ties were weaned from the old house and new acquaintances and business associates formed.

In the early spring of 1742 he married Submit Peck Cooke, the widow of Aaron Cooke of Franklin, CT. They had seven children and lived in Boston or Norwich, CT, during the war with the French.

It is said that John Wheatley “served as an able and courageous soldier”. John Wheatley served as a Captain and commanded a company in the French war during the campaign at the North in 1759, then Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and other forts in that vicinity were captured by the English.

In 1761 an English force of 10,000 men was sent to capture Havana, Cuba, from the French and Spanish. Captain John Wheatley, with a company of marines from Connecticut and Massachusetts, joined the expedition. Some 2,300 men in 14 transports sailed to Cubs. The city fell a few months later. During this time disease has taken a bad toll. All of the remaining Colonial troops returned home in one ship.

Captain John Wheatley did not serve in the Revolutionary War, but sent his four sons. Two of his sons were killed fighting for the independence of their country. Son John was commissioned a 2nd LT, was wounded and taken prisoner by the British in the Battle of Harlem Heights, and died a few days later. A second son, Luther, was wounded at the Battle of Bemis Heights- sometimes called the Second Battle of Saratoga. He died at Stillwater, NY.

Throughout the Revolutionary War, John Wheatley worked tirelessly on the Committee of Safety and as a Justice of the Peace.

At the age of 67 years Captain John Wheatley saw the fight for independence come to a successful conclusion. John Wheatley died in 1786 in Lebanon, NH. His widow survived him several years.