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- Silas Wheeler and his son, Grattan went from Rhode Island to Wheeler, where they settled in 1799. The father and son lived together and their land holdings ran upwards of 4000 acres. Grattan was a successful politician. In addition to filling town offices, he represented his district in the Assembly, in the State Senate, and as a congressman from 1831-1832. Silas Wheeler was a soldier in the Revolutionary War as well as in the War of 1812. He served with Benedict Arnold in the assault on Quebec. He was taken prisoner four times, the last by a British privateer. At that time he was jailed in Kinsale, Ireland, where he was sentenced to be hung. He escaped with the help of the Irish statesman Henry Grattan, for whom his son was named.
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- "WHEELER GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The town of Wheeler was formed from Bath and Prattsburgh Feb.25, 1820, and was named from Capt.Silas Wheeler, the first settler. A part of Avoca was taken off in 1843, and a part of Urbana in 1839. It lies in the interior of the county,northeast of the centre, and has a high, rolling surface, in many places of great variety and picturesqueness, and richness of soil, particularly in the valleys. The farms are among, the finest in the county, and under a high state of cultivation, the soil being a clayey and shaly loam, well adapted both to pasture and tillage. The principal streams are the Five- and Ten-Mile Creeks, and some small lateral tributaries. EARLY SETTLEMENT.Capt. Silas Wheeler in honor of whom the town was named, was the first permanent settler. He was a native of Rhode Island,but then recently from Albany Co., N. Y. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and was with Benedict Arnold in his perilous march through the forests of Maine, and at the assault of Quebec stood near Montgomery when be fell. He was four times taken prisoner, twice by land and twice upon the high-seas as a roving, privateersman. After his second capture upon the coast of Great Britain he was confined in jail at Kinsale, Ireland,and condemned to be hanged as a pirate. He escaped by the aid of a friendly Irishman and of the distinguished orator and statesman, Henry Grattan. Mr. Grattan procured for him a passport, protected him from press-gangs and the police, and secured for him a passage to France, whence he returned to America. He settled in the town of Wheeler (then included in Bath) in 1799. Capt. Wheeler's first trip to mill is worthy of record, as it gives an insight into the hardships and privations of the new settler. There were at this time three mills in the neighboring- towns, viz., at the Friends' settlement, at Naples,and at Bath. The mill at Bath was not running for want of something to grind. Capt. Wheeler's first business was to make a cart, which he did after the most primitive style ; the wheels were sawn from the end of a log of curly maple, the box was made to correspond, and with a yoke of oxen attached to this vehicle he started for Naples. Two pioneers went before with axes to clear the road, while the captain with his bovine vehicle, bounding over logs and stumps, and floundering through the bushes, followed.The first days march was six miles, the second brought them to their destination. Capt. Wheeler was famous throughout all the land for his anecdotes, and many an otherwise weary hour has been beguiled by listening to his adventures. He died in 1828,aged seventy-eight, with his son, Gratton H. Wheeler, on the property now owned by his grandson, G. H. Wheeler. The Gulf road to Bath was opened by Capt. Wheeler, and the Kennedyville road was opened a year or two afterwards. His children were two twin daughters, Ruth and Sarah and a son, Grattan Wheeler."
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1752 - 1828 (76 years)
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