The Wheelock Ancestry of Brigadier General Charles Wheelock (1812 - 1865)

General Charles Wheelock, Civil War veteran and hero, was born in Claremont, NH, 14 Dec 1812. He was the son of Daniel Wheelock and Lucinda Stewart, who were married in Claremont 28 Aug 1796. 

The ancestry of his father, Daniel Wheelock, is not known for certain. The oral tradition of his descendants states that he was born in Uxbridge, MA, 14 June 1768, the son of Daniel Wheelock and Beulah Albee. But there is no marriage record for Daniel Wheelock and Beulah Albee to support this claim, nor is there any birth record for Daniel matching the 14 June 1768 date. 

The tradition goes on to claim that Daniel's father is the son of Daniel Wheelock (1707-1793) and Deborah Darling of Uxbridge, MA. The father was born 13 Aug 1744, so the date is consistent with the 1768 birth date of our Daniel. However, it is well established that his supposed father, Daniel (born 13 Aug 1744) married Keziah Hunt not Beulah Albee. This is proven by his 1781 will, which mentions his wife, Keziah, and his children, none of whom are named Daniel. This marriage is also supported by his grandfather's will (Daniel Wheelock, Sr, married to Deborah Darling), who mentions the grandchildren, sons of Daniel and Keziah; again, none of whom are named Daniel. 

So the vital records seem to have nothing to say about our Daniel Wheelock. 

None of this disproves the oral history of Daniel's heritage. It is possible that Daniel was the son of Daniel Wheelock and Beulah Albee. One possible scenario goes like this. Beulah Albee had a child out of wedlock, fathered by Daniel Wheelock (1744-1781), son of Daniel and Deborah. This probably happened before Daniel married Keziah Hunt, and would explain why none of Daniel and Keziah's children are named Daniel. It would also explain why Daniel's birth was not recorded in the vital records of Uxbridge; recording out of wedlock births was not a common practice. After giving birth to Daniel Wheelock, Beulah Albee married Israel Sabin in 1770, then moved to Richmond, NH. It's possible that she and Israel raised Daniel Wheelock in NH. This would explain why Daniel lived and married in Claremont, NH, not far from Richmond. 

Is there any direct evidence to support this narrative? Perhaps there are probate records or land transactions in NH that might establish a connection between Daniel Wheelock, who married Lucinda Stewart, and Israel Sabin/Beulah Albee. Better yet would be a land transaction establishing a connection between the presumed father, Daniel Wheelock who married Keziah Hunt, and either our Daniel, or Israel Sabin or Beulah Albee. Daniel Wheelock did have land interests in NH - he left land in Franconia to his sons. (See his will here.) So this may not be far fetched. 

If anyone has positive evidence to support or contradict the oral tradition, I would love to hear about it.