French Family Association

The Official Website of the Surname French

Along the Shore Road, New Castle, NH

Chart #100, Louisa French, 1806
New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH

This chart updated by Mara French on 1/7/10. Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to the bibliography at the end of this chart. Send any corrections or additions to this chart to marafrench@mindspring.com. Revisions: 2009, 2010.

Introduction

When I first started numbering FFA charts, I included both male and female lines; hence, this female line of a former FFA member. I’ve decided to keep these female lines in place so as not to confuse the numbering system.

As soon as the FFA finds the parents of Louisa, this chart will no longer be maintained, but continue with her parent’s chart. Hopefully, it will connect into another male chart. Louisa French’s parents seem not to be found anywhere. If you find more data, please email marafrench@mindspring.com.

History

Several Frenches lived in Rockingham Co., NH from FFA Chart #1, #4, #6, and #46; however, Louisa French is not found in any of these charts.

· Many Frenches lived in Rockingham Co., NH, at early times in the 1600-1700s. In specific, on FFA Chart #1, Thankful French m. James Wheeler. They had a son named James. Many Frenches from FFA Chart #1 lived in Rockingham Co., NH, mostly living in Candia or Nottingham.

· The book “History of the Town of Candia, mentions several Frenches from FFA Chart #4 on pages 320-323 and 516-517. This includes Gould French, b. 1741 in Salisbury, MA, m. 1763 in Epping, Rockingham Co., NH to Dorothy Whittier.

· On FFA Chart #6, Mary Colburn (whose mother was Elizabeth French), b. 4 Jun 1705 in Concord, MA, m. James Wheeler.

· FFA Chart #46 has an Elihu French of South Hampton, Rockingham Co., NH, who died about 1813. Also, an Almira French, b. 28 Feb 1811 in Northwood, Rockingham Co., NH. Also an Izetta A. French, b. Kingston, Rockingham Co., NH, who m. Timothy Favor Sargent. Also a William French who m. Prudence Gavitt, who was b. ca. 1714 in Londonderry, Rockingham Co., NH, of FFA Chart #46. The name Wheeler also appears in FFA Chart #46.

In the 1850 census of New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, Louisa A. Wheeler (43) was living with her children George W. (6), James W. (14), John (12), Joseph H. (18), Louisa A. (7), and Rebecca J. (4). Joseph H. Wheeler was a shoemaker. Louisa’s husband had died two years prior to this census.

In the 1860 census of New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, Louisa A. Wheeler (53) was living with her children James (25), John W. (22), Eliza A. (18), George W. (16), and Rebecca (15). James was a seaman, John was a shoemaker, and Eliza was a shoebinder.

In the 1870 census of New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, Louisa A. Wheeler (63) was living with the Davidson family, keeping house. She died before the 1880 census.

First Generation

1.1 Louisa (aka Elouisa, Eliza, or Elisa) A. French, b. ca. 1806/07 in NH or in Wakefield, MA, d. before 1880 in New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, m. Sgt. James W. Wheeler on 30 Apr 1830 in New London, New London Co., CT [4]. James Wheeler was b. in New Castle, NH on either 21 or 31 Mar 1802 [4]. He d. 2 May 1848 at Fort Constitution, New Castle, NH [4]. He went to New Castle, NH as an ordnance sergeant and was stationed at Fort Constitution formerly called Fort William and Mary (now a state park), in New Castle, NH. His name could also have been John [1]. He died of a stroke on a ship entering Portsmouth Harbor [3]. Louisa lived in New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, between 1840-1870 (census). If she had lived to 1880, we would have been able to find out where her parents were born.

What was the tie to New London, New London Co., CT where they married? A Wheeler Cemetery, the Wheeler Library, Wheeler Pond, and Wheeler High School exist in North Stonington, New London Co., CT. “A” James Wheeler was b. 15 Jan 1772 in New London Co., CT, the son of William Wheeler and Hannah French. This chart leads to FFA Chart #46.

Who Was Louisa’s Father?

Let’s suppose Louisa’s father was born ca. 1780 in NH. Let us also suppose that he died before the 1860 census. I can only go by other names in the census who lived with this person. Before 1850, no family member’s names were listed. There is a David French, b. ca. 1780 in NH living in Stratham, Rockingham Co., NH in 1850. “A” William French was b. ca. 1779 in NH, and resided in Sandown, Rockingham Co., NH in 1850. Also Ebenezer or Peter in Kingston, Jonathan in North Hampton, Moses or Josiah or Jonathan in Candia, Samuel in Nottingham, Peter in Deerfield, Jacob in Kensington, Barnes in South Hampton, Benjamin in Newmarket, Jonathan in Danville – all in Rockingham County, NH. Several others are listed, but only after a birth date of 1785. Most of these cities indicate a connection to Edward French, FFA Chart #4, but no Louisa is listed in the paper version index of Chart #4. The names Louisa French and James Wheeler do not appear in FFA Chart #1.

Avery French (1789-1871) who m. Betsey Martin, had a dau. named Louisa French. John French, b. 1787, m. Bersheba and had a dau. named Louisa French. However, the locations are incorrect. It really seems impossible that we cannot find her father, nor the father of James W. Wheeler.

Second Generation

Children of Sgt. James W. and Louisa (French) Wheeler, 1.1

In 1850, just 2 years after her husband died, Louisa was living in New Castle with her children listed below. All but one were minors.

Louisa attempted unsuccessfully to collect a widow’s pension from the government [4]. In the 1860 census of New Castle, Rockingham Co., NH, Louisa was 53 and living with her children James (25), John W. (22), Eliza A. (18), George W. (16), and Rebecca (15). In 1870 Louisa was living with none of her children, but with the Davidson family, and she was 64 years old.

2.1 Joseph Henry Wheeler, b. 4 Apr 1831 in Virginia according to the 1850 census [4]. He was a shoemaker.

Ref. [5] indicates that James Wheeler, Joseph’s father, was b. in 1799 in Northwood, Isle of Wight, had son Joseph Wheeler, b. in 1832 in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, England. Joseph m. Eliza Wigmore who was b. in 1835, and they had 6 children: William Wheeler (1861), Joseph Wheeler (1861), Henry Wheeler (1862), Alice Wheeler (1864), Agnes Wheeler (1870), and Albert Wheeler (1875). These children were born in Kensington, Middlesex, England. Note that this could be entirely the incorrect line, but so far nothing else has turned up. It shows the parents of James Wheeler as John Whillier (1758-1826) and Eleanor Munt (1763-1849). This all seemed to match until I saw the list of children of James Wheeler which did not match at all, except for Joseph.

2.2 Hannah E. Wheeler, b. 10 May 1833 in NH [4].

2.3 James Washington Wheeler, b. 30 Jan 1835 in NH, m. Isabella Rand on 18 Sep 1873, d. 3 Apr 1906 and is buried at the New Castle cemetery [4]. Direct line of Ref. [4]. The 1870 census shows James Wheeler, aged 35, living with the Rand family working in a shoe shop, born in NH. His mother, Louisa French Wheeler, is shown in this 1870 census of New Castle, NH, as living next door with the Davidson family as a housekeeper, age 64, born in NH. Living nearby in the same census is Joseph B. and Martha J. French, ages 38 and 32 -- Joseph was a fisherman, age 35, born in NH ca. 1835. This Joseph French could have been a nephew of Louisa French Wheeler. In the 1860 census, Joseph is referred to as Josiah B. French, b. ca. 1835 in NH, m. Martha J., who was b. ca. 1836 in NH.

2.4 Jonathan (John) Eliakim Wheeler, b. 24 Feb 1837 in NH [4].

2.5 T. W. Wheeler, b. 15 Sep 1839, died in infancy [4].

2.6 Elisa (or Louisa) A. Wheeler, b. 9 Sep 1841 in NH, d. 21 Apr 1911 and is buried at the New Castle cemetery [4].

2.7 George W. Wheeler, b. 2 Oct 1843 in NH, d. 30 Sep 1906, age 62, and is buried at the New Castle cemetery, served in the Civil War [4].

2.8 Rebecca Jane Wheeler, b. 6 Jun 1846 in NH [4]. In the 1850 and 1860 censuses, she was living in New Castle, Rockingham, NH.

Bibliography

[1] Sue Smith, MomSmith4@aol.com. 6905 Floyd Ave., Springfield, VA 22150-2460, (703) 451-2607. Daughter of Mary Louise S. James, FFA member #210.

[2] FFA member Mary Louise S. James, 5253 Vann St., Raleigh, NC 27606, 919-851-2593.

[3] Rockingham County, New Hampshire records.

[4] Craig L. Wheeler, great-great-great-grandson of Louisa French Wheeler. Email: duckdog01@comcast.net (good in 2010).

[5] Public Member Trees file on ancestry.com by Peter and Marion Spencer, website: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/11258107/person/-497399617?ssrc=

[6] Worldwide Information for the Surname Wheeler, website: http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/sur/surc-W/surc-Whe/sur-Wheeler/