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[Pages 50-54]
      Thomas Stewart Wheelwright. The Wheelwrights of Warren county, Virginia, are descended from an old New England family whose emigrant ancestor settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Several Wheelwrights since that time have been prominent in the colonial wars, in the revolution and in the civil war; and the family has produced others who became eminent in church and state; however, the most distinguished person of the line was the Rev. John Wheelwright, of New England colonial days.
      (I) He was born about 1592-94, in Lincolnshire, England, the son of Robert and Katherine Wheelwright, of Saleby, Lincolnshire, England. He graduated in 1614 from the Sidney-Sussex College, Cambridge, England, where he became intimate with Oliver Cromwell, afterward the dictator. He married (first) Marie Storrie (Story) daughter of the Rev. Thomas Storrie, the 8th day of November, 1621. She died in 1630, leaving issue. Her father, the vicar of Bilsby, Lincolnshire, died not long after he marriage, and was succeeded by Rev. John Wheelwright, who was placed in charge of the vacant parish. He married (second) Mary or Marie Hutchinson, daughter of Edward Hutchinson, of Alford Lincolnshire, in 1631. She was the sister of William and Samuel Hutchinson, residents of Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1635, the former afterwards a resident of Rhode Island. A few years later Rev. John Wheelwright consented to give up his patrimony for a sum of money, but the transaction coming to the knowledge of his bishop, the living was declared to be forfeited; however, the offence was not an unusual one of that time, and did not imply any moral turpitude.
      Shortly after the above mentioned incident Rev. John Wheelwright, together with his second wife and family, sailed for America, and arrived in New England, May 26, 1636. He was admitted to the church at Boston, June 12, 1636, and in the same year was pastor for a few months of the "Chapel of Ease" at Mount Wollaston, Braintree. Meanwhile, the peace and quiet of the settlement of Newbury had been disturbed by a religious controversy in which Mrs. Anne (Marbury) Hutchinson, wife of William Hutchinson, took an active part. The Rev. John Wheelwright, her brother-in-law, delivered a sermon in Boston on the 19th day of January, 1637, in which he gave expression to some vigorous thoughts on the subject that aroused a storm of criticism and censure. He was charged with contempt of court and sedition, and in November following was disfranchised by order of the general court and compelled to leave the colony.
      He left Boston and traveled northward along the seacoast, passing through Salem, Ipswich and Newbury to his first stopping place, which was near Hampton, New Hampshire, where he remained for a few weeks, and then pushed on into the wilderness through deep snows and the bitter cold of winter to Swampscott Falls on the Piscataqua river. There he bought a large tract of land from the Indians, and founded the town of Exeter, New Hampshire. In 1643 the colony of Massachusetts Bay extended jurisdiction over that territory, and the Rev. Mr. Wheelwright, with six or eight other proscribed persons, removed to Wells, Maine, where they were allowed to take up land and to organize a church. However, in May, 1644, the general court of Massachusetts declared "his banishment taken off," at Hampton, New Hampshire, as an assistant to the Rev. Timothy Dalton.
      In 1656 he returned to England, where he remained for nearly six years. He came back to New England, and on December 6, 1662, was settled as pastor at Salisbury, Massachusetts. Did there November 15, 1679, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. No stone or monumental shaft marks his last resting place. It is claimed that John Wheelwright, his eldest son, did not come to America in 1636 with the family.
      (II) Samuel Wheelwright, the son of Rev. John and Mary or Marie (Hutchinson) Wheelwright, was born in 1635, in county Lincoln, England. when about twenty-one years of age he received a grant of two hundred acres of land from his father at Wells, and afterward became prominent in political affairs. He took an active part in the defence of Wells, Maine, during King Philip's war; was town clerk twenty-nine years at Wells. Died May 15, (or 13), 1700, at Wells, Maine. He married Esther Houchin, daughter of Jeremy Houchin, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and had issue, several children.
      (III) Colonel John (2) Wheelwright, son of Samuel and Esther (Houchin) Wheelwright, was born about 1664, at Wells, Maine. He was brought up in a frontier settlement injured to hardships and the privations incident to that time In early manhood he was commissioned as a lieutenant of the militia, afterwards as captain, major, then colonel; he served as an officer under Major Couvers at Pemaquid and Sheepscot, thence to Trebonit, and was afterwards stationed at Fort Mary on the Saco river. He was endowed with a brave and noble spirit, and being a judicious and energetic man, his aid was sought on all occasions of public danger. "He was a man of war and a host within himself," therefore just the man for those times, and was frequently called upon to defend the settlers against the Indians and other enemies during the numerous Colonial wars.
      He was one of the selectmen of Wells, Maine, and was town clerk there forty years. Later he was judge of the court of common pleas, also judge of probate in York county, Maine, and one of the councillors of the province. Died August 13, 1745, aged eighty-one years, and his will, dated April 11, 1739, sets out the names of his wife and children then living. He married, January 28, 1689, Mary Snell, daughter of Captain George Snell, a mariner of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by whom he had eleven children. His daughter, Esther Wheelwright, when only seven years of age, was captured by the Indians and taken to Canada. He endeavored to secure her exchange and return, but without avail. Some years later she was baptized into the Roman Catholic church, and afterwards became sister superior of the Ursuline Convent, at Quebec.
      (IV) Jeremiah Wheelwright, son of Colonel John (2) and Mary (Snell) Wheelwright, was born March 5, 1697-98, at Wells, Maine. He was a lieutenant in the expedition sent from New England in 1745 to capture Louisburg, and is said to have served under General Wolfe in Canada. Died at Portsmouth New Hampshire, in 1768. He married Mary Bosworth, daughter of Bellamy and Mary Bosworth, of Bristol, Massachusetts, later in Rhode Island, and had issue.
      (V) Jeremiah (2) Wheelwright, only son of Jeremiah (1) and Mary (Bosworth) Wheelwright, was born June 13, 1732, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was schoolmaster at Ipswich, Massachusetts, for a short time, and served as commissary in the expedition to Canada under command of Colonel Arnold, and died January 28, 1778, from the effects of exposure in that campaign. Married Mary Davis, daughter of Abraham Davis, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to whom he was published August 3, 1745, in a notice filed with the town clerk.
      (VI) Abraham Wheelwright, son of Jeremiah (2) and Mary (Davis) Wheelwright, was born July 16, 1757, at Gloucester, Massachusetts. In July, 1775, he sailed on board the brig, "Dolphin," Anthony Knapp, master, from Newburyport to Barbadoes, and thence returned by way of Newfoundland to his port of departure. He enlisted in December, 1775, for a twelve months' service in the Continental army under Captain Enoch Putnam, in a regiment commanded by Colonel Israel Hutchinson of Danvers. He was stationed at Winter Hill until after the evacuation of Boston, in the spring of 1776, after which his regiment was quartered in the college buildings, at Cambridge. He assisted in the fortification of Dorchester Heights, and in May, 1776, went with his regiment to New York, where he was engaged several weeks in building the defences of Fort Washington. He volunteered as an artillery man in the expedition against the British on Long Island and served in Captain Foster's company under command of Colonel Henry Knox, in the battle of Flatbush. Two months later he rejoined his regiment at Fort Washington, New York and was in the battles of Harlem Heights and White Plains, New York. After the retreat of the northern army across New Jersey, he was in the expedition under Washington that captured the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey, December 26, 1776, and took part in the later expedition against Trenton, January 2, and Princeton, January 3, 1777; however, his term of enlistment having expired on February 5, 1777, he was discharged from the service. He returned to Massachusetts in company with Captain Brown, of Cambridge, and Captain Winthrop Sargent, of Gloucester, Massachusetts.
      Soon after his release from military duty in 1777, he shipped on board a sloop, Isaac Elwell, master, bound for demerara, and the next year made a voyage to Martinique, with Captain Moses Hale. In 1779 he was mate of an armed schooner carrying six guns, which sailed for Guadeloupe, commanded by John Holmes, of Ipswich, Massachusetts. On the return voyage the vessel was taken a prisoner to Cork Haven, Ireland, but escaped and returned home by way of Barbadoes and St. Eustatius, after absence of eleven months. Later he sailed in the prize ship, "Uriah," Isaac G. Rearson, master, and was again captured and taken to Antigua, but escaped and returned home in the brig, "Ruby," John Babson, master, in 1780. Next he shipped on board the brig, "Marquis de lafayette," carrying six guns, Seth Thomas, master, and made a voyage to Guadeloupe and back. He then sailed on the brig, "Cormorant," John Perkins, master, but was captured on the homeward voyage and taken to Bermuda. Records of the Pension Bureau at Washington state that Abraham Wheelwright served about three years in all, on board the brig, "Spy," six guns, Captain Lane. The vessels previously mentioned were all privateers or armed vessels of other character. After the close of the revolution he sailed as master and part owner of the brig, "active," for Joseph Marquand. At a later date, in partnership with his brother, Ebenezer Wheelwright, he established a profitable maritime business with the West Indies.
      Captain Abraham Wheelwright, in company with eight other merchants, among whom were Captains William Coombs, Moses Brown, William P. Johnson, Nicholas Johnson, William Faris, Ebenezer Stocker all members of the Marine Society, sent the following letter to the President of the United States June 1, 1798: "Sir: — A number of the inhabitants of Newburyport have agreed to build and equip a ship of three hundred and fifty-five tons burthen, to be mounted with twenty-six pound cannons, and to offer her to the government of the United States for their use, requiring no other compensation than six per cent. on the net cost of the ship and equipments, and a final reimbursement at the convenience of the Government of net cost." This offer was accepted, the ship was built in seventy-five working days. The keel was laid on July 9, and she was launched on October 12, 1798. She was named the "Merrimack," and was sent to sea under the command of Captain Moses Brown. At the end of five years she was sold in Boston; her name was changed to the "Monticello," and she was soon afterwards wrecked and lost on Cape Cod.
      Captain Abraham Wheelwright purchased land and buildings in Newburyport, Massachusetts, September 30, 1789, of Samuel Noyes and wife Abigail, of Campton, New Hampshire; on June 4, 1791, Mary Wheelwright, widow of Jeremiah Wheelwright, sold Abraham and Ebenezer Wheelwright all her real estate in Gloucester devised to her by her father, Abraham Davis, late of Gloucester, Massachusetts. On January 3, 1806, John Greenleaf sold to Abraham Wheelwright, merchant, for $3,000, about one hundred and fifty rods of land in Newburyport, Massachusetts. ON this lot he built a three-story brick residence which was occupied by himself for some time, but was afterward sold and passed out of possession of the family. Abraham Wheelwright died April 19, 1852, at Newburyport, Massachusetts.
      Captain Wheelwright married, September 15, 1780, Rebecca Knight, daughter of Joseph Knight, of Newbury, Massachusetts, by whom he had eleven children, namely: 1. Jeremiah, born September 15, 1781, at Newburyport, and was lost at sea in October, 1830. 2. Rebecca, born December 30, 1783, died in infancy. 3. Rebecca, born December 30, 1784; married, May 29, 1822, Thomas March Clark, of Newburyport. 4. Abraham, born December 10, 1785, died December 15, 1785. 5. Abraham, born December 4, 1786, drowned at sea, May 21, 1892, fell from the masthead of the ship, "Venus." 6. John, born February 14, 1790, died August 24, 1842; was twice married. 7. Joseph, of whom more hereafter. 8. Elizabeth Cogswell, born August 28, 1793, died in May, 1894; married October 19, 1813, George Greenleaf, of Newburyport, Massachusetts. 9. Ebenezer, born May 17, 1796, died at sea, September 4, 1825. 10. Mary Ann, born June 26, 1794, died December 13, 1831; married, July 25, 1825, Benjamin Harrod, of Newburyport, Massachusetts. 11. Sarah Plummer, born August 27, 1800, died April 26, 1884; married, May 10, 1827, William B. Titcomb.
      (VII) Joseph Wheelwright, son of Abraham and Rebecca (Knight) Wheelwright, was born December 29, 1791, at Newburyport, Massachusetts, died August 24, 1853, in Virginia. He married, November 23, 1815, at Winchester, Kentucky, Lavisa Dodge, and among their children was William Henry, of whom more hereafter.
      (VIII) William Henry Wheelwright, son of Joseph and Lavisa (Dodge) Wheelwright was born July 23, 1824, in Westmoreland county, Virginia. He was a minister of the gospel, noted for his courage, energy, sincerity and frankness. He acquired landed property in Warren county, Virginia, and when the civil war came on he entered the Confederate army, in which he attained the rank of major. His property was all destroyed and at the close of the war he earned a living for his family by teaching and preaching. He married Margaret Kerfoot, daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Taylor) Kerfoot, in Virginia. She was descended from John Samuel Kerfoot, who came from Ireland in 1734, and settled in Frederick county, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Wheelwright were the parents of three sons and six daughters, the only son living being Thomas S., of whom more hereafter. Mr. Wheelwright died in Warren county, Virginia, December 17, 1879.
      (IX) Thomas Stewart Wheelwright, son of William Henry and Margaret (Kerfoot) Wheelwright, was born February 19, 1866. He began life as a farmer boy on his father's plantation, then attended the local public school taught by his elder sister Julia, and filled in his evenings by study and reading at home. Later he attended the Randolph-Macon College at Ashland, Virginia, for three years, earning the money to pay for his own tuition. He secured a position as stenographer with a commercial house in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1885, and later came to Richmond as stenographer with the banking firm of C. W. Branch & Company. Abut the year 1890 he became identified with several manufacturing enterprises, and has devoted several years to the development of industrial corporations, and was president of the Gray Electric Company, of Chicago, Illinois, and is now vice-president and general manager of the Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works, at Richmond, Virginia; president of the Richmond Railway and Power Company, of Richmond and Norfolk, and director in the First National Bank and Richmond Trust and Savings Company.
      In politics Mr. Wheelwright is an independent Democrat; he supported William McKinley on the sound money issues of 1896 and 1900, also Theodore Roosevelt for president on the later issues, but endorsed Woodrow Wilson's candidacy of reforms in the election of 1912. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the Virginia Country Club, Westmoreland Club, Commonwealth Club, Business Men's Club, of Richmond, Virginia, and the Kappa Alpha college fraternity.
      Mr. Wheelwright married (first) in Chicago, in 1893, Susan Carter, and they were the parents of one daughter, Esther, born September 1, 1895, at Highland Park, Illinois. He married (second) November 15, 1905, at Memphis, Tennessee, Laura Martin, born in Memphis, in 1871, daughter of Captain Hugh B. and Ruth (Talbot) Martin, and a descendant of John H. Talbot, a scion of an old English family. Children: 1. Thomas Stewart Jr., born at Buckhead Springs, Virginia, October 8, 1911. 2. Laura Martin, born November 26, 1913.

[Pages 54-57]
      James William Henson, M. D. Owing to the destruction by fire of the records of Hanover county, which related to the events prior to the formation of Louisa county from a part of Hanover in 1742, no statement can be made from these records concerning the Hensons of Louisa. It is of record, however, in the land office in the Virginia state capitol that one Benjamin Henson patented land in 1729 in Hanover county. That this was in the part of Hanover that later became Louisa is established by other records and facts. There is a record in Louisa county that Benjamin Henson sold and deeded to Thomas Henry a part of his land. There was a Henry estate in Louisa. It is known to the old settlers in this section of Louisa that part of the estate owned by Samuel Henson (and still in possession of some of his descendants) adjoining the Henry lands. The inference is that Samuel Henson was a relative of Benjamin Henson, probably a son, as their relative ages would suggest and that he inherited the part of the land patent not sold.
      (I) Samuel Henson was born in 1737, died in 1833 at the great age of ninety-six years. He married the widow of Ensign Forest Green, who held a patent of land adjoining the Henson land. By this marriage he came into possession of a part of the Green patent, the former owner having sold some of the original grant. Samuel Henson had six children: Benjamin (2), Clifton, Bartlett, Lucy, Sallie, Mary. He was in the revolutionary army, being commissioned second lieutenant by recommendation of the county court, April 14, 1778. He was a successful farmer and owned many slaves, the latter going to his children at his death. In the division of land after his death the Green tract fell to Benjamin (2). The latter dying unmarried this land was sold for a division among his brothers and sisters and was purchased by his nephew, Benjamin (3) and a son of Clifton Henson.
      (II) Clifton Henson, second son of Samuel Henson, married Elizabeth Donivant and lived on a portion of the original Henson tract. After his death his lands were sold for a division among his children. He was a prosperous farmer, owned a number of slaves, lived in comfort all his life and died at a good old age after rearing a large family: Samuel, Benjamin, Bartlett, James, David, Elizabeth, Lucy.
      (III) Benjamin Henson, second son of Clifton Henson, was born near Poindexter, Louisa county, Virginia, in 1813, died in 1886, at his home, which was one of his additions to the Green tract. He started in business a young man with a small farm, but added to it as years and prosperity came, until his death he owned three adjoining farms. The first farm which he had purchased was the Green tract, part of the Samuel Henson lands, and those added were parts of the original Green tract, which Green sold off before his death. He was also a lumber manufacturer on a large scale and enjoyed the confidence of many of the leading business men of the city of Richmond, Virginia. He was in the government civil service having in charge the cross county mail routes between the Virginia Central Railroad, the James river, and Kanawha canal and the city of Richmond. Later he performed this same service for the Confederate government and also rendered great assistance by furnishing provisions and forage from his farm. For this latter service he was threatened by the United States government with confiscation of his estate, but the execution of the threat was prevented by his receiving a pardon from President Andrew Johnson, a pardon secured through the strenuous efforts of two of Henson's influential friends, Hon. B. Johnson Barbour and John Minor Botts. This pardon is preserved in the family as a valuable memento of the war. He was too old for military service, but the service he rendered as stated was perhaps more valuable than the service of a company of soldiers. He was a Whig in politics prior to the war, and afterwards a Democrat. In religious faith he was a Baptist. He married (first) about 1838, Mary Puryear Wade, who was the mother of most of his children. He married (second) in 1859, Lucy Basket, whose only child, Wilhelmena, died young. Children by first marriage: William Henry, of whom further; Willianna, died in infancy; James, killed in Earley's Valley campaign during the civil war; Samuel Puryear; Martha Elizabeth; Benjamin Alben; Mary Louisa.
      (IV) William Henry Henson, eldest son of Benjamin and Mary Puryear (Wade) Henson, was born at the Henson homestead near Poindexter, Louisa county, Virginia, August 15, 1840. A part of this farm he now owns. Most of his life was spent in farming and teaching, for which latter vocation he was well prepared, having been educated in private schools and the University of Virginia. For a few years, however, he was engaged in railroad construction. The even tenor of his early life was disturbed by the war between the states. He enlisted in the Confederate army in 1863, serving in the Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry until that regiment and the Fifth Virginia Cavalry had become so depleted that they were merged on November 8, 1864. He then served until the surrender in the Fifth Regiment, Lomax brigade, Fitz Lee's division. He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Baptist church. He married Marie Antoinette Hoge, born June 28, 1837, near Staunton, Augusta county, Virginia, at the home of her father, Rev. Peter Charles Hoge (see forward). Child: James William, of whom further.
      Dr. James William Henson, only child of William Henry and Marie Antoinette (Hoge) Henson, was born in Scottsville, Albemarle county, Virginia, October 3, 1863, at the home of his grandfather, Rev. Peter Charles Hoge. He was reared to youthful manhood at the home of his parents, near Poindexter, Louisa county. He was educated at public and private schools near home until he was thirteen years of age, then attended Green Spring Academy, Dr. C. R. Dickinson and son teachers, then attended Hawkwood Academy, both in Louisa county. He then entered Hoover's Select High School, a military school at Staunton, Virginia. He next attended Richmond College (Baptist) for one and a half years. He then spent two years entirely free from college work, but clerked in a store at Louisa Court House and taught in the public schools there. He then returned to Richmond, entered the Medical College of Virginia, whence he graduated Doctor of Medicine, class of 1889. After graduating he served as interne for a short time at the City Hospital, but resigned before his term expired and began the practice of medicine in Richmond. In this work he has continued, though for several years he has been wedded to surgery, During the period of his practice he has been intimately connected with both medical colleges of Richmond. He was elected adjunct professor in the Medical College of Virginia, seven or eight months after graduation, filling that position for several years. After the establishment of the University College of Medical, he was elected assistant demonstrator of anatomy, a position he filled for a year or two, then was chosen professor of anatomy. This chair he filled for several years, then for one year was professor of anatomy and genito-urinary diseases. He was then elected to the chair of surgical anatomy, which he filled until the burning of the college in 1910. After the reorganization of the institution he was elected to the chair of principles of surgery and when the University College of Medical was consolidated with the Medical College of Virginia, he was elected associate professor of surgery, which chair he now fills. He is also local assistant surgeon of the Southern Railroad for Richmond, Virginia. He is a Democrat in politics, but beyond serving as a surgeon on the staff of the City Hospital since 1908 has had no public office. For about twelve years he was surgeon of the First Volunteers of Artillery, Virginia Volunteers, holding the rank of major, but resigned a few years ago. He is an honorary member of the Phi Chi fraternity, member of the Richmond Academy of Medical and Surgery, Tri-State Medical Association of the Carolinas and Virginia; Medical Society of Virginia, Association of Surgeons of the Southern Railway, American Medical Association and Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. In religious faith he is a Baptist, the church of his forefathers.
      Dr. Henson married, at Monument Church, Richmond, Virginia, July 7, 1898, Nellie Alexander Parker, born in Richmond, June 24, 1869, daughter of William Watts and Ellen Jane (Jordan) Parker, and granddaughter of Colonel Stafford M. and Sarah (Pearson) Parker. Colonel Stafford M. Parker was a distinguished lawyer, for some time register of the land office, prominent in politics and speaker of the Virginia house of delegates. In 1862 Dr. Parker married Ellen Jane, daughter of C. D. Jordan. He rendered distinguished service in the Confederate army as captain of Parker's battery, recruited among the young men of Richmond and often referred to as "Parker's Boy Battery." Captain Parker rendered service from the beginning of the war as an officer of the Fifteenth convention Infantry and saw service at Bethel and in the Yorktown campaign, prior to service with his battery. Early in 1862 Parker's battery was recruited and attached to Kemper's battalion. The battery served during the entire war and Captain Parker was everywhere conspicuous for his gallantry which was at times almost reckless, yet he escaped unharmed. He refused promotion, saying he would rather be commander of his battery than general in the army, although in the spring of 1865 he did accept the rank of major, but in the same battalion of artillery in which he had served so long. General E. P. Alexander, chief of artillery of Longstreet's corps, once said of Captain Parker: "If I want a Christian to pray for a dying soldier I always call on Parker; if I want a skilled surgeon to amputate the limb of a wounded soldier, I call on Parker; if I want a soldier who with unflinching courage will go wherever duty calls him, I call on Parker." "It was from the Peach Orchard in front of Little Round Top that the first guns of the great battle of Gettysburg was fired by Parker's Boy Battery, and from this same battery in the dim twilight of the awful day, the last gun was fired." The battery held their position in the Peach Orchard without infantry support until night. General Longstreet said: "If those guns had been earlier withdrawn the enemy would have attacked." After the war Dr. Parker devoted his entire time to the practice of medicine and in works of charity. He was president of the board of directors of the Richmond Male Orphan Asylum, of the Magdalen Home, the Foundling Hospital the Home for Old Ladies. and connected officially with others. He was open-handed, delighted in relieving suffering, even to the point of embarrassing himself. He died August 4, 1899. Children of Dr. James William and Nellie Alexander (Parker) Henson are: Nellie Parker, born April 2, 1899; Clifton William, born November 26, 1902.