Joseph Wheeler

JOSEPH WHEELER
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JOSEPH WHEELER, an active business man of Wheeling, engaged in the boot and shoe trade at 2801 Eoff street, was born at Dudley, Staffordshire, England, May 7, 1844. His parents, Jesse and Martha (Simons) Wheeler, were both natives of England. The father died when the subject of this sketch was quite young, and about the year 1850 the mother and her children came to the United States, and made their home at Wheeling. Here the mother died in 1859. Mr. Wheeler was reared and educated at Wheeling, completing his studies in the Duff commercial college, Pittsburgh, Penn. At the age of fifteen years he found employment in a nail mill and learning the trade of a nailer, followed that in different mills, beginning as a nail feeder and rising to the position of nailer and factory manager. About 1879, he removed to Chattanooga, and managed a mill there. Then he was engaged at his trade in Wheeling until the spring of 1889, when he opened the establishment above mentioned, which he is operating successfully. In war times he did honorable service to the country, as a member of Carlin's battery, or Battery D, First West Virginia light artillery. He is now one of the leading citizens of the Sixth ward, and fraternally is connected with Nelson lodge, No. 30, F. & A. M., Wheeling Union chapter, No. 1, Wheeling commandery, No. I, K. T., Wheeling lodge, No. 9, I.O.O.F., Alpha lodge, No. 424, K. of H., and Welcome lodge, No. 6, A.O.U.W. In 1870, Mr. Wheeler was married to Jennie McNaughton, daughter of Steenrod McNaughton, and granddaughter of one of the pioneers of the city, Neil McNaughton, Esq.