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Note: . I have not been able to locate the William Anderson Wheeler family in the 1880 census in either Greenbrier or Green Sulpher Springs district. In the Green Sulpher Springs district there are families of Eliza and Lewis Wheeler listed and an Elizabeth Wheeler living in another household. In Greenbrier there is a Martin and Nancy Wheeler and the neighbors, the Meadows, has Sarah Wheeler, age 10, living with them as a domestic.
William Wheeler family appears in the 1900 US Census. William is the Head of household b Sept 1853. It lists his occupation as a farmer. He was born in West Virginia but his Father was born in Virginia and mother in West Virginia. Sarah J is his wife her birthday is listed as Aug 1854. Her and her parents were all born in West Virginia. 6 children are listed in the household. Sarah A., born Dec 1880; Thomas J., born May 1883; Oscar O., born July 1886, Benamin H., born July 1888, Emma J, born Jan 1896; and Minnie E., born Sept 1898. Three children, Peter, Homer and Edgar do not appear in the household in 1900 because they died within one month of each other in the winter of 1997-98.
William Wheeler appears in the 1920 US Census. West Virginia, Summers, Sandstone, Enumeration District 139. Lists William age 66 born in VA and both parents born in VA. Wife Sarah age 65 born in WV and both parents born in WV. Also lists daughter Sarah age 39 born in WV. His neighbors were John and Martha Ward and William and M? Burdette.
Nellie Bowles Reed Woods remembers that her grandfather William hated the indians because they had taken his grandmother.
Nellie remembers her grandfather telling her that during the Civil War people from teh south used to come up and raid their homes for food and supplies. He was just a little boy when this happened. He remembers protecting their stuff. Another memory was of his father killing some of them and bringing home their clothes. His mother scrubbed them of the blood and made him clothing from the dead mens clothes.
Later when he was 12 years old, the family lived on Kings Knob at that time John Henry was building the Big Ben Tunnell. He used to walk to the tunnell and for 5 cents a day he would carry water and ropes for John Henry.
Nellie also tells of a story that the Wheelers were religious people. When the eclipse happened and the day turned dark they were frightened and heard a voice from upstairs that cited a bible passage. When they looked in Revelations they found an explanation for the day of darkness. Later when their children were dying from an epidemic William grabbed the bible to look for an explanation. While reading the bible he and his wife heard from upstairs "three and no more" they heard this three times. They looked for the source of the voice and couldn't find any. They beileived that this was God telling them that they would not loose any more children.
Note: For the 1880 Census, William should have been 33 years old. He would have at least 4 children
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