Notes for Eleazar WHEELOCK


William S. Tilden ("History of Medfield, Massachusetts, 1650-1886", 1887) writes as follows:

"The first notice of him in the town records is in 1676, when he killed four wolves. He removed to Mendon soon after his [first] marriage. He was a surveyor of land there in 1681. He distinguished himself as a hunter of wild beasts while living in Mendon. Afterward, returning to Medfield about 1701, he purchased of Grindal Rawson the Wilson homestead, where the town hall now stands. He also became owner of the original Wheelock estate on the west corner of North Street. Captain Wheelock was selectman in 1720, and was a prominent man in town affairs. He died in 1731." (Pg. 508)

"In 1705, Isaac Chenery, Sen., of Dedham [father of Mary], deeded lands to his son-in-law, Eleazar Wheelock." (Pg. 339)

Mr. Tilden writes of Rev. John Wilson's widow, shortly after his death:

"[Mrs. Wilson] was living in Mendon in 1702, probably with her youngest daughter, the estate here [Medfield] having been sold in 1701 to Eleazar Wheelock, who transformed it into an inn."

Adin Ballou ("History of the Town of Milford, Worcester County, From Its First Settlement to 1881", 1882) writes as follows:

"Two of his [Rev. Ralph Wheelock's] sons settled in Mendon, perhaps before their father's death; for they paid parochial taxes there in in 1685 or 1686. Their names were Benjamin and Eliazer, or Eleazer. Eliazer settled in the vicinity of "Goat Hill" and "Wolf Hill," in the now northerly part of Uxbridge, on the "Great River". He was a very daring man, and became famous as a hunter and exterminator of ferocious wild beasts, then fearfully abundant."

Eleazar apparently passed his enthusiasm for firearms on to his grandchildren. Moses Wheelock and Ephraim Wheelock were both high ranking officers (Colonels) in the Revolutionary War.