Henry Wheeler - History off Henry Wheeler

Henry Wheeler was one of forty passengers on the ship Trial (also spelled Tryall) which landed at Jamestown, in the new colony of Virginia, in February 1620. All efforts to determine where he was born and who his parents were have proved futile. There were at least two "subscribers" (investors) of the Virginia Company named Wheeler but nothing else is known about them.

Until the loss of their charter in 1624, most of the colonists were indenture to the Virginia Company. The reason for this was that all but a very few emigrants were too poor to pay for their passage. They were, however, free persons. Merchants, or ships captains borrowed from the English apprentice system the familiar device of the indenture - a voluntary contract stipulating that in return for passage, food, and clothing the freeman would agree to work as a servant for a planter in Virginia for a set number of years. When a ship reached Jamestown, servants were put ashore where the planters assembled to buy the indentures. During the term of the indenture the master would agree to feed, clothe, and house the servant and to provide him, at the expiration of the term, with seed, tools, and any other items mentioned in the indenture.

The conditions in early Virginia were so horrendous that the mortality rate was very high. Henry Wheeler must have been in very good physical shape or had a kind master. Many abused and overworked their indentured servants.

Henry Wheeler also survived the Indian massacre of 22 March 1622 that devastated the colony. At least a fourth, and maybe a third, of all the residents lay dead at the end of a single day. In 1624, a census was taken of all inhabitants of the colony of Virginia and Henry Wheeler was shown living "at Buck Rowe". Buck Rowe was the name given to the property at Point Comfort belonging to Nicholas Roe. Early in 1625 the community of Elizabeth City, or rather the communities that made up Elizabeth City, could count some 359 persons. This included those "beyond Hampton River", earlier referred to as "at Bucke Row or Rowe". In the year before this area had counted some 349 people, thirty of them at "Buck Row". Elizabeth City, in 1625, was the largest community in Virginia, much larger than James City and its Island with 175 persons, which held second place in population.

NOTE: There is in-family discussion as to which of two listed Maj John Wheeler's are the son on Henry. The one listed here, Find A Grave Memorial# 33481296 or Find A Grave Memorial# 173850877, demonstrated by documentation. Please use your own discretion and research..