Elisha Pearl Wheeler (1807-1876)
Elisha Wheeler was the only son of Lemuel and Hannah Pearl Wheeler, and was born February 5, 1807, at Hampton, Windham Co., Conn., where he lived until he was twelve years of age. His family then removed to Red Hook, Duchess Co., N.Y. where they remained until Elisha was about twenty years of age, when they again removed to Saugerties, Ulster Co. [, N.Y.] He went to the district school at Hampton, Conn., and finished his education. At Saugerties he was engaged for a few years in a rolling mill and furnace located there. At the age of twenty-three he went into the employ of Charles Sanford, who married his sister, and was in the stove and tin business at Rhinebeck. He remained in the employ of his brother-in-law in the same business at Rhinebeck and Catskill until 1830, when they came to Orange County as partners in the same business at Montgomery. The firm was Sanford & Wheeler. For a while, Mr. Wheeler managed a branch store at Walden, which was afterwards removed to Newburgh. They remained in business together—Mr. Wheeler at Montgomery and Mr. Sanford at Newburgh—until the latter [Mr. Sanford] died in 1832 He then went into partnership with Jonah F. France, and built a furnace. The firm of Wheeler & France was engaged in the business of making castings, stoves, &c.3., and in the tin trade, until 1842, when they sold out. Mr. Wheeler first came to Middletown in the spring of 1843. He commenced in business here with Jonah F. France, Edward M. Madden, and Joseph Lemon. Mr. Madden had been an apprentice with Wheeler & France in Montgomery, and had been in the tin business in Middletown from 1840. Mr. Lemon had been their foreman at Montgomery, and came to Middletown in the fall of 1843, and erected for the buildings for the Osage County Furnace. The new firm started in the spring of 1843, under the firm name of Wheeler, France & Co., in the tin business, with a store on North Street. The foundry business gave Mr. Wheeler his first favored start in Middletown. He was connected with it as a part owner until 1854, when he sold out and it was in other hands until 1863, when he became and has since been its sole owner. Since 1853 he was connected with many of the principal manufacturing enterprises which have given Middletown its chief growth and prominence. In the year mentioned [1853] the Monhagen Saw Works were started, of which he was one of the original owners. The firm was first Wheeler, Madden & Bakewell, and afterwards, in 1860, Wheeler, Madden & Clemson. The factory was one of the first in the country, and it was one of the largest [1876]. Its business increased so that in 1862 the firm started the Monhagen Steel Works and Rolling Mills, under the firm name of E. M. Madden & Co., for the manufacture of their own steel. In 1863 the firm became largely interested in the Eagle File Works. The firm name was Wheeler, Clemson & Co. In 1866-7 Wheeler, Madden, & Clemson, with others, started the Middletown Forged Horse Nail Works. A few years ago, the firm became a stock company, under the incorporated title of The Wheeler, Madden & Clemson Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Wheeler was its President.In 1866, Mr. Wheeler began to make connections with new railroad enterprises. He has been a director of the Middletown & Unionville Railroad since its organization, and its President till 1875, He broke ground for that enterprise, throwing the first shovelful of dirt in 1866. He was among the earliest of those who were enlisted in the Midland Railroad enterprise, and drove the last spike at its completion. He was an original director and the First Vice-President of the New York & Oswego Midland from 1868 until 1872. He was a director of the N. J. Midland Railroad from its organization in 1870 till 1874. He was also an original Director of the Middletown & Crawford Railroad in 1870.He has been from the first a Director of the M. U. & W. G. Telegraph Co, also of the Middletown and Wurtsboro Turnpike Co. He was also Director of its of predecessor, the Middletown & Bloomingburgh Plank Road Co., and of the Middletown & Unionville Plank Road Co. He was a Trustee of the Middletown Gas Light Co., and of the Orange Co. Milk Association. He was one of the originators and first life members of the Middletown Lyceum. He was a Director the Middletown Bank from 1850 to 1857. He was one of the originators of the Wallkill Bank, and its first President for a few years, and a director until it closed. He was a member of the Board of Trustees in the year 1868, and was a member of the Board of Education every year except one since 1867. He was its first President. He was largely influential in getting the N. Y. State Homeopathic Insane Asylum located in Middletown. He gave $2,000 towards it, and was one of the Trustees from the first. He was one of the originators of Grace Episcopal Church, and was one of its chief supporters. He built the south transept entirely at his own expense. He was a Warden of the church from the first to his death. Mr. Wheeler, E. M. Madden and William M. Graham erected in 1852, Gothic Hall, which the Middletown “Whig Press” newspaper occupied [1876]. It was then the first hall for public assemblages except the churches in all Middletown. Mr. Wheeler was one of ten citizens who assisted Mr. John W. Hasbrouck to establish the “Whig Press” newspaper, which was the predecessor of the “Orange County Press” and “Middletown Daily Press” .As trustee, guardian and executor of the estates of deceased persons, probably more trusts were confided to him than to any other man in Middleton, and every trust was discharged with the utmost fidelity. The last few years of his life were clouded by anxieties and troubles, brought upon him by the acts of those in whom he trusted. He was subjected to several trials in the loss of his property, which were the result of his connection with the Midland Railroad and the Nes Silicon Steel Co. These he bore manfully, and the transfer of his property was made with an honesty that in these times is as uncommon as it is remarkable. Mr. Wheeler was a man of simple, correct habits, frugal ways of living, unostentatious manners, and lived a pure life. In him the poor of Middletown had a friend, generous and liberal to a fault. In this hurried sketch one can hardly hope to do his memory justice, but it certainly speaks well for him that they who knew him best loved and trusted most. He had his peculiarities, but dishonesty was not one of them, as the last two years of his life abundantly testify. As told from a boyhood friend who had enjoyed his confidence fully, that when he saw the accumulations of a life time melting away—mainly through the machinations of others—he had no words of reproach for any save himself, and freely surrendered all his property, even including his furniture, for the benefit of his creditors.
Elisha Wheeler was the only son of Lemuel and Hannah Pearl Wheeler, and was born February 5, 1807, at Hampton, Windham Co., Conn., where he lived until he was twelve years of age. His family then removed to Red Hook, Duchess Co., N.Y. where they remained until Elisha was about twenty years of age, when they again removed to Saugerties, Ulster Co. [, N.Y.] He went to the district school at Hampton, Conn., and finished his education. At Saugerties he was engaged for a few years in a rolling mill and furnace located there. At the age of twenty-three he went into the employ of Charles Sanford, who married his sister, and was in the stove and tin business at Rhinebeck. He remained in the employ of his brother-in-law in the same business at Rhinebeck and Catskill until 1830, when they came to Orange County as partners in the same business at Montgomery. The firm was Sanford & Wheeler. For a while, Mr. Wheeler managed a branch store at Walden, which was afterwards removed to Newburgh. They remained in business together—Mr. Wheeler at Montgomery and Mr. Sanford at Newburgh—until the latter [Mr. Sanford] died in 1832 He then went into partnership with Jonah F. France, and built a furnace. The firm of Wheeler & France was engaged in the business of making castings, stoves, &c.3., and in the tin trade, until 1842, when they sold out. Mr. Wheeler first came to Middletown in the spring of 1843. He commenced in business here with Jonah F. France, Edward M. Madden, and Joseph Lemon. Mr. Madden had been an apprentice with Wheeler & France in Montgomery, and had been in the tin business in Middletown from 1840. Mr. Lemon had been their foreman at Montgomery, and came to Middletown in the fall of 1843, and erected for the buildings for the Osage County Furnace. The new firm started in the spring of 1843, under the firm name of Wheeler, France & Co., in the tin business, with a store on North Street. The foundry business gave Mr. Wheeler his first favored start in Middletown. He was connected with it as a part owner until 1854, when he sold out and it was in other hands until 1863, when he became and has since been its sole owner. Since 1853 he was connected with many of the principal manufacturing enterprises which have given Middletown its chief growth and prominence. In the year mentioned [1853] the Monhagen Saw Works were started, of which he was one of the original owners. The firm was first Wheeler, Madden & Bakewell, and afterwards, in 1860, Wheeler, Madden & Clemson. The factory was one of the first in the country, and it was one of the largest [1876]. Its business increased so that in 1862 the firm started the Monhagen Steel Works and Rolling Mills, under the firm name of E. M. Madden & Co., for the manufacture of their own steel. In 1863 the firm became largely interested in the Eagle File Works. The firm name was Wheeler, Clemson & Co. In 1866-7 Wheeler, Madden, & Clemson, with others, started the Middletown Forged Horse Nail Works. A few years ago, the firm became a stock company, under the incorporated title of The Wheeler, Madden & Clemson Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Wheeler was its President.In 1866, Mr. Wheeler began to make connections with new railroad enterprises. He has been a director of the Middletown & Unionville Railroad since its organization, and its President till 1875, He broke ground for that enterprise, throwing the first shovelful of dirt in 1866. He was among the earliest of those who were enlisted in the Midland Railroad enterprise, and drove the last spike at its completion. He was an original director and the First Vice-President of the New York & Oswego Midland from 1868 until 1872. He was a director of the N. J. Midland Railroad from its organization in 1870 till 1874. He was also an original Director of the Middletown & Crawford Railroad in 1870.He has been from the first a Director of the M. U. & W. G. Telegraph Co, also of the Middletown and Wurtsboro Turnpike Co. He was also Director of its of predecessor, the Middletown & Bloomingburgh Plank Road Co., and of the Middletown & Unionville Plank Road Co. He was a Trustee of the Middletown Gas Light Co., and of the Orange Co. Milk Association. He was one of the originators and first life members of the Middletown Lyceum. He was a Director the Middletown Bank from 1850 to 1857. He was one of the originators of the Wallkill Bank, and its first President for a few years, and a director until it closed. He was a member of the Board of Trustees in the year 1868, and was a member of the Board of Education every year except one since 1867. He was its first President. He was largely influential in getting the N. Y. State Homeopathic Insane Asylum located in Middletown. He gave $2,000 towards it, and was one of the Trustees from the first. He was one of the originators of Grace Episcopal Church, and was one of its chief supporters. He built the south transept entirely at his own expense. He was a Warden of the church from the first to his death. Mr. Wheeler, E. M. Madden and William M. Graham erected in 1852, Gothic Hall, which the Middletown “Whig Press” newspaper occupied [1876]. It was then the first hall for public assemblages except the churches in all Middletown. Mr. Wheeler was one of ten citizens who assisted Mr. John W. Hasbrouck to establish the “Whig Press” newspaper, which was the predecessor of the “Orange County Press” and “Middletown Daily Press” .As trustee, guardian and executor of the estates of deceased persons, probably more trusts were confided to him than to any other man in Middleton, and every trust was discharged with the utmost fidelity. The last few years of his life were clouded by anxieties and troubles, brought upon him by the acts of those in whom he trusted. He was subjected to several trials in the loss of his property, which were the result of his connection with the Midland Railroad and the Nes Silicon Steel Co. These he bore manfully, and the transfer of his property was made with an honesty that in these times is as uncommon as it is remarkable. Mr. Wheeler was a man of simple, correct habits, frugal ways of living, unostentatious manners, and lived a pure life. In him the poor of Middletown had a friend, generous and liberal to a fault. In this hurried sketch one can hardly hope to do his memory justice, but it certainly speaks well for him that they who knew him best loved and trusted most. He had his peculiarities, but dishonesty was not one of them, as the last two years of his life abundantly testify. As told from a boyhood friend who had enjoyed his confidence fully, that when he saw the accumulations of a life time melting away—mainly through the machinations of others—he had no words of reproach for any save himself, and freely surrendered all his property, even including his furniture, for the benefit of his creditors.