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Title: History of Wexford County, Michigan, embracing a concise review of
its early settlement, industrial development and present conditions, comp.
by John H. Wheeler, to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of
national biography and life sketches of well-known citizens of the county
...
Author: Wheeler, John H. comp. 1840-
Publisher: B. F. Bowen, 1903

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pages 317-318:

JOHN H. WHEELER

John H. Wheeler was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, April 19, 1840.
He was brought up on a farm until about eighteen years of age, when he went
to work at the carpenter's trade, soon mastering it so that he could take
charge of any ordinary work in that line.  In September, 1861, he enlisted
in the Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteers, known as "The Ellsworth
Avengers."  He was mustered out in October, 1864, at the expiration of his
term of enlistment.  He took part in some of the hardest fought battles of
the Civil war, among which were Gaine's Mills, Savage Station, White Oak
Swamp, Malvern Hill, Gettysburg, Mine Run, the Wilderness and Spottsylvania
Court House, besides numerous engagements of lesser note.  He was on
detached duty during the winter of 1862-3, superintending the construction
of barracks for a convalescent camp about three miles southwest from
Alexandria, Virginia.

October 17, 1865, Mr. Wheeler was married to Georgiana I. Fox, whom he had
met while home on an invalid furlough in the summer of 1863.  He started on
his wedding day for Wexford county, where he arrived October 31, severe
storms on the lakes delaying the boat several days during the trip.  He
took up a homestead on section 30, in what is now Hanover township, and at
once commenced work on the construction of a saw-mill.  This mill was the
first frame structure erected in the county, and as soon as it was started
and the necessary lumber could be cut out Mr. Wheeler put up the first
frame house that was built in the county.

Mr. Wheeler was the first treasurer of the county and held the office for
two years at that time, and was again elected county treasurer in 1898 and
re-elected in 1900.  After running the saw-mill a few years, he resumed his
occupation of builder, and secured the contract for building the court
house at Sherman and other large buildings, such as stores, hotel, school-
houses and many private dwellings.  He was supervisor of Sherman, Concord
and Antioch townships for ten years, during two of which he was chairman of
the board of supervisors of the county.  In the summer of 1878 he purchased
a one-half interest in the Wexford County Pioneer, and two years later
became the sole owner of that paper, which he retained until January 7,
1891.  He was appointed postmaster of the Sherman post-office in January,
1880, and held the office nearly five years.  He received the appointment
of census enumerator in 1880 and took the census of five towns in the
northwest corner of the county, including the township of Cleon, now in
Manistee county, but then a part of Wexford county.  He has filled the
office of county superintendent of poor, secretary of the Republican county
committee, and served two years as great sachem of the Improved Order of
Red Men of Michigan.

Mrs. Wheeler died October 8, 1882, leaving two daughters (two sons having
died in their infancy), one of whom still lives in the county and the other
at Lansing, Michigan.  Two years later Mr. Wheeler married Ella, daughter
of ex-Sheriff W. W. Bartlett, of Grand Traverse county.  For the past four
years Mr. Wheeler has been engaged in buying and selling timbered lands, in
company with Judge Chittenden, of Cadillac.  They also are proprietors of a
large addition to the city.

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