WHEELER, Loring

WHEELER, HARRISON, COTTRELL

Posted By: Administrator
Date: 12/9/2001 at 10:39:12

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF De Witt TWP.
From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879) pgs 736-751

LORING WHEELER, retired farmer; P.O. De Witt; was born at Westmoreland, Cheshire Co., N. H., in 1799; in 1821, he went to Alton, Ill., thence to Greene Co., Ill., where he remained two years; then to Morgan Co., Ill., where he remained three years. Mr. Wheeler served in the Black Hawk war; was a member of Gen. Dodge's regiment. He was for some time employed in mining at Galena, Ill.; in 1834, Went to Dubuque, where he engaged in mining and in the mercantile business till the spring of 1841. He was a member of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin for two years, the first session was hold at Belmont, Grant Co., Wis.; the second at Burlington, which was then included in the Territory of Wisconsin; in the spring of 1841, he settled on the farm which he still owns, near De Witt, and in the autumn of that year was appointed Clerk of the Court for the county of Clinton, and held that office during the Territorial history of Iowa; in 1846, he was elected to the State Senate for the term of four years. In 1849, Mr. Wheeler went to California by way of the overland route, and returned via the Isthmus in 1853. In 1854, was elected Clerk of Clinton Co.; continued in that office till 1862 since has been a member of the County Board of Supervisors four years; was Chairman of that body for three years of that time; is a stockholder in the Clinton National Bank, and has been one of its directors; several years since he lost the use of his right eye from inflammation; he retired from active life in 1873. Mr. Wheeler married in 1837, Susan B. Harrison sister of Jesse M. Harrison, of Dubuque, and of Alvin G. Harrison, of De Witt; has had nine children, four of whom are living-George L., Thomas W. and Lloyd B., residents of Clinton Co.; his daughter Martha Frances, married Mr. Frank Cottrell, formerly of Dubuque, now a farmer of Harrison Co., Iowa.