James Wheeler : Short Biography

James, the son,  was married to Mary Daly and came to Victoria, Australia in 1844 with Patrick aged 13, Bartholomew aged 9, Thomas aged 7 and Rose aged 5.  Mary died of childbirth on the ship "Abberton".when off the coast of Africa.

When the Abberton sailed from Cork on 22 nd May 1844 she was carrying at least 280 people (14 passengers and in steerage 156 adults, 81 children and 15 infants plus crew). Mary Wheeler and at least three other women were in advanced stages of pregnancy. Four births during the 4 month voyage are listed. Mary’s child was born on 8 th August (78 days into the 113 day voyage). Mary died two days later on the 10 th (water on the chest) and her female infant died on 14 th . It appears remarkable that only 6 deaths are listed as the conditions must have been extremely uncomfortable, to say the least. The ages of the of the Wheelers are listed in the ships papers: James 35, Pat 13, Bartholomew 9, Thomas 7 and Rose, our ancestor, 5½. James’ bounty was £18.14s, with half that for each child. He could read and write and was engaged at £16/annum with rations for 6 months by Wm Hamilton at the Goulburn River. His son Pat was engaged by Mary Hamilton of Melbourne at £8/annum for 6 months with rations. James married a widow Ellen Reilly (Reilley, Reily) nee Glynn at St Francis’ Melbourne in 1848. Ellen, born c1822, was previously married in Melbourne (c1842) to Bernard Reilly (Reily, Reilley), who died on the Dandenong road near Melbourne in 1847, the same year as the birth of their daughter Rose Reilly. The Wheelers are included as one of the pioneering families in the book “Cattlemen to Commuters, A History of the Mulgrave District 1839-1961 – Now the City of Waverley” by Susan Priestly.