Esther WHEELER

Esther WHEELER
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel.

Sometimes a gravestone can only be identified by its position in the cemetery. This badly damaged gravestone also has a footstone which is broken.

Fred Burdick's CD of Whitehall Burying Ground #21, says that this grave once said: "In memory of Esther, wife of Elisha Williams who died May 10th 1762 in the 32nd year of her age."

Esther was the daughter of Jonathan4 (Richard3, Isaac2, Thomas1) Wheeler and his wife Esther Denison. She was born 27 Dec 1732, the oldest child of eleven. She was the third wife of Elisha. His first wife died early in their marriage and his second wife died leaving him with three children to take care of.

As with many families of this time period, it was less than a year after his second wife died that he married Esther. Esther and Elisha had but one child, Eunice Williams. Sadly, Eunice was only 7 years old when her mother died.

Wheeler's History of Stonington, page 665 (Williams), 650 (Wheeler).

Photo kindly donated by Fred Burdick of Stonington.

Esther is one of my 5th great grandmothers.