Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Nathan Wilcox Wheeler


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Nathan Wilcox Wheeler and two of his descendants down to the third generation.


First Generation
1. Nathan Wilcox Wheeler,1 born 8 December 1910 in Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut, the son of Nelson Woodward Wheeler and Flora Belle Young;1 died 23 September 1994 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut.1 Nathan married, 31 October 1943 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut, Bertha May Nadeau (née Clark) 3 (born 10 November 1904 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut, the daughter of John Leonard Clark and Elizabeth Chapel;2 Bertha died 28 January 1981 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut2). Bertha is buried in Westfield Cemetery, Danielson, Windham County, Connecticut.2

Nathan was a member of the Norwich Auxiliary Police and the American Polish Club in Montville. He was employed at Electric Boat in Groton.1

Bertha had six children from two marriages and two partnerships. The obituary for Bertha Wheeler names five of her children: sons Edward Gwiazdowski, Russell Nadeau, and Nathan Wilcox, and daughters Marge Anilowski and Shirley Botelho. Her daughter Dolores Fox is inexplicably not included.2

Her first marriage to Edward Gwiazdowski in the early 1920s produced one child, also named Edward Gwiazdowski, born in 1924. Her husband Edward died in 1929, and Bertha married Emil William Nadeau the next year. It is believe that Bertha and Emil had no children together, and that their marriage was short and ended in divorce. The cause may have been related to Bertha giving birth to daughter Marguerite (Marge) in late 1930, and to daughter Shirley in late 1931, both by William Hanna, who is identified as their father in Shirley’s obituary (she died in 2002). The same obituary also lists Marilyn Daniel as a sister of Shirley, but Marilyn is believed to be the daughter of William and a woman other than Bertha. William Hanna has not been found in any other records.

Neither Bertha, husband Emil, nor son Edward have been found in the 1930 census, and nothing more is known about Emil. Bertha is probably the Mrs. Bertha M. Nadeau shown in the 1933-37 city directories for New London, Connecticut.

Family sources indicate that Bertha had two children by John McPherson, although his name has not been found in any associated records. Their son Russell was born in 1937 in New London, and their daughter Dolores was born in 1938 in the Connecticut State Farm for Women, Niantic, (now York Correctional Institution) while Bertha was incarcerated there. Both Dolores and Russell were born with the Nadeau surname since Bertha continued to use her married name Nadeau until 1943 when she married Nathan W. Wheeler. Their son Nathan W. Wheeler, Jr., was born in 1945.


Child of Nathan Wilcox Wheeler and Bertha May Nadeau (née Clark) :

+2i. Nathan Woodard Wheeler, born 2 December 1945. Married (1) Barbara A. Ouimette Married (2) Linda M. Fletcher Married (3) Donna Marie Bode.

  1. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Nathan Wheeler, 25 September 1994
  2. Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, Bertha Wheeler, 29 January 1981
  3. Index to marriage, death, and land records, Montville, Connecticut, Town Hall Website, file number 1943-00000044, marriage of Nathan Wilcox Wheeler and Bertha May Nadeau
Second and Third Generations
2. Nathan Woodard Wheeler2 (Nathan1), born 2 December 1945.1 Nathan married, first, 5 June 1965 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, Barbara A. Ouimette2 (born ca. 1946, parents not determined2). Nathan married, second, 10 June 1967 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, Linda M. Fletcher3 (born 12 April 1949, parents not determined;3, 4 Linda died 3 September 1971 in New Haven, Connecticut4, 5). Nathan married, third, 20 November 1971 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, Donna Marie Bode6 (born 23 May 1949, the daughter of William Bode and Mildred Lawrence1).

Child of Nathan Woodard Wheeler and Donna Marie Bode:

 3i. Julieann Wheeler, born ca. 1973.1

  1. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.
  2. Connecticut Marriage Index, 1959-2001, available at Ancestry.com and familysearch.org, Groom: Nathan W. Wheeler, age 19. Bride: Barba[ra] A. Ouimette, age 19. Marriage Date: 5 Jun 1965. Marriage Place: Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
  3. Connecticut Marriage Index, 1959-2001, available at Ancestry.com and familysearch.org, Groom: Nathan W. Wheeler, age 21. Bride: Linda Fletcher, age 18. Marriage Date: 10 Jun 1967. Marriage Place: Norwich, New London, CT
  4. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Linda Wheeler, no. 047-44-0682. The SSDI shows her date of death as Sep 1971 which agrees with the Connecticut Death Index. The SSDI shows her birth date as 12 April 1849, and was actually 1949 based on other records.
  5. Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001, available at Ancestry.com and familysearch.org, Linda M. Wheeler, 3 September 1971, in New Haven, Connecticut.
  6. Connecticut Marriage Index, 1959-2001, available at Ancestry.com and familysearch.org, Groom: Nathan W. Wheeler, age 25. Bride: Donna M. Bode, age 22. Marriage Date: 20 Nov 1971. Marriage Place: Norwich, New London, CT.