Theodore Freeling Huyster Wheeldon was born on 28 September 1852 near Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana to Elijah Benedict and Elizabeth Bannister (Norris) Wheeldon. He was the eighth of ten children born to the couple and their youngest son.

When Theodore was just three years old, the family moved to Iowa and settled near Des Moines (Polk Co.) where he grew up. He remained in that area until right after the 1880 US Federal Census was taken and then he moved to the Marion County area.

On 7 October 1880, Theodore was united in marriage with Sarah Anna Holmes in Marion County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Hugh Patton and Cynthia (Barlow) Holmes. Two children were born to this union: a daughter, Orpha Estella (b. 1893; d. 1976), and a son, Homer Criley (b. 1895; d. 1979).

Theodore and Sarah lived in Marion County until 1896 when they relocated to a farm near Batavia, (Jefferson Co.) Iowa. This is where they remained for the remainder of their marriage.

Just after the Christmas holiday in 1919--on 28 December--Sarah passed away suddenly. She was subsequently interred in the new section of the Batavia Cemetery.

Theodore was later married for a second time to Eliza Ellen "Lizzie" (Gilbert) Peshak on 14 Apr 1921 in Ottumwa, (Wapello Co.) Iowa. She was the daughter of Hayden and Phoebe (Jordan) Gilbert. The two were previously acquainted due to the marriage of Theodore's youngest sister, Susan Phoebe Wheeldon, to Eliza's older brother, Ebenzer Bess Gilbert, in 1876.

Eliza was first married to Stephen Clark in 1881 and they had three children--one whom died as a baby/small child, a son named Talmage Dewitt Clark and a daughter named Gladys Lenore Clark. She then married Frank Peshak sometime around 1900 and no (known) children were born to this union.

There were also no children born to Theorore and Eliza's union. It is unclear as to whether they were married until Theodore's death or not--though I believe they were.

On 13 June 1929, Theodore preceeded his second wife in death while still living on his farm near Batavia, (Jefferson Co.) Iowa. He was laid to rest next to his first wife in the newer section of the Batavia Cemetery.
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*A 1940 family letter includes information transcribed from a family bible belonging to the Wheeldon family which provides the birth date and names for Elijah and Elizabeth (Norris) Wheeldon's children. The full name and birth information for Theodore is taken from this record.*