The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-19
Almost From Childhood He Had
Been Identified in One Way or
Another With the Manufacture
of Wooden Goods
ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN
CITIZENS OF UXBRIDGE
He Was Member of Uxbridge
Board of SeIeCtmen Several
Years and Was State Senator
From the Second Worcester
District in 1899

Special to The Spy.
Uxbridge, Oct IS. - Silas Mandeville
Wheeloek died at his home in Wheelock-
vile this morning. He was almost "a
years old. The past week his death had
been expected daily. By his death Tx
bridge loses a valuable citizen, the com
munity a kind friend and the family
wise and kind counselor.
Mr.. Wheelock was married May 8. 1871.
10 Irene Taft daughter of Luke Taft and
sister OF the late Moses Taft. His chill
dren were the late E. B. Hayward, the
late Mrs. Henry P. Smith, the late Henry
Wheelock and Eugene A. WheeIock Of
Putnam, CT, and Arthur WheeIock Of
this town.
Mr.. Wheelock celebrated his golden
wedding May 5, 1891. His wife died Jan
26. 1900 He leaves one sister, Mrs. Abbie
f. r. Taft of this town; ten grandchil-
dren and one great-granddaughte
The funeral will be held from the home
Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial
VIII be in the family lot in Prospect Hill
Cemetery.
The flags on the Liberty pole and school
houses are at half-mast
Mr.. Wheelocl has been known as a
manufacturer for the past go wears He
was born in Uxbridge, Nov. II. 1877. at
which time his father, Jerry Wheelock.
was superintendent and mechanical agent
for the Rtvulet Manufacturing Company.
He has never resided outside the school
district in which he was born. He came
from old English stock and was a de-
scendant of Ralph Wheelock, a dissent
ing preacher, who emigrated to this coun-
try from England. Simeon Wheelock, the
hfth descendant of Ralph, settled In Tx
bridge in 1852 He figured prominently as
lieutenant in the revolution Jerry
Wheelock, his son, was a mechanic and
manufacturer of wooden machinery.
Silas Wheelock was the son of Jerry.
Silas began to work when nine wears old
and his first occupation was that of piec-
ing rolls" for the billy" at which he
earned IA cents day and board. He early
manifested an ability for the management
Of affairs and was a leader among his
fellows. His opportunity for obtaining
an education was very limited. The dis
trict school term of 10 weeks in the win
ter and the same in summer, to which
was added three or four terms in a select
school was all the schooling that he re-
ceived
From the time Mr. wheelock began
work he was connected with wooden man.
ufacture, having been operative, foreman,
superintendent, manager and fnancier
for corporations or manager of the
in Boston and New York, which business
he took up in addition to his factory
management
In 1876 the firm of c. A. & S. NJ. whee-
AoNh was lOiHieuf III WHICH MT. w neelOck
was financier and business manager.
In 1870 Mr.. Wheelock purchased the
Harris Wooden Company's mill at Put
nam, Ct. and organized the Putnam
Wooden Company, of which his son. Fu-
gene. is now manager. In 1883 he organ
lied the Calumet Wooden Company of this
town. of which his other son, Arthur. is
treasurer and agent.
Mr.. Wheelock was for several years a
member of the Uxbridge Board of Select
men. and represented the second Wor-
cester senatorial district in the Massa-
chusetts Senate in 1883 He was a dele
gate to the Republican convention in
Philadelphia in 1900.
As an employer Mr. Wheelock ALWAYS
retained the good will of his employees.
He was a man of genial nature and had
the respect of his townsmen.