WHEELER'S STORE

Before the city of Manor was named Manor, it was once known simply by the name of one of the very few businesses in the area. It was officially known, even to the postal service, as “Wheeler’s Store.” A story In the July 23, 1899 edition of the Austin Daily Statesman newspaper states that old settlers in the area told of a letter to a Swedish immigrant from his ancestral home which reached the proper person, even though it had no address other than his name and the words, “Wheeler’s Store, Nord America.”

JOHN GILL WHEELER

John Gill Wheeler, born in Marshall County, Alabama, March 13, 1834, came with his mother, Mary M. Wheeler, and brother, Thomas Benton Wheeler and settled in Hays County, Texas in 1854. His father, William Henry Edward Wheeler had passed away in Alabama in March, 1847. At the beginning of the Civil War he was editing a paper at La Grange, TX, but closed the paper and on September 12, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, 1st Regiment of the Eighth Texas Cavalry, better known as Terry's Texas Rangers, going from Houston, where he enlisted, to Nashville, TN where he was given a furlough on October 21st due to illness. Suffering from a severe case of pneumonia for all of November and December, he was discharged from the army on January 4, 1862.

He came home to recuperate, and, after fully recovering, on April 7th, 1862, at Austin, he enlisted in Company B, (the Tom Green Rifles) 4th Regiment of the Texas Brigade, also known as Hood’s Brigade, going to Virginia, and participating in many battles there, including the Battle of the Wilderness in Spotsylvania County, in which Wheeler lost his left arm. His service record for May & June, 1864 contains the following remark; "Absent - Left arm off - wounded May 6/64 at Wilderness".

After the war he returned to Texas, and when the Texas state constitutional convention met on Feb 7, 1866, Wheeler was chosen as their first assistant clerk. The convention set June 25th as the day for state and district elections. At this time Wheeler, running against 3 opponents, was elected County Clerk of Travis County. In March of 1867, the southern states that had been part of the Confederacy were placed under military law by the U. S. Congress and all elected officials were required to take an “iron-clad oath” before they could hold office. Wheeler, being unable to take this oath, which said in part, …”I have never voluntarily borne arms against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons engaged in armed hostility thereto;…”, was removed from office on November 6, 1867, along with several hundred other elected officials, including the Governor.

On page 153, Volume 9 of Frank Brown's "Annals of Travis County and the City of Austin (from the earliest times to the close of 1875)" Brown wrote the following:

Shortly after that, Wheeler built a storehouse where Manor is now located, and "Wheeler's Store" officially became the post office for those people living in the area.

List of Post Offices from 1869 Texas Almanac

List of Post Offices from National Archives catalog showing
Lowell P. Parker as Postmaster at Wheeler's Store

On February 28, 1867 he was married to Miss Margaret (Maggie) Brown, of San Antonio, Bexar County, TX. This marriage produced 10 children.

The new town of Manor was officially founded on January 20, 1872. J. G. Wheeler may have been the first person to purchase a lot in Manor. On February 5, 1872, “in consideration of services rendered and $10 to me paid”, James Manor sold lot 11 in block 24 to Wheeler. (Travis County Deed Records W, page 97) On May 25^th, Wheeler purchased lot 12 in block 24 from the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. (Travis County Deed Records W, page 611) The purchase price was recorded as “...two hundred gold dollars... Cash”.

Soon a wood frame building was constructed and Wheeler’s Store was now located on Main Street in what would become known as downtown Manor.

Advertisement - Austin American Statesman newspaper, May 16, 1877

Advertisement - Austin American Statesman newspaper, August 1, 1877

June 4, 1889 J. G. Wheeler purchased lots 14, 16, 18, and 20 in block 24 from the Houston and Texas Central Railroad for $120. (Deed Record 87, pages251-252)

April 24, 1890 Mr. Wheeler traded lots 18 and 20 in block 24 to M. C. Abrams as guardian of, and on behalf of, Lucy and Lizzie Manor, for lots 13 and 15 in block 24. Wheeler now owns all of lots 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 in block 24 of downtown Manor.

Two years later, Wheeler began construction of four brick buildings next to his original wood frame store building. The Austin Weekly Statesman newspaper, October 20, 1892 printed this;

“Mr. J. G. Wheeler has let the contract for four brick stores, which will add greatly to the looks of the business portion of town.”

The November 26, 1892 edition of the Austin Daily Statesman newspaper said;

“The brick buildings of Colonel Wheeler are progressing rapidly.”

An article in The Austin American Statesman on March 22, 1894 reads as follows;

“Mr. J. G. Wheeler is probably one of the best known merchants in the eastern portion of Travis county. He began business in Manor in 1868, before the railroad was built, and today has one of the largest mercantile emporiums in the county. His large and commodious establishment on Main street, 25×100 feet in dimensions is replete with a large and diversified assortment of general merchandise. Passing into the next room which is 25×100 feet we found a large stock of molasses and case goods. Next door to this room is a similar one and here will be found a large and well selected stock of furniture. Just in the rear of these buildings another warehouse contains a large stock of salt and barbed wire. Last year Mr. Wheeler handled 2500 bales of cotton and the year previous some 3000 bales. Personally, Mr. Wheeler is a pleasant gentleman, who is known for his honesty and upright business methods, as well as for the interest he takes in the onward march of Manor.“

Receipt for payment in full on the account of Mrs. Polly Segar Leigh.
From the papers of Eggleston D. Townes, courtesy of Cindy Gregg Koplin

Sanborn Fire Insurance maps starting in 1900 show the five Wheeler buildings on the north side of block 24 at the corner of Lexington and Parsons street in Manor. (yellow is wood frame, red is brick)

By at least 1903, Wheeler was ready to retire from the store business.

Advertisement - Austin American Statesman newspaper, July 12, 1903

Between April 22, 1879 and September 23, 1881, J. G. Wheeler purchased lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 in block 42 of Manor. In 1895 he built a large two story house on this property. Estimates placed the cost at $15,000.

Austin Daily Statesman, July 19, 1895

Austin Daily Statesman, Oct 26, 1895

Travis County Probate Minutes 13, page 583 show this as his homestead at the time of his death.

The photo below (taken from http://www.austinlibrary.com/ahc/outside/manor.htm) is said to be the Wheeler family in front of their home in Manor. (year unknown)