2.JohnAtwoodWheaton, born 07 September 1914 in Ozone Park, New York; died 09 May 1991 in Roslyn, New York. He was the son of 4. JamesWatsonWheaton and 5. AnnaLuciaBergstrom. He married 3. HelenMariaAnderson 22 September 1952 in Elkton, Maryland.
3.HelenMariaAnderson, born 16 July 1914 in 1461 Chester Ave., Woodhaven, New York1; died 04 December 1994 in 400 Streble Farm Lane, Lebanon Junction, Kentucky. She was the daughter of 6. ErnstEmil AugustAnderson and 7. KarolinaHermana MariaOlsson.
Notes for John Atwood Wheaton:
In the 1920 federal census of New York State, Queens County, the following information is given for John:
age 5, single, born in New York, father born in New York, mother born in Sweden.
On 18 May 1944, John was rated "physically fit, acceptable by Army for general military service." (Source: Selective Service System Certificate of Fitness, Local Board No. 715, Municipal Bldg., 171 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola, New York, order no. 1458). However, because he was the sole support of his mother, he was assigned to civilian duty with the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
On 6 July 1942, he received a war service appointment to Junior Aircraft Electrician (civilian service) at a payrate of $1,860 per annum.
On 2 Oct. 1942, he completed a short course on radio installation. (Source: memo, HQ Middletown Air Depot, Olmsted Field, Middletown, Pennsylvania)
In February of 1943, he was transferred to the Signal Section, 21st and State Streets, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with an annual salary of $2,200., and later dispatched to Middletown Air Depot, Signal Service at Large. Part of his training included time at the Philco Training School in Philadelphia. On 16 April 1943, John was transferred to Mitchell Field, Long Island, New York. By September, he received a promotion within grade to radio mechanic with a $100 pay raise.
The year 1944 saw another raise to $2,400 per annum (April) and reclassification to senior radio mechanic (May). November brought first a promotion within grade to an annual salary of $2,500, then a reassignment to Senior Aircraft Radio Installer at $2,580. The following year, his pay was changed from an annual salary to an hourly rate, starting at $1.16 an hour in July to $1.50 an hour the following June. He was discharged from civilian duty on 1 August 1946 with the rank of senior aircraft radio installer. (Sources: paystubs and various memoranda, U.S> War Dept.)
More About John Atwood Wheaton:
Census: Bet. 08 - 09 April 1930, 138 Jerome Ave., Mineola Village, Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County, NY2
Fact 1: 16 June 1991, Pinelawn Cemetery, Pinelawn, New York
Military service: Bet. March 1943 - August 1946, Aircraft electrician, US Army Signal Corps, civilian service3
Residence: 1920, 1335 Dakota Ave, Queens, NY4
Notes for Helen Maria Anderson:
The 1920 census of Richmond County, New York State (aka Staten Island lists this information for Helen:
age 5, attended school in last six months, born in New York, parents born in US (sic)
However, the census lists two other Anderson children with similar parentage information, so there is no definite evidence that this Helen is the right one.
When Caroline Anderson died in 1915, the State of New York intervened and sent her three children to foster homes, as was the norm back then. Men were not considered able to raise small children by themselves. Helen, who was just 6 or 7 months old when her mother died, was probably sent to an orphanage, possibly the one in Staten Island. Her brothers, Herbert and Ernest, were sent to a boys' home on Long Island.
When she got older, Helen was sent to foster homes. The one foster home she most frequently mentioned was that of Mrs. Walther, a strict German lady who nonetheless must have cared deeply for the girls in her care.
In 1930, Helen is listed in the household of Margaret Walther, a widow, aged 69. Mrs. Walther, as Helen still called her in later years, was a no-nonsense woman of German upbringing who served as a foster mother to Helen and perhaps other girls, too. A Lillian Henderson, 16, is listed in Margaret's household. Mrs. Walther apparently was an old-fashioned woman, who wore ankle-length dresses and skirts 20 to 30 years out of date. But Helen told the story of Mrs. Walther one day being persuaded by Helen and her friends to double-dutch jump rope, despite her starchiness and long skirts, and having fun doing it.
Helen must have joined Mrs. Walther's home after 1920, as Margaret is listed in the 1920 census -- a widow then, too -- in Brooklyn, with no younger charges. (1920 Census, New York, Kings County, ED 263, sheet 13A.)
When Helen reached the age of 16, she was permitted to move back with her father, Ernst, who in 1930 was living not far away in Mineola. Ernst and his wife were good friends of James and Anna Wheaton, having been neighbors for a while in Queens. He was boarding with James and Anna in 1930, in the house he had helped them build. Ernst and Helen then moved back to Brooklyn.
Helen left school at about the same time. Born with hearing loss, she did poorly in school because she could not hear the teachers, who concluded she was merely dull witted. While her father worked as a carpenter and shipwright, Helen worked in several different jobs, including working in a doctor's office and in factories. During World War II, she worked in a factory that made tire gauges.
While she dated as a young woman, Helen told us in her later life that she had intended not to marry while her father needed a woman around to care for him. She and John Wheaton were childhood pals, since Baldwin and Mineola are just a few miles apart, but were separated when she moved to Brooklyn. Family members reported that Helen and John "Jack" Wheaton were making eyes at each other at Ernst Anderson's funeral in 1952. It was the first time they had seen each other in many years. Within a few months, the two had run off to Maryland to be married.
Helen and Jack married late in life, at age 38, so having children was an iffy thing. She apparently had at least three stillbirths before finally having a son, John James, in 1956.
After their move to a new house in Lloyd Neck, Huntington Township, Suffolk County, New York, it became clear to Helen that Jack's TV-radio repair business was not enabling them to make ends meet. She then sought work as a housekeeper in several homes in Fiddler's Green, where they lived, including the homes of Charles Schmitz, Robert Osann, Marge Roberts and Walter Anderson (no relation). These same people became her friends for many years after she quit working.
When Jack died in 1991, Helen made a difficult decision to sell their house in Syosset and move down to Kentucky to live with son John and his family. Still hard-of-hearing and somewhat frail, Helen felt more secure living with her children and grandchildren than living alone. With the proceeds from the 1992 sale of the Syosset house, she was able to buy - with cash - a house in Kentucky large enough to hold the seven-member family, and have enough to live fairly comfortably. Diagnosed with high blood pressure in 1992, Helen had a series of small mini-strokes will did not seem to diminish her zest for life and love for her family. She traveled with John and family to many Quaker gatherings in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, as well as a long week-long trip to Friends General Conference in 1993 in Oklahoma, making friends with many Quaker gray-hairs.
She died in her home in December 1994, apparently of one last stroke beside her bed during the night. Her son found her the following Sunday morning as he went to wake her to go to Meeting for Worship.
More About Helen Maria Anderson:
Census: 03 April 1930, 3 Fargo St., Baldwin Village, Hempstead Township, Nassau County, New York5
Fact 1: 05 August 1995, Pinelawn Cemetery, Pinelawn, New York
Residence: 1934, 2301/2 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, New York
Child of John Wheaton and Helen Anderson is:
