Burlington High School - Oread Yearbook (Burlington, VT)

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x 4 t f 4 1 1 A Co , , lienry Orson Wheeler , X x 1 Q as a smantribute tothe great services I l ya N he has rendered el n to the Pubns Schools or . f N , the Zitv ol Burlington u , H as their superintendent ' all that is ol worth In this volume Y 1 is respectlullv dedicated l ,Q n ,zf'1,f we s M, -1 K. v ,,,,0L l , ' f

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H. O. WHEELER

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Benrv Orson lllbeeler llenry Orson XNheeler was born in the town of lrVilliston'. Yt., on the seventh day of October, 1841. His parents were the Rev. Orville G. and Aurelia San- ford Wheeler, whose ancestors were soldiers in the Revolutionary XVar. The first years of his life were passed mainly in the town of South Hero, Yt., where his father was for fifty years the pastor of the Congregation-al Church. Here Mr. Wheeler received his first education, in the common schools and in South Hero Academy, of which his father was principal for many years. From this academy he graduated in 1860, in a class composed of seven boys. live of whom, with Mr. Wheeler, entered Ithe University of Yermont in the class of 1864. Among the members of this class were Dr. Edward S. Peck: Oscar Atwood. President of Straight University, New Orleans: Dr. Sullivan F. Gale, Superintendent of Home Missions in tl1e State of Georgia: Dr. F. W'. Page, a former Superintendent of the Vermont State Asylum for the Insane: the Hon. Julian Phelps, once U. S. consul in Germany, and others, all well remembered in Burlington. Wheni, in 18611, the call came for volunteers to serve in the Union Army, a large number of students left the University. Among these was Mr, Wheeler, with six of his old academy classmates. Mr. Wheeler cast his lot with Company A. First Vermont Cavalry. He served as private, corporal, sergeant, first lieu- tenant, and was finally made a brevet captain for meritorious conduct. During his three years' service he took part in nearly all the battles in which the Ver- mont Cavalry were engaged, including Opequan, Hagarstown, Gettysburg and the Wilderness. During the opening day of the Wilderness campaign, May 5, '64, he was seriously wounded and in October of the same year was captured at Mount Jackson, Va., and confined in the famous Libby prison for several months. In the spring of the following year he was mustered out of service, his term of enlistment having expired during his prison confinement. Captain Wheeler returned to the University of Vermont, entering the sopho- more class, and graduated in 1867, gaining membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He then entered the law department of the University of Michigan