Josiah first appears on the 1851 Census aged 6 months, living with his parents and older sister Maria at Friday Street, Henley on Thames. Living with the family at the time are Elizabeth Goody, a 12-year-old nurse maid, and Mary Stevens an unemployed house maid. By 1861 the family had moved to Bell Street, Henley on Thames.
On the 1871 Census Josiah is listed as living with his parents at 'The Victoria Beer House' (later the Queen Victoria Public House), Market Place in Henley, Oxfordshire. Josiah's occupation is listed as a boatman. Josiah's father, was in constant trouble with the borough for selling short measures at the Victoria Beer House.
On 11th July 1871 Josiah married Jane Martin at St Mary's Church, Marylebone, London. His occupation at the time of his marriage is given as Waterman.
Jane Wheeler was born Jane Martin on 4th October 1845 in Windermere, Westmorland to Nicholas Martin a shoemaker and later a railway porter, and his wife Harriet Hodgson.
Jane first appears on the 1851 Census living with her parents and siblings at the Railway Gate House in Applethwaite, Westmorland. In 1861 15 year old Jane is working as a domestic servant in the home of John Swann at 2 St Mary's Terrace, Applethwaite, Westmorland.
In 1871 Jane is working as a cook in the home of Gustav Chinton Schwabe in West Derby Lancashire.
On the 1881 Census Josiah, incorrectly listed as Joseph, now a publican and 'dealer', and Jane are running an un-named public house in Maidensgrove, Bix, Oxfordshire.
1891 sees Josiah and his family living in Maidenhead at 7 Denmark Terrace, Denmark Street, Maidenhead. Now a dairyman and butcher. Nothing remains of Denmark Terrace as it was demolished to make way for industrial units. In 1892 Josiah was summoned by the School Attendance Officer for not sending his daughter to school, he was again summoned in 1893 for the same office and fined 6d with 4s and 6d costs.
In the March of 1894 Josiah sued Mr Llewellwyn Samuelson for damages after his gardener inadvertently poisoned three of his cows with yew tree clippings. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on 21st March 1894:
"Claim by Dairyman
Mr. Llewellyn Samuelson, of Brookwood, Maidenhead, was sued by Josiah Wheeler, a dairyman, of Norfolk Park, Maidenhead, to recover £4l 10s., damages sustained by the defendant's servant throwing a quantity of yew tree cuttings into a field in the plaintiff's occupation. The following were the particulars of the claim:- Value of two cows killed, £30; depreciation in the value of a cow injured and damages sustained by premature calving and consequent loss through the death of the calf and loss of the use of the milk, £7; veterinary surgeon's charges, £4 10s.
Mr. Greville, Maidenhead, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Macarthy, barrister (instructed by Mr. Weed), for the defendant. Plaintiff said that he had been in the habit occasionally of hiring in the summer small pieces of land from Mrs. Anstruther for grazing his cattle. In January last he was renting some land in the Ray Park-road for 5s. per week. He was informed on January 26th that his cows had been eating some yew clippings, and he sent for a veterinary surgeon to see them, and Mr. Eggleton came.
One cow died during the night, a second slipped her calf on February 13th or 14th. and on March 3rd or 4th another cow died. He saw Mrs. Samuelson when the first cow died, and she told him that he must see Mr. Samuelson the next morning. He did so, and Mr. Samuelson said he should not have anything to do with it. The cows were in good condition, and were worth £14 or £l5 each, and was a reasonable figure for the other cow, as she would have to be turned out the whole summer, before she would be of any use again. Mr. Eggleton charged £4. 10s. for his services.
In cross-examination by Mr. Macarthy, plaintiff said the cattle were well fed. well-bred and good milkers, and £15 each was a fair price for them. He bought two cows for £9 as a great bargain; and he worked a portion of it out by agreement. The first cow that died was one of them, and for the second cow that died he gave £9; for the one that slipped her calf he gave £l5. The piece of ground upon which the cattle were feeding had been marked out for building plots. There was an excavation in the ground, but he did not think it was a rubbish pit.
Mrs. Jane Wheeler, wife of the plaintiff, said she went to the field on the 26th of January, and found a quantity of yew lying about. Yew clippings were on the edge of the pit, and the cows had dragged it about the field. She went to Mr. Samuelson's gardener and said, " Do you know you have taken a quantity of yew into the field? You will poison all the cows." He answered, " Oh, I never thought of the cows." She said, " You had better bring a barrow and take it away again." The boy then came and picked it up in a heap and a man took it away. Thomas Green, a boy in the employ of the plaintiff, alleged that the cows got near the pit during his dinner-hour. Mr. Graham gave evidence that the pit was not a rubbish hole, and that trespassing on the land was forbidden.
Mr. Eggleton deposed that yew wood caused a lingering death. The amount claimed was fair and reasonable. Mr. Macarthy, for the defence, called Henry Sheppard, dairyman and cowkeeper, who said he frequently saw the plaintiff's cows, and thought they were not worth more, on an average, than £5 each. The best cow was probably worth or £9. He had ten cows of his own, all good and well-fed, but he was certain none of them would fetch £15.
Mr. F. J. Simpson, veterinary surgeon, was called, and stated that a cow which ate yew in January would have either recovered or died before March.
Mr. J. Webster gave evidence that in his opinion the cows were not worth more than £7 each.
After reviewing the whole of the evidence, his Honour held that the plaintiff was entitled to recover £18, for which amount the judgement was entered."
By 1901 the family had moved to 1 East Street (now East Road), Maidenhead. Josiah is now a lighterman as is his son Frank. Lightermen were workers who transferred goods from large ships to the quay on flat bottomed barges called lighters. It was dangerous and highly skilled work.
Josiah was to pass away on 2nd January 1910 aged 61. On 5th January 1910 the Maidenhead Advertiser carried the following announcement:
"Deaths-
Wheeler- On January 2nd, at The Retreat, East-street, Maidenhead, Josiah Wheeler, of Henley-on-Thames, the beloved husband of Jane Marin Wheeler, of Windermere, Westmorland, in his 62 year. Peace, perfect peace."
The 1911 Census shows the widowed Jane still living at 1 East Street, Maidenhead, with her eldest daughter Harriet Martin Wheeler, and her son William Wheeler. Jane would pass away on 27th September 1916
