Born in Virginia on September 22, 1810, in the youth of the republic. In 1816. his father Robert Wheeler with his family removed to Pennsylvania, where they resided until 1829, when following the spirit of the day, they traveled further west and located in Ohio where his death occurred in 1843 at the home of his son. Samuel D. Wheeler was married in 1834 to Elizabeth Mathews, a daughter of George and Amy Matthews of Muskingum Co., Ohio. After attaining mature years, he concluded to study law, and under instruction of Judge Hickman, he became a student and was admitted to practice in 1851. In the practice of his profession he sought only to satisfy his own conscience and his fine sense of right to his fellow man. In 1856 he and his wife removed to Lucas county, Iowa. He bought his first land, 280 acres, from the government. He afterwards added more to it, cleared it out, and made in one of the finest farms in the county. In 1873, in order to be near the county seat and have greater social advantages, he removed to Whitebreast township, where he resided seventeen years. In 1890 with failing health and his loved ones scattered, he removed to Chariton that he might rid himself of the loneliness of an empty home at some distance from neighbors and friends. In 1860 Mr. Wheeler was elected a member of the county board of supervisors, and served in that capacity for eight years. In 1868 he was again elected to serve as a member of the 12th General Assembly, and his stability and prudence, are a matter of record in the history of the state. He also served as Justice of the Peace for several years prior to his removal to Chariton. He and his wife were consistent members of the M. E. Church.