Dr. Osgood C. Wheeler

1816 - 1891

Dr. O. C. Wheeler was born March 13th, 1816, in the wilds of Western New York State. When 8 years old he began attending school I a log school house. At 15 years of age he was baptized into the Baptist Church. His health broke down under heavy burdens on the farm and he gave his time to study. He taught school when 27 years of age, and then entered Middlebury Academy and later the institution now known as Colgate University. He graduated in 1845, married Miss Elizabeth H. Hamilton, was ordained and became pastor at East Greenwich, R. I. After two years' pastorate he accepted a call to Jersey City, N. J., where on Nov. 1, 1848, he was informed by the secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society that he was their choice as Missionary to California. On Dec. 1st, 1848, he and his wife set sail on the "Falcon" bound for the Isthmus of Panama. The Isthmus was crossed partly by dugouts on the river, partly by mule back. They had to wait at Panama till Feb. 1st, 1849, for the steamer "California," which had gone "around the Horn" to pick them up en route for San Francisco. On Feb. 28th, 1849, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler stepped ashore at San Francisco from the first steamship ever to enter the Bay. In a few weeks they had organized a Baptist church of six members and in July, 1849, bought a lot on Washington Street for $10,000, cleared off the chaparral, and in 22 working days erected and dedicated the first Protestant church in California. Its cost was $6,000. Mr. Wheeler donated the free use of the church for a school and thus started the first public school in California.

Dr. Wheeler was the orator par excellence in those stirring days. He was even invited by the congress at Washington to give an address upon California, In filling too many speaking engagements, he contracted an affliction of the throat so that he had to turn to other occupation than the regular pastorate. In 1863 he became Deputy Internal Revenue Collector at San Francisco. From March, 1864, till the close of the Civil War he was secretary and manager of the U. S. Sanitary Commission for the Pacific Coast. In 1864 he was elected clerk of the California Assembly. In 1871 Leland Stanford called him to San Francisco to organize the general baggage system of the Central Pacific Railroad, in which service he remained till his death, April 17, 1891.

After organizing the First Baptist Church in San Francisco in 1849, Mr. Wheeler went to San Jose and organized the First Baptist Church there, and then came to Sacramento where he organized the First Baptist Church on Sept. 14, 1850. Two years later he served this church as pastor for two years, during which time Leland Stanford and others associated with him in railroad building attended his services. During this pastorate he launched the first coast paper of our denomination, "The Pacific Banner." In 1867 he became editor of the Baptist "Evangel." He was active against dueling and in the cause of temperance. He was chaplain of the Fifth Regiment, California National Guard, from August 13, 1883, till his death in 1891.

He occupied a high place in Masonic circles, serving among other offices as Grand Chaplain and Grand Prelate. During the latter years of his life he recovered his speaking voice sufficiently to again be frequently heard in the pulpit.

Top photo from California Magazine 1892

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As printed in:
The Weekly Bulletin
Diamond Jubilee Sunday
October 25th, 1925
First Baptist Church
Sacramento, California

A PATRIARCH
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Death of California's First Protestant Minister
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Rev. Dr. O. C. Wheeler Passes Away
in His Oakland Home, 
Full of Years and Honors
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A Sketch of His Long and Eventful Life
The Funeral Will Take Place
at the Masonic Temple on Sunday Afternoon
The Military Will Render Honors to the Deceased
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Rev. Dr. O. C. Wheeler died at his home in Oakland Thursday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock, after a long illness from which his friends some time since ceased to expect that he would recover. He appeared to suffer from no particular disease- it was a general breaking down of the system from old age and over-work. It was the peaceful death of the venerable patriarch-the natural death of the strong man who has lived out all his days and at last passes away in accordance with the general order of nature.
The funeral of Dr. Wheeler will be held from Masonic Temple under the auspices of Oakland Commandery, No. 11, Knights Templar, probably on Sunday afternoon, though the hour is not as yet decided on. The deceased left a sealed statement which was opened after his death and found to contain his expressed wish that his funeral be conducted under the auspices of Oakland Commandery. His wishes will be carried out to the letter.
The hour of the funeral will not be decided until this evening. Arrangements have been delayed to await the reply of the daughter who is in Seattle. Word was received this morning that she could not present.
The funeral will undoubtedly be the largest that has ever been held in Oakland for some time post. The Fifth Regiment of Infantry will turn out as funeral escort, as a mark of respect to their deceased chaplain.

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A USEFUL LIFE
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THE STORY OF THE FIRST PROTESTANT MINISTER IN CALIFORNIA

Rev. Osgood Church Wheeler, D. D., L.L.D., was the first Protestant minister in California, preached the first Protestant sermon in San Francisco, built the first meeting house there, started the first Sunday school, and delivered the first Fourth or July oration in San Francisco or on the Pacific Coast.
He was born in the township or Walcott (now Butler) Wayne county N. Y., on March 13, 1816, being the tenth of a family of twelve children.
His early educational opportunities were exceedingly limited, but on leaving home at the age of 21 he resolved to make it his first business to obtain the most thorough education that the schools of his country could afford, which was certainly a daring aim considering the fact that be had but 37 ½ cents in money and one suit of clothes and was suffering from ill health. 

AN EIGHT YEAR COURSE

That he made Good his resolution is evidenced by the fact that he worked his way through an eight-year course at Madison University, graduating with high honors from both the college proper and the theological Seminary and was married and settled as a pastor before the age of thirty.
He was ordained a minister at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where he became the first pastor of the Baptist church. In two years, a fine church had been erected and he had met with such success that he was celled to a more important field in Jersey City, New Jersey. Here he found the church, owing to previous mal-administration, divided into three factions, but he soon restored harmony and organized a strong body.
He had no sooner inaugurated a prosperous administration than be received a call from the secretary of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, Rev. B. M. Hill, D. D., on the first of November, 1848. The secretary notified him that he was wanted to go to California as the Pioneer missionary. To this, Dr. Wheeler gave a prompt refusal, saying that he had just got his church into such shape that he would not exchange it for any pulpit in the United States. 

DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO CALIFORNIA

The secretary answered that it was because he had his church in such shape that they wished to entrust him, with the California mission. Again Dr. Wheeler declined, but he was finally prevailed upon to accept. The day the decision was made, Dr. S. H. Cone, pastor of the First Church of New York and president of the Society that was sending him out, said: "Do you know where you are going, my brother? I would rather go as a missionary to China or Cochin-China, than to San Francisco. Don't you stir a step, unless you are prepared to go to the darkest spot on earth."
Within fourteen days, however, Dr. Wheeler resigned his pastorate, closed up all his business for life, made a trip to Philadelphia, preached ten sermons, delivered three addresses and was on board the steamer Falcon with his wife in time to sail for San Francisco at noon on December 1, 1848.
He arrived at the Chagres river in nineteen days, thence to Cruces in a dug-out, thence to Panama on a mule and thence to San Francisco on the steamer California, arriving there February 28,1849. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL WITH ONE PUPIL

He commenced preaching in the residence of Mr. C. L. Ross, and proposed to organize a Sabbath school to he taught by himself and Mrs. Wheeler. When the hour arrived, however, but one child put in an appearance-the little son of the late Governor Geary of Pennsylvania. For four Sundays there was the solitary pupil and two teachers, and finally Mr. Ross advised the abandonment of the attempt, especially as there were only about half a dozen people attended the sermons. Dr. Wheeler persisted, however, saying that he would succeed or die, and such success did his pluck meet, that in the following July he bought a $10,000 lot on Washington street, cleared off the shrubs, did the first carpenter work with his own hands and in twenty-one working days, completed and dedicated the first Protestant church In California. It was a simple structure, 30x50 feet, the roof being made of the old sails of a brig then in the harbor. Everything about the Church was of the plainest nature, yet it cost $6,600 in gold.
At the dedication service the house was full, but Mrs. Wheeler was the Only female present. 

FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL

At the request of Mr. John C. Pelton, a Massachusetts teacher of experience, Dr. Wheeler donated the free use of the church for a school, and there was started the first public school; on the Pacific coast.
During the summer and autumn large numbers of Colonel Stevenson's volunteers, and others, were taken seriously ill, but found careful nurses in the doctor and his wife. In recognition of these services Colonel Stevenson subsequently presented him with a letter of thanks and a handsome gold watch and chain.
In October, 1849, the First Baptist Church, of which he was pastor, resolved to assume his entire support, thus relieving the treasury of the society that had sent him out. A committee of three, appointed to estimate the cost of his support, made an estimate by their own household expenses and fixed the sum at $10,000 a year, and recommended that he be paid monthly, in advance. At the end of five months the cost of living had been so greatly reduced, that Dr. Wheeler asked the society to reduce his salary one-half.
On February 27, 1850, Dr. Wheeler was elected president of the Pacific Tract Society, and continued to be re-elected until his removal to Sacramento. 

A FOURTH OF JULY ORATION

In response to a published invitation Dr. Wheeler delivered the first Fourth of July oration in California, at the plaza and the speech was published at public expense, and this was followed by many other secular addresses.
In 1850 H. H. Haight beat him by one vote for the chair of the Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance, but as Mr. Haight never officiated, Dr. Wheeler as second officer, filled the chair during the first year of its existence. The drafts made upon him for the first five and a half years so affected his throat that for seven years following he was utterly incapacitated for public speaking. 

STARTS A NEWSPAPER

In 1852 he removed to Sacramento where he took charge of the church and edited the first religious paper of his denomination on the coast, his first year's experience costing him $3,000.
In 1854 he resigned and visited the Eastern States, and while there was kept constantly employed by the society in delivering addresses in several States. In 1854 he was elected secretary of the State Agricultural Society, and again in 1856.
In 1863 he resigned and accepted the position as chief clerk of the Assembly, and on the conclusion of the term was presented with a handsome testimonial. 

NEXT A FEDERAL OFFICE

At the close of this Service he was appointed unexpectedly Collector of Internal Revenue for the Fourth California District, and while engaged in that work he was called upon to go to San Francisco to take charge of the United States Sanitary Commission on this coast. Within ten months he had organized 375 "Soldiers' Aid Societies," and from these sources had collected and forwarded to the Commission in New York $197,000. 

GENERAL BAGGAGE AGENT

In 1869 his wife died, and this so prostrated him that for a time his own life was despaired of, but he finally regained his health and in 1871 he accepted the invitation of the Central Pacific Railroad Company to organize and build up their work in the baggage department, and achieved such success that in 1873 the company sent him on a tour through twenty-six States and Territories and Canada, inspecting the conduct of the work in every important railroad office. This position he held up to the day of his death, and up to the time of his sickness about 250 men, scattered over 3,500 miles of railroad lines controlled by the company, made daily reports to him of every baggage check issued, to whom and by whom, where carried and to whom delivered, these reports aggregating about 570 a day. By his own system of filling, he reduced the expense of his office fully one-half, and in a moment could place his hand on any desired report.
In April, 1871, Dr. Wheeler married his second wife, Miss. Ellen R. Frisbie of Quincy, Ill., they meeting in Sacramento during her visit to California with her mother in search of health for the latter. 

MASONIC CONNECTIONS

Dr. Wheeler early identified himself with the Masonic order, passing through all the departments, including those of Knights Templar and the "Egyptian Masonic Rite of Memphis," ninety-five degrees, and appointed in nearly all "stations" and "chairs."

In May, 1879, California College conferred upon him, in view of his eminent learning and ability in the department of theology, the honorary degree of D. D., and in July of the same year the University of Jackson, Tenn., conferred on him the honorary degree of LL. D.

In mental labor he was a man of wonderful endurance, and after office hours and work he was regularly in his library from 7 to 12 p. m., working often sixteen hours a day. He was very thorough in research, as shown in his lectures on "Music," "Libraries," "Masonry," etc.
As a manager he was respected by those from whom he exerted the most rigid compliance with his rules, while as a presiding officer he was noted for his promptness, decision and urbanity. In the temperance field Dr. Wheeler was always an active worker and held many of the highest positions in the organizations to which be belonged.

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The Oakland Enquirer
Oakland, California,
Friday Evening,
April 17, 1891

After a long struggle with the grim destroyer, death finally conquered, and at half-past four yesterday afternoon Rev. Osgood Church Wheeler, D. D., L. L. D., chaplain of the Fifth Regiment of Infantry, National Guard of California, breathed his last. For over a year he had been gradually losing his vital power, and about three months ago he was so weak that it was necessary for him to remain in bed. Since then he has had unconscious spells, and for several weeks his death has been expected every day. Captain Wheeler was a man universally liked. and his friends all over the State are legion. He has had a long and eventful career, and his early advent to the Golden State has made his life a part of the early history of California.
O. C. Wheeler was born in Butler township, Wayne county, New York, March 13, 1813, and was the tenth of a family of twelve children. His early education was limited, as the facilities for obtaining a common-school education were not of the best in those early days. When he became of age he started out to battle with life, all his worldly possessions consisting of three shillings in money and but one suit of clothes. Although in not the best of health, Mr. Wheeler made his way to Madison University and worked his way through an entire eight-years' course and was graduated with honor both from the college proper and the Theological Seminary. While in college he made the acquaintance of Miss. H. E. Hamilton, whom he afterward married and who bore him a son and a daughter before her death in 1869.
Mr. Wheeler's first pastorate was at East Greenwich, R. I., where he was ordained a minister of the gospel, and where he became the first pastor of the Baptist Church in that town. He was very successful here and remained in charge of the church until called to a larger field of labor in Jersey City.
In November, 1848, the American Home Missionary Society requested him to go to California as the pioneer missionary. It was with some reluctance that Mr. Wheeler accepted the call, but on the 1st day of December, 1848, he left New York harbor on the ship Falcon, bound for the land of gold. After a tedious voyage of ninety days on the 28th of February, 1849, the vessel arrived in San Francisco bay, having among the passengers Mr. Wheeler and his family.
After a brief survey of his new field of labors, Mr. Wheeler arranged to hold religious services in the dwelling of C. L. Ross, there being at that time no church in San Francisco. For four Sundays the only attendant at his Sunday school was the little son of General Geary, the Alcalde, and only half a dozen persons listened to his sermons, which were the first preached in California by a Protestant missionary. In a few weeks after his arrival he had organized a church of six members, and in July 1849, he bought a lot on Washington street, San Francisco, for $10,000 and personally cleared off the chapperal and commenced with his own hands the erection of the first Protestant church in California.
The first public school was started at that time and was held in Mr. Wheeler's church. The pastor was allowed $10,000 a year salary, but at the end of five months the cost of living had been so reduced that his salary was, at his own request, reduced to $5,000.
From a stand erected in the plaza, Dr. Wheeler delivered the first Independence Day oration ever listened to in the State. Thousands gathered to hear him, and the effort gave such satisfaction that it was printed at public expense, and is still looked upon as one of the gems of California oratory.
On February 27, 1850, Dr. Wheeler was elected president of the Pacific Tract Society. From almost continuous speaking Mr. Wheeler's voice gave out, and for seven years he delivered no more public addresses. In 1852 he removed to Sacramento, where he edited the first Baptist paper on the Pacific Coast. In 1854 he visited the East, where his fame as an orator had already preceded him, and he found calls for speeches almost as numerous as they had been here. In this year he was elected secretary of the State Agriculture Society, filling the position until 1863, when he resigned to accept the clerkship of the Assembly. Later on he was appointed to the position of Collector of Internal Revenue, and while collector he went to San Francisco, where he took charge of the United States Sanitary Commission of the Pacific Coast, organized 365 soldiers' aid societies, and from these sources collected and forwarded to the commission in New York $197,000.
In 1869 his wife died, the blow being a hard one to him and completely unnerving him for his work. About this time the Central Pacific Railroad Company proposed to him to take charge of the baggage department. When he entered upon the discharge of his duties he found the department without a method or system. In fact, it was completely unorganized. His efforts to systematize this branch of railway service were completely successful and are highly appreciated by the company, in whose service he remained until his death.
In April, 1871, Mr. Wheeler married his second wife, Mrs. Ellen R. Frisbee of Quincy, Ill., a most estimable lady, respected and loved by all who know her. She survives her husband.
In May, 1879, the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon Mr. Wheeler by the California College, and in July of the same year Dr. Wheeler was given the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the university at Jackson, Tenn.
In 1872 Dr. Wheeler moved to Oakland, where he has resided ever since, his home being at 1653 Grove street.
On August 13th, 1863, Major Horace D. Randlett, commanding the Fifth Infantry Battalion, commissioned Dr. Wheeler chaplain of the battalion, with rank of Captain. He has been successively appointed to the same position in the Fifth Regiment by Colonel Mervyn Donahue and Colonel Fairbanks, and the soldiers of that regiment loved their chaplain for his kindly ways. He called them "my boys" and was always in attendance at all the encampments of the regiment. At Santa Cruz last August, on the Sunday morning when camp was broken, Dr. Wheeler delivered a sermon to the regiment, and his last words, which many will remember, were that he feared he never would see his boys again, and with tears in his eyes he bid them a sad good by and hoped they would often think of him.
Dr. Wheeler has been connected with the Masonic fraternity since 1852, and has held many important positions therein. He has served terms as grand chaplain of the Grand Lodge and was grand prelate of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar and supreme prelate of the Sovereign Sanctuary Royal Masonic Rite of the United States. He was a member of the Oakland Commandery, No. 11, Knights Templar.
Besides a widow and children several sisters survive him.
The funeral of Dr. Wheeler will take place Sunday at 2:30 P.M. at Masonic Tempe. The body will be taken to Sacramento for interment.

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From Microfilm Copy at:
The California State Library
California Room
Sacramento, California

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Retyped by:
Robert W. Cullifer
Sacramento, California