45 Maple Street – The Charles T. Wheelock House

Charles T Wheelock acquired this property from his father in November 1881, building his Italianate-Stick style house there around 1883. Originally this house lot was part of Elijah Wheelock’s (1812-1989) estate. The Elijah Wheelock house can be seen at 29 Maple Street.

            Elements of the Chas. Wheelock Italianate/Stick Style house:

• Porch balustrade
  • Porch columns
  • Three-story with hipped roof
  • Double doors
  • “T” shaped plan
  • 2/2 double hung windows
  • uppermost window – Greek Revival
  • large ancient beech tree in front

Charles Theodore Wheelock was born 1847 in West Dedham (now Westwood) to Elijah Wheelock and Mary Colburn. Wheelock worked in the bookbinder supply business, and was a leather dealer and later in life he was a local merchant. He served the town as water commissioner and ran for town treasurer.

In November of 1881, he married Caroline Lucy Fisher (1856-????) in Norwood. She was the daughter of John L. Fisher and Lucy E. Ellis. Charles and Caroline had one son, John Fisher Wheelock (1895-1965). Charles died in 1923 and Caroline continued to live in the house until her death in 1943. Their son John sold the property to Warren L & Alice Milliken in December 1943.

Warren Leslie Milliken was born 1903 in Everett, MA, and was the son of George & Cora Milliken. Warren was a businessman working as a banker and an insurance agent. Milliken was a historian, he wrote a book called The Creation of Pilgrim Blunderbuss (When You Don’t Know How). He married in 1938 Alice Marie Pratt in New York City. She was born 1907 in Manchester, NH, the daughter of Lester & Alice Pratt. The Millikens were living at 45 Maple Street in the 1950 census. They did not have any children. It is unclear when they sold the property and moved away. Warren died in 2002 and Alice in 1993. They are buried in Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy.

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