Wheeler Tavern Burned 1912

Burnt to ground, loss $25,000

April 9, 1912

Mrs. Annie W. Reed, Recently Acquitted on Murder Charge, Burned Out in Her Greenville Home-Other Buildings Lost.

   The old Wheeler tavern, one of the historic buildings in this part of the state, was destroyed by fire which broke out at 11:45 o'clock last night, and the great barn on the premises went up in smoke with it. The flames from this burning group of buildings set fire to the house of Daniel R. Tracy, located across the road, and that was destroyed. 

   The Wheeler tavern was owned and occupied by Mrs. Annie W. Reed, 

   Mrs. Reed was asleep in the house at the time, and with her husband, who recently celebrated his 82nd birthday anniversary, barely escaped. As it was, Mr. Reed was slightly burned. The barking of a dog in the house roused the inmates, and possibly saved their lives, for the fire had gained such headway in the great building that in 30 minutes after the alarm was given, the old tavern building and the great barn were burned flat. The Tracy house burned for two hours.

   A peculiar incident in connection. with the fire is that Mrs. Read had planned to dispose of her property, real and personal, and an auction was billed through the surrounding towns for Thursday of this week. 

   The Wheeler tavern was created in 1780 or soon after and was for many years on the stage line between Boston and Keene. It was located on the road from Mason to New Ipswich and stood at the junction of the town lines of Mason, New Ipswich and Greenville. It was a wooden building, two and a half stories high, 100 by 40, in the main part, with two ells. 40 by 40 each. The barn was 100 by 60 feet. The only live stock in the barn was a horse, and he was taken out in safety. Mr. and Mrs. Reed saved none of their personal effects, and neither did Fred Bartlett, who was the only other person in the house at the time the fire broke out 

   It was some little time before the neighbors could get to the scene of the fire and by that time the Tracy house was afire. The Tracy family was not at home when she fire broke out, having been for the evening In Mason. The Tracy buildings were erected 110 years ago. 

   The loss on the Tavern property is set at $5000 and Mrs. Reed carried but $1500 insurance. On the Tracy property, the loss is aut at $1500 with insurance at $800. A defective chimney in the old tavern is thought to have caused the fire.

Old Wheeler Tavern

James Roger diary entry

October 4^th  1908 (Sunday)

Fine bright forenoon, clouding afterwards, wind varying to N.E.  Mr. Peacock preached on the “Joy of Harvest”. Church decorated with corn pumpkins. & corn &c.  No Sunday school at a meeting of S.S. it was voted to give five dollars to Col. Carpenter of the Salvation Army who is to be the preacher next Sunday.  C.E. Topic: Vows F.  Whittemore leader.