Judge Charles Wheeler, judge of the city court of Muskogee, was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, November 11, 1856, and is a son of Ransley and Electa (MacOmber) Wheeler. The father was a miller and farmer and active business man. The son obtained a country school education and afterward attended the preparatory department of Hillsdale College, where he pursued the regular four years college course, graduating in 1882 with the B. A. degree. Later he became a student in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. His law studies were pursued in an office in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and later in the law department of the State University at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1882 with the LL. B. degree.
He then again entered the department of the university and after a three months’ course was graduated as previously stated. On the 1st of September, 1882, he removed to Vernon, Texas, where he continued in the general practice of law for sixteen years with excellent success, and during that period he also developed and farmed sixteen hundred acres of land, raising in one year twenty thousand bushels of wheat.
In April, 1898, Judge Wheeler came to Muskogee and opened a law office, continuing in active practice until elected justice of the peace in 1910, in which position he served for two terms of two years each. In 1918 he was elected judge. At that time there were two judges and when one of these offices was abolished Judge Wheeler was made assistant county attorney and occupied the position for two years. In November, 1920, he was again elected judge of the city court and is now serving on the bench.
On the 19th of January, 1887, Judge Wheeler was married to Martha Mellette, of Texas, and they have become’ parents of twelve children, ten living, namely: Nettie, Gladys, Cyrus, George, Daniel, Challenge, Roger, Frances, Preston and Epsy.
The family are members of the Episcopal church. Judge Wheeler belongs also to the Delta Tau Delta a college fraternity. He greatly enjoys outdoor life and finds much interest and recreation in the management and development of his fruit farm. At the same time he is a most capable lawyer and efficient judge, his service on the bench in the city court being characterized by fairness and impartiality in his decisions and also by a masterful grasp of every problem that comes up for solution.