He must have always been curious about the deformity that afflected his brother's hands. After all they grew up togehter and the Wheeler boys (George and Robert) were both raised by Winfield's father Robert Scott.
Winfield was truely very interested in this anomaly, so much so that he wrote a Scientific article about it that was published in the 1933 Oxford Journal. Below is the article. After the article I will outline the subjects (to the best of my ability as Winfield got some of the info incorrect. Which is understandable as his mother had been gone for over 25 years at the time of the writing of the article). His mother would have been the source for much of the information pertaining to the 1st and 2nd generations (barring the living children).
I have studied the chart and article and Winfield has a few children incorrect and that George Wheeler Sr. was married twice. He was actually married 3 times. Winfield has lumped the children of the first two marriages into one.
Squares are Males and Circles are Females
Generation I: I1 =Jesse Wheeler born 1794 North Carolina (The circle next to him is his wife Sarah Oslin)
Generation II:
II-2= George Washington Wheeler Sr. born 1821 North Carolina (circles next to him represent (one of the left his first 2 wives Almerium Carolyn Atkinson and Martha Kennemore). Circle to the right of him Sarah Jane Hooper.
Of Generation II I know of another one (all the children of generation II are not listed here as Winfield was only working with the decendants of George Washington Wheeler Sr.) One of these children I know for sure had a grandchild with this affliction. James T. Wheeler's grandson Cleo Wheeler also bore the Syndactaly.
Generation III:
III-3 = David Franklin Wheeler born 1855(circle next to him his is wife Eliza Jane Cooper)
III-4 = Dr. James Gideon Wheeler born 1842 (circle next to him is his wife Minnie Hillerman)
III-5 = George Washington Wheeler JR. born 1871(circle next to him is his wife Ursula Pyland)
III-6 = Robert Clury Wheeler born 1873 (circle next to him is his wife Julia Cooper
Interesting to note here that in the III generation: Minerva Ann Wheeler born 1862, Elisha Benjamin Wheeler born 1860, John Henry Wheeler born 1866, William Washington Wheeler born 1853, and Joseph Richard bor 1868: were not afflicted.
Generation IV:
Children of David Franklin Wheeler and Eliza Jane:
IV-7 = Jesse Alvin Wheeler born 1886 (circles represent he was married 2x. We know from census records he served time in prison at least in 1910 as he shows up incarcerated at that time. By the 1940 census he shows divorced and is living with his brother William)
IV-8 = Allie Wheeler Reeder born 1894(she is shown on the 1930 census as being an "inmate" at a State hospital for the insane. This coincides with the article above in which Dr. Scott elaborates on this. One of her children in Generation V is also insane.
IV9 = James Ammon Wheeler born 1881 (circle next to him is his wife Cora Dickering)
Interesting to note here that in the IV generation children of David Franklin Wheeler: William Dallas Wheeler born 1884, Minnie and/or May Wheeler not sure which is listed, and George Lewis Wheeler born 1878 became a preacher but never married: are all unafflicted.
Generatin IV:
IV10 and IV 11= Unknown Name - Child of Dr. James Gideon Wheeler and Minne Hillerman, both of their children die in infancy and they have no more.
Children Minerva Ann Wheeler are all un- afflicted.
Children of George W. Wheeler JR are all un afflicted. 8 boys and 2 girls. 1 girl and 1 boy die. The rest are un afflicted. At this time 1933. However, in the 1960's a 7th Generation is affected. These are the Great Great grandchildren of George W. Wheeler Jr. This generatin of course has not occured in 1933 therefore unavailable for study.
Children of Robert Clury Wheeler are also unafflicted save 1 of his grandchildren in the V generation V-19.
Generation V:
2 boys and 1 girl of Jesse Alvin are afflicted and photos of their hands/feet are in the beginning of the above article. V-12, V-13 and V-14. One of the boys afflicted is Ford Edison and unsure the other as there were 3 brothers.
2 children of Allie Wheeler Reeder are also afflicted, both girls, V-15 and V-16.
2 children of James Ammon Wheeler both boys are afflicated V-17 and V-18.
