William Wheeler gained two new siblings from this marriage, Charles Pinkney (1866–1894) and Albert Sheridan (1868–1883).

Wheeler kept in touch and remained close with family from his mother’s side; his aunt, Elvira Stubbs Pray, her four children, and her husband, who was a renowned Quaker preacher, gave Wheeler a Bible that he would later carry with him into the American Civil War.

He took part in the campaign against the Confederate general, Hood, as well as the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville.

A letter to his cousin, Rachel Pray, explains his conversion from his "unworthy life", confessing a drinking problem and feelings of despair, sinfulness, and misery.

Their son, Walter, founded Memorial Park in Indianapolis and managed the Crown Hill Cemetery.

In 1895, Wheeler resigned from his job with the hardware company to become the full-time superintendent of the rescue mission.

Even though bedridden, Wheeler managed the mission, with the help of his assistants, until the time of his death in 1908 on Christmas Day.

On the Sunday morning of December 27, the poor gathered at the mission to say their goodbye's to “Brother Wheeler.” A second funeral was held later that afternoon at the Central Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church and a third, private, family funeral was held on the morning of December 28.

[1] Today, Wheeler Mission Ministries is a non-denominational, Christian organization that provides critically needed goods and services to the homeless, poor, and needy of central Indiana without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, or religion.