On April 1, 1778, Wheatley married John Peters, a handsome and well-mannered free black. They knew each others for five years,then they married. He likes to call himself Dr. Peters, practicing law and keeping a grocery store at the court. But, his business did not work well and match his dream. Soon after their marriage, they moved to Wilmington, Massachusetts. Shortly returning to Boston they set up their home in the run-down section of the city. Since John Peter could not find a job and that made them became very poor. She had three children with John Peter but they all died when they were still a baby. The debt from John Peter makes Wheatley go to work as a charwoman.