The history of Elm Bend’s Wheat Family is one of unique character and lasting legacy. Joseph Wheat Sr. was not the only person with the surname Wheat residing in Southern Woodford County during the 19th century, but "J. Wheat" holds a distinct place in the historical record. His name is written clearly on the 1861 and 1870 historical maps of Woodford County (in photo gallery above)—a significant marker indicating he was a free Black landowner in the both the slavery and Reconstruction eras. His is the only Black name on the map in the Elm Bend area at the time. These maps serve as a permanent testament to his status and agency, regardless of the hardships he may have faced in the years prior or the trouble he may have faced in the years to come.
On January 5, 1866, he married Mary Tutt, who was born in 1843. To this union eleven children were born. Joseph adored Mary, and upon his death, he left her in charge of his estate. His love for his children was equally evident; he ensured his son, Frank Joseph Wheat Sr., inherited the part of his land. Frank's homestead, remembered for its big black barn and a house with a sprawling porch sitting high off the road, is still standing today at 8804 Troy Pike.
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Life in Elm Bend
Frank is known to his grandchildren as pillar of the family. He helped raise many of his grandchildren until they were ten or twelve years old. His grandson, James Lee "Jimmy" Wheat Sr. (born 1939), fondly recalls riding down to Clear Creek by the Johnston Bridge. Frank would ride his horse—which the kids knew was actually a mule—carrying buckets to fetch water for his wife, Ida Williams Wheat to use for washing clothes and various other things, the grandsons tagged along to help.
Faith was the compass of the family. Every other Sunday, the children alternated between their mother’s church home, Mortonsville Baptist Church, and their father’s home church, Elm Bend A.M.E. These Sundays were filled with "basket meetings" and the familiar sight of the original Elm Bend Schoolhouse standing off KY Highway 33 (Troy Pike).
The oral history preserved by Jimmy Wheat provides a raw and honest look at the family’s journey. He remembers the burial of his grandfather (whom he called "Dad"), recalling how the family had to beat back thick weeds and brush just to reach the gravesite. Due to severe economic disparities, the family cemetery could not be maintained; limited access as well, the family had to seek permission from a white landowner just to visit their ancestors. Today, physical access to that sacred ground is completely cut off.
Jimmy also recalls the simpler times of his youth in the 1940s, attending school in Pinckard and visiting his white friend Bobby Moore after school to watch a bit of television before heading home for chores. When reflecting on the discipline of the era, Jimmy jokes, "He used to work us like slaves," referring to the high expectations Frank Sr. had for the boys on the farm—a testament to the family's relentless work ethic.
A Lasting Connection
While many of Joseph Wheat Sr.’s children eventually moved to surrounding counties or states, their roots remained in the soil of Elm Bend. Rev. Joseph W. Wheat Jr. remained in Elm Bend until 1910, serving the community as a preacher in Southern Woodford County for many years before relocating to Mercer County where he was buried in 1918 at age 40.
The Wheat family stands as a primary example of the tight-knit, deeply religious, and well-connected Black families that built Southern Woodford County. They were a people who turned land ownership into a foundation for education, faith, and community leadership. Though the physical gates to their ancestral cemetery may be closed, their story remains open—preserved through the voices of descendants and the enduring name of "J. Wheat" on the maps of Kentucky history.
