James Wheeler Cemetery

A new sign was placed yesterday, April 3, 2017 to mark the little historic family cemetery of the James Wheeler family, an early pioneer family of Crittenden County.  After all these years, over 168,  this cemetery has it's first sign.

Mr. Noble Travis, a descendant of Lindley M. Travis, who is buried here, is responsible for the recent cleaning and placement of this beautiful sign.

The beginning of the James Wheeler Cemetery, located on Just-A-Mere Road.

James Wheeler came with his parents to Kentucky at the age of twelve years. He entered 400 acres of land on the North Fork of Piney Creek on February 1, 1802 at old Centerville on Livingston Creek in Livingston (now Crittenden County), . This land was surveyed on August 19, 1803. He built his house on this tract of land where he lived. He built first on the point of the hill just North of the Creek. Later, about 1842 he built on the same ridge a few hundred yards North where he lived the remainder of his life. This would have at one time been the B. C. and Elizabeth McNeely farm. The cemetery is just down the road from their homeplace.  (The farm was sold several years ago after Mr. and Mrs. McNeely passed away.)

John Elder Wheeler was the second son, and third child of James and Mary (Elder) Wheeler. He was the first one to be buried in the James Wheeler grave yard. 

John Elder Wheeler came into this world a victim of unfortunate circumstances. The latter part of the year of 1811 and early part of 1812 was a time of severe earthquake shocks along the Mississippi river near New Madrid and other points, when the earth sank and Reel-Foot lake was formed. These earthquakes were continuous and very severe for a time.

Mary the mother of John Elder Wheeler being in a delicate condition would become very nervous when these earth tremors began. Under these stressful times and her nervous condition, John Elder Wheeler was born. He was a very nervous child, and this condition lasted him through life.

He was devoutly religious. A neighbor, Mrs. Mary Ann Lamb, said he could pray the best prayer she ever heard. His mother said he was the most thoughtful of her wishes and comfort than any of the other children. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Piney Fork and at one time was secretary of the Sunday School. He had what would be a very good education for the people of his locality at that time. His handwriting was legible considering his nervous condition. He never married.

John Elder Wheeler was the first to be buried in James Wheeler family cemetery. He died Nov. 20, 1849, 37 years, 10 months and one day. 

The family history tell that John's sister, Susannah C. Wheeler Travis, grieved over him being buried by himself, and in less than a month on Dec. 15, 1849, she was dead, and was buried near him.