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TLe pretty home of Mr* and Mrs.Jmes M. Wheeler, in Flora, was the scene of a happy event Friday when, surrounded by their children and families, they observed their golden wedding anniversary. The home was prettily decorated for-the occasion and at the noon hour a delicious dinner was served. During the afternoon, from 2 to 5 o'clock, and in the evening, from 7 to 9 o’clock friends called to pay their respects and all in all the day was one that will be long remembered by this highly esteemed Flora couple. All of the five children and the nine grandchildren were in attendance.James M. Wheeler is one of the earliest of Flora business men and is weJl known over Carroll county. He was born in Middletown, Illinois, Octoberthe young groom’e capital at this time consisted of robust health and a firm determination to succeed. Their house was not adorned with pianos, buffets, upholstered fchairs, Victrolas and other of the nice furniture such as many of the young people of today are accustomed to having. They had no cook stove for some time and the “chairs” were soap boxes secured from the grocery store. The table cloth was a Delphi Journal, at that time the leading newspaper of the county and which could be sent to the laundry only by getting a clean one at the home ot the elder Wheeler. No feather pillow was known to this happy couple, but their tired heads lay every night on a balster of straw. Everything to them was poverty but they were happy in their love for eaeii other.MR. AND MRS. JAMES M. WHEELER'7, 1S53, and was 69 years of age Saturday. His father was a blacksmith and “Jim” was early put to work helping in whatever capacity he could. In 1864 the family came to Delphi, where the father secured a position in the shop of Dunkle Kilgore, and at the age of ten “Jim” was put to work assisting his father. Of course his wages were not taken into consideration and he was compelled to pick rags from the alleys, wash and carry them to the paper mill, where they brought him some of the first money he ever knew as his own. Today, through his successful business career of many years, he is well endowed with his share of this world's posesssions. An incident right here will show what often happens to boys just because thev are boys. Wheeler, after quite a parley. secured a job of sawing into stove-wood. a Jot of four-foot poles for a merchant of the town for a consideration of 75 cents. He went to worlc with all the vim of boyhood and never stopped, doing perhaps $2.00 worth of labor. When he had completed the work he called at the store for his pav. This fellow could not believe that the work had been finished and sent a clerk to see. This clerk reported that the wTork was done, but because it took young Wheeler such a short time to do it, he gave him but 50 cents, saying “that 'is enough ‘for a boy.” At theage of 16 we find him ironing buggies for Nathaniel Startsman, who ran a factory on the hill in South Delphi. In the year 1877 he was married to Miss Margaret Jordan and they went to housekeeping in Delphi. The young bride was a daughter of Henry and Margaret Jordan, pioneer residents of the Walnut Stump vicinity. About allINow our story changes. The couple moved to Moran, just over the line in Clinton county, where Mr. Wheeler conducted a shop and built a house all on the confidence of other people. He sold out in less than a year, and cleared about $350 and a good set of tools. He then located at Walnut Stump, where he worked at his trade a smithy for a short time. He began to realize that he could not always hammer iron and with about $150 went to Cincinnati, where he purchased threa cheap buggies, which he shipped to Kokomo and hauled them home. This was the beginning of a business whieSt is now the firm of J. M. WheelerSons and which runs into the thousands of dollars each year. He formed a partnership first with L. S. Myer and they branched out into the general implement business. In 1897 they located in Flora and Mr. Wheeler has been continuously in the business. He is one of Flora's very best business men and has a class of trade that sticks to the firm under any and all circumstances. His wife is only three years hie junior. Both are members of the Church of the Brethren and there are no better citizens than they. WTith their family of five children, Mrs.T. A. Kearns, J. Floyd Wheeler and Fred Wheeler, of this city; Mrs. O. A. Trent, of Peru, and Mrs. Roy Brower, of Delaware, Ohio, and their grandchildren surrounding them Friday they were just as happy as they were when “Love's Sweet Dream” was young.Among the many gifts received was a box of Golden Fruit received Thursday from the Golden State of Colorado, which was sent by David Bower, form* er Flora resident, and Albert Jordan, a brother of Mrs, Wheeler,
Newspaper Details
Delphi Journal
Delphi, Indiana, US
Thu, Oct 12, 1922
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Pikes P.
CO, USA 11 Jan 2020
Other Publications Near Delphi, Indiana
Delphi Evening Herald
Delphi Journal
Delphi Carroll County Citizen Times
Delphi Carroll County Citizen
Delphi Weekly Times
