Preserving Pocahontas

Celebrating Black History Month. Lewis Edward Wheeler was born in 1870 in Bath County, Virginia. His father was Benjamin Wheeler and the name of his mother is unknown. He lived in the Brownsburg area near Marlinton, W.Va. and was a farmer and laborer. According to his death certificate, he died on April 8, 1917 of pulmonary tuberculosis. His obituary placed in The Pocahontas Times reads as follows: “Lewis E. Wheeler, aged 49, died at his home a few miles from Marlinton, Sunday morning, April 8, 1917 after a long illness of diabetes. He was buried near his home on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife and their eight children, two sisters and four brothers – a sister and brother at White Sulphur, Robert at Pittsburgh, and Lizzie, Ed and Andy who live nearby. The deceased will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He was a member of the board of trustees of the public school at his home for a number of years and he did some good work. When asked to give to the church he would do what he could. (signed) A Friend” (Preserving Pocahontas Archives, ID: PHP001161)

Access the “Preserving Pocahontas” Digital Library at www.pocahontaspreservation.org or www.preservingpocahontas.org

If you have historical records or photographs to be scanned for the county Historical Archive contact Preservation Officer B.J. Gudmundsson at 304-799-3989 or email info@pocahontaspreservation.org Prints of photographs are available.