Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
Wheeler, Elder Thomas J., son of Benjamin and Margaret (White) Wheeler, reared in the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, and was ordained as a minister in the Palestine Baptist Association where he served for more than 50 years and his first sermon was preached at Mt. Olive Church. He was married to Rose Ella Ralston, daughter of Prevo and Angeline (Evans) Ralston on January 31, 1891. His wife preceded him in death less than a year, on February 9, 1953.
Quoting from the Memoirs of Elder T.J. Wheeler he says "My first meeting was held at Lookout School house near Palestine in February 1901. An unusual incident in this meeting was the saving of the teacher of the school and thirteen of his pupils".
He served seventeen pastorates, the longest at West Union being twelve years, others being at Prior Grove, Island Grove, Olive Branch, Mount Olive, Old Hutsonville, Bethel Prairie Grove, Pleasant Grove, Bethany, Lawrenceville, Robinson, West Union, Flat Rock, Bridgeport and Oblong. As pastor he led in the building of church houses at Bethel, West Union, Flat Rock and the rebuilding of Bethany.
Again quoting from his memoirs, "To preach the gospel and render service to Kingdom interests in the joy of the ministry" and he quoting from the Bible Tim. 1-12 "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry".
Elder T.J. Wheeler passed away at his home in West Union, aged 83 years on Saturday January 30, 1944.
The above information was secured through the courtesy of Mrs. Murray Guyer.