Joseph Wheeler Plantation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pond Spring, The General Joe Wheeler Home
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The Wheeler House, built in the 1870s. It is the youngest of the three houses on the property.
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Wheeler, Alabama |
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| Built | 1818-80 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000209 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1977 |
The Joseph Wheeler Plantation, also known as Pond Spring, is a special historic place in Wheeler, Alabama. It is located in the beautiful Tennessee River Valley. This property has twelve old buildings that were built between 1818 and the 1880s. It became a protected historic site on April 13, 1977, because of its connection to a famous person named Joseph Wheeler.
Contents
History of Pond Spring
Early Settlers and Owners
The Pond Spring property was first started by the John P. Hickman family in 1818. They were some of the very first people to settle in Lawrence County. By 1820, the Hickman family had 11 members. They also owned 56 enslaved people, who were forced to work without pay or freedom.
In 1827, a wealthy farmer named Benjamin Sherrod bought Pond Spring from the Hickmans. He came from Halifax County, North Carolina and owned more than 300 enslaved people. The property was very large, about 1,760 acres.
The Sherrod Family and Their Home
In the 1830s, Benjamin Sherrod's son, Felix Sherrod, made big changes to the property. He greatly expanded one of the two log cabins, which were called dogtrot cabins. This larger home is now known as the Sherrod House. It shows a simple, local style of building that was popular at the time. The smaller dogtrot cabin was used as housing for enslaved people.
After Felix Sherrod passed away, his son, also named Benjamin, inherited the plantation. In 1859, this Benjamin Sherrod married Daniella Jones. She was from a nearby plantation called Caledonia. Sadly, Benjamin died early in 1861.
General Joseph Wheeler's Life
Daniella Sherrod met Joseph Wheeler in 1863. He was a general in the Confederate States Army from Augusta, Georgia. They met when he visited the area during the American Civil War. After the war ended, they got married. They lived in New Orleans for four years.
In the early 1870s, Joseph and Daniella Wheeler moved back to Lawrence County. They built a new home right next to the older Sherrod House. This new house is now known as the Wheeler House.
Wheeler's Public Service
Starting in 1880, Joseph Wheeler served many terms as a United States Representative for Alabama. He worked in politics until 1900. In 1898, Wheeler volunteered to serve in the Spanish–American War. President William McKinley made him a major general of volunteers.
During this war, General Wheeler led the cavalry division. This group included Theodore Roosevelt's famous Rough Riders. Wheeler also served in the Philippine–American War in 1899. He commanded a brigade there until January 1900. On June 16, 1900, he became a brigadier general in the regular army. He retired on September 10, 1900, and moved to New York City. Joseph Wheeler passed away in 1906.
The Wheeler Family Legacy
Joseph Wheeler's daughter, Annie, continued to live at the plantation. She lived there until she passed away in 1955. The property stayed in the Wheeler family until 1993. In that year, the family donated it to the state of Alabama and the Alabama Historical Commission.
Visiting Pond Spring
The Alabama Historical Commission now manages the Pond Spring property. They have finished restoring the Wheeler House. Visitors can now explore this historic home.
See also
