From The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 419-420

JOSEPH S. WHEAT was representative from Morgan
County in the First and Second Legislatures of West Vir-
ginia. He was born in the Village of Berkeley Springs,
March 31, 1803, a son of William and Elizabeth (Shaw)
Wheat, the latter a native of Virginia, while William Wheat
came from England. William Wheat at one time kept a
hotel at Berkeley Springs. Joseph Wheat acquired a good
education, became a civil engineer, and was too old for
service as a soldier in the Civil war, but was an active
Union man. He was taken prisoner by the Confederates and
confined at Richmond for three months until exchanged. He
was elected in 1863 to the House of Delegates as representa-
tive of Morgan County. While in the Legislature he was
instrumental in the passage of the law establishing a free
school system in the state. He also served several years
as justice of the peace. Joseph S. Wheat died May 6, 1872.

He married Miranda Grove, a native of Frederick County,
Virginia, and daughter of John and Eleanor (Newbaugh)
Grove.  Her father was a farmer and local Methodist
minister and died at the age of eighty-one, his wife dying
ten years later at the same age. Mrs. Joseph S. Wheat died
December 17, 1890.  She reared six children:  Harriet,
Henry, Mary, James, John and Alfred.

The daughter Harriet, became the wife of John Hunter
and reared seven children namely, Raymond, Carrie, Bailey,
Jessie, Leslie, Helen and Albert.

A second daughter Mary, married Edward Bechtol, a son
of Aaron Bechtol. Edward Bechtol was well educated, for
many years was in the tannery industry and was a life-long
resident of Berkeley Springs where he died at the age of
seventy-two. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bechtol reared seven
children: Edward Ford, Eugene Leroy, Nellie, Harry F.,
William Guy, Maud S., and Florence May.

A Photo of J.S. Wheat may be found on the Morgan County Web-page
at http://www.rootsweb.com/~WVMorgan/