The Wheats came to America early in the 18th century, in fact, one of
     the clan lost his life in the Revolutionary War.
       My grandfather, J.Q. Wheat was born in New York State in 1832. His
     mother had the distinction of being a cousin of John Quincy Adams, so
     the name Quincy stayed in the family for years.
       At an early age he came West and in 1865 married Martha Strong, they
     settled in Boone County, Iowa, where my father, J.A. and W.A. were born,
     the boys were known as Al and Bill. My father was born in 1872. In 1886
     the family came West to Medicine Lodge and settled on a ranch west of
     town. The boys moved to town and batched through the school years.
       After finishing school, my father worked on ranches. When the Indian
     Territory opened for settlers, he made the run into Oklahoma, staked a 
     town lot in Taloga, which he sold.
       He married my mother, Mary Olsen, in 1896. Her parents had migrated
     here from Denmark. They settled on a small cattle ranch about 20 miles
     west of Medicine Lodge where we three kids, Jennilee, Ray and Ernest
     were born.
       Out where we lived there was a community of small ranchers, about
     eight families. Everyone worked hard and the whole community had to
     make their own entertainment. We would meet at the schoolhouse for 
     Christmas, box suppers, spelling and ciphering matches and enjoyed it
     all, for that was all we had.
       In 1913 my sister entered high school, so we moved to town for the
     school year. That was the year my father bought his first car. I finished
     school there, graduated in 1918 and went to business college but didn't 
     like working inside, so started farming in 1919.
       In 1924 I married Ruth Hays of Burlington, Oklahoma. We had two sons,
     Hays and Bob. We moved to Oklahoma in 1929 and went to work for the
     telephone company, ran the company for 11 years. Our boys were good
     athletes. Bob was all-state in football, went to the University of
     Oklahoma and played fullback. After leaving the telephone company, I
     operated a service station at Alva, Oklahoma, owned a restaurant in 
     Fairview, Oklahoma, moved to a farm in Kansas in 1954, sold the farm
     in 1957 and moved to Yakima, Washington; bought an apartment house
     and have been here ever since.
       This town is 140 miles east of Seattle at the foot of the Cascades,
     is beautiful, is a fruit and farming area with all irrigation.
       I lost my wife in 1964 and my oldest son in 1969. My son, Bob, lives
     in Bellevue, Washington. I have six grandchildren and one great-grand
     daughter. I am 80, live alone, haven't had a sick day in my life. I
     care for the apartments, lawn and garden, play duplicate bridge and 
     won the Puget Sound Checker Tourney last February .
       I have a cousin in Medicine Lodge (Mrs. Chas. Gordon) and lots of
     friends back there.
       How are you, A.T.?
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 483 
     Submitted by: Ray Wheat