Several years ago, I received a call from Joyce about some pictures and documents she inherited. She and her husband Keith purchased Clifford Wheat's home in Amite, Louisiana. Everyone called him "Node" in Amite.
"One of the records I saw was an application called" Our Farm and Home Plan for 1948. He owned fifteen acres of land. His inventory consisted of Livestock and equipment. His asset valued at 1, 858.80.
Coming up to 1956, his Upland Cotton Marketing Card said that he planted two acres of cotton.
He was the son of John Wheat and Delia Leonard Wheat. His sibling was: Emma, John, Jr., Conerly, Percy, Enna, Clifford, and Herbert Wheat.
Clifford Wheat was born on October 17, 1904 and died on September 7, 1985. He's buried in Big Zion Cemetery in Roseland, Louisiana.
His father John was born in 1872. According to the 1930 United States Census, John owned his home. He couldn't read or write.
John's mother was named Julia Wheat. His sibling were; Henry, Hezekiah, Ella, Rosa, and Solomon Wheat. Julia was born in 1850 and died on September 10, 1919. She was a servant for a private family. In the United States 1910 United States Federal Census, she was listed as a widow.
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| Antoinette Harrell documenting the Wheat History |
I spent several hours reading and scanning her rich collection for preservation. History of African-American people of Tangipahoa and St. Helena hasn't been preserved up until this point. I spend a lot of time collecting and organizing my finding for preservation at the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at Southeastern University.
How could we learn about the history of African-Americans of the two Florida Parishes if it isn't recording and documented for study?
He was an African-American entrepreneur and employed other people in the community with jobs. He and his father paid people to help them harvest their crops during harvest time. "I worked on the place," said Edwin. I worked around the place doing odd and end jobs. I watered the cows. I never picked beans, cotton, or strawberries for them. I worked for Anthony Girgenti for a short time said Edwin.
The old wooden house with the front porch was very clean. It was alway freshly painted. The pasture was very well kept and maintain. Documenting these story is important due to the fact that a lot of people who could recall the time period that I'm documenting has pass away. If anyone have photographs, documents, or stories they would like to share with Preserving Our History in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes, please email me at afrigenah@yahoo.com.
Current owners of Clifford Wheat's Property is Joyce and Keith LaFonta of New Orleans, La. The LaFontas' purchased the Wheat property from Anthony Girgenti providing a legal servitude and right of way to future land owners.
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