Wheelwright

In the days of wagons, nearly every town had a wheelwright. He made and repaired wagon, cart, and spinning wheels. He started with the hub or center, which was the strongest part of the wheel. It held more around a dozen spokes in place and was made from the center core of a tree that had been aged for at least seven years to get it perfectly dry. The axle ran through the center of the hub to turn the wheel. The rim of the wheel was made from several curved sections to form a circle. When the wheel was finished, an iron ring was fitted around the outside of the wheel by heating it and hammering it into place. It cooled and shrank to grip the wheel tightly.

The wheels would still become worn with use, and they would need repairing or replacing. In Cleared for Planting, Emma's family stops in Tucker's Barn (later to become Lenoir, NC) to take care of their wheels. Still, after they get up the mountain and head toward Uncle Roy's, a wheel comes off causing Emma to be bruised, Christie to skin her face, and Francie to break her arm. Fred Moretz comes to their rescue and takes them home with him for the night. That's when Emma first meets Edgar, Fred's youngest son. They are able to repair the wagon the next day and the Cagles continue on to Roy's cabin in the direction of the Linville River.

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