Joshua Calhoun was born around 1860 in Bibb County, Georgia, the third son of Noah and Sophie Calhoun. Growing up in the years following the Civil War, Joshua worked on the family farm as a young man. By age 17, he had learned to read and write - valuable skills that would help him navigate land transactions and business dealings throughout his life.
Marriage and Family
On February 3, 1885, Joshua married Missouri McElmurry, whose father Fox was among the early Black landowners in the area. The couple made their home in Bibb County and raised nine children:
Aquilla (born 1890)
Early Lee (born 1891)
Noah Sr. (born 1892)
Ernest (born 1894)
Mamie (born 1896)
Sophia (born 1898)
Gertrude (born 1900)
Dr. Emory Martin (born 1902)
Lilla Beatrice (born 1905)
Building a Life Through Farming
Joshua started as a farm laborer but gradually built his own agricultural operation. By 1890, he owned livestock worth about $55. Ten years later, he owned his home outright and was farming his own land.
His most significant expansion came in 1909 when he purchased 250 acres for $3,300 - a substantial sum that represented years of careful saving. This purchase included nearly 200 acres in one section and 50 acres in another, creating a sizable farming operation. The deed notes that his wife Missouri already owned the adjoining Fox McElmurray lands.
In 1921, Joshua purchased an additional 5 acres on Dempsey Avenue in Macon through a foreclosure sale for $600.
A Farmer and Community Leader
Throughout his life, Joshua identified simply as a "farmer," but his influence extended beyond his fields. He taught his children the value of education - by 1900, all his school-age children attended classes. His daughter Lilla became a teacher, while his son Emory Martin earned the title "Dr." His ability to accumulate land and provide for his large family made him a respected figure in the rural Black community of Bibb County.
Family Life
Joshua and Missouri's home became a multi-generational gathering place. By the 1930s, several grandchildren lived with them, including two who had become teachers like their aunt Lilla. The household also included nephew Willie Calhoun, who helped with farm work.
Joshua continued farming well into his 60s, managing his own operations even as his children pursued various careers.
Final Years
Joshua passed away on January 24, 1937, at age 68 - a couple of weeks before his 52nd wedding anniversary. He had been ill for several months with heart and kidney problems. At his death, he was still married, still farming, and had ensured each of his children received an education and a chance at a better life.
From the son of formerly enslaved parents to a landowner whose children became teachers and doctors, Joshua Calhoun's life represented the possibilities that opened for the first generation of free-born African Americans in the South. He left behind more than just property - he left a legacy of literacy, land ownership, and opportunity that would benefit generations.
