RESEARCH FINDINGS

Benjamin Wiser

Benjamin Wiser Senior and family moved to Cazenovia Township, Madison County, New York some years before 1800.

By 1820, four of Benjamin’s sons, James, Theodore, Samuel and Josiah were living in Truxton Township, Cortland County, New York.  A daughter, Alithea Wiser, wife of Luther Morse was also living there.  Another daughter, Abigail joined the New Woodstock (also in Cazenovia Township) , New York Baptist Church in 1802 and left in 1821 (probably for Truxton, also). 

They were actually living in what is now Cuyler Township (created from the eastern half of Truxton Township in 1858). 

Samuel’s wife Betsey Babcock was from Fabius Township.  I believe her parents James and Temperance (Decker) Babcock were living on Lot No. 45, which is just north of Lot No. 55 of Cuyler Township.

From land records of Onondaga County, a deed dated 1832 was made to clear title for a part of Lot 45, which had been owned by James Babcock.  The deed named James’ heirs, Samuel Wiser and Betsey his wife, Asa Crandal and Susan his wife, and Joshua Davis and Amanda his wife (all three daughters of James and Temperance (Decker) Babcock).

In 1825, Samuel Wiser was living in Veteran’s Township, Tioga County, (now Chemung County),  New York.  In 1830, he was back in Truxton Township.  In January 1831, three of his children were attending school in Truxton School District No. 7. 

From family records, we know Samuel Wiser passed away in 1834, but we do not know if it was in Truxton Township.

After Samuel’s death, Betsey married a brother of Samuel, probably Theodore, but we do not know for sure (it may have been Josiah).  Betsey, her new husband, and children left to pursue their fortune in the iron mines near present day Galena, Illinois.  There both Betsey and her new husband, passed away in 1839, and the children were given to various families to be raised. 

Josiah Wiser also had moved from Truxton Township.  In 1825 and 1830, he was also living in Veteran’s Township, New York (near present day Elmira). 

A brother-in-law of Samuel Wiser, Asa Crandall, had also left Truxton and was living in Veteran’s Township in 1825.

Asa was the husband of Susan Babcock.  Asa married Susan after his first wife, Priscilla Coon passed away.  Susan was also a widow, her first husband Simeon Kingsley, passing away March 13, 1813 in Truxton.  Simeon had been previously married, but her name is unknown.

Susan and Asa, must have married between 1820 and 1825.  She is listed as a widow in the 1820 Census; and in December 1815 and November 1816, she was exempted from school tax for Truxton School District No. 7.

One of Asa’s daughter from his first marriage marriage, Olive, was born January 4, 1805 in Truxton.  She married Elias Schellinger and many of her descendants still live in the Cortland County area. 

We know that Josiah’s wife name was Philena (maiden name unknown) from land records of Madison County, New York. 

We know that James Wiser, another brother, was married to Anna Kingsley (daughter of Simeon Kingsley and his first wife, name unknown).  We also believe that James was married to Amanda (maiden name unknown).  Both James and Amanda probably died in Cortland, Cortland County, New York. 

This month, I spent a few hours at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. reviewing Civil War pension files.

Lorenzo Wiser

Lorenzo Wiser was born 1822 in Chemung County, New York.

We have wondered if Lorenzo Wiser was related to our family.  The Lorenzo was John Lincklaen’s home in Cazenovia.  There are various references to the Wisers in the store accounts of the Lorenzo (Samuel Forman, Ledyard Lincklaen and Jonathan Ledyard’s accounts).

Lorenzo married Emily Warner.  She was born 1826 in Chemung County, New York, the daughter of Amazia and Prudence Warner.  She passed away September 19, 1865 in Southport, Chemung County, New York.  She is buried in the Pine City Cemetery in Southport.  They had the following children:

1.        Theodore Frank Wiser, born January 14, 1845.  He died September 10, 1904 in Sidney, Cheyenne County, Nebraska.  He married Melissa J. Webb, October 25, 1899 in Sidney.  She had two children from a previous marriage.  Melissa passed away January 26, 1928 in Alliance, NE.

2.        Susan E. Wiser, born 1849 in Steuben County, New York.

3.        Amanda Wiser, born 1852, also in Steuben County, must have passed away between 1855 and 1860.

Both Lorenzo and his son Theodore Frank Wiser were in the Civil War. 

Lorenzo was a private in Company D of the 5^th New York Heavy Artillery (N.Y.H.A.).  He enlisted December 15, 1863, and was discharged July 19, 1865.  He passed away about September 25, 1891 in North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska indicated by a death notice sent to the pension office.

Theodore Frank was also a private in Company D of the 5^th N.Y.H.A.  He enlisted September 24, 1864 and was discharged June 22, 1865 at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. 

We are fairly convinced now that Lorenzo must be a son of Josiah or Theodore Wiser, but we still have no proof of this relationship.  It is interesting to note that his son, who we previously had only listed as Francis, was actually named Theodore Frank.

By 1840, as in 1850, there are no Wisers listed in the census records of Truxton.  However, there were still members of the family residing there during these times. 

There is a Sally Wiser, age 39, who died December 29, 1849 in Truxton (now Cuyler).  We do not know which family she belongs to. Additionally, Alathea Wiser Morse, age 79, died December 6, 1848, also in Truxton (now Cuyler). 

We have found no record documenting where Josiah lived after 1830, or for Theodore after 1820. 

SUMMARY

Benjamin Wiser, son of a Mr. Wiser and Ruth Bowman, was born 1743, probably in Natick, MA.  The Mr. Wiser may be James Wiser (it was either this James or one of his brothers), who died about 1744 on the “Expedition to Cartagena”, Columbia.  A number of Massachusetts men enlisted to help Britain in their war against Spain in the West Indies.  Ruth Bowman, daughter of Samuel and Martha Bowman, was deceased by 1749, and Benjamin was raised by her sister, Betty Bowman and husband, Zacariah Equi in Sturbridge, MA.

Benjamin married Abigail Thomas, June 25, 1767 in Sturbridge, MA.

Sometime between 1767 and 1784, I believe that Benjamin had remarried a woman named Kezia.  Benjamin must have left Sturbridge, lived in various towns in Massachusetts, and was in New Hampshire by 1778.  Some of these towns in Massachusetts may have been Westborough, Barre, Athol, etc.

He and the family of his future son-in-law’s family, Luther Morse, were close.  Luther’s father, Joseph Morse, died at the Battle of Stillwater, New York, September 18^th or 19^th, 1777, during the Revolutionary War.  At that time, the Morse family lived in Athol, MA, but they had also lived in Natick, Westborough, and Barre, MA.

Benjamin was a member of Captain Luther Richardson’s Company which defended the Connecticut River in 1778 during the Revolutionary War.  In 1784, Benjamin and family were “warned out” of Haverhill, those named were Benjamin, his wife, Kezia, children, Allice, Allithea, Benjamin, Josiah, Samuel, Kezia and Abigail.  At this time, James, Theodore and possibly other children had not yet been born.  In 1790, Benjamin was still in Haverhill.  In  1800 and 1810, he was living in Cazenovia Township (New Woodstock, NY).

Benjamin’s children were:

-Alithea, born 27 Sep 1768 in Westborough, MA.  Died 6 Dec 1848 in Cuyler, New York.  Married Luther Morse.

-Allice, born about 1770. Nothing further known.

-Benjamin, born 1774, died before 1860.  Stayed in New Hampshire, had

many children.

-Josiah, born about 1776.  Married Philena.

-Kezia, born about 1781.

-Abigail, born about 1783.

-Samuel, born about 1784, died 1834.

-James, born 1785, died about 1860.

-Theodore, born about 1787, died about 1839.

-A daughter, name unknown (possibly Marsilva).

Please remember, that it has not been proven that our Benjamin Wiser and the Benjamin Wiser who married Abigail Thomas are identical.  It seems apparent that our Benjamin is related to this Benjamin, based upon the birthplace of Alathea, and other circumstantial evidence, but nothing conclusive, as of yet.  So for you family sleuths, finding this proof, would be a good project for 2000.

POSTSCRIPT

Sorry this was late.  I was experiencing computer technical difficulties, but not related to Y2k.

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Ron Wiser                                         6 Baton Rouge                        Roswell, NM  88201

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