RESEARCH FINDINGS

BENJAMIN WISER SENIOR TIMELINE

Lived: Massachusetts

1743-The birth of Benjamin Wiser  Senior  probably in the Christian Indian (Nipmuc Tribe) Village of Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  His father may have been James Wiser, his mother was Ruth Bowman Wiser (she probably was married to James, but if not him, she was married to one of his brothers). 

1744-His father James Wiser probably died.  He was never heard of again after leaving on the expedition to Carthagena.  Carthagena is in Columbia, South America.  The British were in a war with Spain, and a number of Massachusetts men, including Native Americans, were enlisted and taken to fight in this conflict in the Caribbean and South America.

1745-Benjamin’s grandfather, James Wiser will was probated.  He died in 1741 leaving four sons, James, Joseph, Benjamin and John.  Our Benjamin, if not the son of James, was without doubt a son of one of these brothers, though the children of Benjamin have all been accounted for and John died in 1746 leaving no heirs.  Therefore, the only other brother who could have been his father was Joseph.

1746-Benjamin’s uncle, John Wiser, died in Louisburgh, Nova Scotia.  The British and French were in conflict over the control of Louisburg. During the conflict, a number of men from Massachusetts died including John.

1746-About this time, his mother Ruth Bowman Wiser probably died.  Benjamin was then given to his uncle (Zachariah Equi) and aunt (Betty Bowman Equi) to be raised.  They lived in Sturbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

1747-Benjamin’s grandfather, Samuel Bowman passed away in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.

1749-Samuel Bowman’s administration papers record, “I have executed this amount and do allow and approve the same and Betty Equi daughter of deceased having hither to taken care of Benjamin Wiser, the only child of Ruth Bowman, deceased a daughter of said deceased and she engaging to take care of him for and future order said child part to be paid her, 7 Feb 1749.” He was six at the time.

1749 to 1767-No further information available at this time of where Benjamin and his family lived.  He was probably living in Sturbridge.

1767-Benjamin Wiser, age 24 married Abigail Thomas, 25 Jun 1767 at the Sturbridge Congregational Church.  She was related to the Thomas family of Natick who were also part of the Nipmuc Indian Tribe of Natick.

1767 to 1769-Benjamin and his wife probably moved to Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts. There was a strong relationship with the Joseph and Jemima (Wheat) Morse family who also lived in Westborough.  The Morses had also lived in Natick, Massachusetts. 

1769-A daughter, Alithea Wiser was born 27 Sep 1768/1769 in Westborough.   She may have been named after Joseph and Jemima’s daughter, Alithea who was born 10 Feb 1762 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

1770-A daughter, Allice Wiser was probably born.

1771 to 1772-I believe that Abigail Thomas passed away sometime before 1784.  Benjamin married Kezia, maiden name unknown.

1774-A son, Benjamin Wiser Jr. is born in Massachusetts.

1776-A son, Josiah Wiser was probably born in Massachusetts.

1769 to 1778-The family probably lived in various places in Massachusetts while looking for work. Benjamin was a farmer. The Morse family lived in Barre, Massachusetts at this time.  Joseph Morse was killed 19 Sep 1777 at the Battle of Stillwater, Saratoga, New York during the Revolutionary War. By 1778, they had moved to New Hampshire.  On 6 Apr 1778, Benjamin Wiser commenced pay serving in the Revolutionary War defending the borders of the Connecticut River for a period of eleven months.  He would have been 35 at the time.

Lived: New Hampshire

1781-A daughter, Kezia Wiser was probably born in Haverhill named after her mother.

1783-A daughter, Abigail Wiser was probably born in Haverhill.  She was probably named after Abigail Thomas Wiser.

1784-A son, Samuel Wiser was born in Haverhill.  Benjamin Wiser Sr., his wife, Kezia and his children, Allice, Alithea, Benjamin, Josiah, Samuel, Kezia and Abigail were ordered out of town.

1785-A son, James Wiser was born in Haverhill.

1786-Benjamin taxes were abated in Haverhill.

1787-A son, Theodore was probably born in Haverhill.

1788-Benjamin’s daughter Alithea married Luther Morse 2 Sep 1788 in Haverhill.  Luther’s mother the widow Jemima Morse lived in New Concord, Essex, Vermont.  According to the Wheat Genealogy (by Silas Carmi Wheat, 1960) p. 48, Jemima married second Benjamin Streeter Senior in 1794; and by 1800 they lived in Phelps, Ontario County, New York.  Her daughter, Alithea married Benjamin Streeter Junior.

1789-Another daughter, name unknown, possibly Maisilva (Marsilla) was born in Haverhill.

1790-Listed in the 1790 Census of Haverhill, New Hampshire, 2 males over 16 and 6 females.

1793-Benjamin owed 2-5-6 pounds to the estate of Robert Haseltine, late of Haverhill.

Lived: New York

1798-Benjamin and his family have moved to Cazenovia Township, Madison, New York (present-day New Woodstock, New York) by 1798.

1800-Listed in the 1800 Census of Cazenovia Township (lived in New Woodstock, New York, part of Cazenovia Township), 3 males age 10 to 16, 1, 16 to 26, and 1, 45 and over and 2 females under 10, and 1, 45 and over.

1801-Sold a barrel of potash to Samuel S. Forman for $19.34.  He was also farming raising hay, oats, potatoes and pumpkins.

1804-Benjamin listed on tax assessment roll of Cazenovia Township.  He owned 9 acres and was taxed 27 cents.

1805-Benjamin purchased 75 acres of Lot 66 (Road Township) for $375.00 in Cazenovia Township (New Woodstock). This land is located about 2 miles east of New Woodstock.  For this transaction Josiah Wiser acted as Benjamin’s attorney.  (In 1805, Benjamin would have been 62 years old).

1805-Listed on tax assessment roll of Cazenovia Township.

1809 to 1810-Various notices in Cazenovia paper regarding letters left at post office for members of the Wiser family.

1810-Listed in the 1810 Census of Cazenovia, Madison, New York.

1812-Listed on tax assessment roll of Cazenovia Township.  There are various references to Benjamin in the land records of the Cazenovia Town Road Book-Description of Road Districts and in the Lincklaen’s store accounts.

1818-We believe this is the year Benjamin Wiser Senior passed away probably in New Woodstock.  He would have been 75 years old.  Benjamin Wiser is not mentioned in any further records.

 

OTHER RESEARCH

From the August newsletter, “The mystery of Sally Wiser continues, but a new twist has been added.  In 1849, Sally Wiser, age 39, married, died 27 December 1849, cause of death unknown, in Truxton, New York.  We do not know whose wife she is, though she obviously is related to our family.  Now the new twist, while researching in the Cortland Historical Society in Cortland, New York, I came across an Elizabeth Wiser, age 49, married, born England (there are only a few families from England in Truxton in 1850), cause of death unknown, who also died December 1849 in Truxton, New York.  So who is this Elizabeth? Are Sally and Elizabeth the same person, with the wrong age being given for one of them?  There is not enough available information at the present time to make this determination, but additional research in the 1850 census record (based upon where her household was), may help find the answer.  Look for next month’s newsletter to see if we find out anymore about her.”

Conclusion: Unfortunately, the mortality records of Cortland County do not give a household number corresponding to the 1850 Census records as other states’ mortality schedules do.  Since a household number is not listed we can only guess by the order of deceased persons in what household she might have lived. From the person listed before and after Elizabeth Wiser as deceased it is possible that she lived in the same household as James Wiser.  In 1850, James Wiser was living with Elkanah and Nancy Taylor.  So, we still have not proven who this Elizabeth Wiser is, but may have been a wife of James Wiser or one of his brothers.  We know that there is an Elizabeth Wiser (who we thought was the wife of Theodore Wiser) buried in the Wisner Park Cemetery in Elmira, New York.  We have always believed that Elizabeth died before 1838 and that her husband Theodore married Betsey Babcock Wiser, widow of Samuel Wiser, Theodore’s brother.

From the August newsletter, “We will share additional information found at the Cortland Historical Society on the Wiser and Kingsley families found in early school records of Truxton and business references to the Albro family found in early Cortland County documents.  I wish to express my appreciation to the staff at the Cortland Historical Society for their assistance.”

 

Record of School District No. 7 in Truxton [Those not listed in previous newsletters]:

1814, Widow Kingsley and Widow Ward-to be exempt from furnishing wood.  [Widow Kingsley was probably Susannah Kingsley, widow of Simeon Kingsley and Widow Ward was Olive Kingsley (brother of Simeon) widow of Silas W. Ward].

1814, Voted that they drawby ticket who shall procure their proportion of wood firs, drawn as follows: Thomas Kingsley, Bethuel Kingsley

October 1818, Thomas Kingsley, Trustee

October 1819, Thomas Kingsley-Moderator

 

Names From Account Book of Charles Whitwood, Truxton, NY, 1826-1835, Names furnished by Miss Lucy S. Cadogan, 31 Church St., Hornell, NY to Harlow D. Curtis, Manlius, NY, who, in turn, sent them to the Cortland County Historical Society, Copied by Clara Elder, February, 1943; James Albrow [James Albro] and Irvin Albrow [Arvin Albro] were both listed, no Wisers.  A number of Schellingers were in the record; Christopher, Melines and Isaac.

 

POSTSCRIPT

Once again, thanks for any suggestions in regards to our family newsletter.  Please contact me at or at 6 Baton Rouge, Roswell, NM  88201, or at (505) 623-2534.