Davis Uriah I | Born 1707

WISE, James

Male Abt 1791 - 1880  (~ 89 years)


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  • Name WISE, James 
    Born Abt 1791  Probably Eastern Shore, Maryland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 26 Sep 1880  Nashville, Brown County, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I9200  Uriah Davis I - Genealogy
    Last Modified 21 Jun 2018 

    Father WISE,   d. 1795, Nelson County, Kentucky (In Spring Or Early Summer) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Possibly Elizabeth,   d. Between Oct 1811 and 1812, Galatin County, (Now Trimble County ), Kentucky Or Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married Bef 1788  Maryland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F2967  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family WATTS, Rachel,   b. 12 Dec 1796, Shelby County, Kentucky Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Mar 1889, Nashville, Brown County, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 92 years) 
    Married 25 Dec 1814  Jefferson, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. WISE, Williamson,   b. Between 1815 and 1817,   d. 26 Aug 1847, New Orleans, Louisiana Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 32 years)
     2. WISE, Deborah Ann,   b. Abt 1818, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1848  (Age ~ 30 years)
     3. WISE, Mary,   b. Abt 1823, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. WISE, Mathew,   b. 11 Jan 1825, Decatur County, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. WISE, James W.,   b. 28 Jan 1827, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Sep 1898, Brown County, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years)
     6. WISE, Margaret,   b. Abt 1828, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. WISE, Bennet,   b. 11 Apr 1830, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Mar 1892, Nashville, Brown County, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years)
     8. WISE, Lydia,   b. Abt 1836, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     9. WISE, Mason,   b. Abt 1837, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     10. WISE, Peter Arthur,   b. 27 Nov 1838, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Nov 1922, Oto, Woodbury County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
     11. WISE, John,   b. Abt 1841, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 24 Jun 2018 
    Family ID F978  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Much of the data in these notes has been compiled from several decades of research by M. Lee Wise, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude.
      -
      James was born in Maryland in the region called the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. According to a biography written about Thomas Wise, James' brother, the family moved from Maryland to Kentucky in about 1795. About 1 year after their arrival the father died, leaving a wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters.
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      From a biography by the descendants of Thomas Jefferson Wise (James' grandson), James' father was killed while fighting Indians about two years after the family's arrival in Kentucky.
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      When Great Britain attacked the United States in the War of 1812 James enlisted on August 1, 1812 at Georgetown, Gallatin Co., Kentucky. He was a private in Capt. James Meade's 17th Regiment, W.O. Infantry of the Kentucky Militia. James Wise fought at the Battle of River Raisin and was wounded in the shoulder there. His Captain was killed and he was transferred to Captain Holt's Company.
      The battle fought on January 22, 1813, was one of the largest engagements of the War of 1812. Of 934 Americans who fought here, only 33 escaped death or capture.
      The battle sequence was as follows:
      The British attacked. On the morning of January 22, 1813, 597 British and Canadian soldiers, six cannons, and 800 Indians launched an attack. As they moved forward in the pre-dawn darkness, they were discovered by an American sentry. Although surprised, the Americans took positions quickly and returned fire.
      The fighting had been raging for twenty minutes when the U.S. 17th infantry, which James Wise fought with, camped on the right in an open field, was flanked by Canadian militia and Indians. Orders were given to retreat to the river and make a stand, and 240 more Americans were sent from the center lines to help. The retreat became a disastrous flight for Ohio. Of the 400 Americans who ran, nearly 220 Americans were killed, about 147 including General Winchester, were captured. Only 33 escaped to safety.
      At the same time, the left wing of nearly 500 Kentucky militiamen were fighting from behind a puncheon fence. They successfully repulsed three British frontal attacks and drove back the British cannons with their rifles. These Americans, with only five killed and 40 wounded, expected the British to ask for a truce. They saw a British officer with a white flag, but were shocked to find he carried a message from General Winchester advising them to surrender. The Kentuckians reluctantly surrendered, after insisting on terms that the American wounded be protected from the Indians.
      The British withdrew hurriedly, due to heavy casualties and news that more Americans under command of General Harrison were nearby. The American wounded were left behind in the homes of the settlers. On the morning of January 23, 1813, all of the British guards, who were supposed to be protecting the wounded, left. Indians returned to the River Raisin. They plundered homes and the wounded for valuables, and then killed and scalped Americans who could not walk. Bodies were tossed into burning houses that the Indians had set aflame. Those able to walk were claimed by the Indians and taken to Detroit where they were ransomed. Over 60 unarmed American wounded were killed. This was later known as the "Massacre of the River Raisin".

      Americans in the west rallied to the flag. Eager for revenge, their battle cry became "Remember the Raisin!"

      Among those killed from the 17th U.S. Infantry were:
      Capts. Robert Edwards, James Meade,
      Lts.: Robert Logan, Thomas Graves,
      Ensigns: Philip Sharer, Levi Wells, Thomas Overton,
      Surgeon: Alexander Montgomery,
      Privates: Braxton Blake, John Gardner, William Redding, Thomas Wells, Henry Downey, Beverly Blake, Robert Reed.
      Many others were killed from other Regiments.

      SOURCE: http://co.monroe.mi.us/Museum/american_dead.htm
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      James continued in service and saw more fighting during the siege at Fort Meigs. James was honorably discharged on November 8, 1813 in Detroit, Michigan.
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      James had taken up residence in Jefferson Co., Indianna shortly after the War of 1812, and on Christmas day 1814 he and Rachel Watts were married there.
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      Vawter's Tax List of persons owing taxes in Jefferson County, Indiana Years; 1815-16 list Thomas Wise, James Wise, Mason Watts, Matthew Wise and Daniel Wise.
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      On April 25, 1817 it was noted that the stock ear mark for James Wise, was a crop and two slits in the right ear and an upper bit in the left ear, Jefferson County, Indiana.
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      1820 census, Jefferson Co., Indiana.
      1,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0
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      On May 15, 1823 James purchased 80 acres in Ripley Co., Indiana.
      -
      James and Rachel moved to Decater Co., Indiana by 1830, and were enumerated there as follows:
      Wise, James
      Males
      3,0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,
      Females
      1,1,1,0,0,1,0,0
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      In the early 1840's, to Washington Township, Brown Co., Indiana.
      -
      Sadly James and Rachel lost their son Williamson, to yellow fever. He died in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 26, 1847, exactly 2 months after his honorable discharge from service in the Mexican War. James made a claim as heir to Williamson's land bounty rights (160 acres) in 1848, as Williamson left no wife or children when he died.
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      On the 1850 census James was a farmer in Washington Township, Brown Co., Indiana and he owned land valued at $2,500.00. He and Rachel raised at least 10 children in Indiana ( Peter appears as an 11 year old child, attending school ).
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      On the 1860 census James and Rachel along with sons Matthew, Mason, Peter and daughter Margaret (Wise) Jeffers, moved on to Salt River Township, Schuyler Co., Missouri.
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      On the 1870 census in Salt River Township, Schuyler Co., Missouri finds:
      James 76, farmer, b. Maryland
      Rachel 72, keeping house, b. Kentucky, Rachel indicated she could not read or write.
      Nearby are sons Matthew and John with their families.
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      On the 1875 census James and Rachel are living north at Clarinda, Nodaway Township, Page Co., Iowa.
      Sometime after December 1875 James and Rachel returned to live the remainder of their lives with son Bennett in Washington Township, Brown Co., Indiana.
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      1880 census:
      (Washington Township, Brown Co., Indiana)
      Bennett Wise Self M Male W 50 IN Farmer MD MD
      Talitha Wise Wife M Female W 47 IN Keeping House IN IN
      Catharine Wise Dau S Female W 23 IN IN IN
      Bennett Wise Son S Male W 20 IN IN IN
      Ralph M. Wise Son S Male W 16 IN At Home IN IN
      Charlotte Wise Dau S Female W 14 IN At Home IN IN
      Arminta Wise Dau S Female W 11 IN IN IN
      Olinda Wise Dau S Female W 8 IN IN IN
      John T. Wise Son S Male W 6 IN IN IN
      Charles N. Wise Son S Male W 3 IN IN IN
      James Wise Father M Male W 98(actually 89) MD MD MD
      Rachel Wise Mother M Female W 83 KY KY KY
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      After living into his 89th year James died and was buried at Duncan Cemetery, in Nashville, Brown Co., Indiana on September 28, 1880.
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      There was a Thomas and a Matthew Wise on the 1815/1816 Jefferson Co. IN Tax List. This fact is of interest because James named one of his sons Matthew and there was no indication of the name Matthew on Rachel's side of the family. (Our James also appears on the same tax list). The above mentioned Thomas was born about 1793 in Maryland according to the 1850 Shelby, Jefferson Co., Indiana census. He was married to Jane McDaniel in Jefferson Co., IN on June 1, 1817, about 3 years after James and Rachel.
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      ( The following letter was written to Bennett Wise from his father James)
      May the 20th 1860.
      Dear Son and Daughter, again will I attempt to address you after the silence (sic) of several weeks.
      We are well in the enjoyment of health and hope this will find you the same. Times are very hard here indeed, there has been no rain of any consequence (sic) here since last fall until today. We have had a very nice rain today.
      I want you to write as soon as you get this and let me know if whether Minor has got my money ready for me or not.
      There is more sickness here at this time than common, we think it is on account of the dry weather. I have nothing of importance to write nothing that will interest you.
      I forgot to tell you that corn looks very well, all that has come up, and we have not had the flue (sic) very bad yet and do not think we will.
      Tell Dock and Mary that we would all be very much pleased to see them and tell them to write to us and tell us how they are getting along.
      I do not expect I will ever have the pleasure of seeing all my children together again in this world, it would be a very great pleasure to me indeed to see them all together once more. I must now bring my letter to a close. I hope you will write on receipt of this so no more at present......
      James and Rachel Wise