Adam Wise and Catharine [Unk]
Husband Adam Wise 1
Born: Abt 1718 - Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany Christened: Died: 9 Jun 1781 - ? Washington Co, PA 2 Buried:Marriage:
Other Spouse: Unknown ( -Abt 1763)
Wife Catharine [Unk] 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
1 M Jacob Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: - Washington Co, PA Buried:
2 M Daniel Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
3 M Abraham Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
4 M Tobias Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
5 F Mary Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
6 F Mary Ann Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
7 F Ulian Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
8 F Judith Wise 3
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Rev. John Spohn ( - ) 3
General Notes: Husband - Adam Wise
He and his wife were natives of Rhenish Hesse, a province of Hesse Darmstadt, and lived near the river Rhine, where his ancestors carried on the business of milling and distillation of wine. They set sail with their first born child from Rotterdam, in the ship "Hampshire," Thomas Cheeseman, captain, and touching last at Falmouth, England, landed at Baltimore, Maryland, in July, 1748, the vessel after some delay proceeding to Philadelphia, where it arrived September 7 following. He and his family first settled on Pipe creek, in Carroll County, Maryland, at or near the site of Frederick City, where he lived about twenty-two years, and was engaged in the business of milling, distilling and farming, at which he prospered and was well to do. A few years after his second marriage, he closed out his business in Maryland, and started with his family, now numerous, in search of a new home in the wilds of western Pennsylvania, making the long and tedious journey over the mountains in wagons. They settled on North Ten Mile creek, probably about the year 1770, if not earlier. That section of country was then known as "The Wilderness of Ten Mile" and was very sparsely settled. Only four years before this the first white settlement within the present limits of Washington County had been made near the junction of Ten Mile creek with the Monongahela river, and about four miles down the stream from the point that Adam Wise selected for his new home. His site was on a commanding eminence overlooking the beautiful valley of Ten Mile. He must have been a man of cultured and refined taste, as a family tradition states that he was largely influenced in selecting this location by the picturesque landscape here presented to his view, and more particularly by the groves of white pine growing in that locality-a feature of natural scenery very rare in Washington County. There he located a tract of land, then in Westmoreland County, comprising about 400 acres, by what was called a "tomahawk improvement;" that is, he blazed the trees around his boundaries. The tract lay on the north side of North Ten Mile creek, about two and one-half miles from its junction with the south branch, and about four miles from the Monongahela river. This tract he named "The Fishery," for the reason that the finny tribe was very numerous at that point in the waters of Ten Mile, and it was patented March 19, 1785, under that name, by his son Peter Wise, who inherited it, the warrant having issued June 26, 1785. The delay in taking out a patent was occasioned by the disturbed state of the country caused by the Revolutionary war, and also owing to the death of the original proprietor, which occurred before its close.
After the erection of Washington County, by act of Assembly, March 28, 1781, this tract was included in Washington, and after the county was subdivided into townships it was in Bethlehem; then after its subdivision into East and West Bethlehem, it was partly in both townships, the line passing nearly through its center. The village of Zollarsville was located on a part of this tract. [CBRWC, 256]
Until the close of the Revolutionary war the Indians were hostile and the settlers were constantly menaced by destruction at their hands. At one time the danger became so threatening that they forsook their home and took refuge in old Fort Redstone. The nearest trading posts were Winchester, Virginia, and Frederick City, Maryland, and to one of these points journeys were frequently made for the purchase of salt, hardware and other necessaries which they could not produce on the farm. These trips required about a month to make, and several settlers generally traveled together, for mutual protection against the wild beasts and marauding savages. Each man generally had charge of three horses, all heavily laden with such produce of their farms as could be carried on pack saddles. At first they carried wheat, but this proved too weighty; then they tried flax, but this proved too bulky. At last finding that whisky and peach brandy were highly prized and commanded high prices at these trading posts, small distilleries were soon erected on almost every farm, and their products soon came to be the chief articles of export and trade. The sites of three of these primitive distilleries are still plainly marked on the old Wise plantation. This whisky took the name of the region in which it was manufactured, and "Old Monongahela" soon became a popular brand.
For several years the only mills for grinding grain were run by hand or by horse power, but the practical mind and enterprising spirit of Adam Wise soon conceived the idea of erecting a flouring mill to be propelled by water power, and to him and his son Andrew must be given the credit of erecting the first mill built within the valley of Ten Mile. It is not now positively known in what year this mill was erected, but a plat of the land made in 1785 shows the location of the mill, race and dam, and it was in successful operation and a place of note in 1788, as is shown by a peti-tion of the inhabitants of Bethlehem township to the court in that year, which prays "that a line dividing said township into two parts, should be-gin at Peter Drake's and thence by a straight line to Wise's Mill which has ever been accounted centreable." This mill, however, was probably in operation about 1775, or shortly thereafter, first with an undershot wheel, and upon a small scale, but as the settlement rapidly increased it was soon found to be insufficient to do the business, and it was torn down, and a large mill with three run of buhrs, and overshot wheels, was erected near the site of the old mill. For many years it did an immense business, having no competition, flour of its manufacture being shipped in keel and flat boats as far south as New Orleans. Not long after the erection of the flouring mill, a sawmill was also erected, which did a large business, being surrounded by the primeval forest, and lumber being in great demand on account of the rapid settlement of the neighborhood.
In the midst of all this business, Adam Wise, by whose capital and enterprise the mills were erected, died and was buried in a graveyard on his plantation. A plain stone, with his age and date of death rudely cut thereon, marked the grave where sleeps this sturdy, brave-hearted, enterprising pioneer. He was a useful man in his day and generation. Probably no man ever lived in this section who did so much to promote its rapid settlement and improvement. By his enterprise in erecting a mill, other settlers were attracted to the neighborhood, on account of the convenience there-of, the primeval forests rapidly gave way to cultivated fields, and the rich hills of Bethlehem were soon covered with golden grain. This mill passed out of the ownership of the Wise family in 1840, and was torn down in 1867. It was sold outside of the family for a few years, but was repurchased and owned and operated again by the family for more than half a century. Adam Wise left a large estate for the time, and also a large family, his children being thirteen in number. [CBRWC, 259]
1 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 256.
2 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 259.
3
Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 260.
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