John Wisegarver and Elizabeth Blackburn Wisegarver

The union of John Wisegarver and Elizabeth Blackburn was quite a mix of culture and belief.  John came from German immigrants.  Elizabeth came from Irish immigrants.  John was raised Lutheran. Elizabeth was raised Quaker.  Historical records show that they had eleven children. Apparently their differences must not have affected their relationship too dramatically.

The Society of Friends (Quakers) didn't look too kindly on their members marrying outside the faith. Even though Elizabeth and her parents (Thomas and Elizabeth) had moved to Bedford County, a congregation had not yet been formed, so they traveled to the Menallen Mtg. in York County once a month.  It was recorded in the church minutes on 9 June 1784 that the women of the Menallen Mtg. entered a complaint against Elizabeth Wisecarver, formerly Blackburn, because she had already accomplished her marriage "by a Justice to one not a member".  She was consequently "disowned" by the Menallen Meeting  on 11 Aug 1794.

John and Elizabeth actually show up on the membership records of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Greenfield Township, Bedford County. Apparently, as far as their religious life was concerned, they were able to find some neutral ground.

In 1798, around the time of the birth of their 3rd child, John is shown on the tax list as owning a 20x20 ft. house worth $60, a log barn, and 310 acres of land. By 1832 the tax list indicates that he owned 90 acres (patented), 150 acres (warranted), 130 acres (location), 1 grist mill, 1 saw mill, 1 fulfilling mill, 3 horses, and 4 cows, all at a taxable value of $1700.  It looks to me he was working his way out of the farming business. It also appears from his will that much of his farm land had already been taken over by his sons and son-in-laws.

I would also conclude that John was quite an activist.  He was involved in the Whisky Rebellion of 1794, was tried in court, and sentenced to pay a fine.  Probably in reference to his involvement with the Whisky Rebellion , the following was attached to John on ancestry.com:

"According to a note from my cousin (Elizabeth), John had gone to Philadelphia to protest.  He landed in jail and sent word to his wife to bring the money to pay the fine.  She went, riding sidesaddle, hiding by day, traveling by night and bailed him out."

(Family stories passed down by word of mouth are always taken with a grain of salt, but interesting nonetheless.)

Here is his will:

"In the name of God Amen. I John Wisegarver Sen. Of  St. Clair Township Bedford County and State of Pennsylvania, being weak of body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make & ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following say: First I order & direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first fully paid and satisfied out of my estate. Secondly. To my daughter Elizabeth wife of John Lingenfelter I give and devise the tract of land on which they reside which I bought of E. S. Anderson and I hereby direct that when the deed is made for the land by said Anderson, that it be made to her so as to secure the property to her and her heirs under the existing laws of this Commonwealth relating to the rights of married women and as her husband the said John Lingenfelter owes me a note for the sum of one hundred & eighty dollars it is my will & I direct that the same shall go to pay said Anderson the balance which I owe on said land provided it shall not be paid in my lifetime. Thirdly. To my daughter Margaret Crisman I give and devise 50 acres of land adjoining her husbands property now in their possession and I give her in addition the sum of four hundred dollars out of the judgments coming from Howser and Peeples. To my daughter Anna intermarried with Henry Waters residing in Ohio, I give and bequeath the sum of five hundred dollars to be paid out of the foregoing judgments to be paid to her as may be hereinafter specified. To my son John Wisegarver, I give and direct my executors to pay out of said judgments in the order hereinafter directed the sum of three hundred dollars being for his claim against me. But if the said $300 should be paid him during my lifetime, then he is to have nothing more out of my estate. To my son Thomas Wisegarver, I give and devise the tract of land on which at present he resides in St. Clair Township containing about one hundred and fifty acres. To have and hold the same to him and his heirs and assigns forever. To my son George Wisegarver. I give &

devise a tract of land situate in the same Township adjoining the place where he now lives, being the same land I bought from Jno. Wolf and containing about one hundred and forty acres. To have and hold the same, to him his heirs and assigns forever. and I also give & bequeath to and allow my said son George to have the obligation I hold against my son Daniel B. Wisegarver. And whereas my son George is indebted to me in the sum of three hundred dollars for a wagon & horses which I sold him which he by agreement was to pay to my two grandchildren Elizabeth Griffith daughter of my deceased daughter Eve Griffith & Henry Ickes son of my deceased daughter Mary Ann Ickes. I therefore give and bequeath the said sum of three hundred dollars to them in equal shares and direct my said son George to pay the same to them and I further give and devise to my said son George the

residue of the tract of land in the name of Francis Campbell, after first deducting that part sold to Howser and Peeples to hold the same to him his heirs and assigns forever. In addition to the devise to my son Thomas, I give & bequeath to him as compensation to him for my boarding & his care of me, all the moveable property I have brought with me to his house being a clock horse creature & other goods. As I hold sundry notes against my Grandson John son of my son John Wisegarver, I hereby give the same to my said son John Wisegarver. I also hereby order and direct the moneys thereof to be paid out of the foregoing judgments shall be paid as follows. First to George $500 stipend to him, second the $300 to John. Third the $500 to Anna Waters and lastly $400 to Margaret Crisman. It is also my will and I do hereby order and direct that whatever of my estate, real or personal may be left after the payment of the foregoing sums and devises aforesaid are satisfied, shall go to my children living at this time (excluding the forenamed grand Children) and I hereby direct my Executors to divide the same equally amongst them as it may come to their hands and I also hereby authorize and empower my executors to sell and convey any real estate that may be left undisposed of and to divide the same equally as before mentioned. It is further my will that whatever devises or bequests I have made to my daughters shall be held and enjoyed by them as their own separate property under

the present laws of the State relative to married women and their property. The property devised to Elizabeth Lingenfelter is to pass in fee simple. And lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my son Daniel B. Wisegarver and Jno. Hoover the executors of this my last Will &Testament declaring this and no other to be my last Will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of September A.D. 1848."

If I can add a little commentary to the Will, I'm really impressed that he specified the land he left to his married daughters was to be their own property separate from their husbands.  (It was the law in those days that a single woman could own property, but if she were married or got married any property she owned became the sole property of her husband.  And by the way, in the case of divorce the children belonged to the husband as well.)  Here's to an early act of women's equality! Way to go, John!!

John and Elizabeth are buried in the St. John's Church Cemetery near his father, George.

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