Roots Trek: Whiskey Rebellion

Showing posts with label Whiskey Rebellion. Show all posts

Friday, November 13, 2015

The Whisky Rebellion of 1794

According to court records, two of my 5th great-grandfathers, Conrad Haverstock and John Wisegarver, were directly involved in the Whisky Rebellion of 1794. I'll try to summarize as best as I understand it.

Following the war, the brand new United States of America was considerably in debt. In 1791, one of the taxes imposed to offset the debt was a tax on spirits. It was considered to be a luxury tax since alcohol was not a necessity of life. It was also intended to limit its use as the effects of alcohol in loss of productivity and incidents of domestic violence was being more and more recognized. For the farmers west of the Allegheny Mountains it wasn't that simple.

A primary crop for them was rye. There was limited demand for it on their side of the mountains, but they could trade it on the other side of the mountains for salt, sugar, and other necessities their families needed. Transporting rye across a mountain range was time consuming and expensive. The most rye they could transport in one trip was 4 bales, and often the value of the grain couldn't offset the cost of the trip. If they used the grain to make whisky, however, they could transport the equivalent of 24 bales of rye in a single trip, making it exponentially more profitable. To those farmers, whisky was not a luxury but a primary commodity they needed to trade in order to provide basic necessities for their families. The tax was not really that high, but to the farmers who felt unfairly targeted it was all about the principle of the thing.

So why were John and Conrad so incensed? Obviously, we can't be sure, but we have at least two very compelling clues. First, we know from tax records that John's dad, George, and Conrad's dad, Tobias, were both distillers. The fair trade of whisky had been an important way their dads provided for their families. Second, John's dad, George, and Conrad himself both put their lives on the line in defending their new government against the oppression of Great Britain. Being over burdened with unfair taxes was exactly what they fought to get away from, and the very government they defended was now guilty of the same.

The task assigned the tax collector proved to be a very dangerous job. Not only would the farmers refuse to pay, they would retaliate against him any way they could. Tar and feathering was not uncommon. Several major altercations occurred in Pittsburgh and other areas of Western Pennsylvania, escalating the conflict even more. One thing the farmers would do in protest was to raise "liberty poles", showing the government and government sympathizers they weren't going to stand for this continued injustice.

Hoisted onto these liberty poles were flags with inscriptions such as, "Death to Traitors", "Liberty and No Excise", "Equal Taxation and No Excise", and "No Asylum for Traitors and Cowards".

Many angry farmers of Bedford County, John and Conrad included, gathered at the Jean Bonnet Tavern in late 1794 and there erected a liberty pole in protest of the excise tax. Being in violation of the law, they were ordered to appear at the Bedford County Court of general quarterly sessions, January term, 1795, "to answer to such bills of indictments as shall be then and there preferred against them for Riot and other Treasonable proceedings in assisting and setting up a seditious Pole in opposition to the laws of the United States". The men were ordered to pay fines ranging from £30 to £300 each.

Conrad was ordered to pay one of the stiffest fines. In a post on ancestry.com, one of his other descendants speculates that he must have been the one to actually raise the pole while others were there to riot and raise their voices in protest. He did, after all, serve in the same militia division during the war as the Bonnet brothers, so he could have also been one of the primary instigators of the entire protest. This proves to be a compelling scenario, but who really knows.

The Jean Bonnet Tavern is still open for business in Bedford County. We enjoyed a great lunch there. (The onion rings were exceptional.) Though you walk up vinyl composite steps onto decking of the same material, you can't help but be awed by the original stone facade and the large, historic fireplaces and features inside. It was . . . how do I put it . . . wa-a-a-ay cool to sit there and imagine two, count 'em, two of my 5th great-grandfathers meeting in that very same tavern 221 years earlier plotting and planning their protest against the injustices perpetrated against them. I greatly admire their tenacity and activism.

Jean Bonnet Tavern

We didn't make it to the lower level, but the restaurant/tavern is on the mail level and guest rooms
are located on the upper level.

To replicate authenticity a few farm animals and a small garden were located near the parking lot.

A small gift shop was added behind the tavern.

Placemat

I wanted Brent to capture an image of me next to the historical marker erected in remembrance of
the Whisky Rebellion. Oh well.

So how did it all end? President George Washington wouldn't stand for it any longer. He called out 13,000 troops to march to Western Pennsylvania and take on the traitorous farmers. He preceded the troops as a voice of warning to all those who dared come up against them. The farmers knew they were outnumbered and outsmarted, and consequentially were resigned to pay the tax they so strongly opposed. That particular tax law was ultimately repealed in 1801.

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All original content, images, commentary, etc. copyright © by Joy Denison 2015-2016. All rights reserved. All writings, poems, speeches, essays, images, scans, likenesses, etc. by Adam Ickes (b 1845) as well as personal histories, images, and all other content by all persons referenced and discussed within the pages and posts in this blog may not be copied, shared, or reproduced in any way without expressed permission by the owner unless included here from other referenced sources or are historical records already considered to be in the public domain.

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.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

George Wisegarver and Mary Elizabeth Steel Wisegarver

George Wisegarver, my 6th great-grandfather, was one of the earliest of all my ancestors to become a resident of Bedford County. He was a German immigrant. Some researchers show that he and Mary Elizabeth Steel were married in Bedford County in 1770, but with no attached sources I have no way to confirm that. A publication of the Historical Society of Bedford County indicates that he helped lay out a road in 1771, proving he was in Bedford County well before the Revolutionary War. He's also listed in the 1772 tax roll as owning 100 acres of land, 20 improved, 2 horses and 1 cow.

George is also a Revolutionary War veteran, having served in the Bedford County Militia. In 1781 he was listed as a private in Captain Charles Taggart's Company, 5th company, 1st Battalion. More research is needed to determine if he achieved a higher rank than that of private.

Rye was a profitable crop in Bedford County and this was probably a primary crop for George. Many farmers grew rye for the purpose of manufacturing whisky. Few of them owned more than one still, but George in listed in a 1792 historical record to have actually owned 2 stills.

By 1798, as shown on the tax list, he was quite a successful land owner. His own farm (or farms) consisted of of land at a value of $1282. In addition, he owned land in both Bedford Township and St Clair Township which he leased to 12 other farmers. The value of that land totaled $6,649, quite a tidy sum in the late 1790s.

George and Mary had at least 2 children, maybe 4, maybe even 5. The census records prior to 1850 only list the head of household's name, so the other household members are up for speculation and interpretation.

George was one of the original land owners in Dutch Corner. His initial purchase of land was not too far southwest of the John Ickes homestead. A listing in findagrave.com shows that George and other family members were buried on the Blair Ott farm. Lori at dutchcornerpa.org informed me that the Ott farm was the old Wisegarver farm and that the headstones, and maybe the graves (though doubtful) were either destroyed or moved as the new owners didn't want people coming and looking for dead ancestors. Another listing at findagrave.com shows that the headstones were located at St. John's Church near Cessna. I located what I thought would be the Wisegarver farm from the Dutch Corner land map on a current map. Sure enough, Ott Road (which would have been on Ott farm) ran right through the middle of it. It also happened to be just a little north of the church to which the headstones were moved.