About The Author

I was born February 17, 1948, in Bedford County, TN and was raised in and around Fairfield, and Wartrace, TN. My first home was the old tenant house on the Archie Wiser farm, which was adjacent to his brother Elmer Wiser, and also joined their father's farm, James Daniel Wiser. Archie Wiser bought this farm from Isaac Daniel Wiser

I went to grade school at Wartrace, Tennessee and to High School at Shelbyville, Tennessee. After high school I attended Tennessee Tech at Cookeville, TN majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

I married Mary Virginia Owen of Wartrace in 1969 and have two great daughters, Letitia (Wiser) Johnson, and Christie.

Among my occupations are Engineer on nuclear power plants in TN, GA, MO, and IL. Contractor for commercial construction, and for the past several years I have owned and just recently sold a computer business in Lebanon, TN.

As I am the oldest son of the oldest son, I grew up with several of my Dad's younger brothers and sisters and have many fond memories of them.

I remember scalding pots on the banks of Straight Creek, with fires burning to boil water for hog killing in the fall every year. Hanging hams and shoulders in the smokehouse so as to have meat for the next year are also memories. My Grandfather mixing and cooking sausage to sample to see if the mix was just right before sacking and hanging remain vivid.

I remember feather beds and pillows made from goose down that my grandmother made, and meals prepared on a wood stove. My grandmother prepared dinner at the same time as breakfast it seemed. Sausage and biscuits with fresh corn cooked on the wood stove was a real treat.

Hay time was always a busy time, as it seemed we were always racing a thunderstorm to get the hay in the barn.

I remember bringing in lambs in the middle of the night, half frozen because they decided to be born on the coldest night of the year.

The farm was a great place to get an education. If you were a farmer, you had to be pretty much self-sufficient. The lessons I learned on the farm have helped me throughout my life; and I am sorry that more children don't have the same opportunities as I had.

I was in Bedford County this past summer at my Grandfather's farm fishing with an old friend on the Garrison. Over the years he and I had taken this same fishing trip many times before. This same friend helped me build fences in the summers while we were in high school. While we were wading down the creek, he turned to me and said, "What a really great childhood we had." I believe this statement summed up what being raised on a farm in the lands of our forefathers has meant to me.

I hope you enjoy reading about the Wiser forefathers as much as I have enjoyed researching and writing the story and geneologies to follow. I have met and talked with many many family members, I would have never known had I never taken on this project. I'm glad I decided to do this and I know you will learn a lot as you step back in time to discover our roots.

SOURCES

This is by no means a complete history of our family. There are many questions and many stories left untold, but maybe with the help of family members, we can correct errors and add more information. I received help from most everyone I contacted. I also met Wisers from other States, that I could not tie into our family, but could be related to our family. I also got no response from some family members, so I could not include them. And I know there are many that I failed to contact that would have been glad to have helped. When reading through this book if errors are found, or if you have new information, please notify me by writing to: Gerald Wiser, 32 Moore Road, Lebanon, TN 37087, so this book can be updated and corrected.

To help us to understand the times and situations, I am including excerpts from several sources on the history of Tennessee and the Civil War. I have taken information from the Tennessee Blue Book, and Civil War Sites on the Internet as well as many history articles including pictures from both sources.

THE FAMILY NAME

There were several Wiser families who migrated to the United States in the 1600's and 1700's. As most of them could not speak English, it was up to the people who did the naturalizing to spell the immigrate's names. I have found Wiser, Weiser, Wisener, Wysor, Wizor, Wizer, and there were probably many more pronunciations. Most of these people tried to spell the name by the way the immigrant sounded his name. Then they would spell the name according to what country they thought this person was from.

Over the years the people would change the spelling of their names to Americanize them. Many families dropped the 'e' to more Americanize the name.

THE STORY BEGINS

The first record of our family appears in 1763 when on September 22, 1763 Phillip Wiser is naturalized in Superior Court held at Salisbury, N.C. on page 598 where it shows 47 natives of Germany were naturalized. Phillip Wiser was number 43 on the list.

The name was spelled Wiser, and that spelling was kept by his descendants to this day.

Records of Mecklenburg County North Carolina were incomplete prior to 1774, so this may explain why there is no other records for the Wisers until 1779, when Michael Wiser appears. Michael and Phillip both applied for land grants in 1779.

We don't know what relationship Phillip and Michael had, but it seems they were probably brothers.

According to Edward Wiser of North Carolina, there are two records of marriage involving a Michael Wyser in New York. The first is to Rachel DeVou on October 29, 1763 in New York City and on November 1,1761 at Old Dutch Church Tarrytown, New York. The second is to Elizabeth Murry on October 1, 1763 in New York City.

There is also a Baptism record on September 16, 1764 by the Lutheran Church in New York of daughter Catharine born to Michael Weiser and Elizabeth Leibacher, and a baptismal record on September 28, 1766 at the same church for a daughter Elizabeth born to Michael and Elizabeth Wiser.

In Michael's will written on October 6, 1801, he mentions wife Elizabeth and three daughters, Polly, Catharina, and Batsy.

Polly was married to Mathas Beem, Catharina to Henry Furr, and Batsy to George Berringer

The names here and the similarities of the ones in New York, implies that this is the same

Another possible brother could be Henry Wiser, who settled in Maryland around 1769.

The minutes of Mecklenburg, County N.C. dated January 3, 1793 states a meeting was organized for the purpose of dividing the county and erecting a separate and distinct county by the name of Cabarrus. A list of jurors shows Michael Wiser served April 23, 1794, April 24, 1797, July 21, 1795, and April 19, 1796. Phillip Wiser served October 22, 1794, April 19, 1796 and John served April 22, 1795 and January 19, 1797.

We find Phillip had 100 acres in June, 1779 in Mecklenburg County on both sides of Back Branch, and in 1784 he had 152 acres on both sides of Coldwater Creek. This was a State Grant 703.

We don't know how old Phillip was when he entered this country, nor do we have his wife's name. We do have a Will dated October 5, 1798 with still no mention of a wife. In his Will, Phillip states he has 7 children. His four daughters were Susannah Wiser Hunter (William Hunter), Deborah Wiser Townsend (Henry Townsend), Elizabeth Wiser, and Ann Wiser Whitaker. His three sons were David Wiser, John Wiser and Phillip Wiser, Jr.

Phillip must have been ill at the time he wrote the will for he died that same year. Phillip left each of his daughters $10 each. He left Phillip, Jr. $10 and other property. He left John one wagon and three horse beast, and David one wagon and horses and balance of estate. He named David Wiser and friend, John Culpepper, as Administrators

The Sons of Phillip Wiser

On July 12, 1798, Phillip, Sr. sold a track of land on Coldwater Creek for $1000.00. This was a few months before he died.

One story I thought was very interesting came from a Civil War Pension application of James Madison Wiser, a great grandson of Phillip Wiser, Sr. In this application a question concerning his ancestry was answered by stating, "My grandfather, this was David, Sr., the oldest son of Phillip came across the ocean from Germany and settled some land and was driven from it by Indians. My grandfather moved a great deal over North Carolina."

The land records of North Carolina don't show land transactions for Phillip until approximately 1779. This means he and his family were probably moving around for the first 18 years living on homesteads.

After Phillip Sr.'s death, it seems all three sons left North Carolina and went to Kentucky. Phillip Wiser Jr. is listed with wife Mary in 1790. There are no children list at this time. Phillip Jr. appears on a tax list in 1799 for Washington County, Kentucky. In 1800 we find a record in Lincoln County, Kentucky where he purchases land on The Big South Branch of The Rolling Fork Creek in part of Lincoln County, Kentucky which became Casey County in 1807. It seems Phillip liked this area as he stayed here until his death, and many of his descendants are still in this area.

John Wiser married Margaret Cook on July 17, 1797. His first appearance was on jury duty in 1795. John was listed in his father's household in 1790 but was gone from North Carolina by 1800. Tax list in Cumberland County, Kentucky shows John owned 100 acres on Willis Creek and David owned 150 acres on Willis Creek between what is now Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow reservoirs.

John lists his occupation as a rod man on a survey crew. This means he was very fit and a rugged individual as the terrain was still a wilderness area. There were still hostile Indians in this area.

The first record I could find in Tennessee, was a record where John paid Property Taxes in what was then Bedford County, Tennessee in 1812. The last tax record in Cumberland County, Kentucky was 1806. He must have left Kentucky about that time and migrated to Tennessee. This move to Tennessee was the last for John and David as far as I can tell.

The area of Tennessee that these two brothers came to was a real wilderness and an unsettled area. From accounts I have read, all this country was covered with dense undergrowth and was considered hunting grounds to several Indian tribes including Cherokee, Chichamauga, and Creek. There were many cane breaks, springs, and streams running out of the hills of Middle Tennessee.

Excerpts from Tennessee History - Struggle for the Frontier state: The men and women who ventured over the mountains to clear fields and build cabins were a highly independent, self-sufficient breed. This independence and desire for land, put them in direct conflict with the Indians and their insistance for freedom, hit head on with Great Britain. A young Cherokee Chief by the name of "Dragging Canoe" was displeased with the way the Cherokee where selling off ancestral hunting grounds and warned the white settlers that they were purchasing a dark and bloody ground. Dragging Canoe and other warriors holding his sentiments retreated south to establish the war like Chickamauga tribe which plagued the Tennessee Settlements for twenty years.

In 1776 the Cherokee launched attacks on East Tennessee Settlements, led by the popular and soon-to-be famous Indian fighter John Sevier, repulsed these attacks and with the help of Militia from North Carolina and Virginia, they invaded the heartland of the Cherokee and put their tows to the torch.

By siding with the British during the Revolution proved disastrous for the Cherokee, as it gave the Americans a pretext to reduce the tribes military power and to slowly encroach further on their land. In 1780, with America fortunes lagging after a series of defeats, a motley force of back woodsmen and farmers destroyed a British and Tory army at Kings Mountain, SC.

This victory, in which Tennessee Militia played an important part, saved the Patriot cause in the region and set in motion the chain of events that ended one year later with Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown.

The Revolution gave settlers an opening to push the frontier westward to the Cumberland River. Long hunters had been traveling to the Cumberland River since 1760. Men such as James Robertson, Kasper Mansker, Thomas Sharpe and many others had hunted and trapped through Middle Tennessee. On the heels of the Transylvania land purchase, a band of 300 settlers made lead by James Robertson made the trek to the French Lick, as the future site of Nashville in 1779.

This first band of pioneers established a number of fortified stations. They withstood fourteen years of brutal attacks by Creek, and Chickamauga warriors from their Tennessee River towns. Nearly all of the early families lost someone in the fighting, but the settlers survived and in time the Indian threat faded and more settlers came.

The first travelers built a fort near what is now Beechgrove Coffee Co. TN. This fort was

Once the threat of Indian warfare had subsided, the pace of settlement and growth in Tennessee quickened. A brisk business in public lands arose from the continued issue of North Carolina military warrants, which Tennessee agreed to honor with grants within its boundaries.

After 1806, the state also began to dispose of its public domain by selling off unclaimed land for a nominal fee. Cheap public land and the circulation of so many old claims had the desired effect of attracting settlers from the East. Even more favorable for immigration were the various cessions of Indian land negotiated between 1798 and 1806. Treaties signed with the Cherokee and Chickasaw during that period resulted in the acquisition of much of south-central Tennessee and most of the Cumberland Plateau, finally removing the Indian barrier between the eastern counties and the Cumberland settlements. Tennessee now had jurisdiction over contiguous territory from east to west, which made it easier for westward travellers to reach Middle Tennessee.

With so much fresh land some of it quite fertile, opening for settlement, the state experienced a very rapid rate of population growth. Between 1790 and 1830, Tennessee's growth rate exceeded that of the nation, as each successive Indian treaty opened up a new frontier. Between 1790 and 1800 the state's populace tripled. It grew 250% from 1800 to 1810, increasing from 85,000 to 250,000 during the first fourteen years of statehood alone. By 1810, Middle Tennessee had moved ahead of the eastern section in population. From 1818 to 1826 the General Assembly met in Murfreesboro, and in 1826 the capitol moved to its permanent site in Nashville. Slavery played a major role in Tennessee's rapid expansion. The territorial census of 1791 showed a black population of 3,417 - 10% of the general population; by 1800, it had jumped to 13,584 (12.8%) and by 1810, African Americans constituted over 20% of Tennessee's people. With the opening of former Indian lands, and the heavy migration into the state, the period from 1806 to 1819 was one of prosperity and rapid development in Tennessee. Thirty-six of Tennessee's 95 counties were formed between 1796 and 1819. Raw, isolated settlements developed quickly into busy county seats, and the formerly beleaguered outpost of Nashville grew into one of the leading cities of the Upper South. Relations between whites and Native Americans had been relatively peaceful after 1794, although trespassing on Indian land was rampant and life continued to be hazardous for settlers in outlying areas. As Tennesseans pushed west and south toward the Tennessee River, however, they began to press upon Creek territory and hostilities resumed. The Creeks were the most formidable tribe on the Tennessee borders, and they were widely believed to be under the influence of elligerent British and Spanish agents.

In 1812 moreover, ominous rumors reached the frontier of a warlike confederacy of the Ohio Valley tribes led by Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet. Tecumseh had visited the Creek Nation the year before to urge the southern tribesmen to join his warrior crusade to roll back white settlement. His prophecy that the earth would tremble as a sign of the impending struggle was seemingly confirmed by a series of massive earthquakes which convulsed western Tennessee and created Reelfoot Lake. News reached Nashville in August 1813 of the massacre of some 250 men, women and children at Fort Mims, Alabama. Tecumseh's message had taken hold, and the Creek Nation was split by civil war. The Fort Mims attack was carried out by the far faction, called Red Sticks, under their chief, William Weatherford. Governor Willie Blount immediately called out 2,500 volunteers and placed them under the command of Andrew Jackson. Jackson's 1813-1814 campaign against Weatherford's warriors, known as the Creek War, really constituted the Southern phase of the War of 1812. Despite a chronic shortage of supplies, lack of support from the War Department and mutiny, Jackson's militia army prevailed in a series of lopsided victories over the Red Sticks. His victory at the Battle of Tohopeka

I don't know exactly when John Wiser and David Wiser moved to Noah. Probably between 1806 and 1812. At that time Noah was in Bedford County which was established about 1807 from Rutherford County and Indian lands. It was named in honor of Thomas Bedford, Jr. who was a Revolutionary War officer, a Middle Tennessee land owner of Jefferson Springs in Rutherford County. I am sure these brothers had explored this area before they bought land there. But as far as the exact time of their arrival I am uncertain. David then moves over to White County and establishes a homestead near the Brotherton Community where he raises his family. This part of White County then becomes Putman County in the following years.

One of the obstacles that David had to deal with in White County was a Cherokee Chief whose name translated "Calf Killer". From the accounts I have read, Calf Killer was friendly with the white settlers, but the accounts also state you would get an argument from the settlers. There is a Creek name Calf Killer in this area.

The Census of 1830 shows: Bedford County shows John with his sons and daughter living in one household and one son, Isaiah, starting on his own with his wife Nancy and their one son under five. Nancy lists her birth state as Virginia and we don't know her maiden name.

In 1840, we have five "Wiser" households in the newly formed Coffee County. We have John Wiser, Isaiah Wiser, Daniel Wiser, David Wiser, John B Wiser, all of these are John's sons that have established new households. John was between 70-80 years old in 1840. Isaiah was between 30-40, Daniel was between 40-50, David was between 15-20, and John B was between 40-50 years old. In White County, David was between 70-80, David Jr. between 30-40. These are the only Wisers that show up in 1840 State Census and as you can see they are established owning land for many years and going about trying to make a living and raising their children.

Coffee County was created in 1836 from Bedford, Warren and Franklin Counties, named in honor of John Coffee (1772-1833), Creek War and War of 1812 commander, frontiersman, congressionally appointed surveyor - general, land dealer and prosperous planter.

The period between 1840 and 1850 was some of the most prosperous in Tennessee History. The 1850 Census shows John's family farming and having lots of children. Most of his sons owned property adjacent or near John and most located in the 3rd Civil district of Coffee County. Maps even today show Wiser's Branch running down the hills and flowing into the Duck River. One of the

Unaffected by the strident political rhetoric of the 1850s, commerce and farm wealth had climbed to unprecedented heights. To many Tennesseans the property of that decade only confirmed the superiority of the Southern agrarian system--slavery and all. With more capital than ever invested in slaves, planters did not intend willingly to suffer the loss of that property or even to have restrictions put on its use. Not surprisingly, they viewed the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency and the elevation of his anti-slavery Republican Party to national power in 1860 as a disaster. Lincoln had so little support in Tennessee that his name was not even on the ballot. Though relatively small in numbers, slaveholders exerted great influence over the political affairs of Middle and West Tennessee, and they were convinced that the time had come for a break with the North. They had a staunch ally, moreover, in Governor Isham Harris who was ardently pro-succession and hard at work to align Tennessee with the ten states that had already left the Union.

Most Tennesseans initially showed little enthusiasm for breaking away from a nation whose struggles it had shared for so long. In February of 1861, 54% of the state's voters voted against sending delegates to a succession convention. With the firing on Fort Sumner in April, however, followed by Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to coerce the seceded states back into line, public sentiment turned dramatically against the Union. Governor Harris began military mobilization, submitted an ordnance of secession to the General Assembly, and made direct overtures to the Confederate Government. In a June 8 referendum, East Tennessee held firm against separation while West Tennessee returned an equally heavy majority in favor. The big shift came in Middle Tennessee, which went from 51% against secession in February to 88 % in favor in June. Having ratified by popular vote its connection with the fledgling Confederacy, Tennessee became the last state to withdraw from the Union. The die was cast for war.

Much is made of the glory and great deeds that occurred during the next four years. Without diminishing in any measure the heroism of both soldiers and civilians, of women as well as men, the fact remains that this was the worst of times for Tennessee and its people. The trauma of war brought out greatness in some, but the worst in many more. Hardship visited households from one end of the state to the other and few families were spared suffering and loss during the conflict. Great battles were fought in Tennessee as much as in any theater of the war, and the men who fought them deserve the respect of posterity for their sacrifices. For most Tennesseans, however, the period from 1861 to 1865 was a grim, brutish time when death and ruin ruled the land.

Geography dictated a central role for Tennessee in the coming conflict: its rivers and its

a few months earlier, were surrendered and packed off to Northern prison camps.

Military rule in Confederate-controlled East Tennessee was equally onerous,

and fighting there was widespread between Unionists and Confederate sympathizers. Military occupation offered many opportunities for settling blood feuds, vendettas, and scores of all sorts. Ambushes of Union soldiers in Middle Tennessee brought reprisal in the form of lynchings, house-burnings, and even the razing of courthouses and churches. With most of the fighting-age men away, bands of armed men-little more than bandits-roamed the country, leaving in their wake the breakdown of civil order.

In April 1862, near tiny Shiloh Chapel in Hardin County, General Johnston had his chance for revenge on Grant and the Federals. On a Sunday morning his army of about 40,000 collided in the woods with an encamped Union force of roughly equal size. By dusk that evening the Confederates had come close to driving Grant into river, but they had not delivered the knockout blow. Their attempts cost the lives of many men, among them Johnston himself. During the night 25,000 fresh Union troops reinforced Grant's battered brigades, allowing him to mount a strong counterattack the next day. The weary Confederates, now under the command of General P.G.T. Beauregard, were not pursued as they withdrew that evening from the field. Shiloh was a bloody wake-up call - more men were lost in that one battle than in all of America's previous wars, and both sides began to realize that the war would be neither brief nor cheaply won.

West Tennessee now lay open to Federal rule, and on June 6, 1862, the Union flag was raised over Memphis after a brief naval fight. Ironically, only pro-Union East Tennessee remained in Confederate hands. Governor Harris and the state government, which had moved to Memphis after Nashville's fall, were forced to flee the state altogether. The secessionist regime that had led Tennes

The devastation of the war of Tennessee was profound. A substantial portion of a generation of young men was lost or maimed, resulting in an unusually high percentage of unmarried women in

During this time the grandsons of John and David are caught up in this conflict. Records show that the Wisers volunteered in force to support The South and the traditions that they believed in. These young men signed up in the towns surrounding their homes early in the conflict and began the events that forever changed their lives and even our lives today.

Daniel's sons Newton Daniel Wiser, John M. Wiser and William H. Wiser all enlisted in A Company

Newton Daniel Wiser Pvt A Company 44th Inf Army of Tennessee, enlisted December 9, 1861 and was the first organization of the 44th. He was captured at Fort Donelson and took the oath to the U.S. Described as 6'1", brown hair, hazel eyes, fair complexion.

John M. Wiser Pvt A Company 44th Inf Army of Tennessee, enlisted December 9, 1861. He was furlowed home due to illness a few months later.

The 44th Tennessee Inf. was organized at Camp Trousdale December 16, 1891. Company A from men from Coffee County. The 44th was consolidated with the 55th Tennessee Infantry on April 18, 1862 due to heavy losses of both regiments. Shortly after organization the regiment moved to Camp Hardee, Bowling Green, Kentucky, where it was put under Brigadier General S.A.M. Wood's Brigade, along with the 7th Alabama, 5th, 7th, 8th, and a battalion from the 9th Arkansas Infantry and the 3rd Mississippi Infantry Battalion. Following the fall of Fort Donelson in February 1862, the brigade fell back to Murfreesboro where it was composed of the 7th, 16th Alabama, 8th Arkansas, battalion from the 9th Arkansas, 27th, 44th, 55th Tennessee Infantry and the 3rd Mississippi Battalion, two batteries, and Avery's Georgia Cavalry. The brigade was placed under General Gideon J. Pillow, but was shortly turned over to General T. C. Hindman. As part of this division the brigade was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh April 6-7, 1862 Doctor Noblitt, Assistant Surgeon for the regiment, said in his account in Lindsley's Annals, that the 44th entered the engagement with 470 men in line, and at roll call Tuesday morning April 9, 120 answered to their name. As a result of these loses the 44th was consolidated with the 55th regiment to form the 44th 2nd organization.

Isaiah Wiser had four sons that fought in the 16th Infantry of the Army of Tennessee. Theywere John D. Wiser, Thomas J. Wiser, Isaiah Wiser, Jr., and William (R.D.) Wiser, Margaret Duncan's son, J. Hamilton Lewis Duncan and Adam Duncan were also in the 16th.

In a report of General Daniel S. Donnelson, on the battle of Stones River, he says about the 16th and Colonel Savages. "The regiment in my judgment held the critical position of that part of the field (this was the advance on the Cowen house, Wednesday, December 31st, 1862.) Colonel Savage finding the line he had to defend was entirely too long for the number of men in his command, finally threw out the greater part of his command as skirmishers to deceive the enemy as to his strength, and he held his position with characteristic and most commendable tenacity for over three hours. The point being held assured the winning of Wednesdays evening's battle. Colonel Savage resigned and D. M. Donnell became Colonel. The regiment spent the winter and spring around Tullahoma in Shelbyville, and went to Chattanooga on July 7, 1863. Fought the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. The 16th lost 77 men at these battles. The regiment was paroled on May 1, 1865 at Greensboro, NC.

Isaiah Wiser, Jr. enlisted on May 23rd, 1861, Pvt. B Company 16th Army of Tennessee. Isaiah was listed on a report of killed October 10th, 1862 at Perryville, Kentucky in 1st Division, right wing Army of Mississippi. They were over run and suffered heavy casualties.

William (R.D.) Wiser enlisted on May 23rd, 1861, Pvt B. Company Army of Tennessee. Elected 3rd Sergeant May 1862, killed October 8, 1862, Perryville, Kentucky along with his brother Isaiah Jr.

John D.Wiser enlisted September 18, 1862, Pvt. B. Company 16th Army of Tennessee. He was hospitalized at Ocmulgee Hospital in Macon Georgia for bronchitis from October 23, 1864 to October 17, 1864. Surrendered May 6, 1865 and took oath on May 12, 1865 at Nashville. Described at 5' 9", brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion.

Thomas J. Wiser enlisted on August 31, 1862. Wounded slightly at Battle of Chickamauga. He was in Ladies Hospital Montgomery, AL in November 15, 1864. Paroled at headquarters Montgomery, May 1865. He was described as 5'4", dark hair, green eyes, far complexion.

J. H. L. Duncan enlisted on May 23, 1861, Sergeant 16th Inf Army of Tennessee. Elected 1st Lt. on February 22, 1862. He was promoted to Captain on May 1, 1862. He was discharged on August 10, 1863 due to illness.

John William Wiser, son of David Wiser, Pvt. K. Company 24 Inf Army of Tennessee. He enlisted June 22, 1863 at Shelbyville, Tennessee. He was captured at Nashville December 16, 1864

David Wiser, Jr. in Putnam County had two sons James M. and John L., that enlisted. John L. with K company 28th Infantry and James M. with the 13th Calvary.

The 8th Tennessee Cavalry (aka 13th Tennessee Dibrell's Cavalry) was initially organized in White County as independent partisan rangers on September 4, 1862, with 12 companies under the command of Colonel George G. Dibrell. The first muster was held near Sparta in September 1862, and consisted of about 920 men, primarily farm workers from Jackson, Overton, Putnam and White counties.

On October 8, the regiment marched from Sparta to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to join Brigadier General Nathan B. Forrest's Brigade. There it was reorganized into 10 companies and mustered into the CSA as the 8th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry. White at Murfreesboro, the regiment was equipped with 400 flintlock muskets and 600 sabres--the only issue of arms ever made to it by the Confederate Government. Its first military assignment was to scout and establish pickets outside the city of Nashville. A skirmish at Neely's Bend, north of the city, was the first of several while stationed in that area.

October 8th, 1862 this regiment was placed in Brigadier General Nathan B. Forrest's Brigade and in December it went with General Forrest on his first raid into West Tennessee culminating in the battle of Parker's Crossroads on December 31, 1862. The regiment lost in this battle were 8 killed, 35 wounded and 130 captured or missing. They did come away with Enfield rifles. This is where James Madison Wiser was captured.

In a Civil War Questionnaire on April 9, 1906, James states that his address was RFD No. 1, Brotherton, TN. He was a farmer and father was Davie. At the time of the war, he owned one horse; he didn't own slaves, but he owned 300 acres and lived in a log house with three rooms. On a question asking his father and mother's occupation, James describes the chores that were required to live in the mid 1800s. He stated his father worked on the farm and did such jobs as plowing, hoeing and his jobs were plowing, making rails and clearing ground. His mother and sisters wove all their clothes.. They would spin, cook and do all kinds of housework. Question number 19 on this form asked did the white men in his community generally engage in such work. James answered "yes". Question number 20 asked to what extent were there white men in the community leading lives of idleness and having others do their work? James answered, "Very few of that kind."

James states he went to school about two months and didn't learn the alphabet. He walked to school about 2 1/2 miles and that the boys and girls didn't attend school on a regular basis. James wrote, "at Lexington battled two hours and the confederates won. Laid down on my saddle blanket

James was sent to Camp Douglas, IL, and was placed in prison, where he stayed all winter. The he was exchanged at City Points, Virginia for Federal troops. He came to Chattanooga on train and then walked home. During the war, James states he met Major Forrest in battle of Parkers Cross Roads and stood by him in the battle. He says he bought a horse for $157.50 but lost him in the battle.

J. M. Wiser's pension number was 8058. On January 23, 1922, James was 78 years old. After the war he lived in Clay County Missouri for eleven years and Fremont County, Idaho for two years and five months. The remainder of his life was spent in Putman County, Tennessee.

The 8th Tennessee was involved in a remarkable number of battles and skirmishes throughout

Its last engagement was at Beulah, NC on April 11, 1865. The next day, the regiment learned that rumors of Lee's surrender were true and marched to Greensboro, NC. From there, it helped escort President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet to Abbeville, SC where the command was dissolved. The 8th Tennessee consisting of only 381 men, marched to Washington, Georgia and surrendered to the 4th Iowa Cavalry on May 3rd. The soldiers were granted their paroles on May 11 and allowed to return home.

The 24th Tennessee Infantry was organized on August 6, 1861, and was paroled at Greenboro, NC on May 1, 1865. Company K was formed from men from Manchester, Coffee County and some from Wilson County. Soon after organization the regiment moved to Bowling Green and on January 31, 1862 was reported to be under Colonel Patrick Cleburne's Brigade along with the 15th Arkansas, 6th Mississippi, 23rd, 24th and 35th (also called the 5th) Tennessee Infantry Regiments. The regiment left Bowling Green on February 13, 1862 and was reported to be in Murfreesboro on the 23rd. The 15th Arkansas had been replaced with the 1st Arkansas and the Watson Battery had been added. It arrived at Corinth, Mississippi on February 23 and was engaged at the Battle of Shiloh, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Peebles as part Cleburne's Brigade, Hardee's Corps. The regiment entered the battle with 406 effectives, and was commanded by Cleburne for steadfast valor. No itemized record of

casualties by regiments was found, but the brigade reported 1032 casualties out of 2750 engaged.

On July 8, 1862, the regiment was placed in Major General Benjamin Cheatham's Division,

Brigadier General Alexander Stewart's Brigade composed of the 4th, 5th, 24th, 31st, and 33rd Tennessee regiments, and Standord's Mississippi Battery. These five regiments remained together for the duration of the war.

The regiment was engaged at the Battle of Stones River on December 31, 1862 where the regiment suffered 79 casualties out of 344. At this time they were under the c command of Colonel H. L. W. Bratten with Lieutenant Colonel Wilson. Colonel Bratten was killed and Lieutenant Wilson was wounded.

On November 25, 1863, the 24th suffered 45 casualties at Missionary Ridge. In December, 1864 the 24th commanded by Captain Daniel Kennedy, was engaged at Nashville in the Granny White Pike area and formed part of the force which covered the retreat to Corinth, Mississippi.

The 24th then moved to North Carolina to join General Joe Johnston and fought at Smithfield on March 31, 1865.

Romulus Burks, Pvt E. Company 4th (McLemorer) Cavalry enlisted on November 28, 1861 at the age of 36 in Nashville, Tennessee, along with other men from Coffee, Bedford, and Rutherford Counties.

Isham Duncan, Sergeant I Company 4th (McLemorer) Cavalry enlisted on August 28, 1861.. He took the oath on August 30, 1863, and was described as 5' 11", brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion.

Adam Duncan, Pvt I Company 4th (MeLemorer) took the oath on July 26, 1863 at Manchester, Tennessee and was listed as Prisoner of War.

In April 1862 the 4th (Starnes' - McLemore's) Tennessee Cavalry reported it was engaged in a

After the war was over, things really changed for everyone in the south and especially for Tennesseans, being a border state. The following will help explain the times following the war. These excerpts were taken from "The Tennessee Blue Book."

Tennessee's ordeal did not cease with the end of military hostilities, but continued during the postwar period known as Reconstruction. The war's legacy of political bitterness endured for years after the surrender of Confederate armies. Civil conflict split Tennessee society into rival and vindictive camps, with each side seeking to use politics to punish its enemies and bar them from participating in the system. This political warfare was only slightly less violent than the just-concluded military struggle.

President Lincoln's formula for reconstructing the Southern states required only that ten percent of a state's voters take the oath of allegiance and form a loyal government before that state could apply for readmission. In January of 1865, after Andrew Johnson departed for Washington to become Lincoln's vice president, a largely self-appointed convention of Tennessee Unionists met in Nashville to begin the process of restoring the state to the nation. They nominated William G. "Parson" Brownlow of Knoxville for governor, repudiated the act of secession, and submitted for referendum a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery. A small turnout of voters, about 25,000 approved the amendment and elected Brownlow as governor, more or less meeting the requirements of Lincoln's plan. Tennessee thereby became the only one of the seceded states to abolish slavery by its own act.

Such an unpopular and undemocratic regime as Brownlow's soon called forth the agents of its own downfall. Driven underground by the

Turn-of-the-century Tennessee presented a much improved appearance over the devastated landscape of three decades earlier. Sixteen percent of the state's two million people in 1900 lived in cities, with the largest city, Memphis, having a population of 102,300. The Bluff City itself represented quite a success story, having weathered three separate outbreaks of deadly yellow fever during the 1870's. The epidemics killed 7,750 people, many more fled in panic, and Memphis almost ceased to exist as a functioning city. A new state board of health helped the river city to overhaul its health and sanitation system, however, and people and business flocked to Memphis in the ensuing decades.

With the surrender of the South and Tennessee admitted back in the Union, many of the soldiers, upon their return home decided to move West. James Madison Wiser states he moved to Clay County Missouri for 11 years and on to Fremont County, Idaho for two years. This seems typical of the restlessness of this postwar era. David R.C. Wiser, one of Isaiah's sons left Tennessee about 1878, moving his family to Grapevine, Texas. In 1880 he, with his family and 13 free Negroes, settled in Havana, Arkansas. He, his wives, and several children are buried in Wiser's Bluff Cemetery and his descendents are still in Arkansas.

In a hand written book of my great grandfather's, he writes a short history of James D.Wiser and Laural Ferrell. Born in Coffee County Tennessee 12 miles of Manchester on Wiser's and Ferrell's Branch a distance of about two miles apart. At six years of age, we went into school together at Wiser's Bluff School. Went to school and church together until we were in the teen age. About the age of 18 years old we got married in the year of 1890, July the 1st. Went to Haskel County, Texas in the fall of 1892 and came back to Tennessee in spring of 1894. Lived in the house with Laural's parents and made a crop in the fall of 1894 moved out on a farm and went to cropping in the spring, and working in timber during fall and winter months near Noah Coffee County till fall

Wiser's Bluff School came into being about 1875 in the 3rd District of Coffee County. Newton Daniel Wiser gave the land and the community gave the materials and labor and the school was built. The one room frame building doubled as a meeting place for the Christian Church. Newton Daniel was the first teacher and he held classes for several years. Around 1914, the community built a one room school facing the old building and this school operated until 1925 when Wiser's Bluff was consolidated with Noah Junior High.

The Manchester Guardian newspaper in its news from Noah Community 1881-82, describes Noah as having a country post office established in May or June of 1880. Located in the community were two grist mills deriving power from the Noah's Fork of the Duck River. There are in the vicinity, three churches, Baptist, Christian, and Methodist, one private and six public schools and a stream saw mill. Grain and hogs are the chief exports. Tri-weekly mail by horse and rider. Among the businesses listed were three blacksmith shops, Beckman Mill, two Wagon Makers, a carpenter, a shoemaker, two general stores, two doctors, an attorney, a tanner, and Wiser Bro's Mill (N. D., John, Francis).

There is also a record where Francis Marion Wiser taught school in the 5th district of Coffee County. In the 1880-81 school year for Beech Grove, a roll of students was kept on a vest size notebook.

Below is an article published in the NewsLeader, Thursday, December 29, 1994.

community over the years.

This is the first of a series of articles of Faye Jacobs about the areas, with special emphasis on the historic Noah Community. She has taken some of the information in this article from the book. Coffee County from Arrowheads to Rockets, by Corrine Martinez, Marjorie Collier, and Sarah Shepard. That material is used with permission.

The earliest settlement in this area was known as "the hills." It was located near Needmore, the nickname of Noah. In 1800 the Patton brothers, John, Daniel and Neely settled here.

This entire area of Tennessee was once claimed by France, England and Spain but the United States laid claim to it in the 1700s. Even in 1800 it was still considered to be Indian territory.

Four Indian treaties had to be made before this land could be part of the young United States. Coffee County was involved in all of these treaties because at that time it was still part of Davidson County. After the treaties were signed and the land belonged to the United States, the pioneers began to move to the area at a greater pace.

The Baptists and Presbyterians had the first preachers to come to this area. As early as 1812, the Separate Baptists had a meeting place built out of logs near Noah. Later many churches were built.

The Baptists had a church at Noah. The Methodists had churches at Mt. Carmel, Fountain Grove, Mt. Zion, Asbury, Mt. Vernon and Spring Creek. There were also Hopewell Primitive Baptist, Union Cumberland Presbyterian and Cumberland Presbyterian churches at Beech Grove.

In 1836 Jonathon Webster, the speaker of the U.S. Senate, lived at Noah. He and his brother owned thousands of acres of land, some of which were near Manchester. He is buried in the Noah community.

A spirited contest arose over the name of the county. Some people wanted to name it Webster and some wanted to name it Coffee in honor of John Coffee. The State Legislature made the decision.

John Coffee was born in Virginia, June 2, 1772 and moved to Tennessee when he was 26 years old. He served during the War of 1812 and the Creek War. He was a colonel and brigadier-general for the Tennessee Volunteers. In October of 1814, Jackson called for reinforcements, to John Coffee and 2,800 volunteers went to Mobile, Alabama. The day of the great battle, January 15, 1815, Coffee and his command stood by "Old Hickory". Coffee was later promoted to major-general and the Congress gave him their thanks.

Of course, Coffee County was predominantly an agricultural county. The soil was a mixture of loam and sand with a good clay subsoil. It was easy to work with. Farming was a great business and crops that were grown included wheat, corn, oats, tobacco and livestock.

Coffee County had the claim to having the oldest free fair in the South. The fair was established in 1857 and is still in existence today. It is held in September of each year.

One of the largest businesses in the area was Stone Fort Paper Company. It was operated by Hickerson and Wooten It began operations in 1879 and within two years it was producing 4,000 to 12,000 pounds daily. It furnished paper for the newspapers of Memphis, Chattanooga, and Nashville. The company would buy rags to make into paper and paid a good price for them.

The Manchester Times was first published in November, 1881. It was started by F. N. Miller. He had been a printer for the Nashville Banner and helped to bring industries and businesses into Coffee County. He operated the Times until 1901.

One man who was responsible for the quality of improvements in our vicinity was General Benjamin Franklin Cheatham. He was married to Anna Bell Robertson on March 15, 1866. Their wedding gift from Anna's parents was a large farm near Noah.

He brought the Poland, China and Essex breeds of hogs to the area. He raised different crops and practiced crop rotation. He was also interested in horse breeding and contributed to the quality of stock and horses in our community. Cheatham Springs Road is named for him.

In the 1800's, Noah had two stores and a blacksmith shop. The merchants would take chickens and eggs in exchange for merchandise.

Education was a problem in Tennessee. In 1870 the census revealed that illiteracy was high. A school was started at Noah in 1885. It was called Bell Springs College. Its first president was John D. Ewell, who had graduated from Beech Grove College. Bell Springs College lasted until 1893.

In 1882 William Burger held school at Noah with 32 male students. The students said that Mr. Burger was might tight on them. Some of the studies at the first schools in the county were telegraphy, phonography, and bookkeeping.

In the Noah community there were several educational institutions in the late 1800's and the early 1900's. The schools that have been located in the community were Bugger Hill School, located on Cheatham Springs Road; Wiser's Bluff School, which was located about two and a half miles up Noah Road; Farrar Hill School, which was on top of Farrar Hill; and Noah School, which is still being used. At one time it was a junior high and high school. The building is now used as a community center. It is used for benefits, reunions, weddings, showers, club meetings and a Headstart program.

Noah has been a thriving community over the years. Just think, it was once an Indian reservation. Also at one time there was a government distillery located in the community. The still was located on the highway across the creek from where the storage building still stands. Mr. Randall Banks told me the distrillery was washed away during a flood and some of the barrels washed upon someone's porch. I've been told the flood occurred before the turn of the century. If anyone has any information about the distillery, I would like to hear from you.