By the sweat of their brows, these forebears labored at the Furnaces and on the railroads of this country.

 My father, Harold Francis WISER worked 39 years  as a brakeman and conductor on freight trains of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Southern CA.  My grandfather, Harry Robert WEISER/WISER worked as a boilermaker for the Southern Pacific in CA and  earlier in Elkhart, IN on the New York Central Railroad.  My great-grandfather, David Milligan WEISER/WISER worked on the New York Central in IN and prior to that, on one of the railroads that ran through Tyrone, Blair Co., PA.  Along the way several uncles and great-uncles also contributed to those companies of transportation. Curious about the name change? So am I.  I have always been told that David WEISER changed it when they moved to Indiana, and I have confirmed that by finding census records of George WEISER, although he is listed variously as WISER/WEISER in different census decades.

I have determined that George Weiser/Wiser lived in 1840 and 1850 in Menno Twp, 1860 thru 1870 in Union Twp, often next to or near a John WISER family. The earliest Weiser/Wiser's are a Jacob WEISER in the 1810 census, Union Twp, Mifflin Co., PA. I have yet to prove these relationships and our relations, but there is strong evidence of a connection.

Descendants of George WEISER

1 George WEISER b: 1805 in PA Occupation: Laborer (1850 census) d. Sept. 17, 1882, Union Twp.
.... +Elizabeth PATTON b: 1819 in MD
2 Sarah E. Weiser b: 1836
2 Phoebe A. Weiser b: 1837
2 George H. Weiser b: 1839
2 William Weiser b: 1842
2 Hannah Weiser b: 1845
2 Robert M. Weiser b: 1847 in PA
... +Catherine J. (?) Weiser b: 1848 in PA
3 George W. Weiser b: 1881 in PA
3 Saloma J. Weiser b: 1883 in PA
3 Annie M. Weiser b: 1890 in PA
3 Phoebe Weiser b: 1892 in PA
2 David Milligan Wiser WEISER b: January 13, 1849 in Shamokin, Northumberland, PA d: November 12, 1931 in Elkhart, IN Occupation: Railroad worker

In 1860 David's mother disappears and his father George is living alone with David's older brother Robert and Sister Hannah (who was keeping house). David shows up at 10 years of age living with his sister Sarah Wiser Snook in Armaugh Twp. By 1870 and 1880 he is living in Jackson Twp and working at Greenwood Furnace, Huntingdon Co. PA. He meets and marries Sarah Jane Benson and has two children by the time they move on to Tyrone in Blair Co.

   David & Sara Jane Weiser/Wiser
... +Sarah Jane BENSON (Benskin) b: November 24, 1851 in Cumberland, Allegheny, MD d: February 06, 1920 in Elkhart, IN Occupation: Housewife
3 Mary Ann (Weiser) Wiser b: September 28, 1872 Greenwood Furnace, PA
3 William E. (Weiser) Wiser b: August 31, 1879 in Greenwood Furnace, PA d: 1940 in Elkhart, IN
3 James B. (Weiser) Wiser b: September 18, 1881 d: in MI
3 Carrie M. (Weiser) Wiser b: October 10, 1885
3 Nora Bertha (Weiser) Wiser b: September 20, 1886 d: 1907 in Elkhart, IN
3 Ben W. (Weiser) Wiser b: March 15, 1888 in PA d: Abt 1980 in Elkhart, IN
.... +Myrtle Fuller b: 1891 in IN
4 Maurice Morris Wiser b: 1914
5 Eleanor
4 Eleanor Wiser b: 1920
3 Harry Robert (Weiser) WISER b: October 23, 1889 in Spruce Creek, Huntingdon Co., PA d: August 21, 1971 in San Francisco, CA Occupation: Railroad freight checker, boilermaker

  Harry Robert Wiser
.... +Ilah May WILKINSON b: April 21, 1884 in Kosciusko Co, IN d: September 24, 1963 in Monterey Park, CA m: April 08, 1911 in St. Joseph, MI Occupation: Secretary, homemaker

3 Mamie L. Weiser b: 1892 d: March 16, 1895 in Tyrone, PA of fever 2 1/2 yrs. old.

Greenwood Furnace, Huntingdon Co. PA
Rootsweb, Mifflin Co., PA
Mifflin Co. Historical Society
Rootsweb, Huntingdon Co., PA

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Created Tuesday, June 1, 1997
Revised April 17, 2001