John W Wisler

John W Wisler, son of Jonas Wisler & his wife Elizabeth J Wilson Wisler

1st married Eliza A McDonald Wisler, daughtrer of John J McDonald & his wife Sarah Maxwell McDonald

Children
Madge E Wisler
Charles O Wisler
Blanche C Wisler
Hazel B Wisler Davidhizar
John W Wisler

2nd married 1911 Orilla "Drilla" Truex Wisler, daughter of Benjamin Truex & his wife Mary A Willet Truex

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1870 Locke Twp, Elkhart Co,IN - Wisler, Jonas 39 OH, Elisabeth 34 VA, Hulda 16, John 12 IN, Ellen 10 IN, Mary 7 IN & Sarah 4 IN

1900 Nappanee, Locke Twp, Elkhart Co,IN - Wisler, head John W 43 IN, wife Eliza 43 IN, daughter Madge 12 IN, son Charles 11 IN & daughter Hazel 6 IN

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Jonas Wisler was the fourth child born to John and Sophia Wisler, his birth occurring in Green township, Columbiana county, Ohio, April 3,1831, and there on the home farm he grew to manhood, his youthful days being spent at farm work and in attending the public schools of his day, which were conducted in the vicinity of his rural home. His father owned quite an extensive distillery, and many of his early days were spent in that establishment.

At the age of twenty-one years he decided to commence the battle of life for himself, and about one year later was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth J Wilson, a native of Virginia and a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Daugherty) Wilson, the former of whom first saw the light of day in the old dominion in 1790, and was a son of Richard and Ann (Anderson) Wilson, who crossed the ocean to this country from England when young.

Samuel Wilson was married in Virginia and with his wife moved to Indiana in 1837 and located near Waterford, in Elkhart county, but at the end of a few years moved to Harrison township, and at a still later period to Locke township, and on a farm in that section he and his worthy wife passed from life. Samuel Wilson was one of the early pioneers of this section, was a great hunter in early times, and died in Elkhart county in 1847, at the age of fifty-seven years, at which time he was an earnest member of the United Brethren Church, an honorable and public-spirited citizen, and politically a Democrat.

His wife, Mary Daugherty, was born in Maryland and her union with Mr Wilson resulted in the birth of seven children: Andrew J, who died at the age of twenty-one years, in 1841; Mary (Mrs Stewart), of Union township; Reuben, and an unnamed infant that died in early childhood; Isaiah. a resident of Nebraska; Washington, who was a farmer of Marshall county, died in 1891; Elizabeth is the wife of Mr Jonas Wisler; and Alexander, who died in 1860, at the age of twenty-one. The mother of these children died in 1865, on December 14, and like her husband, was in full communion with the Lutheran Church at the time of her death.

Mrs Wisler was born on March 16, 1835, and was an infant at the time of her parents' removal to Elkhart county, and on the farm on which she and her husband are now happily residing, she grew up. Like her parents before her, she is a member of the United Brethren Church and has endeavored to rear her children in that belief. She has borne her husband seven children, three of whom are living: John W, born May 24, 1857; Ella J was born on October 11, 1860, is the wife of Josiah Smeltzer, of Nappanee, by whom she has had three children; Jonas J, deceased, and Charles L and Ray P are living; and Sarah S, who was born September 4, 1865, married Charles W. Camp, of Garrett, and has one child, Mande E. The children who are deceased are: Huldah, who was born April 30, 1854, and died March 20, 1873; Loring W, born April 1, 1856, and died May 15, 1856; Samuel M, born July 16, 1858, and died in January, 1859; and Mary S, born May 23, 1863, and died August 23, 1885. Mr and Mrs Wisler are prominent in the affairs of the county, and especially so in their township, and are law-abiding, generous and kind-hearted. Besides their own children they have reared other children to manhood and womanhood - Martin Troxel and Mary M Berk. Mr and Mrs Wisler have a large circle of warm friends and are prominent in church affairs. Their children who are living are well-to-do and are among the highly respected citizens of the township.

Mr Wisler is a Republican in politics and has held a number of minor offices in his section. In early days he and his brother, Isaac, were in the manufacturing business at Locke, where they carried on a thriving trade; but for a number of years past Mr Wisler has been successfully engaged in tilling the soil and is now in good circumstances and in an independent financial condition. The establishment of enterprises for the benefit of his section has always found in Mr Wisler a liberal and active supporter, churches, schools, good roads, etc, being the principal objects of his assistance and encouragement.

John W Wisler, his son, was born May 24, 1857, in the town of Locke, Ind, and on his father's farm in that township he grew to manhood, his literary education being acquired in the schools of his district and the village school of Locke. Possessing a mind which. was quick to grasp at all objects and ideas that presented themselves, he made good progress in his studies and acquired a practical business education. He worked in his father's mill until about fourteen years of age, at which time he moved with his parents to the old homestead, in Locke township, and from that time until he was nearly thirty years of age he was a worthy tiller of the soil, and as such proved himself thrifty, intelligent and consequently successful.

He then came to the conclusion that it was not good for man to live alone, and therefore married him a wife and started to improve a farm of his own, and in this work found a true helpmate in the lady he chose for his wife, Miss Eliza McDonald, a daughter of John J McDonald, a sketch of which family appears in this work.

Mrs Wisler was born in Harrison township March 2, 1867, and grew to womanhood in Harrison and Union townships, attending the district schools until her marriage, at the age of nineteen, to John W Wisler. Soon after this event they located on an improved farm in Locke township, on the old Plymouth road, and although the farm consisted only of forty acres, it is tilled in an admirable manner, is well improved with good buildings and is in every respect a desirable farm. The most of his land is devoted to raising grain and stock, his knowledge of each of these branches of agriculture being considered sound and practical. He has always supported the principles of Republicanism, is prominent in politics, and in 1890 was elected assessor of Locke township, the duties of which he discharged in a very praiseworthy and satisfactory manner. He is a promising and rising young farmer, is honest, sober and industrious and has sufficient enterprise to make his future prosperity assured.

In his comfortable home he enjoys the society of his amiable and intelligent wife and has two handsome and promising children: Madge E, who was born October 2, 1888, and Charles Otto, who was born November 1, 1889. Blanche, who was born in 1892, in the month of March, died twelve days after her birth.

Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart
and St Joseph Counties, Indiana
Together with Biographies of Many Prominent Men of Northern Indiana and the Whole State, Both Living and Dead
Goodspeed Brothers Publishers
1893* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 18 2023, 18:11:55 UTC

• Residence: Lock Township, Elkhart, Indiana, United States - 1860
• Residence: Locke, Elkhart, Indiana, United States - 1870
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 26 2023, 23:09:02 UTC