Kinexxions Blog by Rebeckah R. Wiseman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Much of the research on these families has been done by my cousin, Caroline Conrad Fawley, and other researchers who have published books, websites and online data. I'm very appreciative and grateful for their research. For the most part, I've worked very little in original records on these lines. However, I have done extensive research in Indiana and Kentucky on the Bray and Wiseman lines and that data has been posted in my database at WorldConnect.
In the listing below, the Immigrant Ancestors are denoted with an asterisk (*) after their name. The surnames that I've written posts about are hyperlinked. The links for the three Wiseman ancestors and their spouses will take you to their entry on WorldConnect, as will the links for the Bray and Ball ancestors.
THE LINEAGE OF MY PATERNAL GRANDFATHER (Dad's Father)
WISEMAN ~ Switzerland, Indiana
Charles Wilson Wiseman (1885-1943) and Elsie SHUDER (1885-1926)ALEXANDER ~ Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
Samuel Bray Wiseman (1855-1944) and Amanda Minerva ALEXANDER (1860-1950)
Charles Wiseman * (1815-1895) and Naomi BRAY (1824-1908)
According to his Naturalization Record (Civil Order Book L, Switzerland County, Indiana page 392) Charles Wiseman was born in Canton Berne, Switzerland. He was a minor (about 18 years old) when he arrived in New York City during the summer of 1833. He removed from New York to Ohio and then to the Switzerland County, Indiana about eight years ago (the record was dated April 25, 1845) where he has resided ever since.
Possible siblings include Christian and John Wiseman, the latter with whom he purchased land in 1854, which they sold four years later. At that time John was "of" Tipton County, Indiana. A naturalization record was found for John (Civil Order Book L page 391, April 25, 1845) and for Christian (Civil Order Book L page 296, October 22, 1844). Both came from Canton Berne, Switzerland in the summer of 1833. John was listed as living with Charles and Naomi Wiseman in the 1850 census.
It is also possible that Charles, Christian, and John are related in some way to Jacob and Elizabeth Wiseman who were found in the 1830 Switzerland County, Indiana census. They may be the Jacob and Elizabeth Weisman who arrived in New York on June 21, 1824 onboard the Vessel Aurora along with 5 minors; John (18), Jacob (15), Elizabeth (7), Samuel (5), and John G (3y 6m). However, I don't think that Jacob and Elizabeth are the parents of Charles, Christian and John because in 1824 Charles would have been about 9 years old, Christian was about 12, and John about 4 years of age. Besides, there were two other John's on that 1824 passenger list!
Amanda Minerva Alexander (1860-1950) and Samuel Bray WISEMAN (1855-1944)BRAY ~ Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana
William Alexander (1805-1899) and Rachel VAN CUREN (1824-1891)
William Washington Alexander (1777-1871) and Lucy SPRAGUE (about 1784-about 1814)
William Alexander (about 1745-1777) and Elizabeth CARRUTHERS (about 1750-after 1813)
The William Alexander who died in 1777 was killed at the battle of Head of Elk in Maryland during the Revolutionary War. In a little "twist of fate" I was stationed at Bainbridge, Maryland while I was in the Navy. At the time I had no interest whatsoever in the family history but I like to think that I would have at least visited the site of the battle had I known.
Naomi BRAY (1824-1908) and Charles WISEMAN * (1815-1895)VAN CUREN / VAN KEUREN / MATTHYSSEN / VAN KEULEN ~ Holland, New Netherland, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana
Samuel Bray (1797-1885) and Susanna BALL (1797-1877)
John Bray (1761-1832) and Nancy Unknown [possibly Morgan] (about 1768-before 1820)
Henry Bray (1727-about 1799) and Cathryn Unknown (about 1730-after 1800)
Both Henry and John Bray served during the Revolutionary War; Henry in Washington County, Maryland and John, along with a brother and two brothers-in-law, in the 12th Virginia Regiment. John was wounded in the Battle of Brandywine (Delaware), at Monmouth (New Jersey) and Stony Point (New York). Henry and Cathryn were also the parents of Margaret Bray who married James Ball.
Rachel Van Curen (1824-1891) and William ALEXANDER (1805-1899)SPRAGUE ~ England, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio
Henry/Henricus Van Curen (1783-1856) and Rebecca UNKNOWN (1793-about 1865)
Jacob Van Keuren (1761-unknown) and Elisabet TERWILLIGER (1761-unknown)
Hendricus Van Keuren (1709-about 1785) and Catrina Swart (1713-about 1791)
Matthys Matthyssen (Jr) (1681-1740) and Tryntje Sleght (1683-1712)
Matthys Matthyssen (1648-1730) and Tjaatje Dewitt (1659-before 1724)
Mathij Jansen Van Keulen * (about 1600-1648) and Margrietje Hendrikse (dates unknown) *
Lucy Sprague (about 1784-about 1814) and William Washington ALEXANDER (1777-1871)BALL ~ Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana
Thomas Sprague (1741-before 1793) and Hannah Cobb (about 1746-1833)
Perez Sprague (1705-1758) and Tabitha Burt (1700-after 1784)
Ephraim Sprague (1684-1754) and Deborah Woodworth (1682-1726)
John Sprague (about 1656-1727) and Wife Unknown t
John Sprague * (about 1630-1676) and Ruth Bassett (about 1633-after 1693)
Francis Sprague * (about 1590-1676) and Wife Unknown
The Sprague lineage is an "iffy" one. Another cousin has researched this line but I've not seen any documentation, other than an old newspaper article, that connects Lucy to Thomas. It was interesting to learn about Francis Sprague, who seems to have been a colorful character, and to know that he came to Plymouth Colony on board the "Anne" in July, 1623. If the connections can be made, he would be my earliest arrival to these shores.
Susanna BALL (1797-1877) and Samuel Bray (1797-1885) (they were 1st cousins)TERWILLIGER ~ New York
James Ball (about 1749-1830) and Margaret "Peggy" BRAY (1753-1842)
Elisabet Terwilliger (1761-unknown) and Jacob VAN KEUREN (1761-unknown)DEWITT ~ Westphalia, New Netherland (New York)
Jan Terwilliger (1731-1797) and Maria Van Wagenen (about 1760-unknown)
Evert Terwilliger * (1686-1767) and Sara FREER (1698-1758)
Tjaatje Dewitt (1659-before 1724) and Matthys MATTHYSSEN (see Van Curen) (1648-1730)FREER ~ France, New York
Tjerck Claessen Dewitt (about 1629-1699) and Barbara Andriessen (about 1636-1714)
Sara Freer (1698-1758) and Evert TERWILLIGER (1686-1767)THE LINEAGE OF MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER (Dad's Mother)
Hugo Freer * (1668-1732) and Maria Anna Leroy (1673-unknown)
Hugo Freer * (about 1640-1698) and Marie de la Haye (about 1640-1676)
SHUDER / SCHUDER ~ Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
Elsie Shuder (1885-1926) and Charles Wilson WISEMAN (1885-1943)LAVERING ~ Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
Isaac Shuder (1846-1905) and Nancy Jane LAVERING (1854-1954)
Christian Schuder Jr. (1813-1885) and Sarah Nancy Huntsicker (1817-1883)
Christian Schuder Sr. (1762-1842) and Anna Eva Christina STOEVER (1774-1855)
Nancy Jane Lavering (1854-1954) and Isaac SHUDER (1846-1905)STOEVER ~ Hessen (Germany), Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio
Daniel Lavering (1830-1895) and Elizabeth Ann LONG (1829-1895)
William Lavering (1797-1870) and Elizabeth Ann SCHUDER (1808-1863)
Elizabeth Schuder was the daughter of Christian Schuder Sr. and Anna Eva Christina Stoever. Nancy Lavering and Isaac Shuder were 1st cousins once removed. Isaac's father was a brother of Nancy's grandmother.
Anna Eva Christina Stoever (1774-1855) and Christian SCHUDER Sr. (1762-1842)MERCKEL ~ the Pfaltz, France, Pennsylvania
John Casper Stoever III (1735-1821) and Anna Maria Barbar Nagel * (1710-1821)
John Caspar Stoever II * (1707-1779) and Maria Catarina MERCKEL * (1715-1795)
Johann Kaspar Stöver * (bap 1684-1738) and Gertraudt UNKNOWN (abt 1687-abt 1730)
Maria Catarina MERCKEL * (1715-1795) and John Caspar Stoever II * (1707-1779)LONG ~ Ohio, Indiana
Johann Christian Merckel * (1678-1766) and Anna Catharina Bender * (dates unknown)
Elizabeth Ann LONG (1829-1895) and Daniel Lavering (1830-1895)
George Long (1798-about 1872) and Wife Unknown (unknown-before 1850)
