The family of David Wise 1837-1927

 This week's post will try to follow the family of David and Matilda Martin Wise.  David was the son of Andrew and Mary Serfass Wise, and was a Civil War veteran, although he didn't enlist until near the end of the war.  (His brother, Philip, and his brother in law, Eli Martin, all from the area of Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana were also Civil War veterans. (I've written of Philip earlier and plan to write of Eli soon.)  Matilda was the daughter of Timothy and Hannah Tilbury Martin. David died in 1927 in Andrews, Indiana, at the home of his grandson.

I've located just five children for this couple, one of whom died young and another who I believe also died young.  Andrew was their first son, born in 1864 and died in 1866.  David would have missed much of his first son's life, as he spent most of 1865 in the US Army.  

Their next child, a daughter Hannah, born in 1867,married James Harris, the son of Aaron and Mary Ann Denton Harris. She was about 30 years old at the time of her marriage.  James died and in 1913 she married Frank Brian in St Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan.  They apparently had one child, Alvin.  I've not found death information for her.

Elizabeth was born in 1870.  She married John W Beeks, the son of William and Mary Wise Beeks.  They had three children, Chester, Charity and Wilbur.  Elizabeth died in 1922 in Andrews, Huntington County, Indiana, at the home of her son Wilbur.

John was born in 1872 and died in 1941 at the home of his nephew, Wilbur Beeks in Andrews, Indiana.  He had been a farm laborer all his life, and had never married.  Mentioned as flower bearers in his obituary are Anna Mae Beeks, Mary Margaret Beeks, Norma Jean Beaks, and Bonnie Lou Beeks, who were the older daughters of Wilbur and Cleo Aldridge Beeks. 

And finally, Martin was born January 22, 1876.  His mother Matilda died the same year, but I don't have a death date for her.  I can't find Martin in the 1880 census so there is a possibility that he didn't long survive his birth. And of course, Matilda may have died as a result of this birth.  

David and Matilda apparently had just four grandchildren.  They lived simply but raised their family, and they have many descendants today.