Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/618

582 He was the grandson of a Swiss soldier who settled in Orange county in 1715. Henry was appointed in 1768 one of the assistant justices of the court of common pleas, and represented Orange county in the New York general assembly in 1759-'69. He strenuously espoused the side of colonial rights against the pretensions of the British parliament, and was a member of the Continental congress of 1774, and of the 2d Continental congress, which adopted the Declaration of Independence. For that measure Wisner voted, and he was the only New York delegate who acquired that honor, but before the Declaration was engrossed on parchment and ready for signing, he went to New York to attend the Provincial congress, of which he had been elected a member. He studied the art of making gunpowder and erected three powder-mills in the neighborhood of Goshen, from which large quantities of powder were supplied to the Revolutionary army. He was otherwise of practical service to the patriot cause by having spears and gun-flints made and by repairing the roads in Orange county, thus facilitating the transportation of provisions and military material to the American troops. He also, at his own expense, erected works and mounted cannon on the banks of Hudson river, which greatly impeded British vessels in their passage of the Highlands. He was one of the committee that framed the first constitution of New York in 1777, state senator in 1777-'82, and a member of the New York convention of 1788, which ratified the U. S. constitution. On that occasion he voted in the negative, fearing, in common with other stanch patriots, that a strong Federal government would overpower state and individual rights. In person Wisner was tall, with pleasing manners, and a frame that was vigorous even in old age. He possessed a strong intellect and an energetic character. See "A Memorial of Henry Wisner," by Franklin Burdge (New York, 1878).

WISNER, Moses, lawyer, b. in Aurelius, N. Y., in 1818 ; d. in Lexington, Ky., 5 Jan., 1863. He was carefully educated, removed to Michigan in 1839, studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Pontiac in 1842. He became prosecuting attorney for Lapeer county in 1843, and was governor of Michigan in 1849-'61. In 1862 he entered the National army as colonel of the 22d Michigan regiment, but died on his way to the seat of war.

WISNER, William, clergyman, b. in Warwick, N. Y., in 1782; d. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 7 Jan., 1871. He adopted the profession of law, and practised in Orange county, N. Y., for several years, but relinquished that profession to become a clergyman. He studied theology at Princeton seminary, was pastor of the Presbyterian church in Ithaca for a short time, and in 1831 took charge of the Brick church, Rochester, N. Y„ where he remained for several years. He removed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1870. Delaware college gave him the degree of D. D. in 1842. His publications include "Incidents in the Life of a Pastor " (New York, 1851), and " Elements of Civil Liberty, or the Way to maintain Free Institutions " (1853). — His son, William Carpenter, clergyman, b. in Elmira, N. Y.. 7 Dec, 1808; d. in Lockport, N. Y., 14 July, 1880, was graduated at Union in 1830, studied theology with private instructors, and was pastor of Presbyterian churches in New York and Missouri from 1832 till 1836, when he became pastor in Lockport, N. Y., holding charges there from 1837 till 1876. Union college gave him the degree of D. D. in 1851. Dr. Wisner was known throughout the Presbyterian church not only for solid learning, but for his inexhaustible humor. He left his large private library to Auburn theological seminary, of which he was a trustee in 1863-76. He was moderator of the general assembly in 1855. He published several sermons and "Prelacy and Parity" (New York, 1844).

WISSER, John Philip, soldier, b. in St. Louis, Mo., 19 July, 1852. He was graduated at the Central high-school of St. Louis in 1870, and at the U. S. military academy in 1874. Receiving an assignment to the 1st artillery, he served on garrison duty in Florida and Massachusetts until May, 1876, when he was ordered to the U. S. artillery-school at Fort Monroe. Since 1878 he has been connected almost continuously with the academic staff of instructors at the U. S. military academy, chiefly in the department of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology. On 13 Jan., 1880, he was promoted 1st lieutenant, and during 1884 he studied at the Freiberg, Saxony, school of mines, and at the agricultural experiment station at Wiesbaden. He was requested to investigate and report upon the system of instruction at the military schools of England, France, Germany, and Austria, and to attend and report upon the manœuvres of the 17th corps of the French army in 1884. Lieut. Wisser was aide-de-camp to Gen. John Gibbon during the Chinese troubles in Washington territory in 1886, but in August of that year he returned to the U. S. military academy. He is a member of the Chemical society of Berlin and of the American association for the advancement of science. His publications include &ldquo;Chemical Manipulations&rdquo; (Fort Monroe, 1883); &ldquo;Short Historical Sketch of Gunpowder&rdquo; (New York, 1883); &ldquo;Compressed Gun-Cotton for Military Use&rdquo; (1886); &ldquo;Report on the Manœuvres of the 17th Corps of the Army of France&rdquo; (Vancouver Barracks, W. T., 1886); &ldquo;Practical Instruction in Minor Tactics and Strategy&rdquo; (New York, 1888); and &ldquo;Report on the Military Schools of Europe: I., Austria&rdquo; (1889).

WISSLER, Jacques, engraver, b. in Strasburg, Germany, in 1803; d. in Camden, N. J., 25 Nov., 1887. He was educated in Paris, France, came to this country in 1849, and was employed in a lithographing firm. Before the civil war his employer sent him to Richmond, Va., and after the firing on Fort Sumter he was detained by the Confederate authorities and assigned to the task of engraving its paper currency and bonds. Mr. Wissler acquired a fortune in this employment, but his loyalty to the U. S. government caused the confiscation of his estate before the close of the war. He then removed to Macon, Miss., and finally settled in Camden, N. J., where he acquired the reputation of being among the most skilled engravers in this country. He was also successful in portrait-painting in crayons and oils.

WISTAR, Richard, merchant, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 20 July, 1756; d. there, 6 June, 1821. He was the grandson of Caspar Wistar, who came to this country from Germany in 1717 and established near Salem, N. J., what is believed to have been the first glass-factory in the colonies, in the management of which his son was also associated. In early life Richard turned his attention to commerce, in which he was eminently successful. He built a large four-storied store in 1790, where he conducted an iron and hardware business, and with the profits of this undertaking purchased lands and houses in the vicinity of Philadelphia, which became exceedingly valuable. During the Revolutionary war he advocated the defence of his property by arms, which resulted in his being disowned by the Society of Friends. He was an inspector