Clarence Elmer Wise (1873 - 1955)

Born 22 Aug 1873 in Cow Creek, Putnam Co. WV

Ancestors

Husband of Anna May (Eskew) Wise — married 10 Jun 1896 in Putnam, WV, at her home

Descendants

Died 2 Nov 1955 at age 82 in Hurricane, WV

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Roger Wise [send private message]

Born 22 AUG 1873, on Cow Crk, Putnam County, WV. ^{[1] [2]}
Note: Putnam Co birth record reads b. 22 June 1873,
PC death record reads 22 August;
Gravestone reads b. 22 Aug 1873. ^[3]

Marriage 10 Jun 1896, Putnam County, WV. ^[4]
Putnam County marriage record: She was 21and used Anna May Neal as her name. Married at "the bride's residence." Clarence was 22. Both born and residing in Putnam Co.

Died 02 NOV 1955. Hurricane, Putnam County. ^[5] Arteriosclevatic and heart disease - PCDR.

Buried Mt Vernon Cem, Teays Valley. ^[6]

Biography

Presumably started working on the family farm, and may have picked up carpentry skills from his father. By 1900 he had married Anna May and she had given birth to three children (two surviving), and they were still in Putnam County. The census listed his occupation as a block setter, probably a job related to masonry. They were renting their house, which was adjacent to Anna May's adoptive parents, William and Pauline (Pliny) Neal. His employment must have been seasonal or irregular, as he reported being out of work for five months in the past year.

Their daughter Lima was born in the coal town of Wright, Raleigh County, WV in 1905, and Clarence's occupation was as a miner in 1910 and 1920, living in Bancroft and Black Betsy, adjacent unincorporated coal towns on the Kanawha River in Putnam County. According to my father, H Gordon Wise-2536, Windy was a Wobbly (International Workers of the World) when he lived in the camps, and later a United Mine Workers of America member before the union was crushed in the mine wars of the 1920s.

Sometime in the '20s he purchased a truck and made his living delivering ice to coal camps in the area. It may have been a struggle, as H.G. Wise-2536 used to complain about being shut out of county delivery contracts granted to political favorites. By 1930 the family was living in the town of Hurricane, where he made a living selling and delivering ice and hauling for hire. By 1940, Anna May had died of cancer and his son Paul was living with him along with his wife and son. I remember from my childhood in the 1950s that he was still selling ice from the ice house dug into his front yard.

Residences

• 1897 - Darrell born, living on Sleepy Creek, Putnam County, WV
• 1899 - Hobart born, living on Sleepy Creek, Putnam County, WV
• 1900 - Paul born, Hurricane WV (but listed on a 1940 birth registration)
• 1900 - Teays Valley district, Putnam, West Virginia - census
• 1905 - Lima born in Wright, Raleigh Co. WV
• 1908 - H Gordon born Middleport, Meigs, Ohio
• 1910 - Black Betsy, Pocatalico District, Putnam, WV - census
• 1911 - Gorman born Bancroft, Putnam Co. WV
• 1918 - Draft registration card, Bancroft, WV
• 1920 - Black Betsy, Pocatalico District, Putnam, WV - census
• 1923 - Lima was married in Bancroft
• 1930 - Hurricane, Putnam, WV - census
• 1940 - Hurricane, Putnam, WV - census
• Sources: County records for individuals and events listed; census records and draft registration viewed online at https://familysearch.org; county records for individuals and events listed.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S231 Birth record
2. ↑ Source: #S233 Death record
3. ↑ Source: #S200 Personal visit
4. ↑ Source: #S232 Marriage record
5. ↑ Source: #S233 Death record
6. ↑ Source: #S200 Personal visit

• Source: S200 Personal visit; this was my grandfather
• Source: S231 Putnam County birth record, viewed at county courthouse, Winfield WV
  
• Source: S232 Putnam County marriage record, viewed online at WV Archives & History, Vital Research Records Search
  
• Source: S233 Putnam County death record, viewed at county courthouse, Winfield WV
  
• Source: S1900 US Census Manuscript 1900
• Source: S1910 US Census Manuscript 1910
• Source: S1920 US Census Manuscript 1920
• Source: S1930 US Census Manuscript 1930
• Source: S1940 US Census Manuscript 1940