DRAFT: REVOLUTIONARY WARwick (Orange County, NY)

Henry Wisner, grandson of Swiss immigrants Johannes and Elizabeth, was born in 1720. The earliest home farm of the Wisner family was at Mt. Eve in what later became the Town of Warwick, at the intersection of Wheeler Rd. and Big Island Rd.  According to Franklin Burdge in a Second Memorial of Henry Wisner, Henry was likely born and grew up at his father Hendrick's farm "near the village of Florida." It was remembered as being a mile south of the Village of Goshen on the road to Florida (17A).  At the time of his birth, the whole area was identified as the Precinct of Goshen. The exact location of his childhood home has not been identified, but as an adult his home was in the Town of Goshen. . Warwick honors him as a scion of our first documented settler family.

According to The Wisners in America, he was a tall man, vigorous and erect even in old age. We know he was a person of intelligence and judgement since he was always a well respected and prominent community member. He was chosen as one of New York's representatives to the First Continental Congress in 1774, and also the Second Continental Congress. His signature is on the first petition to King George, the Olive Branch Petition, the Oath of Secrecy, and the congressional Articles of Association. He voted for the Declaration of Independence, as attested to by Thomas McKean of Delaware, but left for home to see to the manufacture gunpowder and find flint for guns, before the copies of the Declaration were ready to sign.  He died on March 4, 1790. 

Henry Wisner, Sr. was a well respected community member, and served as representative on the New York colonial General Assembly from 1759-1769.  He replaced Samuel Gale, who was returned to office in 1769.  HIs activity included:

• 1767 December: Presented to the Council a bill about equalizing taxes in Albany.
• 1768 January: Voted for a bill to appoint an inspector of Hemp  in Westchester.
• 1768 November: Was confirmed as representative to General Assembly; prepared a bill on collecting an excise tax on liquor retailed in the colony; introduced a bill to "prevent the use of spirituous liquors at vendues in Orange County"; presented a bill to "encourage the destroying of wolves and panthers in the counties of Orange, Ulster and Albany."
• 1769 April: Petition by Wisner and John Haring which complained of an undue election and the return of John De Noyellis and Samuel Gale to their positions.
• 1774 February: Petition by Wisner and many others to delay the discussion of dividing Orange County.
• 1775: Motion by Col. Woodhull that the thanks of the General Assembly extended to Wisner and others for their "faithful and judicious discharge of the trust reposed in them by the good people of this colony, at the continental congress held at Philadelphia, in the months of September and October last."  (defeated) 

Source: Journal of the Votes and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Colony of New York from 1766 to 1776 inclusive. Albany, 1820.

THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 1774

On August 16, 1774, Henry Wisner and John Haring were chosen by Orange County committee members to represent them at the First Continental Congress, at a meeting of less than twenty percent of eligible voters at Stephen Sloat's (Sloatsburg).

"New-York, August 25.  On the 16th instant there was a meeting of the several Committees of the County of Orange, when Henry Wisner and John Waring (name error- it is Haring), Esquires, were chosen Delegates for that county, to meet at the Congress at Philadelphia on or about the first day of September next." (Source: American Archives Vol. 4, p 322).

Their election by "committee" members-- or, according to Burdge, less than 20% of eligible electors, and which were not the official British colonial governing body but insurgents-- was protested by moderate leaders such as William Wickham and Vincent Matthews.* and a second election was held, apparently at Chester at Yelverton's Inn, on Sept. 3.  Isaac Low communicated to Wickham and Matthews, that the credentials Wisner presented were acceptable to the the Congress.

Wisner votes for ending trade with Britain, Articles of Association

Wisner presented his credentials and took his seat in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, on September 15, 1774.  He was in time for the unanimous vote on Sept. 22, resolving for strict measures of non-importation of British goods, and cessation of exportation to Britain.

The session ended with the adoption of the Continental Association, which Wisner signed. The Congress also sent a petition to the King on October 26, asking redress of their grievances which Wisner also signed.

NEW YORK PROVINCIAL CONGRESS (New York State Convention)

Henry Wisner was also a member of the New York Provincial Convention in April 1775, a body to produce a coordinated effort for response to the crisis; the colonial authority, the New York General Assembly, had disintegrated.  Wisner was again elected, to attend the second Continental Congress, along with the other delegates, on April 22nd.   The New York Provincial Convention continued as a body under the name New York State Convention; Wisner was on the committee to draft the first New York State Constitution on August 6, 1776, adopted the following year.

THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 1775

Wisner was present at New York City and included in the list of elected delegates to the Second Continental Congress by the New York Provincial Convention on April 22, 1775. It convened at Philadelphia, on May 10.  The Battles of Lexington and Concord had already happened, so the war had effectively already begun.  On June 14, the Continental Army was created, with Washington commanding.  Henry Wisner was there for the Declaration of Causes and signed the Olive Branch Petition with the rest-- a last ditch effort to find a solution, which when received was rejected.

On July 6, 1775, The New York delegation to Congress was still attempting to find a diplomatic solution.  Wisner and the other delegates wrote home to the New York Convention that "Deeply sensible of the calamities of a civil war, we have nothing more at heart than to be instrumental in compromising this unnatural quarrel...and the most strenuous efforts on our part, shall be exerted with unremitting ardor, to accomplish this salutory purpose." 

As it became abundantly clear that an irreversible war had begun, Wisner was present at Philadelphia and signed the agreement of secrecy on Nov. 9, 1775:

"You do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of Almighty God, swear that you will not, directly or indirectly, divulge or make known any resolve, order, act, or debate, of or in this Congress, or of any Committee thereof, or the matter of the same, or any thing relating thereto, or any part thereof, or any act, matter, or thing, to be done in or towards the execution thereof, except to such person or persons, not of this Congress, as shall by them or their Committee be necessarily employed in or relating to such execution; nor give any advice or information to any person or persons that may in any wise obstruct, or tend to obstruct, the execution thereof, nor divulge or make known to any person or persons, either directly or indirectly, any information or intelligence which shall be received by this Congress, or any Committee thereof, if the same, or any part thereof, shall be enjoined by resolve or order of this Congress, or of such Committee, to be kept secret, until such secrecy be dispensed with, by further resolve or order of this Congress, or by such Committee. So help you God."

The Declaration of Independence 

Wisner was present for the vote for the Declaration of Independence.  The New York delegation abstained from voting, because they did not have instructions yet from their Provincial Convention. We know how he felt, however-- that war was inevitable-- because he had already built two gun powder mills for the cause earlier in the year. The story handed down is that right after the vote for independence he left for home, before the copies could be written out for signatures. That he was present and voted for independence is confirmed by letters of Thomas McKean, a delegate from Delaware. We also have direct evidence that he was present:

In the minutes of Congress on July 4:

"Resolved, that Mr. Wisner be empowered to send a man, at the publick expense, to Orange County, for a sample of Flint Stone." {American Archives, Series 4, Vol. 6, p. 1732)

Wisner left Philadelphia after the vote and before five delegates from New York finally signed the Declaration when copies were available after August 9.  He immediately sent a letter to his cousin by marriage Joseph Barton in Sussex County, NJ, on July 5, asking for sample flints, as instructed.  Barton  answered on July 9, to Wisner at Philadelphia that he knew of a good source. We do not know if Wisner was still there when it arrived. The letter is quite personal yet was included in the official papers of Congress.  (See Barton's reply and note, link below). 

*For discussion of the election, see The Flickering Flame by Michelle Figliomeni, p. 8.

Gunpowder

In addition to his attending and contributing various governmental bodies, Henry Wisner was instrumental in developing reliable supplies of gunpowder for the war.  He had established two gunpowder mills in Orange County in the late spring and early summer of 1776, before the Declaration of Independence.  In 1776, his notes for making a good quality gunpowder were included in "Essays Upon the Making of Salt-Petre and Gun-Powder", published by the New York Committee of Safety. He began the preparations for manufacture by the fall of 1775.  John Adams wrote to James Warren on Oct. 21, 1775:

"... we must bend our Attention to Salt Petre... Mr. Wisner of New York informs me that his son has made a Quantity of  very good, by the Method published by the Continental Congress..." (Papers of John Adams, Vol. 3)

By the end of March, 1776, the Wisner gunpowder mills were in full production, with 3,000 pounds manufactured.

Supplying the Troops & Funds Delivery

Henry was also active in finding and delivering supplies to the troops, especially George Clinton's militia, many of whom were local Orange County men, and entrusted with delivering large sums of money to purchase of them, during the Battle for New York:

" At Headquarters, Harlem, Oct 15, 1776.  To the Honorable Convention.... I yesterday sent you by Mr. Wisner ten thousand dollars, for the purposed of paying for the blankets and clothing to be purchased in this State, all of which I hope will come safe to hand... William Floyd." (Journals of the Provincial Congress, v. 2, p. 320)

Helping Others Along

He also was a great help in writing letters of introduction for young men, to those he knew of influence who could connect them with opportunities. One of his most famous proteges was Noah Webster:

Goshen, August 26, 1782.... To Janes Duane and Robert R. Livingston at Philadelphia. " The bearer Mr. Noah Webster has taught grammar school for sometime past in this place much to the satisfaction of his employers.  He is now doing some business in the literary way (line obscured)... being a stranger in Philadelphia may stand in need of some gentleman with whom you are acquainted..." (New York Historical Society. Series I: Correspondence)