This article is about the glassmaker. For the physician (his grandson), see Caspar Wistar (physician).
Caspar Wistar (born Caspar Wüster) (February 3, 1696 – March 21, 1752) was a German-born glassmaker and landowner in Pennsylvania.[1]
One of the first German colonists in Pennsylvania,[2] he became a leader of that community and prospered in land transactions. He “arrived in Philadelphia in 1717 with nearly no money; at the time of his death in 1752, his wealth outstripped that of the contemporary elite more than threefold...an immigrant’s path to achieving the American Dream."[3]
His brother, John (born Johannes Wüster) (1708–1789) emigrated to Philadelphia in 1727 and settled in the Germantown district. John was registered under a variant of the surname, “Wister.” To this day there exists two spellings of the family name.[4] While Caspar anglicized his name to "Wistar", John spelled his "Wister". The two each founded prominent Philadelphia-area families, and the difference in spelling persisted.[5]
Biographyedit
Caspar Wistar, the son of forester Hans Caspar Wüster,[6] spent his first 21 years in Waldhilsbach, a village in the Palatinate near Heidelberg under the reign of prince Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine (1658–1716). According to family tradition, he was born in the village's forester’s house.[7] He grew up during the tumultuous Nine Years' War (1688–1697) and the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) which caused hardships and instability for the people of the Palatinate due to invasions by the French and British.
Wistar served as a foresters' apprentice, but government reforms (particularly pay cuts for foresters) limited his professional opportunities, so he decided to emigrate to the United States.[8] He left the Palatinate in 1717, forgoing his father’s hereditary title and position to seek out a new life across the Atlantic Ocean.[9]
He arrived in Pennsylvania in 1717 (according to his memoir, with only nine pennies to his name).[8] Upon his arrival, he was registered under the surname "Wistar". He worked at various manual trades, including soapmaking and the manufacture of brassbuttons.[10]
He became a British subject in 1724 and joined the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) in 1726. He married Catherine Jansen on May 25, 1725; they had seven children.[11]
Glassworksedit
In 1739, Wistar established a furnace in southern New Jersey and began manufacturing window panes, bottles, and chemical apparatuses. After his death, the glassworks was run by his son Richard until 1781.[12]
Referencesedit
^Owen, J. Victor. "Historical American Glass". Retrieved January 28, 2018.
^John Woolf, Jordan (1911). Colonial And Revolutionary Families Of Pennsylvania. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. p. 264.
^Penn State University Press, Immigrant and Entrepreneur, The Atlantic World of Caspar Wistar, 1650–1750 Rosalind Beiler, accessed August 31, 2014.
^Sarah Wister and Albert Cook Myers, Sally Wister's journal: a true narrative; being a Quaker maiden's account of her experiences with officers of the Continental Army, 1777-1778; Ferris & Leach, 1902, p. 10.
^Hotchkin, Samuel Fitch (1889). Ancient and Modern Germantown, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia, PA: P. W. Ziegler & co. pp. 42.
^Jordan, John Woolf (1911). Colonial And Revolutionary Families Of Pennsylvania. NY, New York.: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. pp. 264.
^Beiler, page 27-49, [Footnote: 18 Robert C. Moon, The Morris Family of Philadelphia: Descendants of Anthony Morris, vol. 1 (Philadelphia, 1898), 356-7.]
^ abKummer, Insa. "Caspar Wistar." In Immigrant Entrepreneurship: German-American Business Biographies, 1720 to the Present, vol. 1, edited by Marianne S. Wokeck. German Historical Institute. Last modified September 25, 2014.
^[1] "On Dec. 7, 1738, a German immigrant named Caspar Wistar recruited four craftsmen from his homeland to help him launch his empire of glass in to the sandy forests of Salem County ."
^Beiler, Rosalind (August 27, 2008). Immigrant and Entrepreneur: The Atlantic World of Caspar Wistar, 1650–1750. Penn State University Press. pp. 27–49. ISBN978-0271033723.
^Rubincam, Milton (1953). "THE WISTAR-WISTER FAMILY: A Pennsylvania Family's Contributions Toward American Cultural Development". Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. 20 (2): 142–164 – via JSTOR.
caspar, wistar, glassmaker, this, article, about, glassmaker, physician, grandson, caspar, wistar, physician, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, mate. This article is about the glassmaker For the physician his grandson see Caspar Wistar physician This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Caspar Wistar glassmaker news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Caspar Wistar born Caspar Wuster February 3 1696 March 21 1752 was a German born glassmaker and landowner in Pennsylvania 1 One of the first German colonists in Pennsylvania 2 he became a leader of that community and prospered in land transactions He arrived in Philadelphia in 1717 with nearly no money at the time of his death in 1752 his wealth outstripped that of the contemporary elite more than threefold an immigrant s path to achieving the American Dream 3 Contents 1 Family 2 Biography 3 Glassworks 4 References 5 External linksFamily editHe was the father of Richard Wistar Sr 1727 1781 glassmaker and landowner in Pennsylvania and the grandfather of Caspar Wistar 1761 1818 the physician and anatomist after whom the genus Wisteria is named Another child Rebecca Wistar married Samuel Morris His brother John born Johannes Wuster 1708 1789 emigrated to Philadelphia in 1727 and settled in the Germantown district John was registered under a variant of the surname Wister To this day there exists two spellings of the family name 4 While Caspar anglicized his name to Wistar John spelled his Wister The two each founded prominent Philadelphia area families and the difference in spelling persisted 5 Biography editCaspar Wistar the son of forester Hans Caspar Wuster 6 spent his first 21 years in Waldhilsbach a village in the Palatinate near Heidelberg under the reign of prince Johann Wilhelm Elector Palatine 1658 1716 According to family tradition he was born in the village s forester s house 7 He grew up during the tumultuous Nine Years War 1688 1697 and the War of the Spanish Succession 1702 1713 which caused hardships and instability for the people of the Palatinate due to invasions by the French and British Wistar served as a foresters apprentice but government reforms particularly pay cuts for foresters limited his professional opportunities so he decided to emigrate to the United States 8 He left the Palatinate in 1717 forgoing his father s hereditary title and position to seek out a new life across the Atlantic Ocean 9 He arrived in Pennsylvania in 1717 according to his memoir with only nine pennies to his name 8 Upon his arrival he was registered under the surname Wistar He worked at various manual trades including soapmaking and the manufacture of brass buttons 10 He became a British subject in 1724 and joined the Religious Society of Friends the Quakers in 1726 He married Catherine Jansen on May 25 1725 they had seven children 11 Glassworks editIn 1739 Wistar established a furnace in southern New Jersey and began manufacturing window panes bottles and chemical apparatuses After his death the glassworks was run by his son Richard until 1781 12 References edit Owen J Victor Historical American Glass Retrieved January 28 2018 John Woolf Jordan 1911 Colonial And Revolutionary Families Of Pennsylvania New York NY Lewis Historical Pub Co p 264 Penn State University Press Immigrant and Entrepreneur The Atlantic World of Caspar Wistar 1650 1750 Rosalind Beiler accessed August 31 2014 Sarah Wister and Albert Cook Myers Sally Wister s journal a true narrative being a Quaker maiden s account of her experiences with officers of the Continental Army 1777 1778 Ferris amp Leach 1902 p 10 Hotchkin Samuel Fitch 1889 Ancient and Modern Germantown Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill Philadelphia PA P W Ziegler amp co pp 42 Jordan John Woolf 1911 Colonial And Revolutionary Families Of Pennsylvania NY New York Lewis Historical Pub Co pp 264 Beiler page 27 49 Footnote 18 Robert C Moon The Morris Family of Philadelphia Descendants of Anthony Morris vol 1 Philadelphia 1898 356 7 a b Kummer Insa Caspar Wistar In Immigrant Entrepreneurship German American Business Biographies 1720 to the Present vol 1 edited by Marianne S Wokeck German Historical Institute Last modified September 25 2014 1 On Dec 7 1738 a German immigrant named Caspar Wistar recruited four craftsmen from his homeland to help him launch his empire of glass in to the sandy forests of Salem County Beiler Rosalind August 27 2008 Immigrant and Entrepreneur The Atlantic World of Caspar Wistar 1650 1750 Penn State University Press pp 27 49 ISBN 978 0271033723 Rubincam Milton 1953 THE WISTAR WISTER FAMILY A Pennsylvania Family s Contributions Toward American Cultural Development Pennsylvania History A Journal of Mid Atlantic Studies 20 2 142 164 via JSTOR Scientific American Munn amp Company 1845 External links editCaspar Wistar Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Caspar Wistar glassmaker amp oldid 1169027883, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
