Creed Wilson Wise
b. March 8, 1848 Jefferson Co., Tennessee
son of Claude? Benjamine Wise and Mary B. “Polly” Anderson
d. Dec. 22, 1932 Alabama City, Etowah Co., Alabama
bur. Highland Memorial Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox Co., Tennessee
married Jan? 1874
Bond entered at Jefferson Co. Tennessee, dated Jan. 20, 1874
Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Hughes
b. August 28, 1851, possibly in South Carolina
d. Oct. 21, 1914, Knoxville,
Problem: Identify the parents of Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Hughes and/or
identify where in South Carolina she was born.
Children
1. William Arthur Wise b. m. Annie Ethel Wright
2. Martin Luther Wise, b. August 26, 1875 Knox Co., Tennessee m. Grace Isley
3. George Washington Wise, b May 2, 1877 Leadvale, Jefferson Co. Tennessee
m. Laura Jane Shoun
4. Robert Lee Wise b. May 15, 1878 m. Lou “Annie” Carden
5. B.B. (Benjamin Baxter “Brack”) Wise, b. April 1880 Knoxville, Knox Co.,
Tennessee m. Etura V. Tennessee White
6. Annie Elizabeth Wise, b. Jan. 23 1882 Knox Co., Tennesse m. Thomas Smith
Chronology
1850
Creed Wise is with his family, District 13, Jefferson Co. Tennesse
Also in District 13 were other family members.
53A 23 336 340 Wise
. . . . .
353A 24 336 340 Wise
. . .
353A 25 336 340 Wise
. . . . .
353A 26 336 340 Wise
. . . .
353A 27 336 340 Wise
. . . .
353A 28 336 340 Wise
. . .
353A 29 336 340 Wise
. . .
353A 30 336 340 Wise
. . . .
353A 31 336 340 Wise
Benjamin
Mary
35 M . Laborer
35 F . .
Wesley
16 M . Laborer
Francis
14 M . .
Thomas
10 F . .
James
8
William
.
M . .
5
M . .
9/12 M . .
Tenn
Tenn
.
.
12 M . .
Cyntha
Creed
.
. .
Tenn
Tenn
.
Tenn
.
.
.
.
Tenn
. .
Tenn
. .
.
.
Tenn
.
Tenn
.
There is nothing in the “value of real estate” column for the family, indicating they
did not own land.
This is the case for everyone on that particular place, although people on
surrounding pages owned land, and all on the page had laborer as occupation.
There is no X indicating that the children attended school during the year; again this
is true of most families on the page (but not all). But neither is there an X indicating
that the adults can not read or write.
Assuming Benjamin and Mary are the parents of all children, they married when
they were teenagers.
His grandparents are also in the county; his grandfather is a laborer, no value of real
estate given (did not own land), both parents checked can not read or write,
although there is no check mark in that colum for their son Thomas. Age 22, who
was living with them. There is a check mark in the column “Deaf, dumb, blind,
insane, idiotic, pauper or convict? There are other check marks in this column on
that page. It may be that this is a neighborhood where very poor people are living.
What does 13th District mean?
Browse the 1850 Tennessee census at Ancestry.com to find:
http://tngenweb.org/wayne/1850cdmap.htm
Will this book provide a better map; give us more information?
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/1425468?availability=Family%20History
%20Library
Do any libraries near you own this book? -- notice the link to World Cat on the
Family Search record (odd result—no other libraries own it??? Don’t believe
everything you find)
Recheck World Cat
Where can you obtain it? The record tells us it was published by the Jefferson Co.
Archives.
http://www.jeffersoncountytn.gov/services/jefferson-county-archives/
Aug. 28, 1851 Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Hughes born in South Carolina.
From later census records it seems likely that her parents were also born in South
Carolina. If she was born in 1851 her father was probably born before or around
1830.
Where were Hughes families were in South Carolina in 1830? (And how complete is
that census?) – for the latter question, see
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Census_1830
Ancestry.com Hughes 1830 South Carolina
There are between 40 and 50 some families listed… this misses families who were
not indexed (or corrected to ) the Hughes spelling. We could probably pick up more
candidates with Hugh, Hughs. So are we going to follow them all forward to find
Mary Elizabeth? No… we are going to follow the rule: Start with what you know --nd work backwardsa.
This means we are going to have to learn about Tennessee research, and specifically
about research in Jefferson and Knox Co. Tennessee. We are also going to have to
learn more about techniques that will help us uncover hidden information and clues.
It is the difference between SEARCH and RESEARCH.
Start with the FamilySearch Wiki for Tennessee
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Tennessee
AND
the Wiki for the county pages of Jefferson and Knox
 https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Jefferson_County,_Tennessee
 https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Knox_County,_Tennessee
Also look for published research guides, e.g. Guide to Historical and Genealogical
Research in Jefferson County Tennessee.. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/34341016
The Tennessee page gives us a hint that this might not be easy when it makes this
recommendation for a course to watch called “Inferential Genealogy - Thomas W.
Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS teaches how to solve difficult Southern
genealogy problems through interactive lessons”
https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/lesson/inferential-genealogy/251
1860 .
Jefferson Co., Tennessee – no post office noted. Again, the family has no real estate
and Polly Wise (Wice) has a personal estate of $50. No mark to indicate the
children attended school, but also no mark to indicate Polly can not read or write.
Polly Wice
Cynthia Wice
James Wice
Creed Wice
William Wice
Benj Wice
46
17
15
12
10
8
Where is his father?
If we want to try to locate where in Jefferson Co. they are living, we will have to find
descriptions of land for nearby landowners/
[CIVIL WAR—he served, though young]
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/39th_Regiment,_Tennessee_Mounted_Infa
ntry_(W._M._Bradford%27s)_(31st_Infantry)
No confederate pension app indexed @
http://tennessee.gov/tsla/history/military/pension023.htm
Learn what records are available for Jefferson Co., which is where we know he
signed the bond.
FamilySearch.org catalog:
Tennessee State Library & Archives
http://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/county/factjefferson.htm
1870
Creed Wise, age 22 is living with his family in District 11,
Knox Co., Tennessee, p.o. Knoxville; he is a farm laborer..
His father, George Wise, is a house carpenter and owns
read estate valued at $100 (no personal estate amount
listed).
Jan. 20, 1874 bond in Jefferson Co. Tennessee. Note that
there is no license issued, nor a return. Were bonds
routinely required at that time?
1. http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2012/01/
25/the-ties-that-bond/
2. http://www.archives.com/experts/lowe-jmark/using-tennessee-marriage-records.html
The fact that there is only a bond recorded in this county; no certificate issued, no
return filed, suggests that he did not marry here.—BUT…. That is because I didn’t
understand how Tennessee marriage records were issued and recorded.
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/236677?availability=Family%20History%
20Library (You can often find your best information in the preface of published
works).
What other Hughes individuals married in Jefferson County between 1860-1880 (i.e.
within 15 years either way of their marriage
Can we associate any of the names these Hughes married with the Wise/Wice
family? In church records? As neighbors? Married to other Wise family?
AND… .who signed the bonds to these marriages? Can we associate a bond signer of
these records with the Hughes family?
If they met in Jefferson County Tennessee, it is quite possible that a Hughs family
from South Carolina would also be there in 1870 or 1880. Perhaps her parents or
brother; perhaps less closely connected. TO DO: Search Ancestry.com
We will look especially at the 1870 and 1880 results. They are negative (although
we might try other spellings), but the family went into Knox county so we will try
the same search for Knox County, Tennessee, then look especially at the 1870, 1880
results. (ditto… no family emerged as a good candidate)
Aug. 4, 1874 birth of son William Arthur Wise Murfeesbort, Rutherford Co. TN
-- Assuming this information is correct, why would they be in Rutherford Co.? Look
how distant it is. What could explain this?
August 26, 1875 birth of Martin Luther Wise, Knox Co., Tennessee (his death
certificate gives date and place of birth.) Why might he be born in Knox County and
the Jefferson Co.?
May 2, 1877 birth of George Washington Wise, Leadvale, Jefferson Co. Tennessee
Where in Jefferson Co. is a place called Leadvale?
http://www.mygenealogyhound.com/maps/tennessee-maps/tn-jefferson-countytennessee-1888-map.html
May 15, 1878 birth of Robert Lee Wise May 15, 1878
April 1880 birth of B.B. (Benjamin Brock) Wise, Knoxville, Knox Co., Tennessee
1880 Census Civil District 11 Knox Co., Tennessee
Creed Wise male age 33 farmer b. TN TN TN
Wife: Polly
age 27 keeping house b. SC SC SC
Children: William r, Luther 4, George 3, Robert 2 and Brack 2/12 all b. TN TN SC
Jan. 23 1882 birth of Annie Elizabeth Wise Knox Co., Tennessee
1895 William Arthur Wise marries Annie Ethel Wright in Knox Co., Tennessee.
Marriage return by W.M. Craig, M.G.
Research Question: In 1895 W.M. Craig was a minister to which church?
1900 Census Civil District 11 Knox Co., Tennessee
C. William Wise b. [ ] [] mar 27 farmer b. TN VA VA
Wife: Polly b. Aug 1847 age 48f (sic) mar 27 6/6 b. SC SC SC It
Son Luther b. Aug 1876 age 24 farm labor single
Son Robert L. b. June 1878 age 21 farm labor single
Dau Annie E. b. Jan. 1883 age 17 single all ch. b. TN TN SC
They are renting, farming –139 on agricultural schedule
1904 Benjammin B. Wise marries
1910 Census Civil District 11 Knox County Tennessee
Name Age
Creed W Wise
Mary Wise 54
Luther Wise 27
Annie Wise 24
62
1912 Martin Luther Wise marries Grace Isley. Another skimpy TN marriage record.
1914 Mary Elizabeth (Hughes) Wise dies near Knoxville, Knox Co. Her obituary
indicates that her death occurred at her home near Bearden… Interment will be in
churchyard (of Bearden Christian Church). She was la l Cemetery in Knoxville.
Bearden Baptist Christia http://en.wikipedia.o Question: Can we fi
3 Oct 1914 in Ensley, Jefferson Co. Alabama R.L. Wise marries Annie Cardon. We
have only an index/abstract record. Will there be more information on the original
record?
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/235131?availability=Family%20History%
20Library
Why didn’t we find it indexed in that collection? How can we find the record itself?
And here is the image
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-34743-525161?cc=1743384&wc=M6TG-P68:134656901
1920 Creed Wise is living with his daughter Annie in Knoxville.
1930 Creed Wise is living with his daughter Annie and her husband, Tom Smith, in
Alabama City, Etoway Co. , Alabama.
1932 Creed W. Wise dies in Alabama City. Obituary indicates that he was a veteran
of the Confederate Army and is buried Highland Memorial Cemetery with wife Mary.