The John Wise and History of Ballooning Collection contains material about John Wise, a pioneering balloonist from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the history of ballooning. Articles written by and about John Wise provide information about the man and his career. The bulk of Series 1 is correspondence, research notes, and drafts of "The John Wise Story," by John H. Andrews. Series 2 contains material about the ballooning hobby, other early aircraft, and the history of air mail.
Admin/Biographical History
As an adventurous and inquisitive young boy, John Wise was drawn to the skies above his native Lancaster County. He was fascinated by aerial pursuits and began to conduct experiments. He tied his cat to his homemade parachute and observed the cat's safe descent from a local church steeple.
A keen interest in ballooning developed and Wise became a famous aeronaut. Although balloon ascensions were common at county fairs and carnivals he had never observed an ascension before he made his first one in Philadelphia in 1835. John Wise completed 462 balloon ascensions including Lancaster ascensions from Penn Square and the prison yard.
In the nineteenth century many ascensions were made just for the novelty of the event, but John Wise's approach was from a scientific perspective. Each ascension gave him a chance to conduct scientific investigations of the atmosphere, pneumatics and hydrostatics.
It also gave him the opportunity to develop a more advanced flying machine. Wise was the first to observe the "great river of air which always blows from west to east" in the higher regions of the atmosphere. Today we call this phenomenon the jet stream. He also developed the ripcord safety mechanism.
John Wise promoted the advantages of balloon transportation. In 1843 he conceived a project for crossing the Atlantic Ocean and asked Congress to appropriate $15,000 for the project. Congress rejected the appropriation. Wise suggested a plan to bomb the Castle at Vera Cruz during the Mexican War and during the Civil War the Bureau of Topographical Engineers requested his services as a balloonist. He is credited with the first airmail transportation in 1859.
Detailed descriptions of his ascensions and experiments are found in his book, Through the Air, published in 1873. The last ascent of John Wise took place on September 29, 1879 from St. Louis, Missouri. This flight ended disastrously in Lake Michigan where his balloon fell and his remains lie.
Prepared by the Lancaster County Historical Society, ca. 1995.
The Hubley Collection contains legal documents, case papers, family and military papers, wills, deeds, bills and receipts, indentures for servants and enslaved persons, correspondence, petitions, and church-related information.
Admin/Biographical History
John Hubley and Joseph Hubley were Lancaster attorneys.
System of Arrangement
The legal papers are arranged chronologically. Case papers are arranged
alphabetically by surname of the plaintiff or defendant. Family papers are grouped by the family member's name and chronologically within that name. Box 6 is arranged chronologically.
The Frederick S. Brown Collection contains tax receipts, bonds, and letters belonging to Mr. Brown. Also, an agreement for the sale of land along the Susquehanna River.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Frederick S. Brown Collection (MG0085), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Machine and blacksmith shop.
McCorkel, Greider & Co. Contractor.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment - please contact research@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish. There is no publication fee.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Classification
RG 01-00 0202
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
The Hager Store Collection contains anniversary booklets, invoices, advertisements, family papers, and newsletter of the Hager Department Store which was founded in Lancaster. The collection includes a children's book that was distributed by the store and a Christmas catalog. Among the Hager family papers are deeds, land patents, and probate records.
2 boxes, 37 folders, 1 framed document, 1 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0104
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-104
Classification
MG0104
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Recataloged by MM, Summer 2011. Added to database 7 February 2019.
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Additional Notes
Enslaved persons listed, one woman and one boy.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment-contact research@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish. There is no fee for publication.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Classification
RG-03-00-0133
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
Signers of petition: William P. Pusey, Fleming McSparran, Clarkson Jefferis, Miller Hutton, George Brown, Francis B. Groff, James D. Malone, Mark Showalter, Joseph Smith, William R. Ralston, James McCrabb, William W. Steele, Mordecai Hammond, Clemingham Atchison.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of petition: Samuel Trimble, Robert W. Moor, Miller Hutton, G. J. Hildebrand, [ ] Zell, Francis McCrabb, Francis B. Groff, [Patteric] Smyth, Thomas R. Johnson, [Amos] Groff, Michael Shea, Samuel Newport, John C. Stone, Ephraim Potts, George Bellamey, Newton Egan, James W. Malone, William Morrison, Thomas McMorrison, Dennis Malone, T. W. Waters, Cheyney H. Pusey, Oliver Caldwell, R. M. Caldwell, Robert W. Moore, Jonathan McMichael, Emanuel D. Waters, James Barnes Jr., Thomas M. Gryder, John B. Hess, John Kennedy, J. S. Jordan, Jeremiah Herr, Jackson Towson, John Findley, Thomas Arnold, Edward J. Hewes, Allen S. Steele, Henry Harner, John W. Fisher, William A. Towson, Enos Evans, James Barnett, William Barr, John Tennant, N. N. Heneil, Edward F. Heneil, J. H. Bryan, Samuel Fisher, Henry M. Ewing, [Elihu] H. Wells, Benjamin H. Witmer, Henry McCann, A. B. Stone, Samuel Broome, Samuel L. Fisher, John Trimbel, Robert W. Moore, Edward McCaa, John Rogers, Anthony Deaver, Cuningham Atikson, Henry Rogers, Lewis Hilton, R. L. Wharton, William T. Wilson, Samuel Cuming, Benjamin Burgess, Christopher M. Hess, George Aument Jr., John Lutz, Daniel D. Hess, Jonathan M. Bushong, James Lowry, James Shank, Benjamin Musser, Westly Philips, William J. Steel, David Stefel, A. Bear, Andrew Lee, Vincent Burkins, Robert M. Cohick, Charles T. Todd, M. Watson, Eli Moore, John Burgin, A. J. Ferguson, Benjamin Brooks, [unknown signature], Jacob Hauk, Daniel R. Hilton, Vincent Reynolds, Thomas Moderwell, Thomas Cully, J. McMichael, William Wescott, Elias Hess, Lewis Jefferis, Mortica Hamond, Isaac Moris, Benjamin F. Sides, S. J. Hamilton, James Duncan, Peter Smyth, Jacob L. Kirk, Archibald Brown, William P. Pusey, H. D. Hildebrand, William Miller, Benjamin Finley, Richard Ward, G. S. Savery, Lewis Todd, Benjamin Brogan, William K. Brown, Hezekiah Freeston, [unknown signature], Samuel C. Marshall, John McKinley, John Steward, Thomas McKinley, John Gallighar, John M. Bishop, Samuel Seipel, Edward Buckman, William Bear, [Wayne Mohr], [unknown signature], Allen Kline, William C. Buckman, John Brown, James W. Allen, John Hoover, Peter Caldwell, James McKinley, Felix W. Sweigert, [Jeremiah] Kirk, S. McConkey, H. J. McIntire, Harrison Hammond, [Elwad H. Done], Clark Philips, john Harveston, James Trimble, Samuel McMichal, Michel Philips, John Hiltibrand, John McColgen, B. R. Watson, Jacob Bear, M. Pharoah, Jacob Hecklar, Thomas Pusey, William Moore, John Harrar, Nathan Watson, George Wishower.
1 item, 1 piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
