17th Annual Wiseman Family Reunion

The Wiseman Family held their 17th Reunion on Saturday, July 23, 2022 in the Multi-Purpose Room of the South Plains Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas.

Descendants of William Henry Wiseman and Alice Melvina Townsend began assembling around 9:30 a.m. William Henry Wiseman is the son of John S. Wiseman and Louisa Watkins Wiseman of Belton, Bell County, Texas. William Henry was born in 1843 in Edgefield County, South Carolina and Alice Melvina in 1847 in Itawamba County, Mississippi. Alice Melvina is the daughter of James Madison Townsend and Frances “ Fannie” Bowels Townsend.

The reunion had a very special guest: Jason R. Butler, of Oklahoma City, OK.; a descendant of John S. Wiseman and his second wife Rachel Cavness and their son Joseph Decker Wiseman. Jason was given an update drive of the Wiseman Family with some 7,006 persons.

The Wiseman Family enjoyed a well-planned and prepared lunch catered by Randy Joe Wiseman and several ladies that prepared all the trimmings to go along with the meal.

The Wiseman tree charts were provided as well as Bill’s Family Books that were on display which were the Wiseman and the Dunlap Families. The Wiseman Tree will be offered to all who are family for their use and preservation of the Family History going all the way back to Thomas Wiseman, a Revolutionary Soldier who fought with the famous Maryland 400, of which only 12 survived the Battle of Long Island. Thomas served in eight campaigns and ended up in Edgefield County, South Carolina.

Linda Wiseman Kay was in charge of the program and had the group entertained with a new game this year. The group enjoyed visiting with each other and pictures were made of the various family groups in attendance as well as an entire group picture.

The following attendees were present: Thomas Criss “Christopher” Wiseman and Lecia Ella Murry Wiseman descendants: Buddy Joe and Betty Turner Wiseman of Friona. Clois Dean Wiseman of Dimmit. William Samuel Wiseman and Mary Etta Adams Wiseman descendants: John and Linda Wiseman Kay of Hutto and sons, Thomas and Daniel and Barry Wade and Marsha Jo Stone Wiseman of Lubbock; Randy Joe and Rebecca Music Wiseman of Lubbock; Mark Wiseman of Lubbock; Rachel and Ben Myatt of Arkansas and Bill and Gladys M. Striegler Wiseman of Tifton, GA.; Doc and Elizabeth Novian Turner of Lubbock; Stetson and Nolan and Abigail Haden of Lubbock. Jennifer and Keino McWhinney of Lubbock and their children: Ava Ruth and Nathaniel Keino McWhinney; and the special guest: Jason R. Butler of Oklahoma City, OK.

A list of names of those who has passed since our last Reunion in 2019 was provided at the registration desk. Those included the following: LouRetta Wiseman Young, born in Bailey County on Aug. 20, 1935 and died in Lubbock on Oct. 19, 2019. Daughter of Archie Calvin Wiseman and Beulah Mae Dunlap. Mother of Traci Elaine Young.

Mark Austin Priest: son Jimmie Priest and Betty Austin. Husband of Judy Lynn Wiseman and father of Montana, Corbin and Jayden Priest.

Glenn Murry Chester: born in Bailey County on July 19, 1935 and died in Weatherford on May 25, 2020. Son of O. Dorman Chester and Lela Mae Wiseman. Husband of Jo Ann Wells. Father of Curtis, Mitchell and John Chester.

Beatrice LaVerne Wiseman Bernethy: born in Vernon, Texas on Jan. 25, 1926 and died in Lubbock on July 30, 2020. Daughter of Brent Porter Wiseman and Nellie Mae Howard and wife of J. D. Bernethy. mother of Gary Wayne, Sharon Kaye and Brenda Dee.

Kay Gentry Wiseman: born on Oct. 18, 1941 in Hockley County, Texas and died on Oct. 9, 2020 in Round Rock, Texas. Daughter of Albert Quitman Gentry and Nellie Pauline Young and wife of Pudd Wiseman and mother of Linda Marie Wiseman Kay and Randy Joe Wiseman and Wendy Lea Wiseman Branson.

Alfred John “Giovanni” Conti, Major. Born on Sept. 5, 1931 in Cliffside, New Jersey and died at his home in Longwood, Florida on April 5, 2022. Husband of Ina Faye Garner who is the daughter of Fred Newton Garner (mother, Lousia Jennifer Wiseman) and Mary Lillie Foster. Father of Brenda Conti Heywood and Cliff Conti.

The reunion adjourned about 4:30 p.m. after an hour or so of singing gospel songs. Bill Wiseman has left all his family books to the Genealogy Section of the Mahon Library in Lubbock. Those books include Dunlap, Caudle, Gregory, Gibbs and two volumes for Wiseman. His book on the Adams Family is already at the library, along with the following County Heritage Books and his research books: Heritage of Lincoln County, Tennessee, 2005, 893 pages; The Heritage of Carroll County, Georgia 1826-2001, 632 pages; South Carolina Genealogy Society Surname Directory, 1999, 371 pages; Hopkins: Here Shall I Die Ashore, Caleb Johnson, 2007, 269 pages; Historical Account of Meriwether County, Georgia, 1827-1974, Regina P. Pinkston, 448 pages; Descendants of Anthony and Elizabeth Crumbley, Charlene S. and John I. Crumby, 1998, 400 pages; The Bold & Fearless Bowles, Mina Townsend Bates, 1998; The Townsend’s and their Pioneer Ways, Mina Townsend Bates, 1998; The Descendants of Oscar and Lucille Dunlap, 1994; Bell County, Texas Records, Hill & Martin, 1969, 139 pages; South Carolina Genealogical Society Lineage Charts 2001; The Lanes, Virginia Lorene Rockenbaugh, 1978; The Adams Family, Children of Joseph Randall Adams and Mary Elizabeth Caldwell Adams, 32 pages; and The Journal of Archibald C. McKinley by Robert L. Humphries, 1991, 259 pages from the South Carolina McKinley’s.