Jerome Wiltse [RG4453.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG4453.AM:  Jerome Wiltse, 1835-1924

Genealogical research

Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska:  Farmer; Civil War veteran

Size:  0.75 cu.ft.; 2 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

Jerome Wiltse was born in Clarence, Erie County, New York, 12 October 1835.  One of twelve children of Jeremiah and Sarah (Green) Wiltse, he worked on his father’s farm and was educated in a local school.  In 1853-1854 he attended Genesee Wesleyan Seminary and College at Lima, and in 1854-1855 he took a course at Shader’s Commercial College, after which he returned to the family farm.  On 7 December 1859 he married Mary L. Wahl of Erie County, Wisconsin where he farmed until 1861, when he took the family by covered wagon to settle on a claim seven miles east of Falls City, Nebraska.

On September 3, 1864, he enlisted in an infantry regt., Co. I, forming at St. Joseph, Missouri, and was discharged from service 29 June 1865 from Co. K, 48^th Mo. Infantry.  Through 1883 he farmed and ran an apiary, and in 1883 he went into what is now Rock County where he managed a herd of cattle, returning to Rulo in the next year.  In October 1905, he traded property for a site in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska.  While there he wrote “Memoir of Phillipe Maton Wiltse and his Descendants” being a family genealogy which was later published in 1908.

Jerome Wiltse died 1 December 1924 and was probably the oldest G.A.R. veteran in that vicinity of Falls City at the time of his death.  He had been a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Nebraska Territorial Pioneers.  His wife preceded him in death 15 January 1915.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of two manuscript boxes of material arranged in two series:  1) Notes and genealogical records of the Wiltse family and relations; 2) Manuscript copy of Memoir of Phillipe Maton Wiltse and his Descendants.”  Series 1 consists of three ledger type books mostly filled with handwritten notes and transcripts from various records dating from the 17^th to the twentieth century.  Series 2 consists of manuscript chapters from his book, arranged in numerical order.  An additional file, added in 1978, contains correspondence between the Nebraska State Historical Society and George Zabriskie regarding the history of the collection and accuracy (or lack thereof) of Wiltse’s research.

Note:  See the library for a copy of: History of the ancestors of Jerome Wiltse and Mary L. (Wahl) Wiltse and their descendants [929 W756j].

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Notes and records

Box 1

Volume

1. 1. Volume A

1. 1. Volume B

1. 1. Volume C

Series 2 – Manuscript copy of “Memoir of Phillipe Maton Wiltsee”

Box 2

Folder

1. 1. Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2

1. 1. Chapters 3 and 4

1. 1. Chapters 5-7

1. 1. Chapter 7

1. 1. Chapters 8 and 9

1. 1. Chapters 10 and 11

1. 1. Chapters 12 and 13

1. 1. Chapters 14-17

Addendum: 1978

1. 9. Zabriskie correspondence, 1974-1975

Subject headings:

Richardson County (Nebraska) — Genealogy

Wiltse, Jerome, 1835-1924

Wiltsee family

Wiltsee, Philipe Maton, 1580-1632

First Author Unknown

DDS/PMC/pmc       09-11-1971

DHH                       05-05-1978