Daniel Wister: Mystery

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 02:47 PM

Hello everyone, I come to you with a great mystery. This is related to Philadelphia and it's history as he was a resident (Germantown). I hope with our combined efforts we will be able to uncover some more of the truth, or at the very least you can help point me in the right direction.

I am a student at the Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square. In the science department there is a ship dedicated to a man called Daniel Wister who died for unlisted reasons in 1938, 8 years after his graduation. I have managed to collect only a little information on him (almost entirely from his brief yearbook page).

He was born April 11, 1911 and lived at 5430 Germantown Avenue. He died in 1938.

As I said, there's very little I have on him, and running his name through many search engines has produced next to nothing. For a while I believed him to be one of Owen Wister's (novelist) children but have only recently discovered the names of all the children and found he is not one of them.

Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? The game, as they say, is afoot.

*Edit* (1/16 8:04)
What we have so far

B: April 11, 1911
D: 1938
Home address: 5430 Germantown Ave. Germantown
Parents: James W. Wister (45 as of 1920 census) -MD. Physician to out department of Germantown Hospital (As of 1904); Elizabeth B. Wister (43 as of 1920 census)
Sibling: Suzanne Wister (13 as of 1920 census)

Attended The Episcopal Academy from 1925 - his graduation in 1930
College: Yearbook says he would attend Virginia but is unconfirmed at the moment

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 03:34 PM

Owen Wister (novelist) was called Dan by his family.

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 03:37 PM

And I know that one of his kids was named after him. It's a possibility, but I feel like the yearbook would have listed his full name though. It only has "Daniel Wister". Still, it's a possibility.

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 03:59 PM

Do you have an image of the ship?

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:06 PM

No, but I can get an image of it and the plaque within a day or two

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 04:18 PM

Owen Wister (novelist) was born at 5430 Germantown Avenue.

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:23 PM

Was he now? That...that is really something isn't it? Can I get a link?

I know Owen died in 1938, the same year as Daniel (Owen died of a brain hemorrhage). Interesting though. Very interesting. That confirms familial connections.

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 04:24 PM

Owen Wister

Sorry GREEET I messed that up wrong address.

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:33 PM

The link you just posted claims he was born at 5103

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:34 PM

which is only about half a mile away

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:36 PM

It's fine. Still, that seems far to close to be a coincidence... It still strikes me as probable they're related

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 04:44 PM

Germantown Historical Society

Germantown was full of Wisters.

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 04:53 PM

Title: 1. General view. Photocopied from June 20, 1957 photograph on file at Philadelphia Historical Commission - Albert Ashmead House, 5430 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 04:56 PM

Yes, I've read about the Ashmead house, but they didn't have any recent information. It's been around since the mid to late 1700's. It was originally a wagon showroom for the Ashmead business

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 06:10 PM

OK, wait. I don't think he can be Owen's son. Owen Wister's son Owen Jones Wister (the only one who could have gone by Dan like his father) was twin to Francis Kemble Wister. Francis released several books of letters and journals of the family (including "That I May Tell You: Journals And Letters of The Owen Wister Family". I just found her obituary from 1992 stating that she died at the age of 90, meaning she and Owen were born 1902 whereas Daniel Wister (our man) wasn't born until 1911.

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 07:31 PM

1920 CENSUS

Name: Daniel Wister Residence: , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Estimated Birth Year: 1912
Age: 8
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Film Number: 1821623
Digital Folder Number: 4384924
Image Number: 00891
Sheet Number: 1
Household Gender Age
Parent James W Wister M 45y Parent Elizabeth B Wister F 43y
Suzanne Wister F 13y
Daniel Wister M 8y
Margaret Wiggins F 33y

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 07:34 PM

The name and age are close, but I have no idea were in Phila these people lived. www.familysearch.org

**CHIOSSO** · 01-16-2012, 07:40 PM

Transactions of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia - College of Physicians of Philadelphia - Google Books

I think we have him. 1904 Wister James W MD Physician to the Out patient Department of the Germantown Hospital 5430 German town Ave

Now why Dr. Wister's son has a ship dedicated to him is the other half of the game.

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 07:49 PM

So his father, James Wister was a doctor and lived at 5430 germantown ave. (checks out).

**Greeet12** · 01-16-2012, 07:51 PM

The age certainly checks out. Obviously so does the address. Nice work, we've found his family. Sure we don't have much info on them but we can work with this.