"John was the sixth of ten children born on the old Groff homestead,on the west bank of Middle Creek. He attended the local school, and inhis youth, he apprenticed as a tanner.
In 1834 he went to Waterloo, Ontario, Canada where his father hadbought a great deal of land. John opened the "Eagle Tannery" and ageneral store.
The following year, on December 22, 1835, John married Hannah Heiser.They had eight children.
They were joined in Waterloo by three of the Wissler siblings whopartnered in the tannery and other very successful business ventures.
In 1857, however, after recovering from a serious illness, John soldhis interest in the partnership and moved his family to Virginia.There he bought Columbia Furnace from his niece's husband, Samuel B.Myers.
When the Civil War broke out, John was counseled by his nephew thathe, as a Northerner and a Republican, must flee. John departed atmidnight with his wife and young children, driving to Winchester andthen taking a train to Canada. Later, John and his family returned toLancaster Co. and lived with his sister, Catherine.
After the close of the war, the family returned to Columbia Furnacewhere John, working with his sons, repaired the damages and was ableto take full advantage of a period of great commercial prosperity.
By 1870, John's health again failed. He was buried on in a smallcemetery that he had laid out on the east bank of Stony Creek,overlooking the Furnace. He was a member of the Universalist Church.
Source: The Wissler family record, being a brief account of AndrewWissler's branch of the Wissler family in the United States of Americaand Canada, by Henry Wissler, 1904."
Residences & events:
Canada where John was a tanner and merchant in his early days
Columbia Furnace, VA, where he later had an iron furnace.
