Sometimes misspelled as Heisley. George Jacob Heisely was a clockmaker, musician, and maker of surveyor's compasses and mathematical instruments.
"He learned silver-smithing with his father, and at the end of his apprenticeship went to Lancaster, where he remained nine months under instruction. He then established himself in business at Harrisburg, which he successfully carried on, making the manufacture of surveyor's compasses and town-clocks a specialty. His father, shortly after removing to Harrisburg, entered into business with him. George J. Heisely was acknowledged to be unsurpassed for his skill in making surveyor's instruments, many of which were used in all parts of the country." Egle, History of the Counties of Dauphin and Lebanon.
George Jacob Heisely, who had a been a member of the Maryland Militia before coming to Harrisburg, joined the Harrisburg Volunteers, Captain Thomas Walker's Company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, on August 29th 1814. On the roster of this same Company were Ferdinand and George Durang. Captain Walker's Company marched to the defense of Baltimore. After the bombardment of Fort McHenry on the 13th and 14th of September 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses for "The Star Spangled Banner." According to the Heisely family, a copy of Francis Scott Key's verses reached the Pennsylvania militia. The Durang brothers, who were actors and singers (and whose mother Mary McEwen Durang, Find a Grave 133507727, is also buried in Harrisburg Cemetery), asked Heisely, a flute player, to set the verses to music. He played through his "tune book" and they chose the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven". The Militia Company went to Baltimore a few days later and the Durang brothers sang this anthem on the stage of the Holiday Street Theatre. It is now our National Anthem.
The melody, probably written by John Stafford Smith, was first played in England circa 1780. The original words were written by Ralph Tomlinson.
Heisely was also a member of Captain Charles Carson's Company of the home guards when Pennsylvania was invaded by Robert E Lee in 1863.
The city of Harrisburg has erected an historical marker for George Heisely at the Northwest corner of North 2nd St and Walnut St in Harrisburg and has also erected a bronze plaque citing George and Frederick Heisely on a building at 2nd St and Chestnut St in Harrisburg. Please see all photos. Thank you.
Submitted by Tom Raub, George Heisely's 1st cousin 4 times removed.
"He learned silver-smithing with his father, and at the end of his apprenticeship went to Lancaster, where he remained nine months under instruction. He then established himself in business at Harrisburg, which he successfully carried on, making the manufacture of surveyor's compasses and town-clocks a specialty. His father, shortly after removing to Harrisburg, entered into business with him. George J. Heisely was acknowledged to be unsurpassed for his skill in making surveyor's instruments, many of which were used in all parts of the country." Egle, History of the Counties of Dauphin and Lebanon.
George Jacob Heisely, who had a been a member of the Maryland Militia before coming to Harrisburg, joined the Harrisburg Volunteers, Captain Thomas Walker's Company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, on August 29th 1814. On the roster of this same Company were Ferdinand and George Durang. Captain Walker's Company marched to the defense of Baltimore. After the bombardment of Fort McHenry on the 13th and 14th of September 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses for "The Star Spangled Banner." According to the Heisely family, a copy of Francis Scott Key's verses reached the Pennsylvania militia. The Durang brothers, who were actors and singers (and whose mother Mary McEwen Durang, Find a Grave 133507727, is also buried in Harrisburg Cemetery), asked Heisely, a flute player, to set the verses to music. He played through his "tune book" and they chose the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven". The Militia Company went to Baltimore a few days later and the Durang brothers sang this anthem on the stage of the Holiday Street Theatre. It is now our National Anthem.
The melody, probably written by John Stafford Smith, was first played in England circa 1780. The original words were written by Ralph Tomlinson.
Heisely was also a member of Captain Charles Carson's Company of the home guards when Pennsylvania was invaded by Robert E Lee in 1863.
The city of Harrisburg has erected an historical marker for George Heisely at the Northwest corner of North 2nd St and Walnut St in Harrisburg and has also erected a bronze plaque citing George and Frederick Heisely on a building at 2nd St and Chestnut St in Harrisburg. Please see all photos. Thank you.
Submitted by Tom Raub, George Heisely's 1st cousin 4 times removed.
Sometimes misspelled as Heisley. George Jacob Heisely was a clockmaker, musician, and maker of surveyor's compasses and mathematical instruments.
"He learned silver-smithing with his father, and at the end of his apprenticeship went to Lancaster, where he remained nine months under instruction. He then established himself in business at Harrisburg, which he successfully carried on, making the manufacture of surveyor's compasses and town-clocks a specialty. His father, shortly after removing to Harrisburg, entered into business with him. George J. Heisely was acknowledged to be unsurpassed for his skill in making surveyor's instruments, many of which were used in all parts of the country." Egle, History of the Counties of Dauphin and Lebanon.
George Jacob Heisely, who had a been a member of the Maryland Militia before coming to Harrisburg, joined the Harrisburg Volunteers, Captain Thomas Walker's Company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, on August 29th 1814. On the roster of this same Company were Ferdinand and George Durang. Captain Walker's Company marched to the defense of Baltimore. After the bombardment of Fort McHenry on the 13th and 14th of September 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses for "The Star Spangled Banner." According to the Heisely family, a copy of Francis Scott Key's verses reached the Pennsylvania militia. The Durang brothers, who were actors and singers (and whose mother Mary McEwen Durang, Find a Grave 133507727, is also buried in Harrisburg Cemetery), asked Heisely, a flute player, to set the verses to music. He played through his "tune book" and they chose the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven". The Militia Company went to Baltimore a few days later and the Durang brothers sang this anthem on the stage of the Holiday Street Theatre. It is now our National Anthem.
The melody, probably written by John Stafford Smith, was first played in England circa 1780. The original words were written by Ralph Tomlinson.
Heisely was also a member of Captain Charles Carson's Company of the home guards when Pennsylvania was invaded by Robert E Lee in 1863.
The city of Harrisburg has erected an historical marker for George Heisely at the Northwest corner of North 2nd St and Walnut St in Harrisburg and has also erected a bronze plaque citing George and Frederick Heisely on a building at 2nd St and Chestnut St in Harrisburg. Please see all photos. Thank you.
Submitted by Tom Raub, George Heisely's 1st cousin 4 times removed.
"He learned silver-smithing with his father, and at the end of his apprenticeship went to Lancaster, where he remained nine months under instruction. He then established himself in business at Harrisburg, which he successfully carried on, making the manufacture of surveyor's compasses and town-clocks a specialty. His father, shortly after removing to Harrisburg, entered into business with him. George J. Heisely was acknowledged to be unsurpassed for his skill in making surveyor's instruments, many of which were used in all parts of the country." Egle, History of the Counties of Dauphin and Lebanon.
George Jacob Heisely, who had a been a member of the Maryland Militia before coming to Harrisburg, joined the Harrisburg Volunteers, Captain Thomas Walker's Company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, on August 29th 1814. On the roster of this same Company were Ferdinand and George Durang. Captain Walker's Company marched to the defense of Baltimore. After the bombardment of Fort McHenry on the 13th and 14th of September 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses for "The Star Spangled Banner." According to the Heisely family, a copy of Francis Scott Key's verses reached the Pennsylvania militia. The Durang brothers, who were actors and singers (and whose mother Mary McEwen Durang, Find a Grave 133507727, is also buried in Harrisburg Cemetery), asked Heisely, a flute player, to set the verses to music. He played through his "tune book" and they chose the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven". The Militia Company went to Baltimore a few days later and the Durang brothers sang this anthem on the stage of the Holiday Street Theatre. It is now our National Anthem.
The melody, probably written by John Stafford Smith, was first played in England circa 1780. The original words were written by Ralph Tomlinson.
Heisely was also a member of Captain Charles Carson's Company of the home guards when Pennsylvania was invaded by Robert E Lee in 1863.
The city of Harrisburg has erected an historical marker for George Heisely at the Northwest corner of North 2nd St and Walnut St in Harrisburg and has also erected a bronze plaque citing George and Frederick Heisely on a building at 2nd St and Chestnut St in Harrisburg. Please see all photos. Thank you.
Submitted by Tom Raub, George Heisely's 1st cousin 4 times removed.
