John Wister, 1829 - 1900

John Wister was a man of business; he was motivated, successful, wealthy, and powerful. The son of William Wister and Sarah Logan Wister, he was born in 1829 on the land now owned by La Salle University. Although his business endeavors with the Duncannon Iron Company, the Perry Railroad, the Duncannon National Bank, the Trout Run Water Company, and other corporations kept him in the Harrisburg region for the majority of his life, John Wister's connection with Philadelphia, especially the Germantown region, was sustained through his upbringing and family relations. In 1890, he moved back to the Philadelphia region, inherited his mother's estate, and continued to be active with business and community relations. John Wister died in 1900.