WISE, Mary Katherine, 1852-1929

WISE, CHRISTIE, DUNN, CHILDS

Posted By: Volunteer-Betty Hootman
Date: 10/30/2012 at 17:56:14

KATE WISE DEAD
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Bloomfield Woman Taught in the Public
School More Than Forty Years

Mary Katherine Wise was born April 7, 1852, at Madison, Indiana, and died at Ottumwa, Iowa, March 29, 1929.

She was the daughter of William S. Wise and Nancy Christie Wise, and was one of a family of eleven children, all of whom have preceded her in death. The family consisted of eight sons and three daughters. Of these, six grew to manhood and womanhood and were well known citizens of Davis county. One sister, Mrs. Lou Dunn, wife of James a Dunn, died a number of years ago. The other five have passed in the space of four years, and three of them have answered their Master’s call within the past year. These brothers and sisters were Charles Wise, Elizabeth J. Wise, Daniel M. Wise, and Lewis Edgar Wise, and now the last survivor of this pioneer family has gone to her eternal reward to again make the family circle complete.

In 1864, the family moved to near Monmouth, Illinois, where they resided for a few years and then moved to Davis county, where the family home was maintained ever after. One brother died as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War.

Miss Wise was a teacher in the schools of this county and city, and elsewhere for more than forty years. There are many hundreds of men and women scattered throughout the nation today, who were her pupils, and who gained from her inspiration and knowledge that had much to do with shaping their destinies. No nobler profession exists than that of the teacher, and Miss Wise graced the profession, with her unfaltering courage and faith in humanity

She was descented[sic] from a pioneer American family. A relative of the family was the Governor Wise who presided over the commonwealth of Virginia during the Revolutionary War. Miss Wise herself was a member of the patriotic order of Daughters of the American Revolution.

She united with the Christian church in early girlhood and was throughout her entire life a faithful and consistent worker in the church, and a firm and true adherent to the precepts taught by the Master.

While no immediate members of the family are left to mourn their loss in having taking from them her gentle and kindly companionship, she leaves a large circle of warm and devoted friends, including two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Della Wise, of riverside, Iowa and Mrs. Maude Wise of Bloomfield and a brother-in-law, James A. Dunn, of San Diego, California, to all of whom she was a sister, and who loved and regarded her as such. She is also survived by a number of cousins, one of whom, Mrs. Elizabeth Childs, of South Charleston, Ohio made the journey from her distant home to be present at the last services in her memory.

Miss Wise has been a true friend to those whom she loved. She was a fine citizen, always standing steadfast for the things she deemed to be just and right. She exerted a profound influence on many lives during her years of teaching and has aided in molding characters that in turn have given of service to humanity. Her life has been well spent. She earned that reward that has been promised those such as she, in that world from which no teacher returneth.

The funeral service was held at the home Sunday afternoon. Rev. C. V. Allison, pastor of the Bloomfield Christian church, gave the address. Selected songs were sung by Mrs. D. C. Swift and Mrs. G. E. Francis. The pallbearers were Phillip Schmitz, A. B. Welch, W. P. Caldwell, Buell McCash, C. A. McKibin, K. F. Baldridge, J. A. Owens and J. F. Carson. Interment was made at the I. O. O. F. cemetery

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book A-2, page 236, Keosauqua Public Library; Keosauqua, IA