FRANK WISDOM, who now figures as one of the veteran members of the bar of his native state and who has been engaged in the practice of his profession fully forty years, is one of the honored and valued citizens of Redford, judicial center of Taylor County, and here he controls a substantial and important law business of representative order.

Mr. Wisdom is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of Iowa, and here his birth occurred on the parental home farm in Davis County, the date of his nativity having been May 5, 1856. He is a son of Henry M. and Christina (Russell) Wisdom, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Missouri. Their marriage was solemnized in Davis County, Iowa, about the year 1850. Henry M. Wisdom contributed worthily to the civic and industrial development and advancement of the Hawkeye State, and his farm operations were long staged in Ringgold County, whither he removed with his family in 1858, the year that marked the death of his wife. He was a venerable citizen of Omaha, Nebraska, at the time of his death, in 1919, and of the two children of his first marriage the subject of this sketch is the elder and the one survivor. By his second marriage Henry M. Wisdom became the father of several children. He was a Republican in politics and was a zealous member of the Baptist Church. John A. Wisdom, grandfather of Frank Wisdom, came with his family from his native Kentucky to Iowa about 1840, and here he passed the greater part of his life thereafter in Ringgold County. William Russell, maternal grandfather of the subject of this review, was born and reared in Missouri, became a lawyer at Hannibal, that state, and eventually became a pioneer farmer in Davis County, Iowa.

The pioneer public schools of Iowa afforded Frank Wisdom his early education, which was advanced by his attending Simpson College one year. At Mount Ayr, judicial center of Ringgold County, he studied law under effective private preceptorship, his instructor, W. T. Laughlin, having been one of the leading members of the bar of that county. He was admitted to practice in 1889, by the Iowa Supreme Court, and has continued in the practice of law during the long intervening years. He was for some time in practice in the City of Des Moines and later at Creston, but Bedford has been the central stage of his professional activities during a major period of his career. Mr. Wisdom had gained secure vantage-ground as a resourceful trial lawyer and well fortified counselor, has tried many cases before the Supreme Court of the state, and it is worthy of special note that he was admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court in 1919 and in the following year to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He is an active member of the Taylor County Bar Association, Iowa State Bar Association and American Bar Association.

While Mr. Wisdom has given staunch allegiance to the Republican party and given yeoman service in the advancing of its cause, he has never sought or desired political office. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and his wife has membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Eastern Star at Bedford. Mr. Wisdom is the owner of one of the valuable farm properties of Taylor County and also of a ranch in the State of Texas.

The year 1878 marked the marriage of Mr. Wisdom to Miss Mary Eldora King, who was born in Missouri, whence her parents moved to Kansas, from which latter state they fled at the time of the troubles incidental to the initiation of the Civil war and established residence in Iowa, where the father engaged in farming, milling and mercantile enterprises. Of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Wisdom all are living except Durward, who was born in Taylor County, in 1879, and who had been in the service of Armour & Company, the great Chicago meat packers, eighteen years, he having initiated his service in the capacity of stenographer in the concern's office at South Omaha and having been in charge of the fresh meat department at the time of his death, in 1920. Pearl, oldest of the surviving children, is the wife of Doctor Price, who is engaged in the practice of dentistry at Bolekow, Missouri; Paul Wesley resides in Los Angeles and is sales manager for the Gardner Motor Company for the Pacific Coast states; Donald F. is mentioned below; Flo is the wife of L. L. Maxwell, a horse dealer at Bedford; Franklin D. is engaged in the practice of law at Bedford; and Della F. is the wife of P. A. Clark, Texas manager for Montgomery Ward & Company, the great Chicago mail-order house.

Donald F. Wisdom, who now has charge of the Creston office of the law business of his father, was born at Redding, Iowa, in 1886. He was educated in the Omaha High School, studied law in his father's office and was admitted to the bar in 1922. For five years he practiced at Corning and in 1927 moved to California, where he was admitted to the bar. In the fall of that year he returned to Iowa, and has since been in practice at Creston. He devotes all his time in his professional work. He is a Republican in politics, is a member of the B. P. O. Elks, and has gained a host of loyal friends throughout this section of Iowa.

He married, January 1, 1913, Miss Amanda Von Schoening, who was born at Los Angeles, California, and was reared and educated there. They have three sons, Donald F., Jr., born in 1914, Frank King, born in 1918, and Calvert W. The children all attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

NOTE: John Amons WISDOM was born in Kentucky on March 31, 1800, and died in Taylor County, Iowa, on August 4, 1875, aged 75 years 4 months and 4 days. He married Frances Ann WADE on July 31, 1821, Boone County, Missouri, the daughter of Pierce and Fereby (HUTCHINGS) WADE. Frances Ann "Fannie" (WADE) WISDOM was born in Virginia on May 24, 1802, and died November 20, 1882, Ringgold County, Iowa. John and Frances were interred at Blockton, Iowa.

Henry Miller WISDOM was born December 12, 1827, and died in 1918. He was interred at Blockton, Iowa. Henry married in Davis County, Iowa, on July 23, 1854 Christina Wade RUSSELL, who was born in Missouri in 1835, and died in 1858 in Davis County, Iowa. It has been noted that Henry's second wife was Melissa BURKE.

Francis Minor "Frank" WISDOM was born May 5, 1856, and died August 27, 1940, Bedford, Iowa. He married November 21, 1878, Mormontown [Blockton IA] Mary Eldora KING, the daughter of Thomas and Louisa Jane (MOORE) KING. Mary Eldora (KING) WISDOM was born December 10, 1860 near Sedalia MO, and died November 8, 1945, Bedford, Iowa. They were interred at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Iowa.

Of Frank and Mary Eldora (KING) WISDOM'S children:

Durward WISDOM, b. 17 Oct 1879, Bedford IA; d. 26 Jan 1920, Omaha of pnuemonia and flu
Interment Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Omaha NE
married 26 Jun 1906, Melrose IA, Agnes GRIFFITH

Paul Wesley WISDOM, d. 15 Nov 1959, aged 75y, Los Angeles CA
married Evelyn WICKLIN

Franklin Dale WISDOM, Sr., b. 20 Jun 1892, Blockton IA; d. 02 Jul 1933, Clarinda IA
married 21 Feb 1914, Balkow MO Harriett "Chloe" HUEY (1894-1980)

Transcription by Debbie Clough Gerischer for the IOWA HISTORY PROJECT

Note by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2010 from Taylor County Newspaper abstracts & WPA Graves Survey