Judge Pierce J. [efferson] Wisdom, uncle of Attorney Frank Wisdom of this city, passed away at his home in Escondido, California, February 17th, aged 82 years. He came to Ringgold County this state in 1855 and settled near Old Mormontown, now Blockton, Ia. He was one of the earliest to enlist in the army during the Civil war and served until its close, coming back to Mormontown after an honorable discharge and engaging in the mercantile business there for a number of years. Then he went west to make his home, studied law and rose by hard work and ability to the judges' bench. He was city recorder and judge of the police court at the time of his death. The last few years he had been in failing health and finally passed on. He was of staunch character and held in the highest esteem. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a past commander of the G. A. R. A large delegation paid tribute to his memory at the funeral held at the M. E. church in home city.

[WISDOM, PIERCE JEFFERSON, SR., 1842 – 1925]
Daily Times-Advocate (Escondido, California), Tuesday, February 17, 1925
Judge Wisdom Passes Away
Patriarch of the Escondido Country Quietly and Peacefully Goes to His Reward
For 21 years an honored and prominent citizen of Escondido and at present city recorder and judge of police court, Judge Pierce J. Wisdom passed away at 12:45 Tuesday afternoon and thus one of the patriarchs of this city and valley has gone to a noble reward after a long and useful life. His death comes as a sorrow to scores of people, but with the knowledge that he had lived more than his allotted time of life and had filled his long life with good deeds and usefulness to himself and to humanity. He was 82 years of age.
For the past few years Judge Wisdom had been gradually failing in health, but his strong constitution and vigorous determination held him up and kept him in the path of duty. Weakening of his bodily strength had caused him to bring his work as city recorder and police judge to a close and tender his resignation to the city trustees. This he did only a few days ago, expecting to take a vacation beginning the first of March. Looking toward this, he had all of the business of his office in ship shape and he was ready to step out of public service. On Monday he was downtown as usual but was suffering with a cold. This caused a cough which gradually wore him out, sapping the strength of his heart. He quietly passed away at his home during the noon hour Tuesday.
Pierce J. [efferson] Wisdom was born in Iowa September 6, 1842 and he spent most of his life in that state as a farmer and businessman. It was on June 30, 1903 that he was married to Miss Ella Briggs with whom and his younger children, he moved to California for one year, locating in Escondido. Since coming here, he has filled the judgeship for fifteen years and the office of city recorder for eight years. In the earlier years of his life here, he and his five younger sons operated the store of P. J. Wisdom & Sons in the building now occupied by Wm. J. Dean's East Grand avenue store.
The widow and following children by his former marriages survive: Mrs. Jennie Worthington of Ottawa, Kan.; C. W. Wisdom of Oceanside; Dr. Caroline Rankin of Los Angeles; Mrs. Lee Walters of San Diego; Earl L. [eslie] Wisdom and Sam S.[tump] Wisdom of Los Angeles; W. D. Wisdom of Berkeley; and Pierce J. Jr. and Milton V. [ern] Wisdom of Escondido.
Judge Wisdom was a staunch character and a man of the highest type, the kind that builds for durability. True to his friends to the last degree, he was kind to those who held views contrary to his own. He was a Mason of many years standing and for many years had held the office of trustee of the local lodge. He was also a Royal Arch Mason and Past Commander of the G. A. R., being a veteran of the Civil war. He held the love and respect of the people and passes to his reward with the respect of everyone.
The body is now at the Halleck F. Johnson chapel. The funeral will be announced later. The Masons will no doubt have a prominent part in the obsequies.
[Note: This article was also reprinted in the Blockton News, March 5, 1925.]

[WISDOM, PIERCE JEFFERSON, SR., 1842 – 1925]
Daily Times-Advocate (Escondido, California), Wednesday, February 18, 1925
Funeral of Judge Wisdom To Be Held Friday Morning
The funeral services for the late Judge P. J. Wisdom will be held at the First Methodist Episcopal church Friday morning at ten-thirty o'clock. Bishop Joseph H. Johnson, assisted by Rev. Wm. S. Blackshear of the Episcopal church, of which Judge Wisdom had been a member for twenty years, will be in charge of the service. The Masons will conduct the burial service at Oak Hill cemetery, with Rev. Geo. R. Graff acting as worshipful master, assisted by Rev. Wm. S. Blackshear as chaplain. The O. E. S., G. A. R. and W. R. C. are respectfully invited to the service. Those wishing to review the remains may do so at the Hal F. Johnson funeral parlors between the hours of two and five p. m. Thursday.

[WISDOM, PIERCE JEFFERSON, SR., 1842 – 1925]
Daily Times-Advocate (Escondido, California), Friday, February 20, 1925
Great Throng Honor Wisdom
Funeral of City Recorder and Judge Holds Interest of Great Many Escondido People
An immense crowd assembled at the First Methodist Episcopal church at ten-thirty o'clock Friday morning. Although it was a rainy day, the great auditorium of the church was filled with people interested in the proceedings of the occasion. It was the funeral service of Judge Pierce J. Wisdom, a citizen for more than twenty years in Escondido and a man whom the people wished to honor in death as they had in life. All religions, races and walks of life were represented in the throng.
Appropriate to the occasion was the display of beautiful flowers, brought or sent by the loving friends. The fore part of the church was filled with the beautiful pieces, both many and varied in their kind and beautiful in their make-up.
In the fore part of the seating space were the organized bodies of which Judge Wisdom had been a loyal member, namely, the Masons, both Blue Lodge and Royal Arch, the Order Eastern Star and the Grand Army of the Republic. The representation was large in all of these, proportionate to the number of the membership. The woman's Relief Corps was represented also. The honorary pall bearers were in the fore, namely, J. Van Ryan, Lawrence N. Turrentine, W. W. Prior, P. E. Melbourne, E. M. Crauston and Henry Nulton. They represented the lodges, churches and other organization of which Judge Wisdom was a member, one representing the Richland neighborhood in which he so long resided. The active pall bearers were the six sons, G. [uy] W., Earl, Sam, Pierce, Will and Milton Wisdom, and it made a pathetic sight to see them rendering this last service to their aged father.
The funeral service itself was the beautiful ritual of the Episcopal church of which Judge Wisdom was a member. From Processional to Recessional, it was beautifully carried out. The Right Reverend Bishop Joseph H. Johnson, of Los Angeles, Bishop of this diocese and a friend of Judge Wisdom of many years' standing, was in charge, assisted by Rev. Wm. S. Blackshear, rector of Trinity Episcopal church. The choir of the Episcopal church gave the vocal music with Mrs. George G. Wilkens at the pine organ. It was a service of love and solace to every person present, for all were the friends of Judge Wisdom.
Following the service at the church, the body was borne to Oak Hill cemetery where interment was made in the Masonic plot. Consuelo lodge of Masons was there in force, accompanied by a great many friends and the lodge conducted its beautiful service, Rev. George R. Graff serving as Worshipful Master and Rev. Wm. Blackshear as chaplain. The body was thus laid to rest with Masonic honors.
As a further mark of respect to the memory of Judge Wisdom, practically every business house in Escondido closed its doors during the hour of the funeral service.
[Note: The same article was published in the Weekly Times-Advocate, February 27, 1925.]

[WISDOM, PIERCE JEFFERSON, SR., 1842 – 1925]
Blockton News (Blockton, Iowa), Thursday, February 26, 1925
Judge P. J. Wisdom Dead
Word was received here last week that Judge P. [ierce] J. [efferson] Wisdom had passed away at his home in Escondido, California. It is understood here that his death was quite sudden and unexpected. He was a former citizen of this place and a subscriber of this paper from the time it started until his death. We expected to received particulars as to his death for this issue, but none have come to hand.

[WISDOM, PIERCE JEFFERSON, SR., 1842 – 1925]
Blockton News (Blockton, Iowa), Thursday, March 12, 1925
Short Historical Sketch
The following was written by Judge P. J. Wisdom a few months before his death and will be of interest to most of our readers:
"P. J. Wisdom was raised on a farm. At the age of 17 he volunteered enlistment in Company I, Sixth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, State Militia. Later in Company G, 29th Iowa Regular Vol. Infantry. Returned home in 1865.
"In 1872 entered the mercantile business at Mormontown, now Blockton, Iowa. Was postmaster at this place from 1872 to 1885. Secured the appointment of postmaster of office at Maloy, Iowa, where he had a branch store and had appointed his eldest daughter, Miss Jennie M. Wisdom, who served four years.
"Came to California in 1904. Engaged in mercantile business and lemon industry. Retired from business in 1910. Was deputy county clerk and justice of the peace 8 ½
  years, since which time has been and still is deputy county clerk for Escondido territory, city recorder and police judge. At office each day from 10 to 12 and from 2 to 5. Regular work has recently been established on account of the California vehicle law being violated by operators of motor vehicles over speeding.
"All the following children now living: Jennie M. (Wisdom) Worthington, Ottawa, Kansas; G. [uy] W. Wisdom, Oceanside, Calif.; Dr. Caroline (Wisdom) Rankin, Los Angeles; Zora G. (Wisdom) Walters, San Diego; Attorney Earl L. Wisdom, Los Angeles; Pierce J. Wisdom, Jr., Escondido; Sam S. Wisdom, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles; Milton V. Wisdom, Escondido; Will D. Wisdom, Berkeley. All the children are married.
"The only members of my father's family now living are my sister, Susan Harriett Hodggens of Omaha, Nebr., and myself of Escondido, Calif."