Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-09-21
THE DEATH Of HENRY A. WISE.


Henry A. Wise died at his residence
in Richmond, Va, to-day at half-pasl
twelve O'Clock, in the .70sh year of his
age. He has been in i'll health for
Several months.
Ex~ Governor Henry Alexander Wise
was b IN at Drummondtown, Accomae
county, Virginia, December 8, 1906.
His father was Speaker of the House OF
Delegates of Virginia, and died in 1912.
The following year the mother of the
future Governor died, leaving him al
orphan at the age of seven years He
was carefully educated. however. by his
relatives and guardians, and being sent
to Washington College, Penna., in
1922. he graduated from that institution
in 1928. He studied law in Winchester,
Va, but afterwards removed TO Nash
Vile, Tennessee, where he married and
settled into the practice of his profession.
In 1880 he returned to Accomac and
soon became prominent both as a poll
tician and criminal lawyer. He
espoused the cause of Andrew Jackson,
and in 1888 was elected to Congress by
400 majority over Richard Coke, the
candidate of the opposition party.
After the election Mr.. Coke challenged
him to fight, and in the duel which
ensued the challenger had his right arm
shattered by ball from Mr.. Wise's
pistol. Mr.. Wise WAS reelected to
Congress in 1885 and again in 1887.
While in Congress. He opposed jackson
removal of the deposits from the United
States Bank, his "pet bank" system and
the sub treasury, and in the notification
troubles issaed an address to the people
of York district, South Carolina, in
which he equally condemned the course
of South Carolina and the action OF
President jackson. He strongly advo
Gated the annexation of Texas as a
means of preserving the balance OF
power between the North and South.
In 1887 he was second of Mr.. Graves,
of Kentucky, in his duel with Mr..
Cilley, of Maine, which resulted in the
death of the latter. Although Mr..
Wise was much blamed at the time, II
being charged that he fomented the
| quarrel and directed it to its disastrous
termination, subsequently it was shown
that he exerted himself TO compromise
the difficulty and avoid the resort to the
field. He was prominent in putting
John Tyler as Vice-President on the
ticket with General Harrison, and when
Mr.. Tyler became President on the
death of Harrison, Mr. Wise became 8
potent adviser Of the administration
President Tyler nominated him minister
to Spain, but the Senate refused tc
confirm the nomination. Afterwards he
was made minister to Brazil, and in that
/ capacity resided at Rio Janeiro from
May, 1914, to October, 1S47. In lS4e
and 1852 he supported the democratic
ticket for President. He was member
Of several of the presidential con-
ventlons, and also Of the State con.
vcn,ious In 1855, as the democratic
candidate for Governor, be made his
memorable campaign against the ''know
nothings," being elected by over 10000
majority. In that canvass, though in
feeble health, he traversed the State in
all directions, travelled over 5000 miles,
and made fifty stirring and effective
speeches. Toward the close Of his
term occurred the seizure of Harpers
Ferry by John Brown and his fanatic
| followers, and one of the last acts OF
his administration was the execution of
Brown at Challcstown, December 2.
| 1859. In 1861 Mr.. Wise was a member
of the State convention, in which. as a
member of the committee on federal
relations, he made an Independent
report aimed at compromise and a
peaceful adjustment with the then
seeded States. After the passage of
the ordinance of secession, however, he
threws himself heartily into the move
ment and was appointed brigadier~
general in the Confederate army. He
served in the Kanawha Valley and also
had command afterwards of Roanoke
Island, n. C, IN the taking of which
by the Federals his son, Capt. O. Jen~
nings Wise was killed Since the war
The Ex-Governor has resided in Rich
mond, Va, eschewing politics; in accord
with neither the republicans nor demos
Gratis he diligently devoted himself to
the practice of his profession. Previous
to the passage of the present act for the
adjustment of the harmony between
Virginia and Maryland he was one Of
the Virginia commissioners to settle
that controversy.
He renamed rational up to the last
and his dying moments were calm and
peaceful. A few minutes before he
expired he SAID: 'My life has been
devoted to virtue and integrity. l car
say that | never robbed poor man
and what is more and what is easier,
never robbed rich man" The funeral
takes place Thursday P. M.
Ex Gov. Wise was three times
married. first to daughter of DR..
Jennings, Of Tennessee second to a
daughter of Hon. John Sargent, OF
Philadelphia, and lastly to Miss Lyons,
of Richmond, Va, a sister ct the Hon.
Tamoc Tvonc who Snrvives him