Joseph Wise

WISE, JOSEPH, farmer and livestock exporter; b. 14 October 1834 in North Milton, son of Joseph Wise and Grace Ryder; m. first 29 March 1866 Jane Essery, and they had one child, Caroline Penelope; m. secondly 20 February 1883 Sophia MacKinnon, and they had tour children, Frederick, Henry, Fannie, and Albert; Presbyterian; d. 21 February 1909 in Charlottetown. Wise, a Liberal, was elected to the House of Assembly in the general election of 1886 for 2nd Queens. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1893. He was reelected in the general election of 1897. Wise was defeated in the general election of 1890. In 1899 and 1900, Wise proved a key player in the Liberal government's effort to maintain their slim majority. During the 1899 legislative sessions, he broke with them to vote with the Conservatives. The government, led by Premier Farquharson*, tried to persuade him to resign, which he agreed to do if a by-election was held before the spring 1900 session. The by-election was not held and, as a result, Wise withdrew his resignation. Nonetheless, on 8 May 1900, his resignation was announced in the House. This was immediately followed by Wise defiantly taking his seat. In the uproar that followed, his vote with the Conservatives, which would have defeated the Government, was not recognized by Speaker James Cummiskey*. The following day, Wise attempted to take his seat, but the Speaker entered the refuted resignation into the record. When asked to withdraw. Wise refused. He was dragged out of the Legislature by the Sergeant-At- Arms, assisted by the House Messenger, then locked in the Speaker's room until the House adjourned. When order was restored, Farquharson maintained his majority when Conservative Henry Pineau and , who had been conspicuously absent for a number of months, switched to the government side. Throughout his life, Wise lived in North Milton where he was educated in the local school. He spent his lifetime farming in Milton and also exported livestock to England. Wise served as Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Prince Edward Island. Joseph Wise died 21 February 1909. Jane Wise died 16 August 1871. Sophia Wise was born ca. 1843. Joseph Wise's father, born in Devon, England, immigrated to the Island in 1827.