Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Wise, John Henry July 19, 1869 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/hi/hifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com January 19, 2012, 8:20 pm Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Ltd. Territory of Hawaii, 1925 Author: Edited by George F. Nellist JOHN HENRY WISE, Prohibition Director. A prominent figure in both the old and the new Hawaii is John Henry Wise, director of prohibition for the Territory. Throughout his career Mr. Wise has been closely in touch with political affairs of Hawaii, has occupied important public positions, and has been a noteworthy legislator. Mr. Wise first began a business career, entering the employ of the Wilder Steamship Co. in 1889, shortly after leaving school. He later became interested in theology and left Hawaii in 1890 to attend a theological seminary at Oberlin, Ohio, graduating in 1893. Upon his return to Hawaii, he was with the Hawaiian Board of Missions for several months. A Hawaiian patriot during the Revolution, in 1895, Mr. Wise became identified with the group of Royalists who sought to restore the monarchy and recover the throne for the deposed Queen Liliuokalani. With others of the same cause, Mr. Wise was tried before a military commission for misprision of treason and was sentenced to a year in prison. Upon his release he returned to his birthplace in Kohala, Hawaii, and took up carpentering. He returned to Honolulu in 1898 to follow this trade. In 1900 he went to Kansas City as a delegate to the Democratic convention. In 1901 he became Hawaiian interpreter for the house of representatives. He was made clerk of the house during the special session of the legislature in 1904. The same year he returned to the Island of Hawaii and started business as a contractor. In 1907 he became clerk of the house of representatives and in the same year became affiliated with the archives in Honolulu as a translator of Hawaiian manuscripts. Mr. Wise translated a collection of Hawaiian legends for the Bishop Museum and is considered an authority on Hawaiian language and folklore. He was made clerk of the senate in 1911 and 1913. In 1915 he was appointed superintendent of Kapiolani Park. During 1915 Mr. Wise made two trips to Seattle, Washington, in behalf of union labor, and while absent on one of these missions was elected to the senate, where he served for four years and occupied a place on two legislative commissions. Mr. Wise is credited with having materially assisted in securing the passage of the Hawaiian rehabilitation bill by the territorial legislature and aided in its passage in Congress. Mr. Wise was appointed director of prohibition for Hawaii by President Coolidge in December, 1923. Born in Kohala, Hawaii, July 19, 1869, Mr. Wise was the son of Julius A. Wise, a native of Hamburg, Germany, and Rebecca Nawaa. He received his early education in Waimea, Hawaii, and in Honolulu. Graduating from Hilo Boarding School in 1886, he went to work for a short time at Waiakea plantation, coming to Honolulu in 1887 to enter the first class in the Kamehameha School for Boys. Mr. Wise married Lois Kawai at Waimea, Hawaii, in 1897. There were ten children, Muriel (Wise) Lyons, Lois, Rebecca (Wise) Boozer, William, Ella (Wise) Hayselden, Nani, John Henry, Jr., Jonah Kuhio, Daniel and Tepa Wise. Mr. Wise is a member of the Chiefs of Hawaii, Order of Kamehameha and Hale o nai’lii. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/hi/statewide/bios/wise663bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/hifiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb