Bios: Rev. Ivan Monroe Wise, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana 
Source: unknown 
Submitted for the LAGenWeb Archives by: Becky Campbell, bachile @ mindspring.com, Nov. 2000 


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REV. IVAN MONROE WISE, B.A., M.A., LL.D. Historian. Travelled and collected data for "History of 
the Baptists in Louisiana," and author of "Footsteps of the Flock." I.M. Wise was the son of 
Ambrose and Mahany O'Bannon Wise of Lisbon, LA. He was born at Lisbon, on July 15, 1854. He was 
converted and joined Sharon Church in 1866, and was ordained to the ministry and preached his first 
sermon at the same church in 1871. He secured his B. A. degree at Mississippi College, Clinton, Miss., 
and his M. A. at Liberty College. He graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 
Louisville, KY. On October 29, 1879, he was married to Mary A. Hagan of Lees Summit, Missouri. Nine 
children graced their home of who are living as follows: Leah Wise Blanton, Houston, TX; Mary Wise Burt, 
Houston, TX; Paul Eaton Wise, Houston TX; Jenness Wise Jones, Shreveport, LA; Carl V. Wise, San Francisco, 
CA; James S. Wise, New York City; Ivan Hagan Wise, New York City; and Will S. Wise, Whitesell, NY. His 
pastorates included Independence, Mo., Camden, Ark., Covington, TN., where he was insturmental in building 
a church, and Princeton, KY, where he built a beautiful house of worship. He collected the money and built 
the "Ohio Valley College" and was president for many years. He resigned to do Home Mission work in Owensboro, 
KY. He was President of the Baptist Association in Kentucky for two different terms, and President of the 
Union County Convention. The lure of his native state beckoned him homeward, and he returned to South Louisiana 
to do home mission work. He held many revival meetings, and hundreds were saved under his vigorous and dynamic 
preaching. He was a profound scholar, and wherever he held meetings, he taught the multitudes, as his Master did. 
He was much in demand as a speaker for Bible conferences, special schools for ministers and church workers, 
chautauquas, and other religious meetings. He was an historian. He travelled and collected datat for Paxton's 
"History of the Baptists of Louisiana," which was published in 1888. Later, he was the author of " Footsteps of 
the Flock." He had written and published one volume of this Louisiana Baptist history, and was making rapid 
progress toward others when the work fell from his dying grasp. He did valuable and valiant service for the 
preservation of the true facts of the Baptists of Louisiana. His devoted wife was a great help in her husband's 
work, she had a beautiful voice, and gave her talent tirelessly to aid him in the Lord's work. Dr. Wise died on 
May 22, 1912 and is buried in the family plot at Lisbon, LA. 

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