Illinois Wise: Manslaughter

He was born John Illinois Springfield Wise 12   Mar 1853 in Virginia to John H. Wise & Eliza. He and his father were slaves of Gov. Henry Alexander Wise. 

Inmate: #2795 Folsom Prison (California)

Rec: 22 Dec 1892

Crime: Manslaughter

Term: 10 Years

Age: 24

He married 15 Mar 1874 • Savageville, Accomack, Virginia to Annie Chandler. I do not know what happened to her. After the Civil War and Illinois was a free man he headed to the sea and a life time of adventure. He was a cook aboard the W. H. Dimond which was built by Capt. Mathew Turner who also lived in Oakland, CA, where Illinois would also end up living after his life on the sea. He had been on whaling ship and cargo ships and sailed in every ocean. He was in several ship wrecks as well.

To read more on Capt. Turner:

https://www.maritimeheritage.org/captains/Matthew-Turner.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Turner_(shipbuilder)#:~:text=Matthew%20Turner%20(June%2017%2C%201825,Matthew%20Turner%20shipyard%20in%20Benicia.

Here are some newspaper articles all from 1892 and how he was tried and then convicted and just missed being hung for murder.

Here are some more detailed longer articles that also have his confession of what happened and who really killed the Chinaman. (Just click on the links to read).

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78536950/illinois-wise/

Article called "A Nigro's Neck"

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78536534/illinois-wise/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78513334/illinois-wise/

I am not sure when Illinois was released from prison but I may have found a second wife, Here's a newspaper clipping.

 I also found this gem of record, Illinois' Seaman Papers with a lovely photo.

As I was researching his family I did come across another family that is not his that have him attached to them. There are also census records and various other records of a white man that others have attached also.. Most of these trees were merged with other trees as why their trees are incorrect and why you need to do your own research.

I found photos of one of the ships Illinois sailed on, it was called Falls of Clyde.

In 1906 Illinois was living in Oakland, CA working for the Oakland Tribune as a watchman (security guard) He also worked the elevator. I found this article the Tribune wrote about him in 1934 a year before his death.

This is the house Illinois lived in until his death. If you Google Earth the address you will see how close to the water he lived. It was in his veins which ran deeply into his soul.

Illinois died here 20 Mar 1935 in his home pictured above. His wife Virginia lived until 1944. Below are 2 article from the Oakland Tribune written about his death and his adventurous life, it's a beautiful tribute to him, and you can he was much loved and admired by those who knew him at the newspaper.

Here's some photos of Gov. Henry Alexander Wise during his life. He was a man all for slavery and you can research him by googling his name. 

This is a wonderful story for his descendants to add to their tree. I would of lived to of interviewed him. He really touched my soul.