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From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 117
JOHN E. WISE, of Beetown, Grant county, became a member of Company I, 20th Wis. V.I., Aug. 14, 1862, enlisting at Beetown, and was identified with the history of that famous regiment throughout the war. He was at Prairie Grove, where Capt. McDermott fell and the regiment lost heavily, more than half its number being left on the field of battle. He served throughout the war as a brave and loyal soldier, and was discharged from the United States service at Galveston, Texas, July 14, 1865. His health was badly shattered by the long and terrible experience through which he had passed, and he suffers today from the ill effects of his life as a soldier.
Mr. WISE was born in Canada in February, 1837, a son of Joseph and Madeline WISE. He left his parents when twenty-one years old, went to Beetown, where the father died, and the mother lived to pass the century mark; she died in the home of her son, John E., Sept. 30, 1899, at the age of one hundred years, three months and ten days. She was the mother of seven children. Daniel, one of the sons, went into the Union service, and died in hospital, at the age of twenty-five.
John E. WISE has been twice married. His first wife, Caroline POLKENHORN, died after his return from the war. His present wife was Julia McDANIEL. No children were born to the first marriage, but of the second union fourteen children have been born, of whom seven are now living.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck