George Douglas Wise (June 4, 1831 – February 4, 1908) was an American slave owner, white supremacist, and

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. He was nephew of

Henry Alexander Wise Henry Alexander Wise (December 3, 1806 – September 12, 1876) was an American attorney, diplomat, politician and slave owner from Virginia. As the 33rd Governor of Virginia, Wise served as a significant figure on the path to the American Civil ...

, and cousin of

John Sergeant Wise John Sergeant Wise (December 27, 1846 – May 12, 1913) was an American author, lawyer, and politician in Virginia. He was the son of Henry A. Wise and Sarah Sergeant. Early life John was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1846, while his father was ...

and

Richard Alsop Wise Richard Alsop Wise (September 2, 1843 – December 21, 1900) was an educator and politician from Virginia. He was a U.S. Representative for parts of two terms. He was a son of Henry Alexander Wise, grandson of John Sergeant, brother of John ...

Biography

Wise was the son of Tully Robinson and Margaret Douglas Pettitt (Wise) Wise, who were double second cousins. He was born at "Deep Creek," the Wise estate in Accomack County, near

Onancock, Virginia Onancock ( ) is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,263 at the 2010 census. History According to a nearby Virginia state highway marker, Onancock was founded in 1680. A courthouse was established some year ...

, Wise was graduated from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

at Bloomington. He studied law in the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest instit ...

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...

. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

. He served as captain in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. He was Commonwealth's attorney of the city of Richmond from 1870 to 1889, when he resigned. Wise was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Forty-seventh and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1889). He served as chairman of the Committee on Manufactures (Forty-ninth Congress). Presented credentials as a Member-elect to the Fifty-first Congress and served from March 4, 1889, to April 10, 1890, when he was succeeded by Edmund Waddill, Jr., who contested his election. Wise embraced ideas of a master race, once telling the House of Representatives that "if I could I would not have the mingling of Caucasian blood with that of any inferior race." He referred to Chinese immigrants as "this indigestible mass . . . inferior in mental and moral qualities . . . a continual menace to the existence of republican institutions.”13 Cong. Rec Appendix 64 Wise was elected to the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895). He served as chairman of the committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses). Wise was a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901-1902. He died in

, February 4, 1908. He was interred in Hollywood Cemetery.

Electoral history

*1880; Wise was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 55.94% of the vote, defeating Readjuster John Sergeant Wise and Republican H.L. Pelonze. *1882; Wise was re-elected with 57.12% of the vote, defeating Readjuster John Ambler Smith. *1884; Wise was re-elected with 52.4% of the vote, defeating Republican Robert T. Hubbard. *1886; Wise was re-elected with 52.73% of the vote, defeating Republican Edmund Waddill, Jr. *1888; Wise was re-elected with 50.42% of the vote, however the results were contested and Republican Waddill, Jr. was seated. *1890; Wise was re-elected unopposed. *1892; Wise was re-elected with 63.94% of the vote, defeating Republican Walter E. Grant.

References

Sources

External links

*
Manuscript Civil War Diary of Confederate soldier George D. Wise (Morristown and Morris Township Public Library, N.J.)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wise, George Douglas 1831 births 1908 deaths Virginia lawyers Delegates to Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901 Burials at Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia) Confederate States Army officers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia Members of the United States House of Representatives who owned slaves 19th-century Virginia politicians Wise family (Virginia) 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century Virginia politicians