JESSE WISE

Sacramento County

Biographies

JESSE WISE

JESSE WISE.--A prominent, wide-awake rancher of Sacramento County, who is vitally interested in the progressive movements of the community, is Jesse Wise, who was born at Walnut Grove, Sacramento County, on July 16, 1869, a son of Joseph and Nancy Jane Wise, whose sketch appears on another page of this history. He attended the local schools, and three months before he reached his majority he started to work for himself. He leased eighty acres of land on Andrus Island and worked on it for four years. He then went to Tyler Island and leased 300 acres of land, which he devoted to beans and grain. After residing there for several years, he removed to his home-ranch, at Walnut Grove, in 1900. He was deeded sixty-four acres of land by his father, and later he purchased thirty-nine acres more from his sister. He now owns 107 acres in one body. Here he established a home for himself and family, and has resided there ever since. Sixteen acres of this ranch is devoted to pear orchard, and the balance to asparagus and onion seed.

Jesse Wise has been in the seed business for about six years. The gathering of the seed is a particular job; for each ripened seed head has to be cut and gathered carefully by hand, so as not to spill any seed, and placed in a woolen sack and then emptied into big piles on canvas, where they are spread to dry. Afterwards the seeds are rolled out, cleaned in a mill, and then washed to get rid of the light, floating seeds that are worthless. After drying, they are again cleaned, and then sacked and made ready for market. Mr. Wise irrigates his place with an electric pumping plant, and by close application has gained splendid results.

On July 21, 1895, at Oakland, Cal., Jesse Wise was united in marriage with Augusta Pauline de Laguna, a native of San Francisco, where she was reared and educated. Her father, who was an early pioneer, was one of the men to organize a school in that city; his people were educators, and he was naturally adapted to this line of work. Augusta Pauline also taught school before her marriage. She was a graduate of the San Francisco Normal. A cultured and refined woman, she possessed a beautiful voice and took an active part in local social affairs. She was a very charitable woman, and through her benevolent ministrations was very helpful to the needy. Sad to relate, she passed away on August 11, 1922, leaving a void in her family and among her friends that cannot be filled. Mr. and Mrs. Wise were blessed with two children. Jesse Vance is prominent in radio circles; as manager of the Pacific Coast Division of the Radio Relay League, he has one of the largest lists of acquaintances over the United States of any amateur radio operator. Paul Frederic is assisting his father on the home ranch. Mr. Wise indorses the platform of the Republican party. Since 1907 he has served as trustee of Reclamation District No. 554. It is now in splendid shape, and all expenses have been paid except the outlay for this last year’s improvements.

Transcribed Joyce Rugeroni.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 438-441. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.