in 1885 samuel w. wise fathered a son in boston, ma with irish-born ellen mckenna. the child was named samuel henry wise, but his name was revised on the birth record to john francis wise. john f. wise became a boston policeman in 1913 and participated in the 1919 boston police strike. in 1887, wise married the former lizzie o'neill of utica, new york. he was known as a womanizer even after his marriage. wise and lizzie o'neill had one child.