Sir William Saltonstall Wiseman

In Mt. Mora Cemetery, St. Joseph, is a stone cross with the following inscription:

Sir William Saltonstall

Wiseman, Bʼrt.

Rear Admiral in the

British Navy & K.C.B.

Born Aug. 4, 1814

Died July 15, 1874

The St. Joseph Morning Herald of Wednesday, July 15, 1874, carries this story:

“ANOTHER SUDDEN DEATH.

An Elderly Gentleman Drops Dead at the Saunders House.

Hotel on northeast corner, Third and Faraon Streets.

“Last evening a gentleman about fifty-five years old, portly, well dressed and affable, made his appearance at the Saunders House, and registered his name as “W. Chambers, Lincoln, Nebraska.' At the time he registered, he remarked that he was three days out from New York, and had only had a chance to pass from car to car in the meantime. He seemed much fatigued and breathed rather heavily, but at the same time there was nothing to indicate that he was seriously ill. He desired to have a wash, and was shown by Mr. Richard Saunders, who was in the office, to the washroom, where he spent about twenty minutes, He then remarked that he wanted to have a room with plenty of air and wished to leave for Lincoln on the train today. The bell boy started to show him to his room. On the way up the man staggered against the stairway and when near the door of the room fell to the floor. The boy, terribly frightened, ran downstairs and gave the alarm. Mr. Saunders hastened upstairs and found the gentleman who occupied the room opposite, holding the man's head up. He procured a couple of pillows, placed them under the guest's head, sent for water to bathe the head and dispatched a messenger for Dr. C. F. Knight. Long before the Doctor arrived, the man gave a few gurgles in the throat and was turned partly over, and was dead. Dr. Knight, on his arrival, pronounced the case one of heart disease.

"The deceased had on his person the checks for his trunk, $85 in cash, and naturalization papers issued in 1872 by the Clerk of Gage County, Nebraska. He was evidently an Englishman, and a gentleman of far more than ordinary respectability and intelligence. Dr. Trevor, the County Coroner, was notified of the sad event and will hold an inquest today. In the meantime the body of the unfortunate gentleman has been turned over to Mr. D.J. Heaton, under the direction of the Messrs. Saunders, and telegrams have been sent to Lincoln, Nebraska.'

The next day, Thursday, July 16, the Morning Herald reported:

CORONER'S INQUEST The Sudden Death on Tuesday Night.

"Yesterday morning Dr. Trevor, County Coroner, held an inquest on the body of W. Chambers, the man who died so suddenly at the Saunders House on Tuesday night. The body of Mr. Chambers was placed in the vault at Mt. Mora Cemetery to await the orders of his relatives. A dispatch received yesterday from the Postmaster at Fairfield, Nebraska, stated that he was acquainted with Mr. Chambers and would notify his relatives of the sad event.

“A MYSTERY.

Sir William Wiseman - alias - William Chambers

"We have reported the death of an elderly gentleman who registered at the Saunders House last Tuesday as “W. Chambers, Lincoln, Nebraska.' The gentleman was a large, portly man, about sixty-four years of age, and although plainly dressed, gave evidence that he had occupied no ordinary station in life. On Thursday, the man's trunk arrived and was taken in charge by the Coroner. In it was found clothing, a number of papers and letters, and photographs of a man dressed in the uniform of the British Navy; and also some visiting cards bearing the name of “Sir William Wiseman, 58 Belgrave Road.” The letters and papers were examined by the Coroner, but no further than was necessary to ascertain the facts of the man's life, and to determine his own duty in the case. One letter was from a son of the deceased, residing in London, and was dated some time back, but Dr. Trevor, finding it related to private matters, at once returned it to the envelope. Other letters and papers established clearly that the deceased was none other than Admiral Sir William Wiseman, a man who once occupied one of the highest positions in the British Navy.

“Yesterday, Mr. Richard Saunders, of the Saunders House, received the following letter:

“Fairfield, Clay County, Neb.

July 17, 1874

‘ “To Mr. Saunders:

‘“Dear Sir: I am sorry to hear of the death of Mr. Chambers, otherwise Admiral Sir William Wiseman of the English Navy. I am his agent who came out from England nearly two years ago, and have remained in his service since that time. In March last he was called to England on business and was now on his return journey. I received a letter from him on Sunday last requesting me to meet him in Lincoln on Monday. I waited until yesterday (Thursday) and finding he did not come, I became uneasy and returned home to find your dispatch. I have communicated with the family in England to know how I am to proceed in the unfortunate affair. It will take at least twenty-eight or thirty days for me to get an answer. I would therefore request that his remains be not removed from the vault until I receive instructions. Please do forward all his personal effects that he had with him, and all papers, deducting from the amount of cash he had with him, all expenses that have been incurred. Thanking you for the kind attention you showed my friend, I am

* “Yours most respectfully,

Wm. Edmund Downing

“The above gentleman, W. E. Downing, is personally known to me and I certify that the above is a correct statement.

ʻ ʻʻV. L. Petton

Agent, St. Joe & Denver City Road.”

The remains of Sir William Wiseman repose in Mt. Mora Cemetery. They received at the hands of Dr. Trevor every attention and respect that could be shown and the most scrupulous delicacy has been shown in not permitting the mere private affairs of the deceased to be made public. Nothing further will be done with the body until the relatives in England are heard from. It may then be taken to his native land for interment or to his new home on Liberty Farm, Clay County, Nebraska.'

On August 21, 1874, The Herald reported:

'Dr. Hugh Trevor, County Coroner, has received a letter from Sir William Wiseman, Garrick Club, Garrick Street, London, in which the writer states that he has received information of the death of his dear father and expresses himself especially gratified that his remains had received the kind attention of Christian gentlemen. He states that Mr. Downing of Nebraska has no authority whatever to demand the papers of the deceased and requests that they may be sent to him as soon as possible. He further states that as the body of his father cannot be removed until mid-winter, he will have time to reflect whether it shall be taken to England for interment or a tombstone be sent for its present resting place in St. Joseph. The writer desires Dr. Trevor, as coroner, to take especial charge of the late Sir William Wiseman's papers and effects.

The Herald assigned a reporter to investigate the mystery, and on Sunday, August 23, reported:

“Yesterday, Dr. Trevor received another letter from the son of the deadman expressing his thanks to Dr. Trevor and also to Dr. Runcie, Rector of Christ Church, and others, for the attention shown his father's remains. And now come a few more developments in the case. Sir William S. Wiseman left England a few years ago, came to the United States, and at once sought a home in the West. He first settled in Gage County, Nebraska, and purchased a considerable quantity of land from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company. Two years ago he took out naturalization papers, thus becoming a citizen of the United States, with the evident intention of making his home in this country.

A month later, on September 23, 1874, The Herald reported further:

THE BAR SINISTER

"The late Sir William Wiseman, the Englishman who died in St. Joseph on July 14, was not only distinguished in himself, but came from a distinguished family. He was Sir William Saltonstall Wiseman, eighth Baronet of Canfield Hall, in the County of Suffolk, K.C.B., and Rear-Admiral, Royal Navy. His mother was the daughter of the celebrated Sir James Mackintosh. He was educated at Harrow and the Royal Navy College. He leaves a son who is a Commander, R.N., who succeeded to the title and estates, and a daughter who is wife of a Commander, Royal Navy. The Wisemans are a very old Essex family. Sir John Wiseman, the ancestor, was Auditor of the Exchequer under Henry VIII, and was knighted for his conduct at the so-called "Battle of the Spurs' in France in 1513. His son was created a Baronet a few years after the institution of the order.'

An inquiry of the Royal Navy brought back the official record of Sir William Wiseman's naval service. He was born at Bombay on August 4, 1814. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1838, and in October of that year married the daughter of Admiral Charles W. Paterson, R.N. He succeeded his father as baronet in 1845 and after various promotions received the Good Service Pension in 1866 and was awarded K.C.B. in 1867. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1869 and retired from the Navy in 1870. He died four years later, and of those years we have a part of the record which does not appear in the Royal Navy archives.

On April 30, 1875, the St. Joseph Gazette reported:

“It will be remembered that about a year ago Sir William Wiseman died suddenly at the Saunders House in this city. His remains were deposited in Mt. Mora Cemetery. Dr. Hugh Trevor, County Coroner, was requested by the family of the deceased in England to superintend the erection of a monument over the grave, Yesterday the monument was put in place. It was made by Messrs. Pfeiffer & Son, of pure Italian marble, surmounted by a Latin cross and cost about $1,000.

Many years later, another Sir William Wiseman, the tenth baronet, grandson of the admiral, was in America as head of British intelligence in the United States during World War I. A graduate of Cambridge University, he served as lieutenant-colonel in the British Army until gassed in Flanders early in 1915. After training at Scotland Yard, he was inducted into the intelligence service controlled by the Foreign Office. He came to New York in December 1915 to join the British intelligence service, operating in the United States. He became a confidant of President Woodrow Wilson and of his close advisor, Colonel Edward M. House. After America entered the war, he became liaison officer between the British and American war cabinets. He served as financial advisor to the British Embassy, as representative of the British Treasury, and as financial advisor to the British War Mission. During the armistice conference and the peace conference, Sir William acted as advisor on American affairs to the British delegation.

After the war, he joined the New York banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb & Company. Sir William died in 1962, leaving one son, born in 1957, now the eleventh baronet. Whether Sir William ever visited his grandfather's grave in St. Joseph is not known.