Isaac J. Wistar

Isaac Jones Wistar (November 14, 1827 – September 18, 1905) was an American lawyer, miner, farmer, soldier, and author. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, in which he was wounded twice, and was noted for his criticized performance during the 1864 Bermuda Hundred Campaign. After the conflict Wistar became a distinguished penologist and a writer. Early life and career Isaac J. Wistar was born in 1827 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received early his education at Westtown Friends' School, and then attended Haverford College. Wistar later received a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Wistar began practicing as a lawyer in Philadelphia. In 1849, he moved to California in order to participate as a miner in the Gold Rush. From then until the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Wistar held a great variety of vocations. Among these were: animal trapper, mountaineer, Indian fighter, farmer, and lawyer.