In 1871 he purchased large block of land in vicinity of Ninth St. (Paducah) for development. Sold most lots but in 1883 deeded 323 Ninth St. to Mary Wisdom Wallace and George C. Wallace, his daughter and son-in-law.

The following article appeared in a Paducah paper around 1889:

“Benjamin Henry Wisdom had a most eventful business career, having risen from a poor boy to the dizzy heights of great wealth [he was Paducah's first millionaire], and association with the most powerful monied men of the country. His example is one that the rising generation may well follow, as it shows what honor, integrity and industry can accomplish; and also that while it is often hard to get a start in life, when the foundation for a fortune is fairly laid the rest is easy enough.

Mr. Wisdom was born at Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia. (another source states birth place was Bowling Green, Caroline County, Virginia). When he was nine years of age his father moved to Todd county, Kentucky, where during the following eight years Benjamin worked on the farm in summer time and went to school in winter.

At the age of seventeen he entered a dry goods store at Trenton, Kentucky, as clerk, in which position he remained for three years, when he bought a half interest in the stock of goods, giving his note for $3,120 in payment, redeemable two years after date. This was his first business transaction, and from that time his success was assured. So valuable did he become as a member of the firm that he was never called upon to pay the note. He remained a member of the firm of Waggener & Wisdom for fourteen years, when he drew out and took with him $18,000.

He then moved to Clarksville, Tennessee where he still continued in business with Mr. Waggener, dealing in tobacco, and became identified with the Bank of Tennessee, of which institution he was subsequently elected cashier without his own knowledge. He remained with the bank for five years, at the end of which time he had amassed a fortune of $100,000. He then went into the tobacco business again, engaging in buying up strips and leaf tobacco.

In 1864 Mr. Wisdom formed a partnership with Ex. Norton, then of this city, and Thomas J. Slaughter, of St. Louis, in the commission business, he himself going to New York. He subsequently formed a partnership with Norton in this city, where [the family moved from New York in 1866] he carried on a banking business till 1872 under the firm name of Norton, Wisdom & Company.

Mr. Wisdom’s investments today are widely scattered, and represent large wealth. He has over 25,000 acres of valuable land in Brazoria county, Texas; 100 business lots at Valasco, Texas; large interests in and around Austin, Texas; 600 acres one mile from San Antonio, Texas; 600 business and residence lots and a plot of 40 acres near the heart of Duluth. Mr. Wisdom also has large and valuable real estate investments at Superior City, Wisconsin. What is better still, all of this property is unencumbered.

Of course where a man owns such vast possession, debts in the way of taxes, insurance, etc., are continually accumulating, but so perfect is Mr. Wisdom’s system of doing business, that once a year, at least, he clears up everything, and frequently can say that he does not owe a dollar in the world.

While employing a large number of agents to look after details, Mr. Wisdom exercises a general supervision over his affairs, and scrutinizes all papers connected with his business.

Mr. Wisdom makes Paducah his home, where he leads a quiet and retired life. His three children live here as also, the eldest being Mrs. George Wallace and the next in age Mrs. Rev. W. E. Cave, Miss Belle being the youngest.

Mr. Wisdom has an office in the Norton, Wisdom & Company building [where he had been president], and almost any pleasant day he may be seen about the entrance or walking up and down the street. Although reticent as a rule, when one succeeds in engaging him in conversation he displays excellent conversational powers, and shows that he has not only had a wide knowledge of the world, but is well read in books as well as current literature.

While the writer was conversing with him on the subject of his success, he expressed the opinion that a man to be successful must establish and maintain credit, as it was very often as good, if not better, than money. To inspire confidence in one’s integrity, and then take care to preserve that confidence, and thus be able to command credit whether you use it or not, is the true secret of success in business.

Mr. Wisdom has reached the ripe age of seventy years, but is in good health, and bids fair to enjoy for many years to come the fruits of a busy and successful life.”

Memorial Record of Western Kentucky, Lewis Publishing Company, 1904, pp 442-444 [Hickman]

“B. H. WISDOM. In the Paducah Daily Register, dated October 29, 1896, appeared the following obituary of the subject of this sketch:

Mr. B. H. Wisdom died at 5:30 last night at his home on Jefferson street after a brief illness. He was on the streets last Saturday. On Sunday he complained of not feeling well, and on Monday he took to his bed. Dangerous symptoms did not develop, however, until yesterday morning, when he was seized with a severe rigor and became unconscious, sinking rapidly until the end.

His death was due to a general breaking down of the system, incident to old age, he being in his seventy-eighth year. He had been in bad health for a year or two, but rallied during the summer, and hence his death came at the present time as an unexpected shock to his family and friends.

Mr. Wisdom was born January 19, 1819, near Bowling Green, in Caroline county, Virginia. His father moved to Kentucky about 1827, settling near Trenton, in Todd county. Before he was of age, Mr. Wisdom went to Trenton and became a clerk in a store, and showed such business sagacity that in a few years he was admitted to partnership with his employer, Stakely Wagner. The firm was eminently successful and soon ventured into the buying of tobacco for the English market. In this Mr.Wisdom, though still a very young man, displayed remarkable judgement, and thus began the foundation for his large fortune. For many years past he has been reputed the wealthiest man in Kentucky, and though all his career he was noted for his close attention to business, honesty, strict integrity and fair dealing.

Mr. Wisdom had a remarkable business career. After continued success in the tobacco trade at Trenton, he was called to cashiership of the Bank of Tennessee, at Clarksvile, in which position he continued until the breaking out of the Civil war. About that time he invested largely in tobacco, which he stored in New Orleans and sold afterward at an enormous profit. During the war he took up his residence in New York, where he was engaged in the brokerage business, being a member of the firm of Norton, Slaughter & Company. This was a profitable venture also, and when he left New York in 1866 he was worth over a quarter of a million dollars. He came to Paducah in that year and engaged in banking with Mr. William Norton, the firm being Norton, Wisdom & Company. For many years this was one of the noted financial institutions of the state.

In addition to the banking business, Mr. Wisdom engaged extensively in the purchase of tobacco, and being a man of shrewd judgement and large resources, managed to make many fortunate investments in Kentucky's staple product.

He also made large investments in real estate, both here and elsewhere. In some of these, subsequent developments showed that he had foresight little less than marvelous. Until the city of Duluth, Minnesota, began to grow and became a city of vast importance, even his most intimate friends did not know that years before he had bought large bodies of land in that vicinity at a very small price. When the city sprang up almost as if by magic, Mr. Wisdom's property came into demand, and he sold much of it at figures that seem fabulous. A little later on a new town sprang up at the mouth of Brazos river, in Texas, where enterprising individuals had made a deep water harbor on the gulf coast without asking the aid of the government. Mr. Wisdom had years before bought much land there, which was thus thrown on the market and increased his fortune. He made many other real estate investments, and much of his wealth is now represented in lands.

He maintained sole management of his affairs until about a year ago, when his health broke down. Not many years ago he made thirty thousand dollars in one year in tobacco, purchasing over a thousand hogsheads and holding for an unprecedented advance.

Mr. Wisdom leaves three daughters, Mrs. George C. Wallace, Mrs. Rev. W. E. Cave and Miss Belle Wisdom, of this city. His wife died about fourteen years ago. His only son, Norton Wisdom, died about eight years ago, leaving one child, Henry, now aged twelve, and residing at Fourney, Texas. He also leaves two sisters, Mrs. George G. Mimms and Mrs. Agnes Ohlman, both of Hampton, Tennessee.

Mr. Wisdom was not a church member, nor did he hold relations with any of the secret societies. He was a man who was upright in his dealings with his fellow man. Though seeking few friendships and of a retiring disposition, he was courteous to all. He will be greatly missed in Paducah. “