Thomas Bates Wallace

As printed in 1881

THOMAS BATES WALLACE,

P. O. Lexington. Was born March 31, 1813, near Richmond, Kentucky. He is the son of John Wallace and Elizabeth Wallace. His father was a native of Albemarle county, Virginia, and born February 17, 1783; his grandfather, Josiah Wallace, was born in the same county, in 1739; his great-grandfather was born in the same county, in 1700. The father of the latter was from Scotland. Elizabeth Walker was born m Buckingham county, Virginia, in 1784. Her father, Asaph Walker, was born in the same county, 1735; her grandfather was born in the same county, -in 1695; the father of the latter was from England. The mother of Elizabeth Walker was Judith Watkins, born in 1738; her grandmother was a Dupuy, and a defendant of the Huguenots. Thomas B. Wallace came, with, his parents, to Missouri in 1819, and his father settled in Lafayette county, five miles southeast of Lexington, when Missouri was only a territory. The educational advantages of young Wallace were such as might be expected in Missouri at that early day — crude teachers, rude schoolhouses, and wretched equipments. He remained on the farm with his father until seventeen years of age, when he began to learn the trade of joiner and carpenter. This avocation he followed five years. During that time he built the first house erected in Clinton, Henry county, Missouri, and in 1836, in company with his brother, B. F. Wallace, there began the mercantile business, which he successfully prosecuted for twelve years. In 1848, the firm moved to Lexington, and continued the business of general merchandising. They continued in partnership until 1856, when he purchased the interest of B. F. Wallace, and continued to sell goods till November, 1860, when he disposed of his stock. In 1861, soon after the war began, during the battle of Lexington, he lost property to the value of $50,000, consisting of buildings, goods, notes, and other effects. In 1862, was appointed United States marshal for the western district of Missouri, an office he held for three years. In June, 1865, he opened a house in St. Louis, for the transaction of a general commission business, but in July, 1866, having been appointed, by President Johnson, marshal of the western district of Missouri, he returned to Lexington, and discharged the duties of that office until 1869. Since 1871, he has been engaged in the insurance business. In 1861, at the battle of Lexington, Col. Mulligan, commanding the federal forces, ordered the house of Mr. Wallace burned, as a military necessity. By this destruction he lost nearly all his effects. In 187i2, congress passed an act to re-imburse him for his loss, but, on some account, it met the disapprobation of President Grant, and the bill was vetoed. During his residence in Herary county, he was deputy county clerk for two years, and county treasurer for eight years. He is a licensed lawyer, and authorized to practice in any court in Missouri. Mr. Wallace has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Ann Elliott, a native of Howard county, Missouri, born January 4, 1825, and daughter of John Elliott, a native of Virginia. The mother of Miss Elliott was Mary Glassgow, of Virginia. Mr. Elliott and she were married in 1809, in Madison county, Kentucky, and soon after emigrated to Missouri, locating near Old Franklin, nearly opposite the present site of Boonville, on the Missouri river. By this marriage with Miss Elliott, Mr. Wallace had five children, three of whom died in infancy. John Wallace was drowned in the Missouri river, at thirteen years of age, and William, the other son, died at the age of twenty-two. Their mother died February 25, 1853. His second marriage was with Mrs. Lucy B. Gains, formerly Miss Briscoe, born November 14, 1825, a daughter of James Briscoe. Her father was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1770; her grandfather, Ralph Briscoe, was born in the same county, about 1756. Thomas B. Wallace and Mrs. Lucy B. Gains were married March 28, 1854. By this marriage there were three children: Nettie Briscoe, born October 17, 1855; Thomas Bates, born November 25, 1858; Hugh Campbell, born February 10, 1863. In religious belief, Mr. Wallace is a Cumberland Presbyterian. Mrs. Wallace is a member of the Christian Church. Politically, he held the doctrines of the whig party, and voted with that party while it existed; since its demise, he has acted with the democrats, but has always been a liberal and conservative man.

As printed in History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.