H. J. Wallace Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 235

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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H. J. WALLACE. The world instinctively pays deference to the man whose 
success has been worthily achieved, who has acquired a high reputation 
in his chosen calling, and whose social prominence is no less the 
result of an irreproachable life that of recognized natural gifts. It 
is a pleasing indulgence to write the biography of; man of this 
character such as Mr. Wallace, is known to be. He has been prominently 
identified with the business interests of Jerauld county since pioneer 
days, and is to day at the head of the banking firm of H. J. Wallace & 
Son, of Wessington Springs Mr. Wallace was born in Illinois 1850, a son 
of George and Lavinia Wallace, natives of Pennsylvania and Vermont 
respectively. The father was a carpenter by trade, but always engaged 
in agricultural pursuits. His ancestors came from Nova Scotia and were 
of Scotch origin. He was descended from Richard Wallace, a dispatcher 
in the Revolutionary war, who swam across the southern end of Lake 
Champlain to deliver a message. Our subject is the oldest in a family 
of three children. The others both died of disease in 1862. 

H. J. Wallace grew to manhood upon a farm, and was educated at Jennings 
Seminary, Aurora, Illinois, and Hedding College, Abingdon, Illinois. On 
attaining his majority he left home and commenced farming on his own 
account upon land which he purchased in his native state. In 1874 he 
was united in marriage with Miss May F. Van Namee, who was born near 
the birthplace of our subject. Her parents were farming people, her 
father a native of New York, her mother of Massachusetts. The children 
born to our subject and his wife are Dale, Eula, Burl and Aline. 

Mr. Wallace continued his farming operations in Illinois until 1882, 
when he came to Wessington Springs, Jerauld county, South Dakota. He 
first located on section 35, Cherry township, where he lived in a 
shanty, 12 x 20 feet until he could get a better house built. At that 
time there was nothing at Wessington Springs and Plankinton was the 
nearest railroad station, while there was only one house between his 
farm and Mitchell. The property brought with him to this state filled 
six cars and included one hundred head of cattle, for the accommodation 
of which he erected good buildings upon his farm, and has since 
continuously and successively engaged in stock raising. In 1888 a 
prairie fire destroyed all the buildings upon his farm with the 
exception of his residence, and also burned all the machinery, hogs, 
etc. 

In 1887, Mr. Wallace was appointed county treasurer to take the place 
of a defaulter, and subsequently was twice elected to that office, at 
the first election being the nominee of all parties and at the second 
of the Republican party. In 1893 he was appointed state surveyor by 
Governor Sheldon for a term of two years, and served as official 
abstractor of the county at the same time. He is still interested in 
the abstract business and also in the creamery and dairy business, 
serving as treasurer of the creamery association ever since its 
organization. As a member of the firm of Wallace & Loomis, he assisted 
in establishing the bank at Alpena, and the same firm in the spring of 
1887 bought the bank at Wessington Springs established by C. E. Thair 
in 1884. Mr. Wallace and his son took control of the latter bank in 
February, 1898, but he has practically had immediate charge of the same 
since 1897. The success of the institution during these years attests 
his eminent and pronounced ability as a financier, and through it he 
has promoted the welfare of the city. He is a man of broad capabilities 
who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. 
Politically he is a stanch Republican, and generally goes as, a 
delegate to the state conventions of his party.