Pocahontas County >> 1904 Index

The Pioneer History of Pocahontas County, Iowa
by Robert E. Flickinger. Fonda: The Times Print, 1904.

W

Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

WALLACE, DAVID (1805; d. 1885) ancestor of the Wallace families of Lizard and Center townships was a native of Ireland , where he married Mary Bagdad.  Both he and his wife were of Scotch parentage and received their early training in the Established Church. In 1837, after the birth of their first two children, they came to America and located on a farm in Canada .

In March 1866 his eldest son, John W. Wallace, Henry Shields, his brother-in-law, James Shields and James Connors came together to Lizard township and secured homesteads of 80 acres each on Sec. 8. They came by rail to Ackley and walked the remaining distance. Each of the first three men named built a sod house and began the work of improving their homesteads. Two months later David Wallace, a younger brother of John W., arrived, secured a homestead on the same section and built another sod house. In October 1866 David Wallace and family, which then included three of his grand children, Mary J., Josiah W. and Francis H. Osborne, arrived, began to occupy Connor's homestead and built another sod house on the same section. These settlers on Sec. 8, were among the number of those who had to take the d in this county in erecting sod houses and planting artificial groves. They experienced no difficulty in getting sod for their houses, which were used about one year, but as there were no tree peddlers in those days, they had to go many miles to obtain the little trees or cuttings for the groves.

David Wallace in 1869 served as superintendent of the first Sunday school in Lizard township. It met in the Johnson school house on Sec. 4. His wife died at 66 in 1871 and was buried in the cemetery in Jackson township, south of Clare.  In 1876 he accompanied Henry Shields and family to the State of Washington where he died at 80 in 1885. He was a tall, large and strong man.  His family consisted of eight children:

Ellen in Canada married Frank Osborne, who died in 1852, leaving three children; Mary J., Josiah W. and Frank H.  She died in 1855. Their children found a home with their grand parents and in 1866 came with them to Lizard township.  Mary became the wife of George Spragg and in 1869 located in Cedar township and twelve years later in Nebraska . Josiah married Ida, a sister of L. W. Moody and located at Pomeroy. Frank went to Washington .

Thomas H, in Canada married Charlotte Carlisle and later located in Ft. Dodge , where she died in 1881 leaving three children.

Eliza J. in Canada married Henry Shields who, in March 1866, secured a homestead on Sec. 8, Lizard township. He improved and occupied this homestead until 1876 when, accompanied by David Wallace, he moved to Washington .

John W., Clerk of the Court, 1875-86.  See page 479.

David (b. 1847; d. 1894) in 1870 married Rosa Dempsey, a native of Canada, and continued to live on the homestead in Lizard township until 1884, when he moved to Washington where he died in 1894 leaving four children; William, Ella, Maude and Dot.

Samuel (b. 1851), coming with his parents to Pocahontas county, in 1879 located with his brother John at Pocahontas.  In 1881 he married Mary McLarney and a few years later located at Gilmore City .  His family consists of six children.

WALLACE, JOHN WILLIAM, (b. June 17, 1845 ; d. Pocahontas, May 22, 1899 ), was one of the early settlers and a very popular official of Pocahontas county.  He was a native of Northumberland county, Ontario , Canada , the son of David and Mary ( Bagdad ) Wallace, both of whom were of Scotch descent, natives of the north of Ireland and members of the established Church of England .

In 1865, having completed his education in the public school, he came to Michigan but returned to Canada that fall. In March 1866, one year before the arrival of his father and family, he located on a homestead of 80 acres o sec. 8, Lizard township, on which he built a sod house and during the first three winters engaged successfully in hunting and trapping.  On May 28, 1872 he married Mary Elizabeth Riley (b. Ireland 1851) who became a resident of Lizard township in 1869 and still survives him. He was clerk of Lizard township in 1871-72.  In the fall of 1874 he was elected clerk of the district court of Pocahontas county and the next spring moved to old Rolfe.  In 1876 he moved to Pocahontas where he died May 22, 189 . He was five times re-elected to the office of clerk of the district court and rendered twelve years of public service in that capacity, 1875-86. Whilst others rendered more years of public service and as many in the same office, this was the longest term of continuous service in the same office rendered by any public official of Pocahontas county. He was deputy sheriff five years, 1893-97, and frequently served as coroner of the county when those elected did not qualify. He was secretary of the school board of Center township nine years, 1888-96, and of Pocahontas two years, 1896-97.

He had the contract for carrying the mails between Pocahontas and Humboldt during the four years, 1879-82, and from Fonda to Rolfe, 1887- 91.  In 1892 he engaged in the livery business at Pocahontas and continued in it until the time of his decease.  He made additions to the old homestead from time to time and was the owner of 200 acres of land in this county in addition to the home in Pocahontas, built in 1881.

He was a strong, well built man, enjoyed good health and nobly performed his part in the great drama of life. He was loyal to his covictions, when he was sure he was right, and was equally loyal to his friends. He was amiable in his disposition, happy in his home life and just in all his dealings. His unswerving integrity placed his public service above unfavorable criticism and his public spirit was manifested in the leading part he took in efforts to promote the welfare of the public schools of his town and township. The flags on the school and court house were placed at halfmast and most of the business houses of Pocahontas were closed during the funeral services and his remains were interred at Rolfe.

His family consisted of seven children one of whom, Rosa, died in childhood. Ella married George W. Bruce; William D. (b. June 14, 1876 ) in May 1898 enlisted for the war with Spain in Cuba as a member of Co. B. 2d Ia. Infantry, and spent a few days at Camp McKinley , Des Moines ; Bessie married Fred J. Southworth, Pocahontas: Amanda Melvina, a millner; Blanche and Genie E. are at home.

WYKOFF, WILLIAM MARSHALL (1834-1902), farmer, Fonda, was a native of Canandagua, N. Y., the son of James and Esther Gates Wykoff. He was the youngest of a family that consisted of five brothers and two sisters. At four he was bereft of his father and at twenty-one went to Elmira , learned the tinner's trade and later engaged in the hardware business at Brownsville , Minn. In 1876, he located three miles southwest of Fonda on a farm, which he was the first to improve and occupied it until his decease at 68 in 1902. His house on the knoll west of Cedar creek has always been a very prominent land mark. A happy home and family were the objects of his first concern, and then the faithful performance of his duty as a good citizen.

In 1858, at Brownsville , Minn. , he married Phoebe Snyder and his family consisted of six children. Frank, William who married Lizzie Spielman, Fobes, Esther who married Virgil Heston, Dollie, and Mamie who married Geo. H. Stafford.