My Genealogy Hound

William J. Wallace was born in Tennessee, in 1842, and is a son of Wesley E. Wallace, who is of Irish-English descent, a planter by occupation, and still lives in Nevada County, Ark. In this State William J. Wallace received the greater part of his rearing, as his father removed to what is now Nevada County when he was only seven years of age, and here he also received his education, which was obtained at evening by a pine-knot fire in his father’s home. So desirous was he to obtain an education, that after he was married, and the father of a family he went to school and took two of his children with him. At the early age of seventeen years he started out to carve out a career for himself, and first began operations in this direction by farming in Nevada County, which place continued to be his home until 1882. He then came to his present farm of 200 acres in Hempstead County, and has done exceptionally well since locating here. His farm produces 750 pounds of cotton and 12 bushels of corn to the acre, and small fruits grow wild in abundance on his place. He was married in October 1859, to Malinda J., a daughter of Green Singleton, a native Alabamian, but he was called upon to mourn her death September 5, 1885, she having borne him seven children. His second marriage took place March 29, 1886, his present wife being Miss Annie Victoria Cook, a daughter of M. L. Cook. In May, 1862, Mr. Wallace became a member of Company I, Capt. Powell’s regiment, Confederate States Army, but the following July was honorably discharged. In 1878 Mr. Wallace was elected by the Democratic party, of which he has always been a member, as justice of the peace, and this position filled for two terms. He is a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, and as a tiller of the soil fully deserves the success which has attended his efforts, for he has been industrious and enterprising.