Francis B. Wallace

Francis B. Wallace was born 10 Jan 1829 in New York City. In the 1850 census we find him in Philadelphia, with the family of James S. Wallace. Interestingly, Francis is listed first in the household, perhaps suggesting that it was his place, and the Wallace family was living with him.

1850 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia North Ward, page 327B, household 1272/1641
Francis B. Wallace - 21 M, editor, born in NY
James Wallace - 46 M, editor, born in NY
Eliza Wallace - 25 F, born in PA
Ellen Wallace - 13 F, born in NY
Charlott Wallace - 11 F, born in PA
Catherine Wallace - 8 F, born in PA
James Wallace - 6 M, born in PA
Julia Stone - 58 F, born in DE

Since Francis was 21 in 1850, and James S. Wallace was 46, our initial thought was that James might be Francis' father. However, we have found no evidence to support this. Nor have we been able, thus far, to connect Francis with any other member of James' family.

It appears from other records that James S. Wallace was associated with the North American and United States Gazette, a Philadelphia newspaper, in 1850, so Francis B. Wallace may also have worked there as well.

It is not clear when Francis moved to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, but on 28 Sep 1857, Francis B. Wallace married Frances Mason there where Francis was an editor for the local newspaper. Frances Mason was born 25 Dec 1837 in Staffordshire, England, and emigrated to the United States with her parents, George and Frances Mason, who were living in Pottsville at the time of her marriage.

George Mason was a merchant in Pottsville as early as 1850, as shown in the census for that year. As you can see by the birthplaces of their children, The Mason family came to America sometime between 1838 and 1841.

1850 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, Pottsville North East Ward, page 267B-368A, household 206/226
Geo Mason - 34 M, merchant, born in England
Frances Mason - 29 F, born in England
Frances Mason - 12 F, born in England
Caroline Mason - 9 F, born in PA
Samuel Mason - 6 M, born in PA
Mary Mason - 3 F, born in PA
-- Mason, 4/12 M, born in PA

Francis and his wife continued in Pottsville until at least 1870, as shown in the censuses for 1860-1870.

1860 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, Pottsville, page 183A, household 2038/1959
Francis B. Walace - 31 M, --, $400, editor, born in NY
Frances Walace - 21 F, born in England
Mary B. Walace - 1 F, born in PA

1870 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, Pottsville, page 351A, household 14/15
Wallace, F. B. - 41 M W, editor, born in NY
Wallace, Frances - 31 F W, keeping house, born in England
Wallace, Mary - 12 F W, born in PA
Wallace, Frances - 8 F W, born in PA
Wallace, Henry F. - 5 M W, born in PA
Wallace, Issabella - 5/12 (born Feb) F W, born in PA

Francis enlisted twice for short terms during the Civil War. Details of his service are available on this page that contains images of some of the documents in his pension papers.

The 1880 census shows that their last child born in Pennsylvania was born in 1874, so it is likely that they remained in Pottsville until at least that time.

1880 Federal Census: District of Columbia, page 240D, household 209/315 - 1014 E. Street NW
Wallace, Frank B. - head, W M 51, proofreader, born in NY, father born in CT, mother born in MD
Wallace, Fannie B. - wife, W F 41, keeping house, born in England, parents born in England
Harrison, George W. - son-in-law, W M 26, actor, born in NY, parents born in NY
Harrison, Mary B. - daughter, W F 21, at home, born in PA
Wallace, Fannie - daughter, W F 18, at home, born in PA
Wallace, Harry - son, W M 15, works in tel office, born in PA
Wallace, Bella - daughter, W F 9, at school, born in PA
Wallace, Clarence - son, W M 6, born in PA
Wallace, Blanche - daughter, W F 4, born in DC

While in Pottsville as Associate Editor of The Miner's Journal, Francis compiled the Memorial of The Patriotims of Schuylkill County in the American Slaveholder's Rebellion in 1865. This complete work is available online at Google Books, and also at the Penn State University library online here.

At some point Francis B. Wallace and Charles Schubert established the Schuylkill Free Press, a daily newspaper in Pottsville. It apparently was not as successful as they would have hoped, and the paper was absorbed into another local paper and ceased to exist.

By 1880 the family had moved to Washington D.C. where Francis worked as a proofreader.

The final census in which Francis was to appear was in 1900. By this time he was working as a clerk for the government.

1900 Federal Census: District of Columbia, ED 70, page 9A, household 116/138 - 1028 Eighth Street NW
Wallace, Frank B. - head, W M Jan 1829, 71 Md 42 years, born in NY, parents born in CT, government clerk
Wallace, Frances B. - wife, W F Dec 1838, 61 Md 42 years, 10 children/8 living, born in England, parents born in England
Wallace, Harry T. - son, W M Oct 1864, 35 single, born in PA, electrician
Wallace, Clarence B. - son, W M Feb 1874, 26 single, born in PA, government clerk
Wallace, Frank B. - son, W M Dec 1880, 19 single, born in DC, salesman
Wallace, George B. - son, W M Dec 1880, 19 single, born in DC, at school
Dare, Frances B. - daughter, W F Nov 1861, 38 Md 12 years, 1 child, born in PA
Dare, Joseph W. - son-in-law, W M Dec 1854, 45 Md 12 years, born in MD, parents born in MD, civil engineer
Dare, Dorothy - granddaughter, W F Jun 1890, 9 single, born in DC

Five of their eight living children were still living at home, including their daughter, Frances, who had married Joseph W. Dare. Of the others, Isabella had married James B. Spalding as shown here.

1900 Federal Census: District of Columbia, Washington, page 123A, household 122/146
Spalding, Jas B. - head, W M Apr 1858, 42, md1yr, born DC, parents born DC, government clerk
Spalding, Isabella H. - wife, W F Feb 1870, 30, 1 child, born DC, father born PA, mother born England
Spalding, Beatrice A. - daughter, W F Jul 1890, 10, born DC, at school

Their daughter Mary, who was shown in the 1880 census as married to George W. Harrison, an actor, may have married a second time to Antonio Zetelle about 1891. In the 1900 census, we find this entry:

1900 Federal Census: District of Columbia, Washington, page 47B, household 170/296
Zetelle, Antonio - head, W M Dec 1857, 42, md9yrs, born VA, father born Italy, mother born Ireland
Zetelle, Mary - wife, F W Jan 1861(?), 39, no children, born PA, parents born PA(?)
Magruder, Blanche - boarder, F W Mar 1876, 24, widow, born DC, father born NY, mother born England
Magruder, Gladys - boarder, F W Jul 1894, 5, born MD, father born unknown, mother born DC

In this entry, Blanche Magruder appears to be another daughter of the Wallaces, and she seems to be living with her sister, Mary. Some of the information is inconsistent, but this is often true of census data. Assuming this to be Mary and Blanche Wallace, it appears that Mary had no children by either husband, and that Blanche was the mother of one daughter, Gladys.

Francis B. Wallace died on 26 Feb 1909, and was buried in Arlington Cemetery. His family continued to live in Washington D.C. at least through the 1930 census as shown below.

Frances Mason Wallace was the head of her household in 1910. Living with her were a daughter, three sons, a son-in-law, and a granddaughter.

1910 Federal Census: District of Columbia, ED 19, page 172A, 1028 8th Street NW - household 45/52
Wallace, Frances M. - head, F W 71 widow, born in England, parents born in England
Dare, Frances B. - daughter, F W 48 md 27 yrs, 2 children/1 living, born in PA
Dare, Joseph W. - son-in-law, M W 54 md 27 yrs, bon in MD, parents born in MD, civil engineer
Wallace, Harry T. - son, M W 44 widower, born in PA, inspector at shirt works(?)
Wallace, Frank B. - son, M W 28 md, born in DC, optician
Wallace, George B. - son, M W 28 single, born in DC, elevator operator
Dare, Dorothy - granddaughter, F W 18 single, DC MD PA

Her son Clarence was also living in Washington D.C., married with two sons.

1910 Federal Census: District of Columbia, ED 174, sheet 3B, household 23/23
Wallace, Clarence - head, M W 36, married once for nine years, born in PA, foreman
Wallace, Mary E. - wife, F W 34, born in VA, parents born in VA
Wallace, Trueman - son, M W 5, born in DC
Wallace, Mason - son, M W 3, born in DC

Antonio and Mary B. Zetelle were also in Washington D.C. in 1910 as shown below. Living with them was Gladys Magruder. I am uncertain what had become of her mother, Blanche, but it seems that Antonio and Mary had taken Gladys as their daughter.

1910 Federal Census: District of Columbia, Washington, page 121A, household 46/51
Zetelle, Antonio - head, M W 55, married once for 22 years, born VA, father born ??, mother born NY, no occupation
Zetelle, Mary B. - wife, F W 51, born PA, father born CT, mother born England, no occupation
Magruder, Gladys - step (or adopted?) daughter, F W 15, born MD, father born MD, mother born DC

James and Isabelle Spalding were also in Washington D.C., along with their daughter who had married Murry Holverson. The census record, shown below, shows the daughter's name as Victora which might be a middle name. She had a three month old daughter.

1910 Federal Census: District of Columbia, Washington, page 198A, household 63/102
Spalding, James B. - head, M W 52, md21yrs, born DC, parents born DC, government inspector
Spalding, Isabell H. - wife, F W 40, 1 child, born PA, father born England, mother born NY (should be reversed)
Holverson, Victora H. - daughter, F W 19, md2yrs, 1 child, born DC
Holverson, Murry - son-in-law, M W 26, md2yrs, born DC, father born MS, mother born Norway (should be reversed?), clerk
Holverson, Victora - granddaughter, F W 3/12, born DC

By 1920 Frances Mason Wallace was living with her son, Clarence, as shown below.

1920 Federal Census: District of Columbia, ED 357, page 172A, 2305 Chester Street - household 41/46
Wallace, Clarence B. - head, M W 45 md, born PA, father born NY, mother born England, assistant superintendent of trees and parks
Wallace, Mary E. - wife, F W 43 md, born VA, father born VA, mother born NC
Wallace, Trueman - son, M W 14 single, born DC
Wallace, Mason E. - son, M W 12 single, born DC
Wallace, Frances M. - mother, F W 82 wd, entered USA in 1854, born England, parents born England

Her son, Frank B. Wallace had married Sadie Wagner, and they had two sons as shown below. Living with them was Sadie's sister, Margaret, her husband Elmer Irey, and their son.

1920 Federal Census: District of Columbia: Washington, Precinct 10, Page 166B, household 173/174
Wallace, Frank B. - head, M W 38 Md, born DC father born MA(?), mother born England, optician
Wallace, Sadie - wife, F W 32 Md, born DC, father born England, mother born DC
Wallace, Richard B. - son, M W 3 10/12, bonr DC
Wallace, David W. - son, M W 1 11/12, born DC
Irey, Elmer L. - brother-in-law, M W 31 Md, born MO, parents born MO
Irey, Margaret W. - sister-in-law, F W 30 Md, born DC
Irey, Hugh W. - nephew, M W 5, born DC

By 1930 Frances had moved in with her daughter, Frances Dare's family as shown below.

1930 Federal Census: District of Columbia, ED 307, page 14A 1878 Monroe Street NW
Dare, Joseph W. - head, M W 74, md at 27, born MD, parents born in MD, civil engineer for govt.
Dare, Francis B. - wife, F W 68, md at 21, born PA, father born NY, mother born England
Dare, Dorothy - daughter, F W 38, single, born DC, clerk for govt.
Wallace, Frances M. - mother-in-law, F W 92, widow, married at 19, born England; parents born England

Frances Mason Wallace lived a long life. She died on 21 May 1932, and is buried with her husband. Their stone is shown below.