FRANCIS R. WALLACE has for many years been prominently identified with the agricultural life of Sullivan county, owning a valuable and well improved farm in Curry township, but he was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1826, a son of William and Mary (Reeder) Wallace. The mother was born in England, and coming to the United States with her parents. William and Mary Reeder, they located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but the father only lived about a year after coming to this country. His life occupation was farming. William Wallace was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and died in Jackson township, Sullivan county, Indiana. He was a millwright as well as farmer, and coming to Hamilton township of this county in 1840, he entered land here at that time and assisted in building the first jail in Sullivan and also the first horse mill in Sullivan county. This mill was located just east of the town of Sullivan, and he also built several other mills here, thus assisting materially in the early development of this community. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, namely: Harriette and Maria, who are deceased; Louisa, who has never married and resides in Curryville; Sarah M. and Henry, who have also passed away; Francis R., who is mentioned later; and Edwin, Charles and Mary Jane, deceased.
After the death of his father, Francis R. Wallace entered eighty acres of land and also rented an additional twenty-five acres and continued actively identified with the agricultural interests of Curry township until his retirement a few years ago, his children now conducting his farm of two hundred acres.
The marriage of Mr. Wallace was celebrated on the 28th of April, 1864, when Anna Grant became his wife. She is a daughter of Peter Grant, formerly from Scotland. Peter Grant was an educated man and taught in Logan, Ohio, and in Sullivan, Indiana, in both high and common schools. He was educated at Edinburgh, Scotland, and he came to the United States when a young man, having spent a number of weeks in crossing the Atlantic ocean. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have five living children and all are at home, namely: William H., Anna M., Francis Marion, Caroline and Ada. The family are members of the Presbyterian church, and the children are especially active in the work of that denomination.