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Note: -Prescription for Happiness - Married 62 Years, Zion Pair Offers Good Advice, "Little girl, when you get mad, I'll keep still, and when I get mad you keep still" John C Wallace said that to Mary Jane Edwards the day they were married 62 years ago, Sept. 20, 1877, to be exact. It must have worked, for they're still happy. Mrs. Wallace insists their happiness has grown, for now they have 38 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren to share it with them. Of their 19 children, nine are still living, and their daughter, Mary Celeste, Mrs. Arthur Thompson, lives with them in Zion. John, who is 88, fells his life is beginning all over again. His grandchild, Homer Clawann, sent him a typewriter to commemorate the anniversary, and John is going to try his hand at writing. He was born in a log cabin in Jackson county, Iowa. His Irish father, Thomas Jefferson Wallace, and had pioneered through Illinois and into Iowa in the days when Waukegan was a tiny settlement of white people known as Little Fort. The story of his conversion to Zionism begins a few years after his marriage. He and Mary Jane had tried their luck at farming in Kansas, and then decided to return to Iowa. John became city Marshall of Cricksonville, (Correctionville) Ia., and in his own words was known as "the toughest man in those part." His three year old daughter, Annie, was an invalid. Two young men, Zionists, used to come to the Wallace home night after night to pray for her recovery. At first John scoffed, and taunted them by smoking and drinking in their presence. But their zeal impressed him, and in 1901, he left Iowa to come to Zion. He soon was made night watchman of the growing community and sent for his family. Together, as John puts it, "We helped build the city of God almighty." John first met Mary Jane at the country dances where he played the fiddle. "I was a big fellow over 200 pounds, and she was a little slip of a thing." he says. "I used to tell her, "Watch out, little girl you don't get trampled on." Then Mary Jane went to help the family of her brother, who was ill. John watched her at the hard work of feeding the farmhands and keeping the house and decided, she was a pretty good bread baker." Feeling she needed a vacation he invited her to go to Dubuque with his mother and sister where they were delivering honey and oats. On the way home the little party came to a fork in the road. John got an inspiration "How'd you like to go to Jamestown ?" he asked Mary Jane. Jamestown, Wis., was then the Gretna Green for Iowans, and when Mary Jane consented, off they went to be married. Two of the Wallaces children lived in Waukegan, James Alexander Wallace, 513 Clayton St., and Mrs. Walter S. Edwards, 129 N. St. James, St., several children live in Chicago, one in Wisconsin, and one in California. But John and Mary Jane do not sit reminiscing over the past, or bemoaning their separation from their children. The philosophy built on pioneer spirit and steeled in 38 years of service in an ideal reveals itself in the place of honor given to the typewriter, symbol of the future.
John Claudius Wallace - In 1901, converted to Zionism and moved to Zion, IL.
Letter to granddaughter Mary Ellis Gallagher: Oct The i, 1944, Zion Ill, Dear Nick, Mary , Mary Ann, PATSY, Katie and B,llie Peace Be Multipliedd Unto Every One Of You Just A Few Lines I Wrote You At Tucson Arizonia And i Wrote You At Albuquerque Gen Delivery , And Got No Answer Sofar.
Well Thanks Be Unto God We Are Still Among The Land Of The Living Grandd Ma Is Not VERY Well But I Am A Bout The Same , This is A Little H,story Of Our Family T,J, WALLACE Was Born Jan The 5, i8o6, in County Cork At Dewhollow On The Banks Of The Black water My Mother Was Born Sep The 5, i83i, In Monro County Ohio My Father Come to America under John Q Adamss Ad minastration. , The Conklins Moved To Brandon T,P, Jackson CO IOWA In I'48 or 49, And My Mother was the 2 Oldest Of i4 Children They Were Married By A French Priest Father Paradine And I was The Oldest Of i2 Children, Aunt Mary was The Youngest Of I2, Children March The 29, i862, We Were Married Sep the 2o, 1877, Only Two Of Her Family Living Only Two Of My Family Living WE had i9 Children 8, Still Living 37 Grand Children And 4o Great Grand Children We A Whole Heard Of People In This War In The Diferant Parts Of It I Was Borb Feb The i6, i85i, Started To Work and Working Ever Since In A New Country No Neighbors A Very Rough Part Of Iowa And wild Game All Kindes Animal, Birds, Fish, Every Thing But Money. And That was Scarce I Had 5 Uncles in That war and Every war Since
Andd The Greatest Thing in The Universe is To Know God Jehovah And Christ His First CREATION, And To Know Him The Active Agent Of Jehovah Up Yntill To Day And The Greatest Thing in All The Sgess is To Bring up Our Children According To Godss Holy will Exodus 6, 6, to 9. Deuterryonomy ii, i8,to 2o. Eph 6, i,2,3,4, We Did Not Know I Am Sorry To Say But It Is Their By The Finger Of The Jreat RULEROF The Univesrs Teach The Children How To Have Long Life EXODUS 2o,i2 Deuteronomy 5, i6, And Write Some Time And Let Us Hear How You Are We Love To Hear From All Our People I Hope You Will write UsGEOrge was Fine The Last We Heard From Him May The God Of Mercy Love And Grace Lead Guide And Direct You All in His way is The Prayer Of Your Grand Dad And Grand Ma Peac Be To Every One of You,
Letter to Mary Ellis Gallagher, his grand daughter: Feb The i6, i945, Zion Ill, Dear Mary Nick Mary Ann Patsy Caty and Billie Peace be To Every One Of You - Just Received Your Letter And And Was So Glad To Hear From You All That You Are In Such A Good Place To Live And Among Such Good People That Sure is A Grand Place To Be in Especially For The Children Sake, Yes I Wrote Diferant Letters I Wrote On To Tucson Arizonia It Never Come Back ,I Wrote To Your Town General Delivery And It Came Back And I wRote One Other It Never Came Back Yes i Passed My 94 Year, Ald Started On My 95, Year At 6 Oclock in The Morning Of This 16 Of Feb i945, And Grand Ma is Still with Us For Which we Do Praise And Thank God For His Wonderful Love Mercy And Grace And Saveing Health To Us Poor Unworthy Children,But This what He Promist To Us with Long Life will I Satisfy Him and Show Him My SalvationAll Our Folks are Well As Far A We Can Hear Only Franks Daughter Frances ,She is A Very Sick Girl, Only God Can Deliver Her, Frand Ma, And i, We Have Been Up And Down, For Quite A While But That Is Natural For All Old People Like Us And We Have No Kick Comming For We Have A Good Long Life O And One wonderful Thing Is How The Lord is Keeppi ng Our Solder Boys From Destruction, But They All Are In His Hands,well as it is late i will quit for now nad if the lord spars me i will write more the next timekove and best wishes to every one of you,Your Grand Dad And Grand Mother Mr, and Mrs J,C, WALACE Cion ZION ILL
res: 1860, Otter Ck Twp, Jackson Co. IA, age 07--------------------------------------
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