Rev. John Houston Wallace1

b. October 1799, d. 7 March 1882
FatherJoel Wallace2
MotherEsther Houston2
BirthOct 1799 Rev. John Houston Wallace was born in Oct 1799 in Blount County, Tennessee.2,3 
Childhood John lived in Alabama with his parents as a child.4,5 
Education He studied under Rev. Samuel Doak at Tusculum College and also under his uncle, Rev. Samuel Houston at Rockbridge, Virginia.4 
Occupation1828 He was licensed to preach in 1828, settling first in Pulaski County and then in Christianburg, Virginia where he preached until moving to Washington County in 1837.4 
Marriage24 Jul 1828 He and Martha Elizabeth Ryburn, daughter of William Ryburn and Mary (?),were married by Alexander McEwan on 24 Jul 1828 in Washington County, Virginia.6 
Occupation In 1838 John became the fourth pastor of Green Spring Presbyterian Church in Washington County, Virginia.7 
Residence There he and Martha established a home between Abingdon and Bristol in an area later to be named Wallace in his honor.8,4 
Cens-185021 Sep 1850 The 1850 census for Washington County recorded John and Martha and four of their children: Louisa F., 17, Frances J. 15, William P., 12 and John H., age four.9 
  Another son, Charles, was born shortly after the official June first census date and therefore was not listed with the family, although he would have been present when the census taker finally made his way to the family home in late September. 
 According to a letter written in 1907 by their daughter Frances, John and Martha also had a sixth child.4 
1840  The 1840 census lists an unaccounted for 10-15 year old female who probably represents this missing child.10 
 Martha's death, which may have occured as early as late 1850, left John a widower with 6 children. His two youngest children, both sons, died in 1854. John married three additional times after Martha's death. His second wife, Jane, died of consumption at age 62, in 1865. The following year he married Catherne Hanby, who was the younger sister of his son's wife. She was 25 and John was 65. However, Catherine was apparently also ill with consumption, from which she died less than a year later. 
Marriagebefore 1860 He married second Jane (?) before 1860.11,12 
Marriage25 Sep 1866 He married third Catherine M. Hanby, daughter of Jonathan Hanby and Margaret P. Rhea, on 25 Sep 1866 in Washington County, Virginia.2 
Marriagebefore 16 Feb 1869 He married fourth, before 16 Feb 1869, Hannah Worley, widow of Frederick Thomas.13,14  
Residence  Following their marriage John and his fourth wife, Hannah (Worley) Thomas Wallace lived in Sullivan County, Tennessee with her youngest children.15,16 
Anecdote John's daughter Frances, writing in 1907, stated that her father amassed a fortune, had thousands of acres of land, a mansion and slaves, as well as a grist mill, tannery and store. As his children grew he gave each a house, a farm, a cow, a horse and furniture. He also served as a teacher to the neighborhood children, conducting classes in a slave cabin left on his plantation after the Civil War.4 
Cens-1860- Slave28 Sep 1860  Prior to the war at least 11 slaves worked and lived on the plantation.17 
Description  A granddaughter added that he was a distinguished gentleman of the old school who wore his light hair combed straight back from his forehead. He had blue eyes, a rather long nose and firm mouth.4  
Death7 Mar 1882 John died on 7 Mar 1882 at age 82.3 
Burial He was buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.3 
Anecdote Rev. John Houston Wallace was a second cousin to General Sam Houston of Alamo fame. Their grandfathers were brothers. During the last years of his life Rev. Wallace contributed to a book of biographical sketches on the Houston family. According to the book Rev. Wallace was living in East Tennessee on the estate of his wife. He offered the following about his mother, Esther Houston Wallace, "She was very domestic in her habits, faithful and diligent in the discharge of all her duties as a wife, a mother, a neighbor and a Christian. She was especially exemplary in the observance of the Sabbath and the religious instruction of her children."18 

Related Links and Images:

Other interments in Walnut Grove Cemetery
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed John as the head of household number 1560. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.

Family

Martha Elizabeth Ryburn b. abt 1807, d. bef 1860
Children
Last Edited19 Nov 2013

Citations

  1. [S1193] Samuel Rutherford Houston, Biographical Accounts of the Houston Family, p. 206.
  2. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 380. Abstracted record reads: John H. Wallace, 65, wid, b. Blount Co., TN, resid WCV, minister & farmer, s/o Joel and Ester Wallace AND Catherine M. Hanby, 25y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o Jonathan T. & Margaret Hanby; marr 25 Sept. 1866 by Thomas Brown.
  3. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 378. Abstract reads: Rev. John H. Wallace, b. Oct. 1799, d. 7 March 1882.
  4. [S23] Evelyn T. Rahn, "Reverend John Houston Wallace" in Families of Washington Co. and Bristol, VA, p. 341. Ms Rahn cites a letter written by Frances Jane Wallace Teeter in 1907.
  5. [S1193] Samuel Rutherford Houston, Biographical Accounts of the Houston Family, p. 205. The author states that Esther Houston and Joel Wallace resided in Blount County Tennessee until 1810 and then moved to the Southwest, where they both died. However the specific location is not stated. Rev. Wallace contributed to this chapter of the book.
  6. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 65. John H. Wallace and Martha Ryburn, 24 Jul 1828; minister Alexander McEwen; also p. 90: Sketch of John H. Wallace which refers to wife Martha Elizabeth Ryburn.
  7. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 90.
  8. [S537] Hutton Family Data, authored by Dr. J. B. Hutton. "Patsy" Ryburn was the great aunt of J.B. Hutton. He states she married "a Wallace" and lived in the vicinity of Wallace's, between Abingdon and Bristol.
  9. [S367] John H. Wallace household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. following 174 (stamped), dwelling 1560, family 1560, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2004, image 214 of 289. The enumeration reported: John H. Wallace, 49, b. TN, farmer, owns land valued at $3,900; Martha, 43, b. VA; Louisa F., 17; Frances J. 15; William P. 12; John H. 4; all children b. VA.
  10. [S679] John Wallace household, 1840 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, p. 57, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2004, image 113 of 114. Data reported includes: John Wallace; 1 m under 5; 1 male 30-40; 2 females 5-10; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 30-40; 1 female 80-90.
  11. [S12] D.E. Brown, Unfiled Death Records of Washington Co. VA, entry # 2531: Jane Wallace, d. Nov. 8, 1865 of consumption, age 61, consort of John H. Wallace.
  12. [S234] John H. Wallace household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, Clerak Branch post office, p. after 693 (added script), dwelling 2421, family 2359, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2004, image 330 of 361. Enumeration reports: John H. Wallace, 59, O.S. Presby Clergy, owns land valued at $20,400 and personal property of $11,000, b. ?? [Tenn had been written in but was crossed out and overwritten with Va]; Jane, 57, housekeeper, b. VA; William, 22, farmer, b. VA.
  13. [S3214] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 30, 1871-1874, abstracting p. 27 which deed of trust references land conveyed by John H. Wallace & Hannah, his wife, to Wm D. Minor be deed dated 16 Feb. 1869.
  14. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 284. Abstract reads: Hannah Wallace, w/o Rev. J. H. Wallace & relict of F. S. Thomas, d. 10 Dec. 1884, age 67y 5m 17d.
  15. [S959] John H. Wallace household, 1870 U.S. cens, Sullivan Co., Tennessee, pop. sched., Civil District 1; post office Bristol, p. 379b (stamped), dwelling 98, family 98, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2004, image 14 of 24. Enumeration recorded: John H. Wallace, [age appears to be 19 which is incorrect], Presbyterian minister; b. TN, owns land valued at $2,000; Hannah, 53, b. VA; ______ [unclear], 19, farmer, b. TN; Frederick, 8, b. TN [Note: the names of these two boys are implied to be Wallace on this enumeration, however I believe they were Hannah's sons and their last name should have been Thomas].
  16. [S914] John H. Wallace household, 1880 U.S. cens., Sullivan Co., Tennessee, pop sched., 1st Civil District, ED 16, page 346D (stamped), dwelling 148, family 151, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2004, image 22 of 42. Enumeration recorded: John H. Wallace, 79, mnister, b. TN, father b. NC, mother b. VA; Hannah, wife, 62, b. VA; Fred S. Thomas, 18, stepson, b. TN, farmer; Mary Emmert, 22, servant; Croner C__sswell, male, 9, orphan.
  17. [S1308] John H. Wallace, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., Virginia, slave schedule, p. 28 (original script), line 17, viewed online at Ancestry.com. 11 slaves: 8 males (40, 21, 20, 16, 13, 5, 3 and 1y) and 4 females (53, 34 and 16y); 2 slave houses.
  18. [S1193] Samuel Rutherford Houston, Biographical Accounts of the Houston Family, p. 208.
  19. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 362. Abstracted record reads: Edwin Conrod Teeter, sgl, b. & resid Washington Co., VA, physician, s/o Jacob & Sophia Teeter AND Frances Jane Wallace, 22y, sgl, b. Montgomery Co., VA, resid WCV, d/o John H. & Martha Wallace; by Alexander Hogshead; marr 7 Jan 1857.
  20. [S1617] Amy Bazar, "Descendants of Dr. Martin Luther Withers", report dated 20 Nov. 2006. Amy cites the book Virginia and Virginians, p. 763.
  21. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 380. Transcription reads: William Preston Wallace, 22y, sgl, b. Montgomery Co., resid Washington Co., VA, farmer, s/o John H. & Martha Wallace AND Sarah Jane Hanby, 20y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o Jonathan T. & Mgt Hanby; marr 8 Nov. 1860.
  22. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 225. Abstract states: John H. Wallace, 8y 10m died 21 Aug. 1854 of flux; parents John H. and Martha Wallace.
  23. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 225. Abstract states: Charles H. Wallace, died 11 Oct. 1854 of flux at 4y 3m 20d; parents: John H. and Martha Wallace.