Isam Wallace was born July 1802 in NC, and died 09 January 1876 in Richland, WI, USA. He married Mary (Polly) Jones on 29 September 1822 in Surry, NC, USA, daughter of Daniel Jones and Jemima Bernard.
Notes for Isam Wallace: Isam Wallace 5/02
July, 1802 - 9 January, 1876
Isam Wallace is the oldest known member of the Vance family, as of this date, being a great grandfather of Jennie Vance. He was born in NC, but apparently not in Surry County because he does not appear in any early census in that county; county identity is necessary in order to further pursue information on this family.
There is no evidence of a town of Surry, in Surry County, NC. The county was established in 1771, being separated from the existing Rowan County; it remained a large county in northwestern North Carolina until the 1860 census shows it was split into Surry and Yodkin Counties. The county seat of Surry County is now Dobson, NC.
The 1800 census lists an Isham Wallace living in Mecklenburg County, NC, which is some 100 miles south of Surry County, NC; this same census lists no Wallace in Surry County. Isham Wallace does not show up in any other of the Mormon Church AIS census reports. There are Wallaces in the 1820 census, listed in Surry and Mecklenburg Counties, but there is no way to confirm relationships of these persons and the Isham W. family.
LDS records provided ID/copying of marriage bond for Isham (Isam) and Polly Jones. The document states that the signers will pay a penalty of 500 POUNDS if the marriage does not take place; Mr Wallace and (a presumed very good friend) Edmond Taylor jointly make this promise to Gabriel Holmes, governor of NC on 29 September, 1822. Apparently, Mr Wallace is not able to read/write, in that the document is made out to "Isham Wallis", and proxy signed by the government official (Wiley Thornton), while being witnessed/ certified by friend and co-signer Edmond Taylor.
In the state of North Carolina, marriage licenses were "allowed" early, but record keeping was almost non-existent; instead, marriage bonds were kept after 1741 by the Clerk of Court of the Common Pleas Courts. After 1850, marriage licenses were systematically taken out and kept by the counties.
He married Mary Jones 29 September, 1822 in Surry County, NC. From this marriage there were born eleven children. They are:
1. Anna Wallace - b1823 in NC. She married Jacob Vance 15 August, 1844 in Randolph, IN. 2. Margaret Wallace - 19 January, 1824 in Randolph, IN-16 December, 1894 in Aken Twp, Richland, WI.. She is buried in December, 1894 in Tavera, Richland,WI. She married Wm. Vance 6 Jan, 1846 in Randolph, IN 3. Ruth Wallace - 1827 in IN - 21 Mar, 1898. She married Samuel Yeager. 4. Daniel Wallace - 1828 in IN - died 11 Jul, 1863 in Snyder's Bluff, MS in the Civil War. He married Anna Maria Cox 1Jun, 1848 in Clinton, IN. 5. Elizabeth Wallace - 1830. 6. Sarah Wallace - 1832 - ? ; married to a ____Kiser. 7. Ensley Wallace - 1834 in IN - 3 August, 1863 in Paducah, KY during the Civil War. He married Margaret _______. 8. Hiriam Wallace - 1838 in IN - 14 Nov, 1858 in Memphis, TN during the Civil War. He married Mary Beeby. 9. Stephen Wallace - 1843 in IN - 20 Aug, 1863 in Helena, AR during the Civil War, from a fever. 10. Isaac Wallace - 1846 in IN.- 1922 in Black River Falls, WI. He married Martha Turnmire 28 Aug, 1869 in Richland, WI 11 Lydia Wallace - 1848.
Note the tragedy that struck this family! Four of the five sons were killed in the Civil War in the year of 1863 in a span of four months. All the sons were deployed to different areas for participation in the war, resulting in deaths in four widely separated states. All of these sons were enlisted [reportedly] in the Wisconsin Infantry, Co B, 25th WI Volunteers. Only Isaac survived to live a "normal" life span. Information available tells us that all the children except Stephen were married.
As evidenced by documents submitted by wife Mary for a pension, Isam and Mary led a very difficult life in terms of finances. Their worldly wealth, as expressed in "taxable property" for the years of 1862 to 1879 varied between $498 maximum to $100, and zero in 1880.
His physical health is described in documents quoted below, as feeble in the fourteen years that this doctor had treated him, suffering from heart and lung disease.
Isam Wallace was buried in Tavera Cemetery, WI per [1], which states
".....There are marble slab markers in the Tavera Cemetery for Grandma's [ Margaret Wallace] parents but the names and dates are so dull I don't know if one could read them. Sometime when I am down there I will try and get them for you."
Also on the 5th of November, 1880, an Affidavit was submitted at County of Richland, WI, before Henry L. Puckett, J.P., on behalf of Mary Wallace, stating: "That I am personally acquainted with Isam Wallace, late consort of Mary Wallace, the above applicant. That I am a Practicing Physician, that I attended him in his last sickness, whose death occurred on or about 9th day of January, 1876, have known said Wallace since 1862 that he was suffering with lung and heart disease, was very feeble since my first acquainted with him, was his family Physician for some years, previous to his death, was a neighbor. Said disease totally disabled him from manual labor." s/by John T Coates, M D [1]
On the 5th day of September, 1880, a General Affidavit was filed for Mary Wallace, in front of the Town Clerk of the Akan, Richland Cty., WI "...that the following is a true list of all the Taxable property of Isam Wallace, late consort of Mary Wallace, the ...applicant, according to the records in my office: [1]
In an Affidavit filed 6th of November, 1880, to Henry L Puckett, J. P., an acquaintance of the Wallace family served as a secretary to Mary Wallace, stating that: "...Isam Wallace worked for me in 1857 and 1858, that he was then a weakly man, being badly troubled with an inward disease which produced faintness and palpitation, that from that time to his death [and] he grew weaker; towards the latter part of his life, was an almost flesh less skeleton. Stephen Wallace, his son, worked for me for money to pay his father's tax and a plow, from 1861 to the time of his death. I never knew him to have any other means of support, that by his labor on his little place and for his neighbors.....Stephen worked for his father before the war, for his support. Isam...and Mary Wallace acknowledged having received money from Stephen, by letter while in the service.....Isam Wallace at the time of his death, left very limited means for the support of his widow who is now reduced to almost abject want and charity..." s/by Laverns M. Thorpe [1]
[1] A family letter from Chancie Vance [s/o Hiram Edwin Vance] to cousin Clifford Vance, from Blue River, WI and dated 24 February, 1973, concerning Vance family ancestry.
More About Isam Wallace: Burial: Tavera, Richland, WI.
More About Isam Wallace and Mary (Polly) Jones: Marriage: 29 September 1822, Surry, NC, USA.
Children of Isam Wallace and Mary (Polly) Jones are:
+Margaret Wallace, b. 19 January 1824, Randolph, IN, USA, d. 16 December 1894, Aken Twp, Richland, WI, USA.
Isam Wallace (b. July 1802, d. 09 January 1876)
Notes for Isam Wallace: