Documents
This page houses historical documents that tell the story of the Wallace family from the early 1800s to the present day. Inconsistencies in spellings (eg Wallace/Wallis), ages, and dates are common in these documents, therefore we look at patterns such as collective groups of family names and birth places to connect the dots.
Eaton Wallace (1820 - )
1850 Census
This is the earliest record of Eaton Wallace in our collection. He is listed as 30 years old, putting his birth year at 1820. He is living with his wife Delia Wallace, 25, and three children. Delia A (13), Somorroda (10), and Curley (9). He is a Farmer and living in James City County.
1860 Census
Eaton Wallace (listed as “Wallis”) is a Farmer, 45 years old, with a personal estate valued at $40. He lives with his wife Delia, 35 years old. Seven children are listed: Carila (20), Pamelia (9), Lucinda (9), Nancy (6), Nathan W. (7), Lizzie (3), and William L. (9 months).
A Billy Wallace (“Wallis”), age 101, lives with a Moore family next door. Canadays and Taylors live in neighboring houses.
Between this census and 1868, Eaton Wallace dies. No death certificate has been found thus far. In 1868, Delia remarries.
1914 Death Certificate for Nathan Washington Wallace (son)
This record names Eaton (Eton) Wallace and Delia Crawley (Dela Crawly) as Nathan Washington Wallace’s parents.
1917 Death Certificate for Lucinda Allen (daughter)
This record names Eaton (Eten) Wallace and Delia Wallace as Lucinda Allen’s (nee Wallace) parents.
Delia Crawley (1825 - 1913)
1833 Free Black Registry
Samuel and Letty Crawley are listed along with children Delia, Susan, Cary, Jane, Nancy, and Eliza. Samuel is a farmer and Letty a washer. They live on Samuel’s own land in James City County.
1868 Marriage Certificate (Family Search Account Required)
Delia Wallace (35) is widowed and marries Samuel Savage (33) of Accomack County, VA in James City County. He is a Farmer and his parents are listed as Acum and Kesiah Savage, while Delia’s parents are Samuel and Letty Crawley.
1880 Census
Delia Wallace is 47, living with her husband Samuel Savage (45). Delia’s children are no longer at home. John T Taylor is 12 years old and listed as a Farm Laborer.
1900 Census
Delia Savage (75) and her husband Samuel Savage (66) own a farm in James City County. Three people live with them: Frances (22), Robert (4), and Abraham Jennings (1). The three Jenningses are listed as servants, with Frances’ occupation being Farm Laborer.
1913 Death Certificate
Delia Savage died around the age of 90 in Lightfoot, James City County. She was widowed and the informant was a J M Jones. No birth date nor parent’s names appear on this record.
Jeremiah Wallace (1863 - 1924)
1870 Census
This is Jeremiah’s first appearance on the census at 7 years old. His mother Delia (40) is widowed, and remarried to Samuel Savage (36) as of April 1868. There are nine children, all with the last name Wallace, living in the home: Permelia (19), Nathan (17), Nancy (13), Elizabeth (12), William (11), Eaton (9), Jeremiah (7), Martha J. (5), and John T. (10 months).
William and Patsy Canaday and Lucinda Taylor appear on the same page.
1886 Student Card from Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute
Jeremiah Wallace graduated from Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in 1886, verified via an email from Charles Allen, an Administrative Assistant with Hampton University Archives.
1900 Census
Jeremiah Wallace is recorded as 28 years old, living with his wife of four years, Fannie Byrd (24). They have three children: Fred Douglas (3), Getrude, and Ducia (1). Joseph Cranson (8) is listed as a boarder. He was taken in and raised by Jeremiah and Fannie.
A few doors down, William L. Wallace (42, b. 1857) lives with his wife Margaret (34, b. 1866). He is Jeremiah’s brother, known as “Uncle Billy” to his nieces and nephews. He is a Farmer, renting his property. They have eight children in the home: his oldest son Jeremiah (16), born in 1884 and named after Jeremiah Sr., James (14), William (12), Cornelia (10), Pocahontas (8), Eaton (7), named for his grandfather, Victoria (4), and Lizzie (2).
1910 Census
Jeremiah Wallace is 41 years old, living with Fannie Byrd, his wife of 14 years. His occupation is listed as Farmer and he owns his property. Eight children are in the home, including Fred (13), Gerty (10), Dushay (8), Bruce (6), Randolph (5), Pearly (4), Theo (2), and Joe Cranson (17).
They live next door to a William and Lizzie Bird.
1917 The Southern Workman, January
The Southern Workman Journal was a publication of Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. In this edition, Jeremiah Wallace is referred to as “a Middler of ‘86.” He is farming and teaching Sunday school in James City County.
He has written a letter to the journal stating that he taught school in Wake County North Carolina for 6 years while attending Shaw University in the afternoons. He indicates that he saved all he could, came to Lightfoot and bought a farm in cash. He has built multiple houses on the land, and is trustee, treasurer, and clerk of New Zion Baptist Church, which is situated on the corner of this property.
1920 Census
Jeremiah Wallace is listed as 52, and Fannie at 49. Seven children are in the home, including Fred (23), Randolph (18), Pearl (16), Theodore (13), Essie (10), Eugene (7), and Julia (3).
They live next door to William Wallace. He is 63 years old, a Farmer, and renting his property. He lives with his wife Marguerite (50), his son Jeremiah Jr (35) and wife Gracie (28), sons James (33), Walter Jr (25), and Archie (18), daughters Victoria (19) and Geneva (12). Four grandchildren are also in the home: Esther (8), Clarence (6), Rosa (3), and John Henry (6).
William Wallace Jr (32) lives in the next house over with his wife Cornelia (22) and daughter Elnora (1).
Several Byrd households are listed on the opposite side.
1924 Death Certificate
Jeremiah Wallace died on May 7, 1924 at 56 years old. He was seen at St. Philip Hospital in Richmond, VA. The hospital treated the local Black community and was affiliated with the St. Philip School of Nursing, a school known for educating hundreds of nurses that went on to successful careers throughout the country and the world. His father is listed as Eaton Wallace, and his mother as Delia Crow, both from James City County.