WALLACE, WILLIAM S.
, was born August 10, 1802, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and graduated April 8, 1824, at Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia. Dr. Wallace came to Springfield, Illinois, in 1836, and at once engaged in the practice of his profession. He was married May 21, 1839, in Springfield, to Frances J. Todd, who was born in 1817 in Lexington, Kentucky. See sketch of the Todd family. Dr. Wallace and wife had six children in Springfield, namely--ELIZABETH, died in infancy.
MARY J. was married Nov. 15, 1865, in her native city, to Colonel John P. Baker, who was born July 24, 1838, at Kaskaskia, Illinois. Colonel and Mrs. Baker have five children, MARY, WALLACE F., FRANCIS J., MABEL and FLORENCE, and reside in Springfield, Illinois. John P. Baker graduated in 1856, at Shurtleff College, at Upper Alton, Illinois. He read law three years with his father, Hon. David J. Baker, and was admitted to the bar. In March, 1861, he was appointed by President Lincoln, second lieutenant, in the 1st United States dragoons, placed on duty in Washington City, and was at the battle of Bull's Run, July 21, 1861. He served on staff duty at the headquarters of the 6th Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac, also on staff duty as Inspector General of Savannah, Georgia, in the early part of 1865. Lieutenant Baker was promoted July 17, 1862, to captain in the 1st United States Cavalry, brevetted April 9, 1864, major in the regular army for gallantry and meritorious service at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana; also, brevetted lieutenant colonel for gallant and meritoritous services during the war. After the suppression of the rebellion he served with his regiment at the headquarters of General Sheridan in Louisiana, and in 1865 was ordered from there to the Pacific coast, spending three years in Nevada and Oregon, campaigning against the Indians. Colonel Baker returned to Springfield and resigned his commission in July, 1868. He then became one of the proprietors and associate editor with his brother, E. L. Baker, of the Illinois State Journal. He withdrew from the Journal in 1872, and has since held the office of United States assistant assessor and United States gauger for the Eighth district of Illinois.
WILLIAM F., FRANCES and EDWARD D. live with their mother. CHARLES E. died young.
Dr. William S. Wallace continued in the practice of medicine a full quarter of a century in Springfield, never making any distinction between the rich and the poor in his attentions. In 1861 he received from the hands of his brother-in-law, President Lincoln, the appointment of Paymaster in the United States Army. He was on duty part of the time in Springfield, Illinois, then in the department of Missouri, and the remainder of the time at the front on the lower Mississippi river. By exposure and exhaustive service in the south he became debilitated and never regained his former vigor. After the suppression of the rebellion he was placed on the retired list and died May 23, 1867, in Springfield, Illinois. His widow, Mrs. Frances J. Wallace, resides in Springfield,