Bios: JUDGE WILLIAM D. WALLACE: Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
 
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  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
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    JUDGE WILLIAM D. WALLACE.
    
    [p. 35] Judge WallaceSocial and political position in the United States is
  not dependent, as in most of the Old World monarchies, on titles or on, long
  lines of family ancestors, but is rather based on a man's own achievementsÑif
  a person has estimable qualities he will be well thought of. A self-made man,
  one who owes his success in great part to his own individual efforts, is the
  type of a man, of whom we Americans are pardonably proud, perhaps because his
  struggles against adverse circumstances and a comparatively humble beginning
  to success and honor so nearly resemble the life of our own nation. Among the
  brilliant number of self-made men of whom Lawrence County boasts we would be
  extremely unwilling to pass by without due mention the name of the subject of
  this sketch, William D. Wallace, Esq., present judge of the courts of Lawrence
  County, who, because of his splendid fight to have the bill passed by the
  Legislature, making Lawrence County a separate judicial district, was elected
  to the judgeship thus created on Nov. 6, 1894.
    
    Judge Wallace is a son of the late Dr. James J. Wallace, one of the most
  eminent practitioners of medicine in this county, and was born in New Castle,
  May 15, 1857. Our subject's whole life has been spent in Lawrence County; he
  graduated from Westminster College in 1881, and was a very popular young man
  among students and faculty as a bright student and a leader in athletic
  sports. Having chosen the law as a profession, he studied the fundamental
  principles of legal procedure and jurisprudence in the office of Messrs. Dana
  & Long of New Castle and was admitted to practice in 1882. Professionally, his
  life has been marked by a high sense of justice, a keen sympathy for the poor
  and oppressed suitor, and a plainly shown impatience at that public clamor
  which now and then usurps the place of public justice and demands a victim
  without much heed as to the question of guilt or innocence. When he became
  judge he gave up a large and increasing practice, which was becoming very
  profitable.
    
    On the bench he has a graceful, dignified bearing. His rulings and opinions
  are delivered firmly, dispassionately, and with evident full intent to treat
  the case fairly and impartially. He is alike courteous to the youngest
  attorney and to the oldest member of the bar.
    
    In his political attachments, Judge Wallace is a Republican. He first came
  prominently before the public eye through stumping the county on various
  issues. He attracted attention and many favorable comments as he debated with
  vigor or made convincing arguments on some cause or other. His mind works with
  the smoothness of machinery; his perceptions are clear and exact. His literary
  style is simple and unstudied, disliking and avoiding all attempts at display,
  and having a marked distaste for verbosity. Cool and cautious, and in purpose
  independent and bold, no man gains an advantage of him by a personal assault,
  for he will strike back upon the weak point of his adversary with unerring aim
  and relentless force. Like all men who, have been in public life, Judge
  Wallace has undoubtedly made his enemies, but never cherishes a hard feeling
  toward another, so that when he greets his bitterest foe without the
  slightest appearance of enmity, his friendliness frequently heals the breach
  and causes his opponents to become his warmest friends.
    
    As an individual in the private walks of life, his principal
  characteristics are a cheerful nature and a briskness of manner that
  impresses those who meet him with the idea that he is intensely alive. He is
  a close student of human nature, and this, coupled with his genial
  disposition and tact, wins him friends wherever he goes. It is, in fact, one
  of the chief secrets of his success, for it matters not whether he meets a
  white man or a negro, a banker or a laborer, he is sure to give him the same
  warm grasp of the hand and hearty greeting. Apart from his business cares,
  Judge Wallace takes an active interest in social matters. He is a good
  conversationalist, and when at leisure is always willing to spend an evening
  in society. He seldom, if ever, joins a party without his wife, who is a
  woman of amiable disposition and fine accomplishments, chief among which is a
  love of music. Mrs. Wallace is recognized as one of the sweetest singers in
  New Castle. The judge's portrait appears on a foregoing page, and it is with
  the deepest pleasure that we present the likeness of one who occupies so
  prominent and important a position in the legal and judicial circles of
  Lawrence County.