Hello,

My grandmother had some of this information among her papers. I believe she recieved these excerpts from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Wallace, Robert, Sr.:
Was born in the North of Ireland, in 1733 of Protestant parents; came to America at 18 years of age; settled and married in the state of Delaware; moved to Ohio in 1801, and died in 1828, in the 96th year of age. He was 60, the husband of his only wife. He was elected to the eldership of the second Presbyterian Church, and elder for 65 years Cincinnati, July 10, 1817 and held office till his death. He was for 75 years a devoted professor of religion. A zealous patriot in the Revolution, he was sometimes under the immediate command of Washington, and recieved the approbation on the field of battle. (Nevin -Presby. Encyclopedia) He is represented in the church by three generations of descendants. (Presby. Historical Almanac for 1863 -Vol. 5 page 330)

The Second Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati, Ohio was formed by a colony from the First Presbyterian Church. Measures preparatory to this step were taken in the fall of 1815, and a separation took place during the ensuing winter. -The church was formally organized on the 29th of January, 1816, by the Rev. Matthew G. Wallace. The organization took place in the parlor of Judge Jacob Burnet. The original members were -- Robert Wallace, his wife Rebecca and daughter Edith Wallace; Mrs. Jacob Burnet, also a daughter of Mr. Wallace, -- etc. Owing to the opposition made to the organization of the church by the pastor of the First Church, and the fact, that an appeal had been taken from the decision of the Presbytery of Miami granting permission for the organization of the church, to the Synod of Ohio, they did not at once elect elders. The following trustees were elected at that time, viz., Robert Wallace, -- etc. The proceedings in opposition to the organization being filed, the church proceeded, on July 10, 1817 to elect elders, when ---, Robert Wallace, ---etc. were chosen. (Presby. Hist. Almanac Vol 5 p. 323ff)

The patriarch, Robert Wallace, was one of the original members of the church, himself and wife and 4 daughters, being six of the first eleven members. He was one of the first four elders. His others children were Mrs. Wade and Mrs. Perry; Rev. Matthew G. Wallace, at an early day pastor of the first church; Robert Wallace, Jr., and David C. Wallace, the last unmarried. Six families of these are well known among us. The name of Wallace is blended with that of Burnet, Baum, Green, Wade, Groesbeck, Neff, Shillito, McLean, and many others at a later day; and the numerous descendants are found in Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, New York, London, and other places in the interior.



Rev. Mathew Green Wallace (1776-1854) (Son of Robert Wallace)
He was the son of Robert and Rebecca (Chambers) Wallace and was born in Philadelphia in 1776. Mr. Wallace was a graduate of Princeton College, in 1795. The first ordination and installation by the Washington Presbytery, was Mr. Wallace's, who was received as a probationer, from the Presbytery of New Castle. In meeting at Cincinnati, October 7-10, 1800, he accepted a call from the church at Cincinnati, and was ordained and installed at this meeting. When he was ordained, Cincinnati was but a small village. The text of his trial sermon was Jeremiah 23:28; the ordination took place Wednesday, October 8. He remained their pastor only until the congregation petittioned that the call should be no longer in force, as they were not able to pay what they had promised. He was continued however, as stated supply, for one year. He was marked absent at the first meeting of the Synod of Kentucky in 1802. He afterwards preached at Springfield (Springdale), Hamilton (Butler Co.), Dicks Creek, and Seven Mile, and in October, 1810, was, with others, set off by the Synod of Kentucky, into the new Presbytery of Miami. He studied theology with the Rev. Nathan Grier of Brandywine Manor, Pennsylvania. In the latter part of his life, he resided in Terre Haute, Indiana, without charge, and died in that place August 12, 1854.

He was a man who had received a liberal education, but was rather indolent in his studies in after life. His manner of preaching was not of the first order of eloquence, nor was his discourse always arranged in the systematic order.

But when he addressed the throne of grace in prayer few men were more able and impressive. He had a natural vein of wit and satire, which at times he was in the habit of indulging too freely in conversation, and which frequently made him enemies, when it might otherwise have been avoided.

From The History of Chillicothe Presbytery from its Organization in 1799 to 1889 by the Rev. R.C. Galbraith, Jr., D.D. and A History and Biographical Cycloaedia of Butler Co., Ohio.



Let me know if you are related to either or both of these men. I would love learn of other branches of their descendents or their ancestors.