August 24, 1914-April 29, 1970
Certificate of Birth
I’m seeing so many misspellings in this record:
- Edmon for middle name Edmond
- Wallas for Wallace
- Alford for Alfred
- Myrtal for Myrtle
- Tindell for Tindale
Parents
Alfred James Wallace (1867-1958) and Francis Myrtle Tindale (1874-1933.)
Siblings
- Ella Irene Wallace
- Ersel Isabel Wallace
- Adalaide Helena Wallace
- Cameron Morley Wallace
- Marian Elizabeth Wallace
- Catherine Elsie Wallace
- Robert Tindale Wallace
Marriage
Beva Nichols on April 8, 1935 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA.
Stories
Threshing Time on the Farm
Threshing was always a big time. The threshing machine would come and do the entire neighborhood one farm at a time. The farmers would cut and shock all of their grain, the binder would cut and bind it. Then they tied it into bundles. The threshing machine would then come through. Sometimes the machine couldn’t come before bad weather, so they had to haul it into the barn and put it on top of the hay. They would then thresh in the barn. Beva would always cook dinner and sometimes supper for 25-30 men on threshing days. Food was served at a table currently owned by the Robert Donald Wallace family. After dinner men would wash their hands and faces in a washtub in the yard.
Separating Milk
Donald got milk from the condensery in Cass City. He would get the drippings and then put them through a milk separator which – at first – was located in the basement of the house. This got to be too much work, so the milk house was built. It was right outside the back porch. Robert Donald Wallace did the separating. It would separate milk into cream and skim milk. The cream was sold to a place that made butter, and the skim milk was fed to the pigs. At one time the farm had more than 100 pigs.
Residence, 1940
The 1940 census shows Don and Beva living with children Robert, Beverly, and Jack. They rent their home for $12/month. He is 25, married, has graduated from high school, and works about 50 hours a week as a general farmer. (This is Mrs. Gillis’s house, south of the family farm.)
Substitute Mail Carrier, 1942
In July 1942, the Cass City Chronicle reported that “Don Wallace is service as substitute carrier on Mr. Landon’s mail route during his absence.” The Chronicle further elaborated that Mr. Landon left to spend a few days at a cottage at Loon Lake, then attended the Michigan Rural Letter Carrier’s Association convention in Traverse City.
Board of Directors, 1946
The Cass City Chronicle reported that Don is a new member of the board of directors for the Farm Produce Company.
Substitute Mail Carrier, 1948
The Cass City Chronicle reports that Don is the temporary carrier on Route No. 2 in March 1948.
Hospitalized, 1967
On Thursday, May 4, 1967 (page 2) the Cass City Chronicle reported, “Don Wallace has been hospitalized in Hills and Dales General Hospital since April 24. Jack Wallace of Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wallace of Hemlock, and Mr. and Mrs. Don Hover of Garden City were home because of his illness.”
Obituary, 1970
Transcript
RITES HELD FOR DONALD WALLACE
Funeral services for Donald Wallace were held Saturday at Little’s Funeral Home. Rev. Melvin R. Vender, pastor emeritus of the First Presbyterian church, officiated and burial was in Elkland cemetery. Mr. Wallace died at his home in rural Cass City Wednesday, April 29. He was born in Cass City Aug. 24, 1913, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Wallace. He married Miss Beva Nichols in Detroit, April 8, 1935. Following their marriage they made their home in Cass City, where he has lived until his death. He was employed at the Caro State Training School for 15 years. He is survived by his wife, Beva; four daughters, Mrs. James (Betsy) Mayfield of Detroit, Mrs. Leonard (Marilyn) Ziemba of Decker, Mrs. Arnold (Sharon) Erla of Cass City and Mrs. Paul (Carol) Hartman of Caro; three sons, Robert Wallace of Hemlock, Jack Wallace of Jackson, and Alfred Wallace of Cass City; four sisters, Mrs. Ella Croft and Mrs. James Gross of Cass City, Mrs. Lester Jersey of Boyne City and Mrs. Marion Callan of Saginaw, and 12 grandchildren.
