Address: the Townland of Carn

The initial evidence of John's existence comes from a letter from his brother George Wallace to his niece Amy Wakefield dated 11 May 1923 saying that he has heard from his brother in America but the letter does not give his name. A review of the birth years of his siblings indicated that he was probably born in 1867 and a search of the LDS Vital records and the Roots Ireland website gave his name together with his place and date of birth. Subsequently his Birth Registration giving further details was obtained. His father John is decribed a Care Taker which is believed to refer to the care of livestock. Modern maps show one substantial farm complex and two smaller properties in Carn so he probably worked on the farm.

In a letter written on 11 May 1923 from Drumhirk to Amy Wallace her uncle George Wallace says, "...I had a letter from a brother in America and he wants to no about yous it is 20 years since we got any word from him he wants to know what sircomsnases you are in he says yous must be seen to..."

The letter implies that the writer knows about Amy who married John Wallace in May 1907 which would shorten the 20 years to 16 but whether "...got any word from him..." implies a letter or when he emigrated is not clear. The phrase "...he wants to know what sircomsnases you are in he says yous must be seen to..." implies that the writer knew of John's death in 1918 which indicated that George wrote to his brother even if his brother didn't write to him although a delay of 5 years in replying seems excessive. The letter from George's brother does not survive although he forwarded it to Amy as he says in his letter of 8 August 1923, "...i hope you had a letter from America let me no as I had none since I rote to you I send you the letter I sost you will see how he was asking for you..."

George does not give his brother's Christian name so the search through emigration records is difficult. It is assumed that he sailed from Londonderry rather than Queenstown (now Cobh) in Cork and that his destination was New York rather than Boston which had a large Roman Catholic immigrant population. It is possible to narrow the search by assuming that he:-

1 was born about 1867 (see Birth for reasons)

2 was single

3 was over 20 when he emigrated

4 emigrated in or before 1903

5 was a labourer or possibly a farmer

6 was born in Fermanagh

A search between 1880 (the earliest record available) and 1904 produced only one record which met most of the above criteria. That of a Robert Wallace, general labourer, who emigrated on the 25 September 1896 and was born in 1876. Although his birth would fit between those of Mary and Herery who were born in 1875 and 1877 it does not follow the general pattern for the births of John and Mary's children who were spaced a few years apart. A further search using Boston as the port of entry produced a record for a James Wallace who immigrated on 21 September 1893 and was born in 1867. However, he is a carpenter by trade which doesn't follow the pattern of the rest of the family although his nephew John Wallace was a carpenter before he enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry.