Memories of Wallace Heritage - Official website of Rev. JO Wallace

J. W. Wallaces - 1951

J. W. Wallace Family – 1956
Standing: Bonnie, Naomi, Glenn, Onell, Cleatus

PREFACE
After my father, J. O. Wallace, died, I began to collect keepsakes about him. My heart was
overflowing with gratitude for my father’s love and kindness to me. He was always thinking of
his family and planning ways to help us. When we had problems, the problems were his as well.
He would call or write with encouragement and offers to help. I became curious. How did he
become such a wonderful person? What were his parents like?
J. W. Wallace, my grandfather, died when I was age 14. I did not live near him until the last few
years of his life. These last years were dominated by his suffering from heart failure. I did not
want my memories of my grandfather to be full of his suffering. Fortunately, my mother, Mary
Wallace, wrote about J. W. Wallace in the books titled: Pioneer Pentecostal Preachers and
Moving On…The Story of J.O. and Mary Wallace. My aunt, Marie Wallace, wrote about J. W.
Wallace in the book titled: History of Pentecost in Tennessee. The text of these writings is
included in this book with the permission of Mary and Marie Wallace. Much about J.W.
Wallace is included in the History of the West Nashville Pentecostal Church: Viewing the Past of
the West Nashville Pentecostal Church. Quotations from this church history book are included
in the J.W. Wallace Family Memories book with the permission of Pastor Ron Becton.
Relatives and friends of J. W. Wallace shared their memories with me. These memories are
included in this book.
This story is told so that the J. W. Wallace family and members of the Nashville Pentecostal
churches can remember him. So that later family generations will know how he lived. So that
all people will know how God can take a young boy with very little of this world’s goods,
abandoned by his father, bankrupted by the Great Depression, and transform him into one of the
world’s richest men (a man God loved, a man dearly loved by his family and friends). He
showed us how to overcome mistreatment and failure with gentleness, kindness and laughter. He
made us aspire to be better people, to care for and love our families and to love God.
Poppa and Grandma Wallace are now enjoying heaven with their deceased children: Cleatus,
Onell, Naomi, and Bonnie. They are spending eternity together with their Lord and their many
friends and relatives. Poppa, I was not privileged to spend much time with you during your
earthly life, but I will see you in heaven. We will enjoy eternity together in paradise.
Please share this story and the message of Jesus Christ with everyone. The J. W. Wallace story
can be downloaded from this website in memory of my father: jowallace.com. (Select the
DOWNLOADS tab. Then select the Memories of Wallace Heritage.
James O. Wallace, Jr. (grandson of J. W. Wallace)

Memories by the J. W. Wallace Family
Following are emails about his early life by J. O. Wallace (son of J. W. Wallace)
Friday, April 2, 2004 America Online: Jamesowallace
Subj: Re: TOP SECRET REGARDING UPCOMING BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Here I am again. 1 AM, Apr 2, 2004. Yesterday was Dad's birthday. He would have been 115 yrs
old. He's been gone nearly 40 years. Mom would have been 119, they were distant cousins. We
lived in Decatur county, west TN in those days. I was born in a share cropper cabin, beside a
spring creek. Our cabin had four rooms with a wide "dog trot" hall between the living area & bed
rooms. The bed rooms were without heat. When you went to bed, we would race across the hall,
jump in bed, crawling deep in a feather bed, just our nose showing from under cover of several
home made quilts. Our poor hound dog had to sleep in the hall open to the weather. We used a
cistern for our water supply. It was hand dug through the floor of our back porch. Our water was
channelled in from the house top. We couldn't catch rain water during most months. Anyway,
you can know these were rough times. We grew most our food stuff. On bad crop years it
became tougher. A share cropper had to share his harvest with the owner. I won’t dwell on that
bit of Wallace history. We did finally move into town, Bemis, near Jackson, in West TN. From
then about 1924 our mode of living was much different. I graduated from High School in 1936,
working at a full time job the last two years, in a class of 18, 6 boys & 12 girls. You see a lot of
kids had to work, dropping out of school. But, I was determined to get above average in Bemis.
Then, it was off to college 80 miles away in Memphis. I finished my accounting course by June
1940, got a Job with a town accounting firm. But guess what, the military draft came along in
August 1940. So, I had a low draft number, 340. The draft board secretary informed me I'd be
called up in about 3 months. So, I resigned my job in November, caught a greyhound bus for
Bemis, 80 miles away, without even notifying my folks, I walked in on them.
At this very time I met my father at the Bemis bus stop returning from Nashville investigating
starting a new PENTECOSTAL church there. He inquired, "why are you coming home" as I had
my suitcase and my personal possessions. "The military, Dad, Uncle Sam has a job for me." He
said, "you can go with me Monday back to Nashville to start a new church”.
So, it turned out I was not called until May, at which time I had a letter from the President
Roosevelt to report for induction in Memphis the 21st of May 1941. I was sworn in for one year
training (this was before war was declared the Dec 8 th ). We were issued our equipment the next
day. The 3rd day we were marched to a troupe train headed west. About a week later we arrived
at San Diego, Cal. for Coast Artillery training. We didn't know where to until we got there.
From that, four & one half years later I was discharged from the Military at Ft: Jackson, SC, a
Master Sgt. I was a married man, with a family, with a new direction as a Minister of the Gospel.
In the Fall of 1946, I enrolled in Bob Jones U. So life goes on. I'm coming up for my 89th
birthday, Oct 8 th. Mary Martha, my companion for near 62 years, together we have six children
& twelve grand children. God has been with me thru many wonderful life experiences. And it's
not over yet. We are now planning to build a new retirement home here in Nashville, Pray for us.
MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, popa Wallace

This is a dogtrot house like the Wallace share cropper home about 1922. One of the more
ingenious methods of cooling in the days before air conditioning, the dogtrot house originated in
the southern Appalachian Mountain region. It is distinguished by an open breezeway that extends
through the center of the house, off of which open the rooms. With this design, cooling breezes
flow thru the open core into rooms where windows on exterior walls create cross-ventilation.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004 America Online: James Wallace
Subj: Good Morning Everyone – 4:30 AM, 4/13/04
Yaw, I know it's a bit early, got very short nap out & wide awake, so here comes chatter.... It is
cool here, with nearly a 40% chance of rain for the next 24 hours. My garden is about to wash
away, but there's promise of better days ahead.
I got to thinking about the time we were share cropping down in the flood area of the Forkey
Deer river bottom. Our cabin was on elevated pillows, about 3 or 4 ft high, the dog, pigs, and
chickens used it for shelter during rainy time. We had a pet sow who roamed the out side field,
that had to be rounded up for nights. I was about 7 yrs old, so it became my chore to go find her
just before dark & drive her home. So to make a fun thing out of the chore, I taught her to let me
ride her in. I'd take a limb in hand to slap her so as to get her home before dark. One day as we
came into the yard, I BECAME INTERESTED in a rail-hand car with workers riding toward
town on the railroad out in front of our house. While watching them, the hog ran under our
house, knocking me off, mashing my nose & face. From then on I was careful to jump off before
arriving home. We moved here just after the "farmer crash" in about 1922, following the First
World War. We had lost our small farm near Luray, TN. This place was just a landing for one
year until a better share cropper farm could be found for us. We had an outside hand pump for
our water supply, which was contaminated year round. I had a bad case of Malaria here. This
just about chased in my life. I still have an enlarged spleen from this experience. It required
doses of quinine daily. God was called up by my parents. But I made it through. Our bathroom

was a tub of water, warmed slightly in winter. We could place the tub near one fire place. Of
course we took a bath seldom, Sat. night mostly. Sunday morning the plough mules were
hitched to our farm wagon for a five mile ride to church, which took most of the day. Coming
home we kids would nap in the back of our wagon on quilts. Not bad at all. Sunday was a high
day for us. It is a wonder we made it at all. I suppose we were use to a rough life in those days.
My parents believed in frequent prayers when times got really hard. With a crop failure, there
was no money. We had to have a miracle from God. No welfare from the government you had
to have friends with help until another crop time. Finally the year was over & we moved up on
Hart Bridge Rd, but still share croppers. The next year my father got a job at the Bemis Cotton
Mill, so after our crop was gathered we moved to Bemis; bought a T-model Ford. Now we were
really moving on. We had a nice three room side of the duplex near a good grade school, a
regular weekly salary, $15; but life was great, with five of us kids, 3 boys slept in one bed, with
me in the middle 18 inches, it was difficult to protect your bed turf from bigger & smaller
brothers, but we made it. My mother & dad had the other bedroom. We had indoor bath, toilet,
water; I mean we were living uptown now for sure.
So, life goes on. Here we are today, 80 years hence. WHAT A CHANGE????
LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH. GRANDPA & DAD,
Map showing the towns of Bemis, Luray, Sardis TN where the J. W. Wallace family resided
Information on the Farmer Crash that is mentioned in J. O.’s email:
This excerpt is taken from the article on Tennessee Agriculture: http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net
Improved markets immediately after the turn of the century and strong demand during World
War I, to be sure, brought temporary expansion of cotton, tobacco, and wheat production. But

worldwide surpluses soon after the war drove down prices to below pre-war levels and caused
modest declines in cotton and tobacco acreage in the 1920s. Because they lacked the necessary
financial resources, few Tennessee farmers adopted the technology--tractors, trucks, hybrid
seeds, and commercial fertilizers--that had become available in the 1920s and was
revolutionizing agriculture elsewhere in the country. They continued instead to use the less
efficient animal-drawn machinery, hand tools, and cultivation techniques from the nineteenth
century. The Great Depression of the 1930s exacerbated conditions. With the precipitous drop in
already depressed prices, the federal government fashioned schemes to reduce commodity
surpluses through limitations on acreage and quotas on marketing. Farmers participated by
cutting back even further on cotton and tobacco cultivation in return for government subsidies.
Furthermore, federal programs had the unintended effect of reducing tenancy. Many landlords
chose to idle land they had previously rented out, often forcing their tenants to leave agriculture
altogether. The depression persuaded farmers to place renewed emphasis on subsistence
production, resulting in a modest return to household self-sufficiency. From 1900 to 1940,
Tennessee agriculture experienced short-lived and illusory prosperity followed by stagnation and
economic hardship.
Decatur County Depression Days is described in the Decatur County history book History of
Decatur County Tennessee by Lillye Yonger http://www.tngennet.org/records/decatur/younger
Despite the fact that Decatur Countians were enjoying the giant strides, which had been made
since it became a county, they were suddenly awakened to a new day, "Depression Days". The
economic depression which began after the 1929 stock market crash is a never-to-be forgotten
period of history. It was a national catastrophe, affecting every living person. The first blow
came when the banks were forced to close. Creditors were unable to pay their loans, land prices
went down and quick money loans took all the bank’s money. There were no insured banks. The
Bank of Commerce in Parsons closed its doors in 1931. Every bank in the country closed and
reopened according to the strength of its capital. The Bank of Commerce never opened its doors
again; however, the Farmers Bank in Parsons was the first bank in Tennessee to open its doors
after the declared holiday. The other bank in the county at that time was Decatur County Bank
which opened after the holiday. Not only did banks have to close but many business places were
forced to close, never to reopen. With little or no money in the country, it didn’t take many
business places to supply customers. Prices in depression days were the lowest in history. Pork
was ten cents a pound and ground beef five cents. A juicy T-bone steak sold for 25 cents a
pound. Two pounds of coffee sold for 35 cents and a 24 pound sack of flour cost 59 cents. Meal
was 24 cents for a 24 pound bag. Soup beans sold for five cents per pound and nails were four
cents a pound. Sales from some of the grocery stores registered as low as $1.95 a day with a
$3,500 stock of goods. Farmers who had mortgaged their farms lost them. A thousand pound
beef would bring only $40.00 and a 200 pound hog sold for $2.80 to $4.00. Corn brought $3.00 a
barrel and peanuts brought 3 cents a pound. Farmers would butcher their hogs and sell pork from
door to door. Beef was also sold this way. Bread lines were set up in cities to feed the hungry
but Decatur County was fortunate as it relied on "Mother Earth" for food. The lifeblood of the
housewives and their families was the produce sold from the farm wagons. Pink Lewis of
Beacon made regular trips on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Beans, green peas and butter beans
sold for five cents a pound and roasting ears brought fifteen cents per dozen. He also peddled
pork and beef. A front quarter of beef brought six and one-half cents a pound and eight cents a
pound for the hind quarters. Sausage brought fifteen cents a pound. Later prices began to rise
and peas and beans went to ten cents a pound and corn sold for fifty cents a dozen. That was
after President Roosevelt introduced the New Deal and W.P.A. Farmers raised cotton, peanuts

and corn which brought in a small income. Cotton sold for $25.00 a bale in 1929, while peanuts
sold for four cents a pound. Corn sold for 50 to 60 cents a bushel. Conditions continued to grow
worse. For weeks no cars traveled the country roads because there was no money to buy gasoline
and tires. Hunters were not able to buy shotgun shells which sold for sixty cents a box so they
fell back to trapping animals for food. Streams were seined for turtles and fish for the
housewife’s table. Along with the wild meat, salads were gathered from the woods. Numerous
varieties included wild "poke sallet", narrow and broad leaf dock, creasy, wild turnip salad,
lettuce, rabbit ear and dandelions. In the fall hickory nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts were gathered
for the long winter nights. Blackberry patches were raided for jellies and jam for the table.
Conditions became so bad that some families had only stock peas to cook in clear water without
any seasoning. Others lived on parched corn for days. Corn was carried to mill and ground into
meal for cornbread. Milk was an important product in those days. Everyone in the country and
many in town kept a cow to furnish milk for the family. Some of the town cows were tied to
front porch posts while they feasted on the green lawn. Wood and coal were the chief heating
products. Farmers cut their own wood and some sold wood to their town neighbors for $1.00 a
rick (8 feet long and 4 feet high). Coal sold for $3.60 per ton and laborers received 50 cents a day
to haul and unload it. The day was at least 12 hours long. Wages for farm labor was 25 cents a
day. Farmers paid 35 cents a hundred to get their cotton picked. They usually swapped labor,
helping each other on the farm. Clerk hire was $1.50 per day in 1933 and 1934. Meals in
restaurants were in keeping with other prices. Breakfast, which consisted of sausage, two eggs,
toast, jelly, butter and coffee was 15 cents while dinners were 25 cents including drink. The one
redeeming feature during the depression days in Decatur County was there was less crime.
Neighbors loved one another and had time to visit. They divided their meager fare with one
another.
Information on the malaria epidemic that is mentioned in J. O.’s email:
This information was taken from: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience
fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die.
Each year 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, and over one million people die,
most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill that created the TVA on May 18, 1933. The
law gave the federal government a centralized body to control the Tennessee river's potential for
hydroelectric power and improve the land and waterways for development of the region. An
organized and effective malaria control program stemmed from this new authority in the
Tennessee River valley. Malaria affected 30 percent of the population in the region when the
TVA was incorporated in 1933. The Public Health Service played a vital role in the research and
control operations and by 1947, the disease was essentially eliminated. Mosquito breeding sites
were reduced by controlling water levels and insecticide applications.

This is a Bemis Company duplex like the Wallace home in 1924
Town of Bemis has unique History
http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=B032
Developed by the Jackson Fibre Company (a division of the Bemis Brothers Bag Company)
beginning in1900, the town of Bemis rose from the cotton fields of Madison County as a model
company town created by the vision of Judson Moss Bemis (1833-1926) and his son, Albert
Farwell Bemis (1870-1936). Though the elder Bemis was interested in building a model
Manufacturing community as early as 1865, it was his son Albert Bemis, following his gradu-
ation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) in 1893 with a degree in civil
engineering, who created a model town, with the help of his college contemporaries and the
resources of M.I.T.
Judson Moss Bemis founded his St. Louis company in 1865, producing cotton bagging and jute
sacks for sale. By the 1890s the Bemis Brothers Bag Company had become one of the first
American packing companies and one of the nation's earliest multinational corporations. Postwar
southern industrialization encouraged the Bemis company to develop a new manufacturing plant
in Tennessee. Bemis wanted a mill in the center of a major cotton growing region with its own
gin so that the company could buy cotton directly from the farmer and avoid the costs of brokers'
fees, ginning, compressing, and shipment. With the new mill located on the Illinois Central
Railroad line, the Bemis Company anticipated no additional costs beyond shipment of the final
product. The strategy proved enormously successful; the company followed this initial experi-
ment with the construction of another bagging mill in 1917 at Bemiston, AI.

Within a year a three-hundred-acre site in the open fields of Madison County was transformed
into the town of Bemis. Along with the mill, sixty to seventy-five houses for mill workers rose to
the north in an area called "Old Bemis." Unlike most company towns, Bemis intended for his site
to become a corporate-sponsored experiment in town planning and the development of afford-
able housing for American workers.
The development pattern of Old Bemis gave the town the appearance of a community that had
grown overtime, rather than the indifferent sameness of mill villages throughout the nation.
Bemis designed several "neighborhoods" around the industrial core, constructing a variety of
house forms set on wide, tree-lined streets. The first neighborhoods, known as Old Bemis
and Bicycle Hill, were built at the same time as the industrial facilities, in 1900 and 1903
respectively. An area of segregated housing for the town's small population of African American
workers arose on Congo Street (now Butler Street) in 1903-5. As the company grew, other
housing areas were added, each with site plans and house styles noticeably different from the
original neighborhoods.
The basic house forms used in the earliest Bemis neighborhoods derived from familiar southern
house types and included shotguns, double shotguns, cubical cottages, L-plan cottages, and halland-parlor
cottages. The staff of Lockwood, Greene and Company, one of the South's oldest and
largest industrial engineering firms, prepared at least one of these plans. The Bemis Company
Engineering Department, headed by Albert Farwell Bemis, conducted the original site planning
and was assisted by M.I.T. graduates employed directly by Bemis or as consultants.
The original building program included community facilities to support the town. Bemis had its
own company farm, company stores, post office, hotel, boarding house, rail depot, schools,
playgrounds, churches, auditorium, YMCA building, swimming pool, parks, bath house, and sixhole
golf course. Unlike most company towns, the choice of residence remained with the
employee and never became an obligation of employment. Regular jitney and train service
provided adequate transportation to off-site residences.
The second major building program began in 1919 and lasted until 1921, producing the Silver
Circle neighborhood and several prominent buildings. For this work, the Bemis Company hired
the Housing Company of Boston, a town-planning and design firm created by Albert Farwell
Bemis in 1918. In a notable change of procedure, a local architect, Reuben A. Heavner (b. 1875),
designed the final residential area, West Bemis (called Ragtown), in 1926.
The Bemis Company's congenial relationship with its workers lasted more than a half-century;
the Bemis mill closed only once for a brief strike in the 1950s. Diminishing profits resulted in the
privatization of the town's housing stock in 1965, and houses sold on the basis of seniority to
mill employees through a company-sponsored financing plan. In 1975 the City of Jackson
annexed Bemis, which further hampered the profitability of the mills, eventually forcing their
sale by the Bemis Company in 1980. The mills were operated by two other companies through
the 1980s but closed in 1991. Bemis remains an identifiable town with a distinctive character,
but is also nationally significant as an example of American welfare capitalism.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004 America Online: Jamesowallace
Yaw, it's me again, as I left off on my story telling, I mean true life stories, so here's some more
of the incidents of life in Bemis. We had been there about three years when our mother began

showing the soon arrival of another family member. So, one weekend we boys (3 of us) were
sent to visit some farm friends, while the birth was to happen. In those days births took place
right in the home with a father & some relatives to assist. Oh, sometimes a doctor would be
called but there might not be one available; anyway, while this was taking place on Sunday
afternoon, we boys & our farmer friends went swimming in the Forkey Deer River. My brother,
Cletus, & another boy got in a deep river hole. They were unable to swim, so the other fellows
were trying to help rescue them and getting into the same deep pool. Three or four of us were
drowning right there, but God and Mr. White rescued each of us. Mr. White had come along on
this swimming venture. I tried to stay afloat by kicking & flailing my arms, but was sinking
under the water. During the drowning ordeal, I saw my funeral pass like a movie, people
weeping, the things they say about a person during a funeral. When I was lifted from the water
by our farmer friend, I knew God had been there with us..... Yes, you can be sure from that day
forward I had a good respect for deep water ...And I made sure to learn to swim. What a tragedy
it would have been to have had a triple funeral at our church. "Wallace boys drown, while a baby
sister was born?????” God is good.
LOVE YOU MUCH, Grandda & Dad
Other J. W. Wallace homes in Bemis between 1925 - 1941
Date: 01/20/2005 11:50PM
Subj: The party is over. It’s now 2005, a brand new year: Now what???
Matt: here it s time to write more MEMOIRS OF JAMES 0. WALLACE, CHAPTER II
My parents had moved out of Grandma (Wallace) Newman’s house and turned the small TN

farm back to them. Dad had successfully run it for several years after his mother's divorce from
Frank Wallace, They had moved on a small "share cropper" near by. So, Oct 8, 1915, I was born
in a share cropper cottage. I was their second son, have had my brother Thomas Cleatus three
years before in 1912. An aunt, mother's sister had insisted on naming me "Onell" while mother
wanted James Jr. after my father. So they settled on James Onell. Where she got the Onell, I'm
not sure as it's not a family name. But here I was stuck with it for the rest of my life.
In those days before "rural electricity, we had no indoor toilet, water or lights. We used an oil
lantern for lights. That meant we had to get most of our chores done before dark. The house had
two areas, kitchen & living area and across a wide open hall was two bed rooms unheated, without
lights. We had a straw mattress with a feather bed. This some what made up for the cold
room in the winter. The kids would prepare for bed in the living area, warming both sides before
running in the cold room. We had two bed rooms for parents and kids. After the third son
arrived, it meant the three slept on one regular size bed. We helped keep warmer during cold
weather by snuggling together. The third child was a girl named Naomi Cathrine as my parents
had become christians, hence the Bible name, Naomi. She was only two years from Glenn's
birth. A family of six now. It was several years before our second sister, Vaughncille was born.
Let's talk about "share cropper farming" and rather meagre living without any ownership,
everything being furnished by the farm owner, yearly. Of course we had to do for food &
clothing. We had to make the farm provide food and sell enough cotton, beans, and other food
items. The farm owner was to receive his portion of our products for the rental of house, barns,
fields, etc. After gathering our crops each year, we were free to move to a better deal for the
following years. That arrangement made for frequent moving, you would know. Also, if we
were successful to save a bit to pay down on a small farm, it rent we were to become. It also
meant we had to have a good year with our farming to make payments, live year to year. This
happen to our family during & after the first "world war" We purchase a good small farm over
near Sardis, TN, about 30 miles from our "Share Crop" farm. So, let's not be stingy with this
new year of 2005... Let's live it up with all we love, plus any others that come our way, realizing
we're all on our way to some end time; sooner or later.
Back in 1920 when we lived in that sharecropper cottage, we had no idea what was going on in
our world. Today, we have instant world news, what is happening in Asia is our concern. It
affects us here in Nashville. One thing we don't see any terrorist over there trying to help these
people in trouble, they are busy plotting how to kill more Christians or infidels, they say. What's
going to happen to our world, only God knows. The task for us to do what is RIGHT & GOOD
FOR ALL MANKIND."' Could be "a better day ahead" God knows, we don't??? So, hold on
with both hands, let's see the end of these trouble times. We do have a HOPE.
Now, let me update you on my personal, daily occurrences: I saw Dr Standard today ... he was
somewhat encouraging. He said "keep the therapy going, you're doing better. So, I'm to take off
from my exercise for the remainder of Jan, at the new Christ Church Activity Center. Beginning
Feb 1st I am to get back on a new program of therapy. So here we go. Truthfully, I do feel better,
since getting some help with bad case of bladder infection. Dr Nesbitt gave me a shot plus a
series of Antibiotics, three more days to go on his treatment. Some OLD PEOPLE have their
problems????? Anyway, my goal is "up & at EM, what ever the future holds." My feeling
tonight is "whether good or bad, let's make the BEST of it????? Love you very much, Grandpa

Naomi’s High School Class – Bemis High School Class of 1937

Onell’s High School Class – Bemis High School Class of 1936

J. W. Wallace Family -1950
Back row: J.O., Mary, Glenn, Marie, Bonnie, Mildred, Cleatus, Naomi, Hershel
Front row: Margie, Jimmy, J.W., Marilyn, Allie, Johnny, Tommy
JAMES WELLS WALLACE by Mary H. Wallace
"Where is that light coming from, Allie?" the young farmer was washing his tired, dusty feet
after a long, hot day ploughing in the fertile fields of the Decatur county farm. James Wells
Wallace stared in amazement as the light coming from above played over his feet and shined
down between the cracks in the crude back porch of the tenant house by the creek. His young
wife, Allie, and their small children saw the bright light and wondered, "What does this mean?
Where is that light coming from?" There were probably no street lights in all of Decatur County,
Tennessee, in those days. No cars on the remote country dirt road and certainly no airplanes.
Then the young Methodist lay exhorter remembered the verse of Scripture that Paul had quoted
from Isaiah 52:7 in Romans 10:15: "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and sing glad tidings of good things." Was God sending him a special message?
Already a good thing had happened in Decatur County. In 1918 a little known oneness minister,
Brother Kennedy, had built a brush arbor for a revival. The Wallaces along with other relatives
had attended that revival and there they first heard of the infilling of the Holy Ghost and the
oneness of God, baptism in Jesus' name. J.W. and his wife Allie had both gladly heard the Word
and were soon filled with the Holy Ghost. But when they returned to the little community church
at Corinth, they found that young Wallace was not welcome to take leadership as a lay exhorter
in the Methodist church any longer.
But this did not stop the Spirit-filled believers. They met in brush arbors, storefronts, cottage
prayer meetings as well as one Sunday a week in the community church. Young J.W. Wallace
became a leader of the Pentecostals in that community, especially to his own relatives. His sister
Maggie, who had married Allie's brother, Tommy Robbins, along with several of Allie's sisters

including Parilee Stanfill, Minnie Mannus, and Lulu Shelby, plus numerous cousins all followed
"Uncle Jim's" example. Soon a number of friends & relatives sought & received the Holy Spirit.
J. W. Wallace had been a spiritual leader in his family since childhood. His father had deserted
the family when J. W. was only twelve and he began to assume leadership then. The twelveyear-old
was able to borrow money that first year to make a way to support his mother and his
brother and sisters, so he matured early and established habits of honesty and responsibility.
When he & Allie Robbins married, they moved into a small cabin near the Robbins & Wallaces.
Bemis Church Youth beside Bemis Pentecostal Church- 1928
Front: Garvin Luther, Glenn Wallace, Clara McNatt, Gladys Nell (King) Brewer
Back: Mabel Byrd, ?????, Wilma Cowell, ???????, Mildred (Weaver) Wallace
But times were hard back then. Jim Wallace had bought a farm right after World War I. The
economic crunch hit the farmers before the 1929 crash, and the Wallaces were also affected. The
bank sold the good farm for a pittance, and J. W. Wallace undertook to pay off the balance. He
felt it was an honest debt and he did not want to file for bankruptcy. So his three boys, Cleatus,
James Onell (his family always called him Onell but later he was better known as J. 0. Wallace)
and Glenn along with their father struggled to make the family living and pay their debts.
"Maybe we ought to give up farming, Allie. They tell me there's work at the cotton mill in
Bemis." In 1922 after a bad year in the Forked Deer River bottoms when all the children had
malaria, the family moved to Bemis.
But the cotton mill was not the best thing in Bemis. The best thing was the Pentecostal church.
Soon J. W. Wallace did get a job as a mechanic in the cotton mill but his pay check still was not
sufficient to repay the bank for the farm. Before Cleatus finished high school, his father told him

Allie & Naomi Wallace at Bemis home – 1940 J. W. Wallace - 1940
that he needed to get a job in the mill. Cleatus soon got a job with another young Pentecostal
man, W. M. Greer, in the supply room.
However, James Onell not only wanted to go to Bemis High, but he also had dreams of going to
the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and becoming an engineer. The summer after he
finished eighth grade, Onell got a job as a doffer in the weaving department. There were no child
labor laws, so the boy worked twelve hours a day for five days a week. That fall he persuaded J.
W. to let him go to high school in the daytime. “I’ll work eight hours a night on the night shift,
Dad. You can have my check. I don’t need the money.”
But there was fun at the Wallace house too. Onell was often the ringleader. He caddied at the
golf course next door to their house and got free lessons from the pro. He built a tree house, and
together with Glenn he stayed up in it for three days, pulling food up but refusing to come down.
The last two children were girls, Naomi and Bonnie. The little mill town house rang with the
laughter of five children. Allie, short with big brown eyes, kept the kitchen smelling good with
hot cornbread and vegetables, not to mention her delicious apple pies. She also had an infectious
giggle and a keen sense of humor. But J. W. Wallace, six feet one, over two hundred pounds,
ruddy skin, keen twinkling blue eyes was the anchor of the family. Steadfast, reliable, a man of
peace and faith, he soon became a leader in the Pentecostal church. The Pentecostals were not
allowed in the city limits when they first came to Bemis. Albert D. Gurley held a tent meeting

across the highway in “Happy Holler.” But finally they were permitted to build a small white
clapboard building and it was here that the Wallaces worshiped.
It was not long before Brother Gurley, a great administrator and a leader of men, asked Brother
Wallace to be his assistant. For more than ten years the two men worked side by side. “We never
had a cross word,” was Brother Wallace’s testimony about their work together. Brother Gurley
was a mighty evangelist who travelled widely and preached revivals. Brother Wallace was the
assistant who preached in the pastor’s absence and taught. He also had a definite ministry in
praying for the sick. In fact, when an urgent call to pray for the sick came while Brother Wallace
was at work in the mill, his boss often said, “Go ahead, Brother Wallace. Someone else can
watch your machines.”
All the Wallace children repented, were baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost
as they grew old enough to understand the gospel. Cleatus married a beautiful girl, Mildred
Weaver, a gifted pianist. Onell finished high school but he was not encouraged to go to the
university. “The Lord is coming soon, son. Why don’t you just stay here and work in the mill.”
Then he decided to go to a local Methodist college, Lambuth, but due to the long hours of night
work at the cotton mill, plus the extra strain of college study, his eyes were affected and he
dropped out.
Sunday picnic: Allie, Bonnie, J. W., Mildred & Cleatus
“I’ll go to Memphis, Dad. I want to see if a change will help. Maybe I can get in Draughn’s
Business College.” So that was what he did. After finishing the business college in 1940, he went
to work for a certified public accountant (CPA) in downtown Memphis.
In November 1940 young Onell Wallace registered for the draft. “But I registered as a
conscientious objector, Dad. I could not kill anyone-a German, a Jap, or anyone.” J. W. Wallace,
man of peace, had influenced his sons.
“I understand, Onell. Uncle Lute’s boys are Church of Christ and they are refusing to serve even
in the medics. They may have to go to some sort of labor camp. W. L. and all the Shelby boys

Wallace Family about 1940
Back: Cleatus, Onell, Glenn Front: Bonnie, Naomi, Allie, J. W.
are signing up as C. O.’s too.” (A conscientious objector was commonly called a C. O.) The
Wallaces knew what they believed and they stood for their beliefs.
J. W. Wallace had served several years as an assistant. He had preached revivals in Finley,
Tennessee, and many other small villages in the country. In Chester county, he assumed the
responsibility for beginning a church at Pleasant Ridge. Now it was time to move on. "I am fifty
years old, Allie. God has called me to preach. If I am ever going to build a church, I must get
busy. For years I have had a burden for Nashville. You know, we don't have a single oneness
Pentecostal church east of the Tennessee River. I have prayed God to send someone. Maybe He
wants me to go."
So J. W. Wallace heard a "different drummer"; instead of "Go west, young man, go west," it was
"Go east, older man, go east." But Allie did not hear any drummer at all. Always quiet, shy and
reserved, a homemaker, she dreaded the thoughts of leaving the security of a weekly paycheck
from the cotton mill, let alone the host of friends at the Bemis church. In 1939 the Wallaces had
finally paid off their farm debt and now they at least had a good car, a Willis Overland, although
they still lived in a company house.
In Memphis, however, young Onell was also hearing a different drummer. He had his first
professional job, assistant to a certified public accountant. He enjoyed attending Brother E. E.
McNatt's thriving church at 4th and Keel. Onell served as church secretary and treasurer. But he
knew that war was imminent. "I'll soon be drafted. I believe I'll go home." Always a home body,
he felt he wanted those last few weeks in Bemis with his family.

Onell, Naomi, & Cleatus
About 1940
Glenn, Onell, ????, J.W., Cleatus
Steps of Bemis home about 1940
Meanwhile J. W. Wallace prayed about his call to middle and east Tennessee: "Lord, if this is
Your will, let me know definitely." He lay two fleeces before the Lord. "Lord, I'll need help.
Move on Onell to go with me. Also I have a brother in Nashville who needs you." The brother's
wife, Jewell, had received the Holy Ghost earlier but Lester and Jewell did not attend church.
With a call in his heart, J. W. Wallace packed his bag and drove to Jackson to catch the bus to
Nashville. What a surprise at the bus station! "Onell, what are you doing home?"
"Dad, where are you going?"
Like ships in the night the father and son met. "I am going to Nashville to start a church, Son.
Why don't you go with me?" So the two Wallace men caught the Nashville bus. In the city they
contacted others of like precious faith. The C. H. Phifer family, the T. W. Goolsbys, the A. L.
Binkleys, Mr. Leo Mitchell, Esther Turnbow and Daisy Turner. Later the I. A. Dugans, and the
Noble Carson family moved to Nashville from Mississippi. The Tom Scotts and E. H. Woods
families were attending the First Assembly of God church in East Nashville.
"But we do believe the one-God message, Brother Wallace. We will be interested in what you
can do here." So the work began in the Nashville area. First there were just cottage prayer
meetings. Later they met in a small storefront on 51st street on the west side of town. Brother
Wallace and Onell both got jobs, Brother Wallace in the Werthan Bag Company and Onell as
bookkeeper in the Spur Oil Company. They rented a house for the family on 1816 Pearl Street.

Glenn, Onell, Cleatus, ??? hunting trip
Onell, Mary, Jimmy, Cleatus, Mildred, Marilyn, Hershel, Naomi, baby Johnny, Marie,
Glenn, Bonnie - 1946

1816 Pearl Street - Wallace home in Nashville 1942
Allie, Glenn, Naomi and Bonnie moved up, But Allie had a hard time adjusting. Although she
did not complain, she had terrible headaches and more than once J. W. caught her in tears.
Not too long after the Wallaces moved to Nashville, others joined the extended family; Uncle
Tommy (Allie's brother) and Aunt Mag (J.W.'s sister) and a whole bunch of double cousins,
Pauline and her husband Kenneth Stephens, Irene and her family, the Collis Stanfills, Lucille,
Mildred, Faye and Vadean all moved up and most of them found jobs in the busy capital city.
By this time J. W. Wallace, ever a builder, had found lots on the corner of 51st street and
Delaware. "They are just fill in lots but 51st is a busy street right off Charlotte which goes clear
up town past the capitol. This will be a good location. I think we ought to buy." So they bought
two lots for $800. They paid $100 down. Then they decided to break the debt into twenty-eight
notes of $25.00 each. The saints and friends then took as many of the notes as they could and
soon the debt was paid.
From the first venture into the city, J. W. Wallace envisioned not just one big super church but
several Pentecostal churches to reach the entire city. "We will call this first church, West
Nashville Pentecostal Church. Later there will be churches in the north, south, and east parts -of
town," he planned.
The Second World War was escalating. Industry was booming. Grapel and Lunelle Shelby,
nieces of Allie, came to town and found work at the cotton mill. Later all the Shelbys moved up
increasing the Sunday school. But soon W. L. Shelby along with Onell got their letter that began:
"Greetings from the President of the United States of America." Eventually seventeen young
men from the small congregation of about seventy-five souls, left to serve in the armed forces.

J. W. Wallace family in front of Nashville Church tent – 1941
Every Sunday afternoon the saints met to pray for "our soldier boys." Not one of the entire
seventeen was even wounded although several were in the Battle of the Bulge and other front
lines.
Although the Lord did answer J. W. Wallace's fleeces concerning the work in Nashville, after he
made the move it seemed that one by one the supports were removed. Was he fully committed to
the venture? First Onell left for the army; later Lester and his wife Jewell, who had begun
attending services, dropped out again.
Another real problem was the lack of musical talent. Then, there was the frustration of trying to
build any sort of building during the war. Most building materials were needed for the war-time
industries. Supplies were often restricted and always scarce. But the saints were faithful tithers.
George Hill, one of the first converts, was the first church treasurer. Every month a balance sheet
was posted promptly with each individual name and contribution as well as each expense
meticulously recorded. J. W. Wallace was a man of his word and his credit was impeccable. He
paid his debts even, if it took ten years and deprived his family. For several years he had served
the Tennessee district of the United Pentecostal Church as presbyter.
During his four year army stint, J. 0. double tithed. Once to the local church he attended near his
army base then again back home to West Nashville Pentecostal Church. Other soldier boys also
sent their tithes home. Excavation for a small 40 by 60 foot gray native stone basement church
was begun. "I want to build a firm foundation. Let's make those thirty inch stone walls," Brother
Wallace planned. The basement church was dedicated in September 1942.
In July, 1942, the Wallaces welcomed another member into the clan when J. 0., then stationed in
Santa Barbara, California, at Hoff General Hospital, sent back to the country village of Finley,
Tennessee, for Mary Hardwick. They were married in the home of friends in Santa Barbara, CA.

Bonnie in front of Wallace’s home on 4401 Delaware Avenue in Nashville
Note the Wallace family car, a 1941 Chevrolet
In 1944 God honored prayer in an outstanding way and J. 0. was transferred by the army to
Thayer General Hospital on White Bridge Road about a mile from the Wallaces' home. What a
joy it was to have the children home! The Wallaces had finally bought their first home on
Robertson Road and two small apartments were arranged for J. 0. and Mary and also for Glenn
and his wife Marie.
Marie's mother, Gladys Robinson, had moved to Nashville in 1942. In 1947, Gladys accepted a
call to Africa and the small congregation sent out their first foreign missionary. (Read her story
in the book, Box 44, Monrovia by Nona Freeman.)
During the early forties several revivals were held. One outstanding meeting was held in 1942 by
the evangelist Brother A. D. Gurley, District Superintendent. During this meeting the group of
saints were officially organized and the West Nashville Pentecostal church was set in order with
thirty-eight charter members.
Not long after J. 0. and wife were stationed in Nashville. Her family, the L. H. Hardwicks, also
moved to Nashville. "Sister Maria Hardwick will be such a help to us with her piano playing."
And she was a help. In time she became the Ladies Auxiliary leader and was responsible for
raising the funds for the first Hammond organ as well as a new piano. About this time Grady
Moore, a local music teacher, began to give music lessons for strings, guitar and mandolin. Jane
and Barney Hardwick were among the music students along with Lunelle Shelby, Faye Robbins
and Jack Hill. Sister Hardwick also started the Goolsby girls, Nadine and Violet, as well as
Montelle Carson and Vadine Robbins on piano lessons. So "there was music there."
But J. W. longed for the church to be completed on top of the basement and it was. March, 1948,
was dedication time. What a day! Mildred and Cleatus and lots of other old friends drove up
from Bemis. J. W. Wallace stood every inch of his 6'1" that day and Mom Wallace, at peace with

Onell, Glenn, Cleatus, Bonnie, Naomi Onell & Jimmy in front of Robertson Rd home
their venture, looked lovely at his side. All the children were married by now, and grandchildren
made the home place on Robertson Road ring with laughter. There was Marilyn, the first
grandchild, and the only child of Cleatus and Mildred who still lived in Bemis. Mary and J. 0.'s
Jimmy Jr., was born while J. 0. was still in service. Then came their Margie, Jack, Jeff, and
Rosemary and also Naomi's three boys, Johnny, Tommy and Jerry. Bonnie had one son, Alvin.
(Joe Glenn was the last grandchild and was born after his grandfather's death.)
But J. W. Wallace still dreamed of reaching the whole city, so while J. 0. was in army uniform,
the two of them held a revival in the small suburban town, Goodlettsville, east of town. Again
they pitched a Crown Tent and Awning tent in a pasture and preached. After the revival, J. 0. got
permission from his commanding officer to reside in Goodlettsville and pastor the little group of
fourteen souls. J. W. Wallace and the West Nashville congregation backed this effort with their
interest, prayers, and finance. They purchased a small Church of Christ building on Depot Street
for $1400. J. 0. and Mary pastored there until he was shipped out by the military. Then W. T.
Scott assumed the pastorate. "Well, Goodlettsville is our church in the east," said J. W. Wallace.
In 1943 the Southern District under the leadership of Brother Gurley purchased property for a
Bible school in Tupelo, Mississippi. C. D. Soper from Idaho served as president. After the war
was over and J. 0. was mustered out of the army, he went to Cleveland, Tennessee, to Bob Jones
College to study for the ministry. Later his father encouraged him to take a teaching position on
the staff at Pentecostal Bible Institute. After teaching there a year he returned to Nashville. "Son,
Sister Nina Meadows pastors a little church, Immanuel Church of Christ, (a small group of oneness
churches in middle Tennessee). She is building a new church and her old church on Rose and Sadler in
Woodbine is for sale. Why don't we buy it and you and Mary start a work out there in the south part of
town." J. W. and J. 0. Wallace signed another loan for $1800 and bought the building. Nine persons
attended the first Sunday. Soon Mary's seventeen-year-old brother, L. H. Hardwick, Jr. (Barney), who had

Naomi & Bonnie Cleatus & Mildred
just finished Cohn High and needed direction in his life, moved to Woodbine, with the J. 0. Wallaces.
Barney, a former drum major with Cohn High, took charge of the music.
By this time the old Southern district had divided and Brother Gurley had moved to pastor a church in
Corinth, Mississippi. Brother W. M. Greer was the new District Superintendent of Tennessee and he
asked J. 0. Wallace to be his assistant pastor. Later J. 0. was elected District Secretary. L. H. Hardwick
Jr. became pastor of the Woodbine church.
About this time J. W. Wallace began to look further east. "We need to carry this message beyond
Nashville, Allie. Someday we will have churches in Chattanooga and Knoxville." Glenn Wallace, the
youngest Wallace son, and his wife Marie worked on the secret Oak Ridge Manhattan project. "I don't
know what they are doing there, Dad. No one knows."
But J. W. knew he wanted to found another church. So he began to hold services in the high school
building in Oak Ridge. He drove his old Packard over winding mountain roads (no interstate highways
then) week after week leaving the services in Nashville with Brother Ellis from Michigan. Later J. W.
Wallace located a beautiful five acre plot of land on the east side of Oak Ridge and he helped the small
group of Pentecostals to purchase it. In 1953 L. H. Benson came and built the church on this property.
In 1951, Brother Wallace, still active in district work as a presbyter, was delegated as the builder
when the Tennessee district purchased their own campground. Pickwick campgrounds, of the old
Southern District, now belonged to the Mississippi District. J. W. Wallace drew up the plans and
was the head carpenter building first of all a dining hall then later the tabernacle. "And we need
our own cabin, Allie." Soon the little four-room brown camp cabin was crowded with children
and grandchildren every year at the old Tennessee campground.
In 1951 Brother A. T. Morgan, General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, asked
J. 0. Wallace to serve as Publishing House manager. By this time J. W. Wallace who had
crammed a lifetime of ministering into a few short years began to have health problems.
"Building that camp tabernacle took a lot of his strength," friends noticed.
In October at the General Conference of the United Pentecostal Church, J. W. and other friends
came to the conference and stayed at his son's apartment on Compton and Haliday. During this
time he confided his health problems to his sons. "Can you come back to help me, Son? I have
tried three names of fine Pentecostal preachers but the congregation has not agreed on anyone."

J. 0. resigned his publishing house position and returned to Nashville to assist his father. They
divided the small $65.00 per week salary so that there would be no additional burden on the
church. Later J. W. Wallace and his wife decided to take a leave of absence to Jackson,
Tennessee, and pastor a smaller church on Sullivan Street for about a year.
Later he returned to co-pastor West Nashville with J. 0. "I want us to pay off this church debt
completely, Onell. Then we'll burn the note." Still challenged and setting goals, J. W. Wallace
did just that. What a satisfaction it was to burn that note at the special service when the beautiful
brick church, complete with Hammond organ, oak pews, hand-made cherry pulpit, pulpit chairs
and altar rail, was dedicated to the glory of God free of debt in sixteen short years.
But Brother Wallace's big heart was about gone. "Reverend Wallace, you have angina. Your
heart is damaged. Every bit of strength you lose now, you can never regain," Dr. Wyatt warned
the grand old preacher. Allie was failing, too. Several strokes left her dizzy and she spent a lot of
time resting.
"Let's have a special founder's day celebration for Daddy," J. 0. and Mary planned. It was all a
big surprise, but the church was crowded with friends and loved ones gathered to honor this
pioneer Pentecostal preacher who had done so much to spread the gospel east of the Tennessee
River. Several churches were established and growing.
Founders Day Service
But, the days were growing shorter. "I'll buy that nice cabin of Cleatus and Mildred's at the
camp. I can get in some mighty good fishing on the Tennessee River." J. W. Wallace retired and
J. 0. resigned and moved to Knoxville.

"Perhaps we can help spread the gospel as Dad dreamed." Brother L. H. Benson was elected
pastor at West Nashville. Later, J. 0. was chosen to pastor the work in Oak Ridge. There were
twenty-eight that first Sunday.
After a year at Perryville at the campground the senior Wallaces moved back to their duplex
back of the West Nashville church. "Dr. Wyatt thinks I need to be back."
In 1958 Brother A. T. Morgan again approached J. 0. about serving at headquarters. "Would you
consider helping us with the Sunday School work?" So he was appointed director. "I think we
ought to go back to Nashville to be with Mom and Dad, Mary. He is failing fast. I can travel for
the Sunday School Department from Nashville."
It was a short time, full of memories, fraught with fear because it was very obvious that Brother
Wallace was about gone, Always a preacher, a doer, J. W. began to take an interest in African
violets while he was bedfast.
"I'll build Dad some window shelves," J. 0. planned. In a few short weeks several plants
brightened the room. "Son, pray that God will heal me. I've got one more sermon." He fingered
the new Thompson Chain reference Bible, a recent gift. But God had other plans. After two
weeks in the hospital, tended lovingly by his sons, J. W. Wallace finished his course. But
Pentecostal churches stand as testimony to what a man can do even after fifty. About ten years
after Brother Wallace's death in 1959, memorial services were held for him in the two churches
he served longest-Nashville and Bemis. Brother C. M. Becton called J. 0. Wallace to tell him of
the “Founder's Day” meeting in honor of J. W. Wallace. "Will you speak for us?"
126 Kenner home J. W. Wallaces shared with Glenn and Marie Wallace - 1956

James Wells Wallace by Marie Wallace
This article was published in the book, Tennessee History of the United Pentecostal Church
James Welles Wallace was born in rural Decatur County, Tennessee, April 1, 1890.
In 1918, a little known oneness Pentecostal minister, Bro. Kennedy, built a brush arbor in
Decatur County and held a revival meeting. Both J. W. and his wife, Allie, received the Holy
Ghost. They gladly heard the Word and accepted the Oneness message.
In 1922, Bro. & Sis.Wallace moved their family of three boys, Cleatus, Onell (J.0.) and Glenn
and daughter, Naomi to Bemis, Tennessee. The family soon became active in the Bemis
Pentecostal Church. In November 1925, God blessed their home with another daughter,
Vaughncile (Bonnie).
While in Bemis, Bro. Wallace was called into the ministry. He served as Assistant Pastor to Bro.
A. D. Gurley from 1923 until 1937. Bro. Wallace was ordained in Jackson, Tennessee, March 7,
1935. During the time he served as Assistant Pastor, he built a church in Chester County in the
Pleasant Ridge Community. He pastored the Bemis Pentecostal Church in 1939-1940.
Bro. Wallace had an intense desire to accomplish more for the Lord after reaching the age of 50
years than he had prior. In 1941, he felt a definite call to start a church in Nashville and to
establish churches East of the Tennessee River. He moved his family to Nashville and began
holding cottage meetings. Property was purchased on the corner of 51st and Delaware Avenue. A
tent was pitched and the first revival was held May, 1941. A basement church was built and paid
for during the difficult years of World War II. The auditorium was completed and dedicated in
February, 1948. Bro. A. D. Gurley was the guest speaker. Bro. M. H. Hansford conducted the
first revival meeting in the new auditorium.
During the growth of the West Nashville Pentecostal Church (now First UPC) Bro. Wallace,
along with his son, Rev. J. 0. and daughter-in-law, Mary, were responsible for the founding of
the Goodlettsville Pentecostal Church and the Woodbine Pentecostal Church (now Christ
Church-Pentecostal). Bro. Wallace later started the Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee where he
purchased two acres of land for the church site.
Bro. Wallace served as a member of the District Board of the Southern District and as an original
member of the Tennessee District Board of the U.P.C.I. He was a member of the Board of
Directors of the Tupelo Bible Institute for a period of over five years. Bro. Wallace was also
Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In 1951, while an active member of the Tennessee District Board, Bro. Wallace was selected as
the builder for the Tennessee District Campground at Perryville. He drew the plans for the first
building, the dining hall and kitchen. The large tabernacle soon followed.
In 1957, the West Nashville Church had a note burning service and a special day honoring Bro.
& Sis. Wallace for their faithful labors which brought about the fulfillment of a vision from
Cottage prayer meetings to a beautiful debt-free church in just 16 years.
A heart condition forced Bro. Wallace to retire from full-time ministry about three years prior to
his death January 18, 1959.

Christmas Money Tree – 1956
Childhood photo of Bonnie J. W. Wallaces on Camp cabin porch - 1950

J. W. Wallace Grandkids – Christmas 1956
Standing: Marilyn, Jimmy, Johnny, Margie, Tommy, Jeff, Jack
Seated: Poppa Wallace (holding Alvin) and Grandma Wallace
Naomi & Hershel Singleton Family – Christmas 1956

Onell and Mary Wallace Family – Christmas 1956
Glenn & Marie Wallace – Christmas 1956

L. A. & Bonnie Singleton Family – Christmas 1956
Cleatus, Marilyn, Mildred Wallace – Christmas 1956

Momma Wallace’s birthday 1957
Miscellaneous cards in billfold of J. W. Wallace at time of death
1956 Ford Auto Registration 1956 Ford Title

Cleatus, Onell, Glenn – Christmas 1969 in Jackson
Glenn, Marie, Naomi, Mary, Onell – Christmas 2004

Josie Groves, half sister to J. W. Wallace Maggie Wallace, sister to J. W. Wallace
Vester Wallace, brother to J. W. Wallace Lester Wallace, brother to J. W. Wallace
J. W. Wallace Birthday: 4-1-1890
Birthplace: Decatur County, Tennessee
Ordination with P.C.I.:3-7-1935, Jackson, TN
Death: 1-18-1959, Nashville, TN
Allie Isanna Robbins Wallace
Birthdate: 2-1-1884
Wedding Date: 8-17-1911
Death: 11-23-1963, Nashville, TN

J. W. Wallace Funeral Notes of W. M. Greer

Memories of Uncle Jim
The following memories are from conversations with Lucille Robbins Dorris, Faye Robbins
Griffin, Pauline Robbins Stephens, Linda Stephens Curtis during March, 2007. These comments
were written by Jim Wallace.
During the years of 1890 to 1920, the Wallace family lived near the Robbins family in the little
Thurman, TN community. J. W. Wallace married Allie Robbins and his sister, Maggie, married
Tommy Robbins. The Wallaces went to the Corinth Methodist Church and school. The Robbins
went to the Thurman school. The families were always close. When the Wallaces were
struggling with farming, the Robbins family moved nearby, just to help. Later the Tommy
Robbins family moved to Nashville and became a part of the new West Nashville Pentecostal
Church started by J. W. Wallace (Uncle Jim).
Front: Mildred, Faye, Vadean, Orville, James, Tommy Robbins
Back: Lucille, Pauline, Irene, Maggie Robbins
Uncle Jim was a leader who did not run from responsibility.
After his father left the family, Jimmy Wallace became the man of the house at twelve. He had
to deal with being abandoned by his father. The family included a 16 year old half sister, Josie,
an 8 year old sister, Maggie, a 4 year old brother Charley, and a 2 year old brother, Vester. The
crops had to be planted, the animals cared for, and the family fed and clothed. Jim did not run
from this responsibility, but went to work. This meant long days of hard work and tremendous
resourcefulness for a boy his age. The work of a farmer was tedious, back breaking work for a
mature man, yet this young boy did his best. This meant his education and boyhood play time
was minimized. This is hard to imagine. At twelve, I had small chores like mowing the lawn,

cleaning my room, doing my school home work. However, most of my time was spent playing
with friends.
This trait of leadership and responsibility continued into adulthood. When the bank foreclosed
on the farm during the farmer’s crash, Uncle Jim continued paying on this debt ($1300) until
paid off. When the pastor of the church was away, Uncle Jim took care of the church and prayed
for the sick. Lucille remembers him driving a buggy through snow to pray for her when she had
pneumonia and measles as a child. When the call came for building new churches in other cities,
Uncle Jim answered the call. When the church needed to build during World War II even though
materials were scarce due to wartime rationing, he found a way.
Uncle Jim and other children of struggling farmers attended school only on rainy days because
they had to work on the farm, weather permitting. Maggie Wallace Robbins always respected
her brother’s leadership and wisdom.
Lucille remembers when fire broke out in the Nashville basement church building. She along
with many others from the church worked at Werthan Bag. While on the job, word came that the
church was on fire. They all were devastated at the news. As it turned out, the damage was
minimal. Uncle Jim handled the situation with humor. The disruption was minimized.
Upon hearing that his sister joined a Pentecostal church, Paul Forrester moved to Nashville from
Michigan to get her out of that church. After attending the church to see for himself, he became
one of the most fervent members.
Uncle Jim enjoyed life.
Faye remembers Uncle Jim sneaking behind her at a church picnic at night and rubbing her leg
with a weed, giving the illusion of a snake. She remembers a story told by someone serving
coffee from a cup stuck to a saucer. He loved the shocked look on the drinker’s face. He was
always laughing and having a good time at family and church functions.
Uncle Jim rides the bull at a park near Little Rock, AR

Uncle Jim was a wonderful pastor.
When the Nashville church first started, there was very little music talent. This did not stop
Uncle Jim. The service consisted of sharing testimonies, prayer and teaching. His messages
were uplifting and encouraging, never threatening or negative. His faith was strong. No one
ever doubted his commitment to God. His leadership style was as a co-worker. He loved a good
Sunday School contest. During one Sunday School contest he brought 39 visitors (more than
anyone). One Such contest pitied the women against the men. The women won, therefore, the
men had to cook for the women at the church dinner. He was one of the cooks. Uncle Jim was a
wise counsellor. Church members sought his advice when needed because they knew he cared
for them.
Pauline Robbins Stephens tells that her husband, Kenneth Stephens, did not want to be baptized
in front of the church. Uncle Jim baptized him at the church with only the two of them present.
Linda Curtis recounts going with Uncle Jim and other young people to church functions in near
by cities. He always told funny stories and jokes. He often pulled pranks on them. The youth
knew he enjoyed and valued time with them. He got the youth to help clean the baptistery. He
made this a fun experience.
Robbins Sisters - Standing: Lulu, Maude Seated: Allie, Minnie
Uncle Jim was generous.
During the first years of the Nashville church, he worked a secular job and took no salary. The
church members gave him groceries because there was no money for a salary. Amelia Cripps
often led these grocery showers. He often gave money to those in need. Later, when he was

starting the Oak Ridge church, he shared his salary with the assistant Pastor, Ellis.
Jim’s wife, aunt Allie, was a tremendous cook. Everyone looked for her dishes at church and
family dinners. She was a loving companion and a quiet person.
Reflections on Rev. J.W. Wallace By Ina Rhea Beatty Robbins, March 24, 2007
My mother, Mrs. Mildred Beatty, moved to Nashville in May, 1945. Having received the Holy
Ghost in a brush arbor meeting outside Hohenwald, TN. in 1928, she knew she wanted a good
Pentecostal church to attend. She had heard of Bro. J.W. Wallace from a lady from Bemis, Tn.
she met at General Conference. Bro. A.D. Gurley was pastor of the Bemis United Pentecostal
Church at that time but was leaving for another assignment. Since Mother had been instructed in
the Pentecostal doctrine by Bro. Brickey, Bro. Gurley and Bro. E. J. Douglas, she knew Bro.
Gurley was highly regarded. She said to the lady, “I guess you really are sorry Bro. Gurley is
leaving.” The lady replied, “Oh, I don’t know about that. We still have Bro. Wallace.” From
that remark, Mother knew that she wanted to attend Bro. Wallace’s church in Nashville, Tn.
Also, her sister and husband, the C. H. Phifers were charter members of the church.
Bro. Wallace welcomed us with open arms. He was always so friendly and kind and willing to
discuss any problem. At that time, two of Mother’s sons were overseas in the Armed Services of
World War II so many prayers went forth for them from Bro. Wallace’s church. Thankfully,
they both returned home unharmed.
Bro. Wallace had a good sense of humor. Since I had married his nephew, James Robbins, in
1948, he was sometimes at my mother-in-law’s house. One day just after the Presidential
election, Bro. Wallace was at Mrs. Robbins’ home when I entered and very enthusiastically
blurted out, “Aren’t you proud that Truman got elected?” He laughed and said, “Oh, I don’t
know that I am.” I can hear him laughing now and still see that twinkle in his eye. It was then I
first realized I had married into a Republican family. Where I came from, everyone believed that
Roosevelt was the greatest President ever, and I thought everyone was a member of the
Democratic Party. I was in for a great awakening as my life’s journey was forevermore hooked
up with the very Republican Robbins/Wallace clan. It made for some “spirited discussion”
around our house at election time!
Bro. Wallace or “Uncle Jim” as we called him was one of the wisest men I ever knew. I always
thought he and Mrs. Robbins were full of wisdom. One example was an incident that took place
on Bro. Wallace’s church Board. One of the Board members came into possession of a
photograph of my husband and me in bathing suits with some other people. I guess this Board
member thought we should be put “out of the church” because we were definitely taught against
public and “mixed” bathing. After some discussion, Bro. Wallace learned that the other people
in the picture were my relatives and that our swimming location was way out of town in a rural
area with a large creek. He dismissed the subject saying he didn’t see anything wrong with
family members being together having a good time so we were not even brought in for
questioning. My big concern when I heard about this was not about being put out of the church
but that all those men on the church Board saw a picture of me in a bathing suit! I was a 17 year
old new bride, for goodness sake.
So many things happened in those early years of the church, but the thing that has a great impact
on me is how many of that small church family are still in church today. Our families are

involved in churches everywhere, and many of the people who were teenagers then have
become and had children who became ministers, church workers, board members, Sunday
School superintendents, choir members, Sunday School and Bible study teachers, church and
Sunday School administrators, counselors, and small group leaders. What an impact Bro.
Wallace made on the world by establishing a church at 51 st and Delaware Avenue in Nashville,
Tennessee!
Bro. Wallace also had a heart for foreign missions. He was the pastor of Sis. Gladys Robinson
who went to Africa as a missionary in 1947. I have always wondered why a church organization
would permit a lady to go alone to such a remote place. She told of some unbelievable satanic
encounters as she believed God to push through the darkness. A few years ago I found out it all
made great sense. Bro. Hardwick was preaching, and during his sermon he mentioned being at a
minister’s conference in Rhode Island where he was called on to speak. He told the audience he
was from Nashville, TN. Later, a minister from Africa found Bro. Hardwick and asked if he
ever knew of a lady named Gladys Robinson who was also from Nashville, TN. Bro. Hardwick
enthusiastically responded that he knew Sis. Robinson well because she had been his Sunday
School teacher when he was a child. The minister said, “I was converted under her ministry in
Africa when I was very young.” Thank God that Bro. Wallace had the faith that his Savior
would protect this woman he sent out from his flock into the dark jungles of Africa. Only
eternity will tell us how many people came to know Jesus because of this leap of faith. I have
never again wondered why a lady alone would be permitted to go to the mission field.
Bro. Wallace was friendly, considerate, humorous, witty, kind, compassionate, a prayer warrior,
thoughtful, a worshipper, thoughtful, full of love, always smiling and fun-loving, and a great
pastor, teacher and leader. The world is a better place because of him. I realize now, much
more than I did at 17, how fortunate and privileged I am that my destiny was to be a member of
his family and his church.
Bro. Wallace died in 1959, but he still lives. He might be compared to Abraham in that God
called him out of homeland to become the father of a great natural and spiritual family that was
truly blessed to be a blessing.
Mildred Robbins Dugan remembers her father’s, T. L. Robbins, devotion to the Church in
Viwing the Past
On November 1, 1941, a farm family moved Nashville. There were three married children, two
teenagers old enough to work, and four to be sent to school. How they would make a living in
the city, only the Lord knew. But this happened to be a man of God who believed that God
could solve any problem and he had a problem. He had a large family and no way to be in a
Pentecostal church. Reverend J. W. Wallace had just moved to Nashville to start a Pentecostal
church…
As long as I can remember, my dad arose very early and regardless of the time I got up, I would
find him in the living room reading his Bible. So often I think of one Christmas when funds
were rather low, my parents gave five of us a good reference Bible. To my father, that was what
he would call a necessity.
The Lord’s work always came first in our home. Every Sunday morning he would empty his
pockets giving us children Sunday School money. No matter how low the finances got, the Lord
always got His share. I will never forget the Sunday that he passed away as my mother was

preparing for church, he reminded her to not forget pay their tithes. Countless times, he put his
last dime in the offering. The Lord always gave it back. As the building program began, Bro.
Wallace would ask for pledges, I would see my dad’s hand go up for as much as anyone else was
giving. I would wonder where the money was coming from, but somehow when the time came,
he would always have it.
Maggie and T. L. Robbins
My Dad was no missionary, he was no preacher, in fact he wasn’t a good speaker. You might
not even notice him at church unless you saw him passing out the song books. He was a very
quiet person. He was a devoted Christian with an abundance of godly wisdom. He was
appointed as a board member on the first church board. He served on this board through the
difficult was years while we were trying to get material to build a church.
The West Nashville Pentecostal Church meant more to my dad than his own life. His friends in
the neighborhood often remarked about his goodness. It was Christ in him. He lived his religion
every day and everywhere he went.

Allie’s sisters: Parilee and Lizzie
The home of Perry & Lulu Shelby at 5711 Morrow Road in Nashville – 1942
Seated in rockers: Maggie Robbins, Perry Shelby
Seated on porch: Lulu Shelby, Tommy Robbins
Seated in chairs: Allie & J. W. Wallace

Backporch of Shelby home at 5711 Morrow Rd about 1943
Lulu Shelby, Ola Stanfill, Allie Wallace, Maggie Wallace
Jean Shelby - Raymond Hensley Wedding of March 2, 1952
R. G. Jackson, Raymond Hensley, J. W. Wallace, Jean Shelby, Lunelle Shelby

Letter to Faye Robbins Griffin dated 11/1/50

Letter of recommendation for Faye Robbins Griffin from Nashville to Laurel, MS church

Boutwell – Griffin Double Wedding of 9-1-1950
Collin Dugan, Glenn Wallace, Carl Dugan, Hestine Griffin, James Robbins,
Clinton Griffin, Faye Robbins, Griffin, M.H. Hansford, T.L. Robbins, J.W. Wallace,
Vadean Robbins Boutwell, James Boutwell, Lucille Robbins Dorris, J.O. Wallace
Bill Tucker, Claude Malon
Vadean Robbins Digesare related these memories of J. W. Wallace
Vadean was a close friend to Bonnie Wallace, youngest daughter of J. W. Wallace. She often
spent time in the Wallace home. She remembers these as happy times, full of laughter and
family closeness. After finishing college, she and her sister, Faye married men they met in
college. Their double wedding picture is shown above.
She and her husband, James Boutwell, moved to Nashville so that James could enrol in
ministerial program at Trevecca Nazarene College. James was worship and youth leader in the
West Nashville UPC while attending college. James considered J. W. Wallace one of his
mentors.

Memories of the Ministry of J. W. Wallace
The ministry of J. W. Wallace began as a Lay Exhorter in the little Corinth Methodist
Church his family attended.
The Methodist Church describes an exhorter as a person with the gift of exhortation and is
manifest in people who offer encouragement, wise counsel, unflagging support, and
empowerment. Those who exhort stay focused on helping people maximize their own potential
and live from their own gifts and skills. Exhorters help people feel good about themselves, build
confidence, and not grow discouraged. Often, those with the gift of exhortation make others feel
good just by being present.
The Corinth Methodist Church was located between Scotts Hill and Saltillo. It was started about
1830. Between bi-monthly visits by the Circuit Rider Minister, the Lay Exhorters ministered to
the members.
In 1918 a little known oneness minister, Brother Kennedy, had built a brush arbor for a revival.
The Wallaces along with other relatives had attended that revival and there they first heard of the
infilling of the Holy Ghost and the oneness of God, baptism in Jesus' name. J.W. and his wife
Allie had both gladly heard the Word and were soon filled with the Holy Ghost.

The following is a quote from History of Decatur County Tennessee by Lillye Yonger
Mt. Tabor Pentecostal Church
The Mt. Tabor Pentecostal Church, located on the old Decaturville Road near Parsons, has roots
deep in Decatur County's history. Not far from the present church location, once stood a log
structure that was built in 1840. This building was used as both a school and a church. A
Methodist congregation worshipped there and was pastored by a "circuit rider." A revival was
held near the log building in 1918. The evangelist was Reverend E. J. Douglas, one of the first
Pentecostal ministers to have visited the area. Services were usually held outdoors under a "brush
arbor," but when inclement weather came, they were conducted in the old log school and church.
At the close of the revival, Walter and Francis Herndon, Jim and Bertha Graves, and Will and
Ethel Graves signed a deed donating property for a new church. A building was started
immediately; and is still in use today.
The founder was E: J. Douglas. The first trustees were A. D. Gurley (later to become one of the
most renowned evangelists and respected ministers in the United Pentecostal Church
international), Walter Herndon, and J. A. Graves. Others attending the new church were Antha
Graves, Georgie Graves, Ruby Graves, Otis Graves, Carrie Gurley, Clyde Gurley, Grady Gurley,
Mittie Herndon, Ester Houston, Mollie Lancaster, Eliza Mclllwain; and Antha Stone.
Other Pentecostal Churches in Decatur County include Mt. Carmel United Pentecostal Church,
Beacon United Pentecostal Church, Decaturville Pentecostal Church, Rushings Grove
Pentecostal Church, Iron Hill Pentecostal Church, Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, and Sulphur
Springs Pentecostal Church. The United Pentecostal churches have played an important part in
the religious life of persons in Decatur County, In April of 1949 a resolution to make the
Southern District, consisting of the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, three separate
districts was passed. W. M. Greer of Jackson was elected to serve as the superintendent of the
Tennessee District.

A. D. Gurley & J. W. Wallace – about 1935
In 1950, the first plot of ground was purchased on "Holiness Hill' in Perryville for a campground
site from E. O. Reed and wife of Madison County. After the district conference, at Nashville in
April of 1951, the sound of the hammers and saws was soon heard as the construction of rustic
buildings that were to serve as a dining hall and tabernacle began. J. W. Wallace served as
builder. Soon a number of cabins were also erected, lights came to the "Hill," and in August of
1951 the district started what was thought to be only a token camp meeting that turned out to be
a history making event with hundreds in attendance. In 1972, a vision was fulfilled with the
erection of, a home and office building for the district which became a center for the promotion,
planning, and administering of the many functions of a growing organization. The campground
continued to expand with the acquisition of more land and more buildings being erected.
Reverend A. N. Graves was instrumental in getting this camp underway. He played an important
part, not only in the building, but in supervising of maintenance afterwards. From Memphis to
Kingsport throughout the years, people have attended the camp meeting.

Main Tabernacle of Tennessee Camp – J. W. Wallace builder
In 1954, Reverend W. M. Greer and the district board organized the Ladies Auxiliary who
appointed Lela Holland president, and Mrs. Berthal Crossno as secretary. In 1958; Nina Benson
was appointed as president and Doris Moore as secretary. In 1951 Tcnnessee board members
includcd J. H. Austin, J. O. Moore, E. J. Douglas, W. M..Greer, D. B. Williams, R. G. Jackson,
J. W. Wallace, E. E. McNatt, and W. T. Scott.

Application for Ministerial License – 1934

Renewal of Ministerial License

J. W. Wallace ordination certificate, 3/19/35
Southern District Board of UPC
Left to Right: Reverends Douglas, McNatt, Wallace, Hansford, Gurley, Ivy, Greer

Wallace family in front of the Bemis
Pentecostal Church about 1939
Front row: Mom Wallace, Bonnie,
Naomi, Mildred (wife of Cleatus)
Top row: J. W. Wallace, Glenn, J.O.,
Cleatus
J. W. Wallace was pastor of the church.
Bemis UPC Ministry as recorded the book: Moving On… by Mary Wallace
Not long after A. D. Gurley became pastor of Bemis UPC in 1926, he asked J. W. Wallace to be
his assistant. For the next ten years the two men worked side by side. “We never had a cross
word,” Brother Wallace described the relationship. Many urgent calls for prayer for the sick
came. When calls came while he was working, his boss told him to go.
Mary Nell Kolwyck Smith tells about the time in 1934 that Brother Wallace prayed for her and
God miraculously healed her of whooping cough. Onell Wallace took pneumonia his last year in
high school. This was often fatal before the days of modern drugs. Days passed and he lapsed
into a coma. Brother Gurley came to pray with the Wallaces. Early the next morning Onell the
fever subsided and he began to mend but was very weak.
J. W. Wallace Nashville Ministry Timeline
Developed in meeting on 9/29/71 with many of early members in preparation for the 30 th
Anniversary Celebration.
1941 – the beginning
J. W. Wallace and J. O. Wallace came to Nashville in February. Later in the same
month, Glenn Wallace came. On March 8 th , the rest of the family moved to a home in the
area of 19 th and Pearl streets. Several Oneness Pentecostal preachers were working in the
Nashville area at this time, and from these varied efforts, there are today several
relatively strong independent Pentecostal churches. Bro. Wallace attempted to work with
these brethren, but soon found it would be best to pursue a different course.

First Sunday in front of Tent of Nashville Church - 1941
The first Sunday School was held on the first Sunday of May with 41 present. On the
first Saturday night of May a revival, preached by J. W. Wallace under a tent on a lot at
51 st and Delaware streets, which he had purchased, actually constituted the beginning of
what is today the First United Pentecostal Church of Nashville. At the close of this
revival, eight people were baptized in Whites Creek. The George Hill, Earl Williams and
A. S. Cripps families joined the church at this time. The I. A. Dugan family moved from
Corinth, MS and joined the church in September. The church moved to a store front on
51 st and Illinois for the winter. The T. L. Robbins and J. P Foster families were added
during the winter months. These were followed in the spring by the Gladys Robinson
family, the Perry Shelby family, Mrs. Bula Forrest and Mrs. Cox. Bro. W. M. Greer
preached a successful revival this winter.
1942 – the basement church at 51 st and Delaware
Bro. A. D. Gurley, Superintendent of the Southern District of the Pentecostal Church,
Inc. officially set the church in order with thirty-two charter members.
Trustees were: Rev. J. W. Wallace, C. O. Stanfill and C. H. Phiffer
Board Members were: George Hill, T. L. Robbins, I. A. Dugan
I. A. Dugan was Sunday School Superintendent and Song Leader
Sunday School Secretary was Lucille Robbins Dorris
Church Treasurer was Lunelle Shelby
Arnold Dugan was among several baptized during this year.
Bertha Jones Crossno conducted a revival in the fall. Jo Evelyn Stanfill, age 7, and Sister
Pendergrass, age 75, received the Holy Ghost in this meeting.
N. L. Carson family moved to Nashville and joined the church.

1943 – E. E. McNatt and J. O. Moore conducted revivals
L. H. Hardwick family moved to Nashville and joined the church
First Baptizing of George Hill, Earl Williams, Mr. Hooper - 1941
1944 – Goodlettsville church building purchased
A former Church of Christ building fully equipped was purchased for $1500. J. W.
Wallace, J. O. Wallace, George Hill, I. A. Dugan, Collis Stanfill and others signed the
church note. J. W. Wallace and J. O. Wallace pastured the church.
Goodlettsville UPC – 1949

1945 – W. T. Scott assumes the pastorate at Goodlettsville
The merger of the Pentecostal Church, Inc. and the Assemblies of Jesus Christ into the
United Pentecostal Church finalized. Tennessee became part of the Southern District,
with W. M. Greer as Board Member.
1946 – Sunday school rooms were added to the basement
Cleveland Becton, age 17, and Rexie Wilcox conducted a revival.
1947 – New auditorium built on top of basement
Ladies Auxiliary, with Mrs. L. H. Hardwick, as President, purchased a new piano and the
first Hammond organ for a Pentecostal church in Tennessee.
1948 – New Auditorium dedicated Sunday, 2/29/48
A. D. Gurley preached dedication sermon. M. H. Hansford conducted a revival.
1949 – J. W. Wallace started Oak Ridge, Tennessee & Woodbine Churches
Ted Black, Ed Martin and L. H. Hardwick, Jr held services during the summer in
Lebanon, Tennessee. L.H. Hardwick graduated from high school, started college at Free
Will Bible College, got local ministerial license.
Woodbine church property on Rose & Sadler streets purchased from Mr. Meadows in
September. J. O. Wallace and L. H. Hardwick, Jr. started Woodbine Church. Eugene
Ferguson family came to the first service and remained faithful to the service until their
death many years later. J. W. Wallace conducted the first revival a Woodbine.
1950 – Marvin Ellis came to assist J. W. Wallace with pastorial duties
They split the $60/week salary so J. W. Wallace could conduct weekly services at the
Oak Ridge church. C. M. Becton conducted revival. James Boutwell married Vadean
Robbins. N. L. Carson family moved to Woodbine to help the new church. L. H.
Hardwick, Jr. and Montelle Carson were married. Rexie Wilcox conducted a revival in
the Woodbine church. The Southern Districts of the United Pentecostal Church divided
into Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama districts. The Tennessee District was divided
into three sections. J. W. Wallace and W. T. Scott were Presbyters for the Middle
Tennessee District. J. O. Wallace was elected Secretary of the Tennessee District.
1951 – Woodbine Church officially set in order, L. H. Hardwick, Jr. pastor
Oak Ridge church property purchased and church officially set in order. C. M. Becton
ordained. J. H. Austin conducted tent revival in Woodbine. Eugene and Verna Ferguson

were baptized. Tennessee District Conference was held in upper meeting room at 46 th
and Charlotte.
1952 – E. J. Douglas conducted revival at Woodbine Church
Many were saved. L. H. Hardwick, Sr. was among them. L. H. Hardwick, Jr. baptized
his father. James Boutwell, Arnold Dugan and L. H. Hardwick conducted revivals in
Ashland City and Springfield.
Church Tract/Visitor’s Card
1953 – J. O. Wallace resigns Pentecostal Publishing Mngr. & returns to Co-pastor
James Boutwell graduated from Trevecca Nazarene College. Ray Carson received Holy
Ghost at Goodlettsville.
1954 – J. W. Wallace takes leave of absence to pastor Sullivan St Church in Jackson
J. O. Wallace became pastor of West Nashville Church.
1956 – J. O. Wallace became pastor of Oak Ridge Church
L. H. Benson became pastor of West Nashville Church.
1959 – death of J. W. Wallace
On January 18, 1959 J. W. Wallace dies after several years of failing health. The funeral
was held at the West Nashville Church with Brothers L. H. Benson, W. M. Greer, J. O.
Moore and A. D. Gurley officiating. This truly remarkable man, who did more for the
work of the Lord after his 51 st birthday than most men do in a life time, left a lasting
imprint on Pentecost in this area. He was a godly father, as exemplified by the fact that
all his children and most of his grandchildren are living for God today. The Presbyter,
and many pastors of this section, came out of his ministry. He was kind, patient and
sensible in his dealings with young people. He preached a message of sincere
repentance, confession and forsaking of sin, baptism in Jesus’ Name and a real Holy
Ghost baptism. His message of holiness was practical and realistic, not extreme.

History of West Nashville UPC of Nashville
Quoted from the book: Viewing the Past of the West Nashville Pentecostal Church
Twenty-one years ago, people passing by never dreamed that a beautiful and stately church
building would be standing on the corner of 51st and Delaware Avenues. But, some one must
have had just these plans formed in his mind. In those days one saw only a rough weed covered
lot belonging to a Mr. B. Levitan. Then one day in the spring things began to change and people
set forth the usual idea that someone was getting ready to build. But, no, it wasn't exactly a
building they saw setting on the lot in a few days. Instead they saw a new gospel tent, nicely
arranged, placed on the grounds. The following spring and summer a beautiful stone basement
was completed; & on it went until today you see what looks like the climax of someone's vision.
Yet, we can't be too sure this is all of the goal, when we look into what brought about all this.
It began back in February 1941, when a man was talking to God about future plans for His
ministry. That man was the Reverend J. W. Wallace, who at that time lived in Bemis, Tennessee.
For years, he had been hopeful that some Pentecostal preacher would come to Nashville, never
once thinking God was getting him ready for the task. The call came so distinct that all doubt
was removed from his mind.
Although many friends failed to share the vision of a good spiritual Pentecostal Church in
Nashville, Brother Wallace and one of his sons came up during the latter part of February, 1941,
secured employment and began holding services as the calls came for them. The entire family
was moved up before long. The Lord blessed, and soon the need for a permanent location for
worship was evident. It was seemingly impossible for such a small group to finance even the
smallest sort of beginning. But God had given the vision, so they took it to Him and set about the
task of working things out in the fear of God.
The old Cockrill School property was selected and negotiations were begun right away for the
purchase of this building and lots on 49th Avenue. For reasons not known at that time, it was
denied the group. Then one day the lots on the corner of 51st and Delaware Avenues were
spotted. The property was purchased from Mr. B. Levitan at a reasonable price of $800.00 and
on terms suitable for the group. The amount of $100.00 was paid down, the remainder broken up
into 28 notes of $25.00 each, which were paid off in record time by the following members of
the group and their friends:
Mr. & Mrs. Collis Stanfill
W. L. Shelby
J. O. Wallace
T. L. Robbins
D. H. Cowell
P. A. Goff
Charles Brewer
Glenn Wallace
Lucille Robbins
R. B. Boyd
Esther Turnbow
Belle Phillips
Judson Ivy
Mr. & Mrs. T. C. Wallace
J. W. Wallace.
About the same time these lots were secured, a new gospel tent was purchased by Brother
Wallace, set up and a revival meeting began the very next weekend. At this time, very few could
see out in the future. Actually the group consisted of Rev. J. W. Wallace, Collis Stanfill, C. H.
Phifer, T. W. Goolsby, A. L. Binkley and their families, Mrs. Leo Mitchell, Esther Turnbow, and

Daisy Turner. Although, during the first series of revival services God added others among who
were Earl Williams, George Hill and family, and A. B. Cripps and family. Courage was taken
when at the very beginning of this revival Brother I. A. Dugan and family joined the group. Later
during the summer Rev. Judson Ivy brought encouragement in a series of revival services.
The coming of winter presented a problem to the small group of Pentecostal saints, as the tent
must be forsaken. They finally secured a hall up on 51st and Illinois Avenues, which served as
adequate facilities for the next few weeks. During this time Rev. W. M. Greer, pastor of the
Bemis Church, held a successful meeting and others joined the little band. They were a
welcomed group because plans were in process for the erecting of a building during the next
summer. It was at this time T. L. Robbins, J. P. Foster and their families joined the group. These
were to be followed in the spring by Mrs. Gladys Robinson and family, Perry Shelby's family,
Mrs. Bula Forrest and Mrs. Cox.
The tent was again set up as soon as spring weather permitted, but this time it was placed back
from the corner allowing room for construction work to begin on the new building. This was
during the spring of 1942, when war conditions had tightened the material supplies. Government
control on construction made it extremely difficult to obtain even a small amount of building
materials. People said, "Brother Wallace, there's no chance of getting the required materials until
war constrictions have eased, somewhat." Evidently God had given the forward signal, because
Brother Wallace and his small group never gave up. It meant being turned down by not a few
people as he went from office to office, talking with government representatives and supply
sources. Finally, some of the materials were promised. Plans were completed, contracts let and
construction began with a little material and some faith.

In the meantime, Rev. A. D. Gurley, District Superintendent for the Pentecostal Churches of this
district, came for a tent revival meeting. It was during this series of services that the little group
of saints were officially organized and the West Nashville Pentecostal Church was set in order,
with thirty-two charter members. The vision began to take definite form, as faith had begun to
bring forth results. A strong cord of love was evident among the group, because they worked
together, giving liberally of their means and toiling continually for the saving of the sinner.
September 1942, the gospel tent was taken down, and they moved into the nice stone basement
building, although, it was not complete in every respect. During the weeks to come, it was
completed at a cost of about $4,000, with an auditorium nicely seated and four Sunday School
rooms.
The Lord was indeed gracious and added to the number many faithful believers during the next
months before the main building could be constructed. Several of the best Pentecostal preachers
obtainable came for revivals, causing many to turn to the Lord and a like number filled with the
Holy Ghost. Courage and faith rose high even during the war years, and the basement building
was paid off in record time. Plans were set forth for the completion of the building at such time
as war conditions permitted.
Church family -1948 Names are written on photo

So, in the summer of 1946, builders again began activity around the corner of 51st and Delaware
Avenues. The vision moved Brother Wallace and the little church group to action again. Two
new classrooms were added to the basement at a cost of $1,500. Due to government restrictions
other plans bad to be delayed.
Yet, the vision did not fade, rather it became intensified by the blessings of God evident in the
services from time to time. The spring of 1947 came with plans all set for construction to begin
on a $20,000 auditorium. The contract was soon let to R. T. Smith and Company, who labored
much in trying to keep the rising cost of materials from taking its tragic toll on the limited
building funds. Construction was slowed by one thing and then another until weeks past time for
completion, the building was far from being ready. Through these months of waiting and
disappointments, Brother Wallace and the church officials spent hours after hours over problems,
difficulties never expected, still something urged them on until today here stands on the corner of
51st and Delaware Avenues a Soul-Saving Station.
While the church was being built, the Ladies' Auxiliary raised $2800 and bought a piano and
Hammond Organ and had them ready to be placed in the new auditorium. This Hammond Organ
was the first of its kind to be in a Pentecostal Church in Tennessee.
When questioned about the cost of the building and the debt incurred for such a small
congregation, Brother Wallace replied, "God will supply those needs and more too if we stay
faithful and obey that call placed upon our hearts. We have many friends and well-wishers all
around us here who will be glad to help us in paying for the building. Then, we are looking forward
to seeing them blessed by our humble efforts."
West Nashville UPC (designed by J. W. Wallace)

First UPC Orchestra - 1948
Standing: Colin Dugan, L.H. Hardwick, Jane Hardwick, Nadine Goolsby
Seated: Mildred Robbins, Helen Johnson, Jack Hill, Lucille Robbins, Faye Robbins, Jean Shelby,
Lunelle Shelby, Violet Goolsby, Elizabeth Flowers, Montelle Carson
At piano: Vadean Robbins
The auditorium was completed and officially dedicated on Sunday, February 29, 1948. Rev. A.
D. Gurley, of Corinth, Mississippi preached the dedication sermon.
Rev. M. H. Hansford, of Laurel, Mississippi (now of Memphis, Tennessee) began the first
revival in the main auditorium on February 29, 1948. The Sullivan Family of Nashville assisted
with old fashion singing. Many hearts were blessed and much encouragement was given to the
church.
The spirit and blessings of God continued to bless His people. A very successful revival was
conducted in 1950 by Rev. C. M. Becton, (now pastor of the church). People found God in this
revival who are still active in the church today.
In 1951, the Lord dealt with Brother Wallace about going to Oak Ridge to start a church there. In
October of that year he was found there nearly every weekend. He gave part of his salary with

what the church added to support an assistant pastor. Brother M. B. Ellis was this assistant pastor
and worked faithfully with the church while Brother Wallace spent hours on the road going back
and forth. The little group in Oak Ridge, under his leadership, raised the money and purchased
the lot where the Oak Ridge church now stands. Brother Ellis was elected as assistant pastor in
1952.
Rev. J. W. Wallace requested another leave of one year from the church as pastor and served as
pastor of the Sullivan Street Pentecostal Church in Jackson, Tennessee for one year. Rev. J. 0.
Wallace, Co-pastor of the church assumed full pastoral duties until Brother J. W. Wallace
returned to the West Nashville Church.
Brother J. W. Wallace again assumed pastoral duties of the church and served until his
resignation in June 1956. This resignation was due to his physical condition. He stated in his
resignation, ". . . Due to an evident declining strength and at my age I am not physically able to
carry on the proper pastoral duties of the church, I hereby submit to you my resignation as pastor
of the West Nashville Pentecostal Church." "In doing this, I am not less interested in the progress
of the church only that I am not physically able to do what needs to be done in the Gospel work
at the local church."
Many new people were attracted to the church and was an encouragement to those that served
faithfully through the most sacrificial and trying times. A regular weekly radio broadcast was
begun and proved a blessing. This program is still continuing to spread the good news of the
name of Jesus and the experience of the Holy Ghost.
Brother and Sister Benson served as pastor for four years. These years were fruitful ones. God
blessed with a harvest of souls. They resigned the church and built a lovely monument to the
cause of Christ in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. God's work continues to enlarge in these days.
The church purchased a lovely parsonage in 1960. Upon doing this marks of progress were seen.
Rev. C. M. Becton, of Little Rock, Arkansas was elected as pastor in September 1960. Brother
and Sister Becton have proved a blessing to the church. Since both are talented musicians, much
is added to worship of God on the lovely piano and organ that beautified the building.
Again the church experienced a remarkable growth in attendance and favour with God. Some
very unusual services have been experienced and enjoyed. This was a result of the prayers,
fasting and wrestling with God.
The growth was so remarkable that additional space was needed to house the Sunday School. In
April 1961, a new annex to the church was approved. This consisted of five Sunday School
classrooms, a kitchen and a small auditorium at a cost of $6,253, contracted to G. W. Brown (a
man in the church).
It became necessary for the church to consider a new location. A new interstate highway will
soon flow where the blessings of God hove flowed for the past twenty-one years. After much
prayer and depending upon God a new location was purchased. This being at 51 st Avenue and
Wyoming Avenue, seven blocks south of the original location. The Ladies Auxiliary of the
church purchased a new Grand Piano in November 1961 for the new church which is to be
constructed. This piano adds much to the services. On April 18, 1962, plans for the new church
were presented to the membership and accepted.

Many successful revivals were conducted in the church. One outstanding revival was in 1961
with Brother and Sister Mervyn Miller as evangelists. There were 50 filled with the Holy Ghost.
Many others were saved and baptized in the name of Jesus. This revival lasted for five weeks.
During the past months several ministers have visited our church to renew old memories.
Among those were Rev. W. M. Greer, Rev. M. H. Hansford, and Rev. J. O. Wallace. Others will
visit us in the months to come.
The last revival before the printing of this book was conducted by Rev. W. E. Raines. Several
repented, were baptized in Jesus name and received the Holy Ghost.
W. M. Greer, ????, E. E. McNatt, J. W. Wallace
This church has been missionary minded. Several churches have received support in a large
measure in becoming established. Among those are Goodlettsville, Woodbine, Oak Ridge,
Murfreesboro and Lawrenceburg.
Viola Stanfill’s memories of J. W. Wallace in the book, ‘Viewing the Past”
Some few weeks before Brother Wallace came to Nashville we saw him and I said, “Why don’t
you come to Nashville, we need a church badly. He said he was very much concerned about the
need and was praying earnestly that God would send someone to Nashville… I will never forget
the afternoon I looked out my front window and saw Bro. Wallace coming up the walk – only a
few short weeks after he had told me he was praying for God to send someone. He came and
said he had come to build a church with the Lord’s help. He told how he was praying for the
Lord to send someone and God spoke to him to go. God knew the labor and sacrifice it would
take and He knew Bro. Wallace was the man to do the job. We started having cottage prayer
meetings. God made a way for us to buy these lots, get a tent and start having service.

Helen Hallums spoke of the following memories at a March, 2007 visit:
About 1946, she was invited to a revival in the basement church at 51 st & Delaware. There she
gave her heart to God. Bro. Wallace was her pastor until he retired in 1956. She remembers him
as a loving shepherd, who cared for his flock. When her daughter had surgery, he visited and
prayed with the family. He led by example. He walked door to door inviting people to Sunday
School. The messages he delivered were of a teaching style. His explanations of the scripture
were simple and easy to understand. When I wanted to go to Summer Camp Meeting, he made
arrangements for me. He was a righteous leader with a humble spirit.
Rev. L. H. Benson’s comments about J. W. Wallace taken from ‘Viewing the Past’
It was in the year of 1941 that I first visited the West Nashville Pentecostal Church. At that time
services were being held in a mission on 51 st Avenue North. I met Brother J. W. Wallace, the
founder, in the mid 30’s while he was serving as assistant pastor of the Bemis Church. Our
friendship grew through the years and I knew of his burden for souls, and his desire to pioneer a
new work.
In 1941, Brother Wallace moved to Nashville and soon afterwards opened the mission on 51 st .
Through the years that followed, I was privileged to visit the West Nashville Church in special
services, conventions, etc. I watched the dream and vision of Brother Wallace come true.
In the mid 50’s, Brother Wallace mentioned to me that it was his desire that I be his successor as
pastor of the West Nashville Church. Due to his declining health he felt that he would not be
able to continue on as pastor. At that time I was in a building program in Oak Ridge and did not
think of the matter seriously. But in 1956, after ill health had forced Brother Wallace to resign, I
was contacted by the church board and they expressed their desire for me to accept the pastorate
of the church. I agreed for them to bring my name before the church, and I was elected. On
August 1, 1956, I assumed my duties as pastor…..
One of the high points of those four years was the day we paid off the indebtedness of the
church. It climaxed with a note burning service. It was fitting that Brother Wallace should burn
the note. He had prayed to live to see the fruit of his labor paid for in full…

Note Burning Service Announcement – 2/16/1957

Rev. C. M. Becton’s comments about J. W. Wallace taken from ‘Viewing the Past”
Little did I realize when I first came to Nashville in May of 1946, that some day I would return
to pastor the church. Then I was only a musician, traveling with an evangelist, assisting with the
music and speaking in children and youth services. Nashville was the starting point, this was my
first revival to assist in. Prior to this I was interested in other fields for my musical talent, but
God moved me in this direction, for which I am very thankful. The years have seemed to dull our
memories and it is hard to recall all that happened during that revival, but I will never forget the
pastor, Bro. J. W. Wallace and the impression that he made on my life in the beginning of my
ministry. His vision and compassion for the lost and the wonderful work he was doing in this
area will never be forgotten.
During the twenty or more years of the existence of this church, it has only known four pastors.
It was in September of 1960 that I became the fourth one. I feel I must express my appreciation
to those whom I have succeeded: Bro. J. W. Wallace, Bro. J. O. Wallace, and Bro. L. H. Benson.
May the Lord bless the work that was done by each of them and ever live on.
Many thrilling experiences have been ours to enjoy since coming to Nashville. We have lost
count of the many that have found the Lord, repenting of their sins, being baptized in the Name
of the Lord Jesus and filled with the Holy Ghost. The many moves of God in our midst have
been too great to put in mere words. And now, we look forward to the future, we must leave this
building and this location because of the coming expressway. We will leave with many
memories and of course saddened hearts but still, we look to a glorious, bright future.
Though we move into a new building, let us keep the old faith, the old-fashioned victory, not
being overwhelmed with architectural design, but let us stand in awe of the mighty presence of
our God, remembering that, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it:
Psalm 127:1
I.A. Dugan’s memories about J. W. Wallace in the book, ‘Viewing the Past”
My first knowledge of the grounds now occupied by the church dates back to 1925. At that time,
it was used as a horse lot and wagon yard by the C. H. King Transfer Company. Later the
grounds were used as a city dump filled with ashes, tin cans and general rubbish, a very
unsightly eye sore.
In 1941 our city was blessed by the coming of a man of vision, the Rev. J. W. Wallace, who
could look on this unclean weed patch and see a beautiful church erected to the glory of God and
for the salvation of the lost.
We started working under Brother Wallace a few months after his arrival in town. We first
worshipped under a gospel tent on the back of the lot where God met with us in a wonderful
way. During the winter of 1941-42 we rented the building now occupied by the Singleton Shoe
Company on the corner of 51st and Illinois Avenues. One of my most vivid memories of this
winter is a wonderful revival preached by Rev. W. M. Greer in which the saints were blessed and
encouraged. At the close of the revival, Brother Greer turned all his offerings back into the
church treasury. I am glad to say that the Bemis church was a great blessing to us in the early
struggles to get the church established.

When spring arrived in 1942, we moved back to the tent on the church lot and God's blessing
continued to rain on us. Rev. A. D. Gurley came in June and preached a wonderful revival. Many
of our young people were converted in this revival and have grown up now and are workers in
the church. For this we are very thankful. It was in this revival that our tent was blown down and
all we had left was enough to cover the piano
At the close of Brother Gurley's revival, he set the church in order with 32 charter members,
many of which are still active in the local church. The trustees were Rev. J. W. Wallace, C. 0.
Stanfill, and C. H. Phifer. The board members were George Hill, T. L. Robbins and I. A. Dugan.
The Choir Director was I. A. Dugan. The Sunday School Superintendent was I. A. Dugan and
Sunday School Secretary was Lucille Robbins Dorris. The church treasurer was Lunelle Shelby.
Later, under the guidance of Brother Wallace and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we under
took the building of the basement of the church in which there were many struggles. However,
the blessings of the Lord far outweighed the hardships. When it seemed that our boat was about
to capsize, Brother Wallace would encourage us and we would enter the fight again. We stayed
in the basement during the war years due to shortage of building supplies but the church
continued to grow under the able leadership of Brother Wallace.
Just a passing thought of the basement days, one night a young couple from Los Angeles came to
the service to get married. Our stove pipe stopped up and filled the basement with smoke. Quite
a few tears were shed at that wedding. Another incident in the basement during Sister Berthal
Crossno's revival, we had a flood during her sermon and water filled the aisles. Everyone had to
leave by the back door. That service was over. One night during the war we had a blackout but
we didn't let that hinder the service. It went right on as usual.
God greatly blessed us in the basement, many were filled with the Holy Ghost and some received
their call into the ministry. There were special prayer meetings for our boys in service and the
Lord kept every one of them.
Even though God was blessing in the basement, the church must move on. It came time to build
the auditorium as soon as we could secure building materials. In 1947, the auditorium was
completed and our first revival was preached by Brother M. H. Hansford. We had a great revival,
the spirit moving in a special way. We thank God for all the great men and women who have
blessed us through the years.
Louise Dugan’s memories as of 3/6/2007 (she is 98 years of age)
When the West Nashville Pentecostal Church started back in the 1940’s, Reverend A. D. Gurley
preached us a revival. Several of the young people got saved and were baptised, including the
Dugan boys, Carl, Arnold Jr. and Collin along with Mildred, Vadean and Orvil Robbins. The
young people were baptised by Reverend J. W. Wallace in the Cumberland River one cold night
in May at Cleese Ferry. The ferry boat captain moved the boat out into the river and turned on
his spotlight so Brother Wallace could see where he was going. Brother Gurley expressed
concern about Brother Wallace getting out over his head in the river.
After the baptism, the cold young people, shivering in their wet clothes, were invited by a family
nearby to come into their home to dry off and change clothes. I am sure they left the house in a
mess. When I get to heaven, I want to thank those kind folks for their kindness.

Rev. Arnold Dugan’s memories about J. W. Wallace in the book, ‘Viewing the Past”
Our first service in Nashville was in a small tent on a large un-kept lot that had recently been a
city dump. J. W. Wallace and family had recently moved to Nashville to build a church. He had
first held some prayer meetings. We had small attendance and many times no music because no
one could play the piano. During Brother Gurley’s revival in June, 1942, many of us were
baptised after service at the ferry landing on the Cumberland River. It was cold in the river late
at night. Brother Wallace always showed wisdom in working with us young people.
After attending the Pentecostal Bible School and getting married, I started preaching. It was at
this phase of my life that I began to appreciate the wonderful teachings of Brother Wallace.
J. W. Wallaces at Church office porch
Lillian Buquo’s memories of J. W. Wallace in the book, ‘Viewing the Past”
I first attended the West Nashville UPC in my mid-teens. During the revival with Brother C. M.
Becton and Rexie Wilcox, God so dealt with my heart that I repented and was later baptized by
Brother J. W. Wallace.

A year after the revival I married and went to the church of my husband’s faith. About two years
later I realized that I had received too much at the West Nashville Church and wasn’t satisfied
with the church I was attending.
I so desired a deeper experience with the Lord that I prayer that when I received the Holy Ghost
that he would let me speak in tongues until I was satisfied. During the revival with Brother Pitts
Graves, I had been going to the altar night after night. One night almost everyone had gone
home, I thought I would get up and go home too. I tried to get up and couldn’t, so I decided I
would pray a little longer. I began to speak in tongues. When I Finally got up, Brother Wallace
asked me to testify. I began to speak in tongues again. I was still speaking in tongues when I
left the church and had to be carried home by friends….
Recently, Lillian sent me this memory: The Summer Camp Meeting was coming soon. She
wanted to attend but did not have the money. Somehow, Bro. Wallace found out and gave her
money enough for she and her daughter to attend.
Helen Binkley Kennedy writes these memories of J. W. Wallace
As a child I remember Brother Wallace as a soft spoken, gentle man. He was deeply respected
by my parents. My father gave $25 on the first church property purchase in 1941. My mother
relates his leadership style: several of the young girls were playing with me at church when I was
a baby. Brother Wallace asked them to return me to mother for fear I would be hurt. The gentle
caring manner of his request was respected by the youth.
I remember many wonderful revivals in the small basement church and later in the new
auditorium. Many new people joined the church during these revivals. Brother Wallace was
supportive of my parent’s move to help a new church. Yet, he welcomed us back home when we
returned to the West Nashville Church. I am thankful for his dedication and love for the
Nashville church.
A.L. Binkley family with J. W. Wallaces on porch of Binkley home

John Kennedy relates memories of the Oak Ridge Church beginning
During World War II, Oak Ridge was highly secure because of involvement in the nuclear
weapons development. My parents along with other Pentecostal believers in Oak Ridge, had
been praying for God to send us a minister. Brother Wallace came to Oak Ridge to meet with
the group, but did not have directions nor security clearance. He went to the Oak Ridge Police
department for help. Somehow, he convinced them to give him clearance and directions to my
parent’s home. For over a year, he drove from Nashville to Oak Ridge to meet with us in our
homes and at a local meeting hall. He helped the group purchase property on the city’s main
turnpike. Brother Benson came later and helped the group build a church and parsonage.
I remember Brother Wallace as a kind gentleman, who was deeply respected by my parents. He
would tell how God would protect him on the long drives to and from Nashville. Often he would
so sleepy that he would ask hitch hikers to drive.
Memories of Wallaces by Marie Yarbrough, UPC co-worker of J. O. Wallace
J.0. Wallace - great friend, colleague and innovator: It was a drastic change for me to leave good
old New York and come to St. Louis to work in the Publishing House. My employment in N.Y.
was excellent, however I felt it would be pleasing to the Lord to render my services in the
Publishing House. It was here that I met and worked with a wonderful manager named J.O.
Wallace. His creative ideas for change were very successful and productive to the advancement
of the organization. His friendship was the cause of my very first visit to the 'Tennessee
Campground where I was invited to stay in the Wallace family cabin. My companion was his
sister, Bonnie. Her dad would wake us up in the morning by throwing biscuits over the wall and
then serving us a full southern breakfast. What a treat. Lots of fun.
J.W Wallace camp cabin

Jane Hardwick Young and Alton Young relate these memories of J. W. Wallace
The first memories of J. W. Wallace were as quest speaker at the Finley TN Pentecostal Church
where the Hardwick family attended. The church did not have a pastor. Local ministers from
Jackson, Memphis, etc. would speak. These ministers would frequently stay in the Hardwick
home. Later the Hardwick family moved to Nashville and attended the church with J. W.
Wallace as the pastor. They remember picnics with other church youth in the yard of J. W.
Wallace on Robertson Road. Alton remembers laying the footing to the church basement
building at 51 st and Delaware Ave. The church youth were very good friends and would
frequently take the city bus to Centennial Park on Sunday afternoons.
The leadership of J. W. Wallace can best be described as gentle and kind. His messages were
sincere and forceful but not demeaning. Alton served as the church Treasurer and Board
Member for several years. J. W. Wallace was always well dressed. Since Alton was in the shoe
business, J. W. Wallace frequently purchased shoes from him. The purchase of a Douglas
kangaroo leather dress shoe, size 10 1/2 D was purchased for $4. Alton shared a love for
gardening with J. W. Wallace. He still has flowering bulbs J. W. gave him.
J. W. Wallace as Chairman of the Pentecostal Bible Institute Board – 1950
E.E. McNatt, L.H. Benson, O.J. Whitten, W.M. Greer, J.W. Wallace
M.H. Hansford, C.D. Soper, Buford Miller, J.L. Patton

Tennessee District Board of UPC - 1953

West Nashville UPC news paper - 1948

Woodbine UPC started by J. O. Wallace
L. H. Hardwick remembers J. W. Wallace (written by Jim Wallace after discussion with
L.H. Hardwick on 4/2/07)
The first memories of J. W. Wallace were as quest speaker at the Finley TN Pentecostal Church
where the Hardwick family attended. The church did not have a pastor. Local ministers from
Jackson, Memphis, etc. would speak. These ministers would frequently stay in the Hardwick
home. J. W. Wallace was loved and admired by the Hardwicks. J. O. Wallace, the son of J. W.
Wallace came with his father sometimes. Mary Hardwick began dating J. O. Wallace. They
were married in July of 1942. L. H. Hardwick was a 10 year old boy as this time.
The Hardwick family moved to Nashville in 1943 and attended the West Nashville Pentecostal
Church which J. W. Wallace founded. The youth of the Nashville Church frequently went with
Pastor Wallace to church functions. There are many fond memories of riding in the 1941 Chevy
with Pastor Wallace. He always kept the group laughing and having fun. The youth knew
Pastor Wallace loved and understood them. He took time to listen to their concerns, always
gently guiding them, never legislating or condemning them. Pastor Wallace allowed the youth to
dress stylish but modest. He did not harass them for every deviation from the church dress code.
L.H. desired to play on the high school sports teams, but this practice was frowned on by the
Pentecostal Church. His mother suggested the high school band program as an alternative,
saying Pastor Wallace will approve this. L. H. joined the band and became drum major of the
band. This experience was used in the church orchestra. Many of the youth developed their
music in the church orchestra. Memories as a youth in the Nashville church are fond memories.

Many life long friendships were formed with the Dugan boys, the Robbins and Carson sons and
daughters. L.H. married Montelle Carson from the church.
Pastor Wallace was a gentle leader, willing to do more than asked of any members. His
messages were conversation like. His Godly love and devotion permeated each service. He lead
by example. Often he taught in casual conversations with the youth and members. Church
members deeply loved and respected him. Church functions were punctuate by his humor and
practical jokes. He constantly focused on reaching out to the surrounding communities. Many
youth were encouraged to go to these communities to assist small church groups. He was not
focused on building one large Nashville Church, but many community churches.
When L. H. decided to attend ministerial college and work with the new Woodbine Church in
South Nashville, Pastor Wallace was very supportive. L. H. was comfortable going to him for
advice and counsel. He counselled L. H. to maintain honourable business relationships. If you
ever need financial assistance, go to the banker and talk to him about your need. Pastor Wallace
introduced his local banker and discussed church/business relationships. When one of the main
members (the Treasurer, song leader, teacher) of the Woodbine church left, L. H. went to Pastor
Wallace to seek help in this situation. L. H. was the mature age of eighteen! This member
expressed the need for experienced spiritual leadership. The wise counsel, solid support and
challenge of Pastor Wallace will never be forgotten.
As the Woodbine church out grew the original facilities, L. H. went to Pastor Wallace, the
church builder, for advice. The wise guidance helped direct this search and many subsequent
church facility decisions.
As the ministry of L. H. Hardwick developed, offers for ministry from other churches were
received. Again the advice and counsel of Pastor Wallace was there for him. Pastor Hardwick
began to receive the love and respect of the Woodbine church members as Pastor Wallace
received from the Nashville church.
In reflection on the ministerial relationship of Pastor Wallace, gentle, kind, loving, Godly
adjectives are appropriate. The Tennessee District Superintendent, W. M. Greer, was a very
good friend of Pastor Wallace. A. D. Gurley, the mentor of Pastor Wallace, said he was the most
honourable man of his acquaintance. These ministers frequented the Nashville church and were
very close friends to Pastor Wallace. Much of my development is due to these wonderful
mentors. God has truly blessed me.

Letter from J. W. Wallace to L. H. Hardwick upon completion of Church Building

Bill Hughes wrote the following memories of J. W. Wallace on 3/14/07
The first time I met J. W. Wallace, I was dating Ruby Young about April, 1949. She attended
the West Nashville UPC and invited me to attend with her on our second date. After service,
Ruby introduced me to Bro. Wallace. We hit it off real well. I liked him immediately and felt he
liked me. I kept coming back with Ruby to the church. The more I was around Bro. Wallace,
the more I liked him. I have never in my life met a kinder human being! His whole mannerism
was that of a true christian and a perfect example of what all Christians should be.
Four and a half months later, Bro. Wallace married Ruby and I in the little Pentecostal Church
that one stood at the corner of 51 st and Delaware in West Nashville.
I remember after service one Sunday, he and I were standing just inside the main entrance
talking. Most of the people had already left. The conversation was about baptism. I was a
Baptist from birth and at the age of 14, I was baptized the trinity way: in the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Well Bro. Wallace wanted to baptize me the Pentecostal
way: in the name of Jesus. In a half-hearted way and kidding with him, I said, “now Bro.
Wallace, I have already been dunked once and I just don’t see any reason to do it again”. He
looked at me with the kindest smile and the kindest voice said, “Bill, there is a difference and I
just want to baptize you the right way. Suppose I write you a check and I put Father in the space
where it says: Pay to the order of. The teller would probably laugh and certainly would not cash
the check. The same would be true if I used Son or Holy Ghost. You see, we can all be fathers,
sons and we are spirits. These are only titles. But if I used Jesus, the teller would cash the check
in a minute.” Well I had never heard baptism explained to me in such a simple way and it did
make a lot of sense to me. I agreed to be baptized. He gave me a big hug and we set the date.
Bro. Wallace stands high on my list of great men and certainly is one of my heroes.
Hughes Wedding of August 7, 1949
L. H. Hardwick, Tom Hughes, Alton Young, Jane Young, Ruby Young, J. W. Wallace,
Bill Hughes, Jackie Owen, Ted Black

The following article appeared in the above issue of the Tennessee Voice

One of the most restful scenes of the Tennessee District Camp Ground is that of Rev. and Mrs. J.
W. Wallace relaxed on the front porch of their cottage home enjoying a breeze while trees
whisper and flowers nod their colorful heads - natures way blending itself with two sweet lives
that have been lived. Those who know them cannot envy their rest. Theirs has been a life of
service and dedication.
In the year of 1941, Brother Wallace went to Nashville in an effort to establish something for the
glory of God. He began with prayer meeting in homes scattered about the city. That year a tent
and lots were purchased by faith. The following year a basement building was erected to house a
few faithful saints. Then came world war two with scarcity of materials and inflationary prices,
but in spite of all the odds which seemed so heavily against him, he continued to go forward in
the of the Lord.
In 1948, a beautiful church building was dedicated unto God. It stands as beautifully as ever on
the corner of 51st and Delaware Avenues as a monument to the courage, faith and untiring
efforts of Brother and Sister Wallace.
However, Brother Wallace was not content with his success alone there. During his sixteen
years in Nashville, he was able to assist and encourage the building of three other congregations:
Goodlettsville, Woodbine, Oak Ridge, which today are thriving churches in the Tennessee
District.
Brother and Sister Wallace came to grace the Camp Ground with their presence in the year of
1956, and to be at home in retirement from the joyous task of pastoring. He resigned his work in
Nashville due to ill health.
May God grant them many quiet evenings of soft breeze and many nights of restful sleep. They
are very deserving.
Other references to the ministry of Rev. J. W. Wallace:
http://www.firstchurchnashville.net/about/index.html
First Church was founded by Pastor J. W. Wallace with tenure of 15
years. Due to physical conditions, he resigned in 1956. Rev. L. H.
Benson was then elected to succeed him. He served as Pastor for four
years. These years were fruitful ones. Rev. C. M. Becton of Little
Rock, Arkansas was elected as pastor in September 1960. Again the
Church experienced remarkable growth. In 1968, C. M. Becton left to
serve as Secretary of the United Pentecostal Church International in
St. Louis, Mo. During these intervening years, Ron Newstrand, Brian
Welburn and James Boutwell served as pastors. Rev. C.M. Becton
returned as Pastor in 1976 until 1982. After serving here as youth pastor for 6 years, Rev. Ron
Becton was elected pastor in 1982. It has been during his pastorate that the expansion of the
facility at 5100 Wyoming was completed and the present location at 7512 Charlotte Pike also
completed. Rev. Michael Rickenbaker also has served full-time as assistant to the pastor since
1986 to present.

http://gpcministries.net/visitor.htm
In 1944, Elder J.W. Wallace began holding prayer meetings in Goodlettsville. Bro. Wallace and
the West Nashville Pentecostal Church, which he pastored, assisted in the purchase of the first
church building on the corner of Church and Depot Streets.
His son, Bro. J.O. Wallace, became the minister of this newly formed work. He continued for
some months.
http://www.christchurchnashville.org/ourhistory.htm
J. O. Wallace and his wife, Mary, organized a small congregation on the south side of Nashville
in the Woodbine community. Mary’s brother, 17-year old Lawson H. Hardwick Jr., who had
enrolled in Freewill Baptist Bible College, volunteered to help. The new church was established
under the direction of J. O.’s father J. W. Wallace, pastor of the West Nashville Pentecostal
Church.
http://tnyesterday.com/yesterday_henderson/pentedar.html
The Pentecostal message may be said to begin in late Feb. of 1912 in the Western part of the
State of Tennessee upon the arrival of Rev. H.G. Rodgers and his family in Jackson, Tenn. He at
that time was a member of the Assemblies of God. In 1913, a lot was bought and erected in
1914. This Church was to become the "Mother" Oneness Church of that area.
Later on in the year 1915, Rev. B.H. Hite left Middle Tenn. area where he had three years earlier
received the Holy Ghost. While in Nashville, Tenn. he worked in the Leather Shop at the
Tennessee State Prison, and came to Bemis and put up a tent on what is now Bemis Lane on the
North side of the Street. This was the beginning of the Church at Bemis, Tenn. He was Pastor of
this church for some two years. From this background the Pentecostal "Oneness" message spread
to other towns. Bro. Rodgers, Bro. Brickey, Bro. Hite, Bro. E.J. Douglas and Bro. A.D. Gurley
were the principal ministers during the early days of the "Oneness Pentecostal Message." Later
came such men with the gospel as: W. M. Greer, J. W. Wallace, A.G. Webb, Dorsey Jones, L. J.
Thompson, A. N. Graves, Pitts Graves, J.H. Austin and others.
http://www.camdenupc.com/upc-churchhistory.asp
Several tent meetings were held around the Camden area under the Auspices of the Flowers
Chapel Church and the leadership of the Pastor Bro. Goff. Some of the Evangelists for these
meetings were Bro. J.C. Brickey, Bro. A.D. Gurley, Bro. J.W. Wallace and Bro. W.M. Greer.
All these men were a great blessing to the work in Benton County.

J.W. Wallace Memorial Plaque in West Nashville UPC

Childhood photos of J. W. Wallace
The following two photos were found in the Decatur County history book History of Decatur
County Tennessee by Lillye Yonger http://www.tngennet.org/records/decatur/younger
Photo dates about 1900 - all J. W. Wallace family are in photo

Photo dates about 1900 – all the J. W. Wallace siblings are in photo
Corinth Methodist Church
(written by Blanche Tuten)
The Corinth Methodist Church, which is located between Scotts Hill and Saltillo, dates as far
back as the early 1830’s. It first came into existence after my great, great, great grandmother,
Mary Dougherty Creasy with her four sons, Stephen, John, Jeremiah and Ambros Ranson and
two daughters, Judy and Polly, traveled in a covered wagon from Goose Creek, Virginia to
Decatur County about the year 1830. They were believed to be the first settlers in the Thurman
community; therefore, more than likely they founded the church. Corinth Church was a circuit
church with services being held every first and third Sundays. Most of the families that attend
Corinth are direct descendents of the first believed settlers of the Thurman Community. Some of
these families that help give their time and effort to keep Corinth Church strong are Pafford
Thomison and her children, Genie Mapul Wyatt, Oneava Mitchell, Faye McBride, the Tommy
Wyatt family, Betty Kincannon Montgomery and family, Maggie Kincannon, the Gilbert Wyatt
family, the Charles D. Creasy family and others.
Wallace’s listed as early settlers of Beacon Community in Decatur County
This town, according to Mrs. Younger, was first known as Moray. When the Tennessee Midland
Railroad Company line came through Decatur County, the town's name was changed to Beacon.
Early settlers included Chumneys, Wallaces, Longs, Hayes, McCormicks, Douglas, O'Guinns,
Keens, and Myracles.

Cars like J. W. Wallace drove:
1924 Ford Model T like J.O. Wallace mentions in email memoirs
1931 Overland Willis like J.O. Wallace mentions in the book Moving On

1941 Chevrolet pictured in front of one of Nashville homes
1949 Packard like J. W. Wallace owned (see inside cover photo)

1953 Packard like J. W. Wallace owned
1956 Ford Town Sedan (his last car)

Heritage of J. W. Wallace
J. O. Wallace often said his father claimed a Scotch-Irish heritage.
Scots-Irish in Colonial America
By Kyle J. Betit
http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/magazine/articles/iha_scotsus1.htm
This article focuses on sources and techniques in American records for tracing Scots-Irish
immigrants who came to colonial America. Many thousands of Scots-Irish immigrants came
prior to 1776, with large-scale immigration beginning in 1718. Immigration to America was at a
standstill during the American Revolution (1775-1783), but following the Revolution many
Scots-Irish continued to come to the United States. However, this article focuses on the pre-1776
immigrants.
For the purposes of this article, the term "Scots-Irish" refers to settlers who were born in or
resided in Ireland but whose earlier origins (whether personal or ancestral) were in Scotland.
They have also been called "Scotch-Irish," "Ulster Scots," and "Irish Presbyterians."
Scots-Irish immigrants came from the historic province of Ulster (in the north of Ireland).
Scottish settlers began to come in large numbers to Ulster in the early decades of the 1600s.
James I, the English monarch, sought to solidify control by transferring land ownership to
Protestants and by settling their lands with Protestant tenants (English and Scottish). Scottish
settlers continued to come to Ireland throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Scots-Irish immigrants settled in the American colonies from the 1600s. However, the first major
migration of Scots-Irish to America was a group that came with Rev. James McGregor from
County Londonderry to New England in 1718. They arrived at Boston, and many of them moved
to New Hampshire, establishing the town of Londonderry.
The majority of the Scots-Irish who came to America in the colonial period settled in
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas. Nonetheless, there was significant Scots-Irish
settlement in each of the thirteen American colonies.
Many of the earliest Scots-Irish immigrants (of the 1720s and 1730s) first settled in
Pennsylvania. Many then moved down from Pennsylvania into Virginia and the Carolinas. From
there immigrants and their descendants went on to populate the states of Georgia, Kentucky, and
Tennessee in the 1780s and 1790s.
There are a myriad of possible reasons for the immigration of so many of the Scots-Irish to
America in the 1700s. High rents and religious persecution have often been blamed. Most of the
Scots-Irish came freely to the American colonies, although there were also some who were
deported as prisoners or came as indentured servants. Others came with British Army regiments
and remained in the American colonies.
It is important to keep in mind that just because an ancestor came from Ireland to America
during the colonial period does not mean that he/she was necessarily Scots-Irish. Many
Anglicans, Catholics, and Quakers also came from Ireland during this time period. An ancestor

from Ireland can often be identified as Scots-Irish from: family tradition; the surname; the given
names in the family; association with other Scots-Irish; or identification as a Presbyterian.
The Scots-Irish largely came to colonial America in family groups, often such that members of
an extended family settled near one another in America, whether they immigrated together or
separately. Some Scots-Irish immigrants came to America as part of larger group or
congregational migrations, meaning that an entire group or congregation of Presbyterians
together moved from one locality in Ireland to one locality in America. It is thus very important
to trace persons that immigrated with a Scots-Irish ancestor or were associated with the ancestor
in America.
In some cases, the immigrating group was led by a minister. In such instances, the minister may
be traced back to the church he served in Ireland. Most of the immigrants who accompanied him
would be from the same area. However, a group or congregational migration may have drawn
from a larger area than just one town or parish in Ireland.
This is painting of Calvin Holley, father of Amanda Wallace. Amanda Wallace is mother
of J.W. Wallace. This picture was found in the home of Henry Holley by Jan Dorris Evans

The following Calvin Holley research was provided by Jan Dorris Evans
William and Calvin both were Privates in the 6 Tennessee Cavalry, Company D (this was a
Union unit). The records I have are very faded copies; they came from the National Archives in
Washington in 1980. They both joined October 24, 1862 at Bethel, TN for a period of 3 years.
Calvin was 23 and William was 30. Calvin was absent from company muster roll from Nov 13
to Dec 31, 1862 on detached service for special order no 72 to the Tennessee River. He was
present Jan - April, 1863 but was absent without leave May & June 1863. (This was a very
common occurrence...he could be at home planting crops, he could be on a special assignment,
or could have been separated from his unit on a battlefield or march. He could even have been
sick or injured.) He was present the rest of 1863, but listed as absent again Feb 24, 1864 in
Memphis. It appears he was present with his unit from March through the remainder of the war.
On the June/July company muster roll it is noted that Calvin lost his bayonet and bayonet
scabbard valued at $4.60 which would be deducted from his pay. He was on guard at the brigade
train in June, 1864. He was mustered out from Pulaski, TN on July 26, 1865 and last paid to
August 31, 1864. His clothing account was last settled on August 31, 1864 and he had
drawn $60.15 worth of clothing since then and was also due a $100 bounty (I don't know what
for). It appears he was allowed to retain his service revolver. He is listed as Calvin A. Holly,
C.A. Holly, or C.A. Hally. Here is a link to information on the 6th TN Cav:
http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/usacav/usa6cav.html
Just a tidbit from Calvin and William Holley's service papers. Calvin was 6' tall with dark
complexion, blue eyes and black hair; born Anson, NC. William was 6' 2", fair complexion, blue
eyes and light hair; also born Anson, NC. William may have been married, according to another
researcher, to Elizabeth J. Friendly with a couple of children. However, this same researcher has
confused "our" William with William J. Holley (ours is William S. Holley) so I need to do some
more research to straighten out the different Williams! The family went from Anson County,
NC (they were on the 1840 NC census) to Tishomingo County, MS (on MS 1845 census) before
Calvin came to the Decatur County, TN area. The older Absolem is shown living with his son?
Julius Holley on the 1850 Tishomingo, MS census. Old Absolem is 80 years old so he moved
from NC to MS when he was in his early 70s. Tough old bird, it seems to me!!!

J. W. Wallace family record

4
5
Name: Naomi Catherine Wallace
Born: April 14, 1919 in: Madison Co, TN
Died: July 19, 2003 in: Davidson Co. TN
Married: March 26, 1943 in: Madison Co. TN
Spouse: Hershel C. Singleton
Name: Vaughncile Wallace
Born: November 20, 1925 in: Madison Co, TN
Died: October 3, 1980 in: Henderson Co, TN
Married: August 5, 1954 in: Madison Co. TN
Spouse: L.A. Singleton
J. W. Wallace family record continued
Frank Wallace, father of J. W. Wallace, family record

James Wallace, grandfather of J. W. Wallace, family record

J. W. Wallace -1951