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

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.