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

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,