Henry Wallace was born in Ettagh, Offaly, in about 1823 to Richard and Mary Wallace, nee Druid. He had at least one sibling a brother, Robert, who was baptised in 1826.
On the 31st December 1847, Henry married Mary Ann Blackwell, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Backwell. The marriage took place in Tipperary. In that same year their first child, William, was born. By 1848 they had moved back to Offaly where Elizabeth was born sometime before April 1850.
According to the passenger list for the emigrant ship "Emigrant" Henry, Mary and their children, William and Elizabeth, are on board when it set sail from Plymouth on the 17th April, 1850, bound for Morton Bay (Queensland, Australia). On the 8th August the ship arrived at its destination but was not allowed to dock because of an outbreak of typhus on board. The captain was ordered to set sail for Stradbroke Island, an official quarantine station. The first case of typhus had been confirmed on the 12th May. Nineteen souls had perished by the time the ship reached Stradbroke Island. Before the epidemic could be brought under control the death count reached forty eight. (Morton Bay Courier, Monday 12th August 1851).
When the quarantine was lifted Henry, Mary and their two small children along with the other survivors were taken to Morton Bay. The family remained in that area for 15 months during which time their third child, Robert, was born. The family then relocated to Victoria. In 1857 Mary gave birth to Henry followed by Thomas, Sarah Jane 1859, Matilda 1861 and Rebecca 1863.
Henry Wallace died on the 16th August, 1876 aged 53 years. His wife Mary died in 1905 aged 78 years.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1823 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 1st Aug 1876 | |
