John Wallace came to Londonderry, New Hampshire, from Scotland in 1716. James Sr. was the fourteenth child of John, born at Ackwith, New Hampshire in 1775. James Sr. married Margaret Archibald, and with her they raised ten children, George Sr., Robert, Jane, John, Ann, Margaret, Nancy, Jonathan, James Jr., and William.

George Sr., the eldest son of James was born in 1776. George Sr. and his brother Robert, seemed to be endowed with a spirit of adventure. Perhaps, living in a free world, they desired to escape the rigid discipline of the early Colonial days. At any rate they made a break. They equipped themselves with a bag of provisions and an axe apiece, and started on their 600 mile trip on foot, to Youngstown.

In 1798 they reached their destination, and landed a job. They hired out to a man named Samuel Menough, to cut wood, at 12 1/8 cents per cord. They must have found time to cut two of Cupid’s arrows to pierce the hearts of Samuel’s two daughters. George Sr. married Harriett Menough and James married her sister.

In 1803 James Jr. was born to George and Harriet. Three other children, George Jr., Perkins, and Emeline increased their family. In 1806 George moved to Geagua, then to Cleveland. He purchased twelve acres of land on Superior, where the Rockefeller building now stands, and built a log cabin hotel. In 1814, wishing to escape the malaria atmosphere of Cleveland, he moved to Brandywine to develop the water-power of Brandywine Falls. He immediately built a sawmill and a distillery in 1816. John Menough, a relative, cared for the grist-mill and Allen Burris managed the distillery. As told by Perrin,” The distillery used some 12 bushels of grain daily, which turned out thirty or forty gallons of ‘Excellent Whiskey’”.

Doyle in his “Biography of Summit County,” states that an entry in Wallace’s day book records ten gallons of whiskey towards the minister’s support. “This good liquor was known as ‘Brandywine Currency’ “The distillery was abandoned around 1830.

Robert Wallace came here with his family in 1815. He built a log cabin. He also owned an interest in the sawmill and was the sawyer. This mill ran until about 1851. Mr. Wallace built a woolen factory near the mills in 1821. At the end of two years, the whole process of carding, spinning, weaving, and dressing was conducted on a large scale, which required the work of twelve to twenty men. At one time all these mills were in operation at once. In an apartment on the second floor of the grist-mill, George Wallace placed $1,000 worth of goods, and put his young son James in charge of it.

All these pursuits of Brandywine were the means of bringing several families to the little community.  It became such a thriving place that it is said to have rivaled Cleveland at that time, in industry, education and religion.  In 1822 Mr. Wallace succeeded in getting a post office at Brandywine, and he, himself, was commissioned Post Master. This was the first post office in Northfield Township.

In 1825, James, at fifteen years of age, with his brother George, took charge of the 1200 acre farm, on which were raised 2,000 to 2,500 sheep, 70 to 75 head of cattle, and 10 to 15 horses. George’s property fell to son James. Later, with his father, he built many miles of the Ohio Canal.

In 1843 a very unusual flood occurred, and swept away the factory, scattering the wreckage for miles along the banks of the river. It badly injured the grist-mill which was repaired and used again. The factory was never rebuilt. 

In 1844 Wallace and Wallace opened a store of $2,000 worth of goods which they carried for 10 or 12 years. The store is now used as part of the old Wallace Dwelling.

George Wallace, the father, was active until his death in 1846, at the age of 73 years. George left four children, James Waugh, George Young, Emeline, and Perkins.

In 1836 James married Adeline Hanchett. Their children were:

George
Hiram Hanchett
Mary, wife of Lorin Bliss
Warner W. a retired farmer
Joseph
Leonard C.  – Macedonia retired farmer
Margaret Stanhope, wife of H. R. P. Hamilton, architect.

The James Wallace family lived in Brandywine until 1870, then moved to Macedonia, at Maple Mound, on Hudson Road. James Wallace died in 1885 and Adeline Wallace in 1887.

Hiram Wallace, second son of James married Marianna Mearns. He remained at the home in Brandywine until 1867. In 1879 Hiram bought the Proctor farm, lot 64, and in 1885 he added to his farm the Boyd property, lot 65. In 1891 he completed his beautiful home in Northfield, on Boyden Road. (The Proctor farm was built in 1821).

Hiram Wallace’s children were:

Adeline Rebecca
Belle Mearns, who married Clark Dillow
Anne Waugh, who married Rev. W. T. Hammond of Northeast, Maryland
Margaret
George H. who married Emma Rudgers of Brecksville
Schuyler J.
Harvey Baldwin

Clark Dillow’s children were:

James Hiram
Elizabeth

Anne Waugh’s children were:

Rebecca
George, who had one daughter