William Stewart Wallace (23 June 1884 – 11 March 1970) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
,
librarian
A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users.
The role of the librarian has changed much over time, ...
, and
editor
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
. His historical reference works were considered "of inestimable value in Canadian studies."
Canadian professor of political economy
Harold Innis (1894–1952) was influenced by a maxim of the then
McMaster University professor Wallace, "that the economic interpretation of history is not the only interpretation but is the deepest interpretation."
__TOC__
Professional contributions
Wallace was educated at
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
(Master of Arts) universities, and taught history (1906 – 1920) at the universities of
Western Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It occupies most of the Ontario Peninsula bounded by Lake Huron, including Georgian Bay, to the north and northwest; the St. Clair River, Lake St. ...
,
McMaster and
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. In 1920 he became an assistant librarian, then in 1923, the librarian at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
until his retirement in 1954 with title Chief Librarian.
It is given Wallace in total wrote over thirty books and hundreds of articles.
The works were not without its critics.
Laura Secord is considered a heroine of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, a war between the United States of America and Great Britain in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
(1812 – 1814). Wallace's 1932 study downplayed the importance of her contributions in that war and resulted in great debate: of those contributions, the emerging
professional historian, and subsequent interpretive
gender bias by historians.
[In ''The Encyclopedia of the War of 1812'' as reviewed by Stickney, discusses Wallace's error and its occasional resurfacing in literature. Laura Secord's warning to the British resulted in an ambush of US military and their defeat at Beaver Dams on 24 June 1813. It was not until the 1960s that John Moir discovered two accounts from Lieutenant Fitzgibbon that proved Secord's claim of meeting prior to Fitzgibbon's Indian scouts being deployed and forewarning of the attack. This information was not found by Wallace in 1932. Source: Stickney (citation below).]
Wallace was the founder and first editor (1920 – 1930) of the ''
Canadian Historical Review'', editor (1923 – 1943), president (1943 – 1948), and honorary president (1963 – 1970) of the
Champlain Society, honorary editor (1937 – 1945) of the
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada (RSC; french: Société royale du Canada, SRC), also known as the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (French: ''Académies des arts, des lettres et des sciences du Canada''), is the senior national, bil ...
, and a long-standing member of the Bibliographical Society of Canada.
One of Wallace's long-term interests was the history of the famous
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...
and its partners, whose careers he investigated in minute detail. The "Biographical Dictionary of the Nor'Westers", published as part of his ''Documents Relating to the North West Company'' (1934), is full of evidence of the extensive correspondence he carried on with descendants of the partners, trying to locate new letters, journals and account books. Although articles in the
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
The ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography'' (''DCB''; french: Dictionnaire biographique du Canada) is a dictionary of biographical entries for individuals who have contributed to the history of Canada. The ''DCB'', which was initiated in 1959, is a ...
have expanded knowledge of some of the Company's partners, Wallace's work remains a fundamental source. One of his most important discoveries, near the end of his active career, was the correspondence of the Company's partner Æneas Cameron, then in the possession of descendants in Scotland and now at the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
Archives in Winnipeg. This collection of manuscripts was a key source for Elaine A. Mitchell's ''
Fort Temiskaming and the
Fur Trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
'' (1977, University of Toronto Press).
Writings
Wallace was the author or editor of many noted printed materials,
including:
* ''Review of historical publications relating to Canada'' (1908, Volume 12)
* ''The
United Empire Loyalist
United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...
s: A chronicle of the
Great Migration'' (1914)
* ''The
Family Compact: A chronicle of the Rebellion in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
'' (1915), Glasgow, Brook, Toronto, 172 pages, relating to the small group of men exercising political, economic and judicial power in pre-confederation Ontario
* ''The Patriotes of '37: a chronicle of the
Lower Canadian rebellion'' (1916), original written by Alfred D. Decelles (1843 – 1925), translated from French to English by Wallace
* ''The
Maseres letters, 1766 – 1768'' (1919), relating to the family of a judge and Attorney-General of the Province of Quebec
* ''By star and compass, tales of the explorers of Canada'' (1922)
* ''Sir
John Macdonald'' (1924), first prime minister of Canada and Father of Confederation
* ''The dictionary of Canadian biography'' (1926). Revised edition (1945), Macmillan Company of Canada, 2 volumes.
* ''A history of the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
1827-1927'' (1927), The University of Toronto Press
* ''The growth of Canadian national feeling'' (1927), Macmillan Company of Canada, 85 pages
* ''A history of the Canadian people'' (1930)
* ''
John Strachan
John Strachan (; 12 April 1778 – 1 November 1867) was a notable figure in Upper Canada and the first Anglican Bishop of Toronto. He is best known as a political bishop who held many government positions and promoted education from common sch ...
'' (1930), Toronto bishop (1778 – 1867) and founder of the University of King's College (the predecessor to the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
)
* ''With sword and trowel: Select documents illustrating 'A first book of Canadian history (1930)
* ''Murders and mysteries, a Canadian series'' (1931)
* ''The story of
Laura Secord: A study in historical evidence'' (1932)
*''The Memoirs of the Rt. Hon.
Sir George Foster,
P.C.,
G.C.M.G'' (1933)
* ''Documents relating to the North West Company" (1934) Champlain Society Vol. 22. A valuable source of materials for the history of Canada's famous fur trading company. It prints a number of original documents, plus an original "Historical Introduction" and "A Biographical Dictionary of the Nor' Westers".
* ''A reader in Canadian civics'' (1935). The 1944 edition of 186 pages was authorised by the Minister of Education for Ontario
[It was noted in Wright (2005, p.91) that Wallace had a 'lucrative relationship' with the Ontario Department of Education and it was suggested 'he was prepared to walk away from the truth as he understood it to preserve' that relationship. As such, he submitted two books reviewed and subsequently approved for use in Ontario schools. Source: Wright (citation below).]
* ''Encyclopedia of Canada'' (1935 – 1937, six volumes), later forming the core of the ''Encyclopedia Canadiana''
[Wallace's ''Encyclopedia of Canada'' (1935 – 1937) in six volumes became the core for the core of the 1957 ''Encyclopedia Canadiana''. In 1985, '']The Canadian Encyclopedia
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage.
Available fo ...
'' was created.
* ''Notes on military writing for English-Canadian soldiers'' (1943)
* ''A first book of Canadian history'' (1946)
* ''The Royal Canadian Institute Centennial Volume 1849-1949'' (1949), The Royal Canadian Institute, Toronto
* ''A dictionary of North American authors deceased before 1950'' (1951), Ryerson Press
* ''The pedlars from Quebec: And other papers on the Nor'Westers'' (1954), Ryerson Press, Toronto. Discourse including the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
and the
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...
* ''The Ryerson imprint: A check-list of the books and pamphlets published by the
Ryerson press since the foundation of the house in 1829'' (1954)
* ''The Macmillan Dictionary of Canadian Biography'' (1963)
* ''Fur traders at
Fort Temiskaming and Bear Island: Being the story Fort Timiskaming and the post on Bear Island, from the pedlars from Quebec'' (1972)
Joint work included:
* ''The Present State of Hudson's Bay Containing a Full Description of That Settlement, and the Adjacent Country, and Likewise of the Fur Trade, with Hints for Its Improvement, &c., &C.'' (1954). The Canadian Historical Studies, Ryerson Press, Toronto. Reprint of the original by Edward Umfreville (London, 1790); edited by W. Stewart Wallace
Some of the publications of or about Champlain Society by Wallace included:
* ''John McLean's notes of a twenty-five year's service in the Hudson's Bay Territory'' (1932), Champlain Society, Vol. XIX, Toronto.
* ''Documents relating to the North West Company'' (1934), The Publications of the Champlain Society, Vol. XXII, Toronto.
* ''A sketch of the history of the Champlain Society'' (1957)
Private life
William George Wallace (b. Georgetown; a
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
minister; son of Robert and Isabella Wallace) and Maggie Marie Stewart (b. Woodstock; daughter of
William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to:
Academics
* William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster
* William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator
* William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979), ...
and Augusta A. (née Kilborn) Stewart) were married in Toronto,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada on Thursday, 28 June 1883. Stewart's Scottish-born
father was a
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
pastor and teacher in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. The Reverend William George Wallace
MA DD was part of the officers of the inaugural general council in Toronto in June 1925 for the
United Church.
Their son William Stewart Wallace was born on Monday, 23 June 1884 in
Georgetown. Aged 29, on 24 October 1913 in Ontario, Wallace married Isabel Dora Graeme Robertson (b. 27 October 1883, Toronto), the daughter of James Alexander and Julia Delmage (née Carry) Robertson. They had two children, Marcia and Ian.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he reached the rank of
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in the
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...
(1915 – 1918), serving overseas, and involved in the
Khaki College as the
commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...
.
He retired at seventy years of age and from 1954 was the proprietor of the well-known Dora Hood's Book Room booksellers.
[Dora Rideout Hood (1885 – 1974) was considered one of Canada's most notable booksellers. Born 1885, married Dr Frederick Hood in 1918, and after his death in 1927, she purchased a small mail order book business and worked from 730 Spadina Avenue, ]Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario, Canada. With specialties of Canadiana and Americana, catalogues were produced and the business grew, and she was a charter member of the Canadian Booksellers Association. In 1954, she sold the 'Book Room' to Wallace, now retired Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto. The business changed hands several more times before closing in 1982. Hood wrote of her experiences in ''The side door: Twenty six years in my Book Room'', including stories and anecdotes about notable authors and collectors (1958). She died in 1974. Source: 'Dora Ridout Hood: Antiquarian bookseller' (citation below). Wallace died on Wednesday, 11 March 1970 in Toronto and was buried at the
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, survived by his wife and children.
See also
*
Historiography of Canada
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
*
William Stewart Wallace biographyat Ex Libris Association
William Stewart Wallace archival papersheld at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, W. Stewart
1884 births
1970 deaths
20th-century Canadian historians
Canadian librarians
Canadian male non-fiction writers
Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Burials at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto
Canadian Militia officers
Canadian Expeditionary Force officers
Canadian military personnel from Ontario
Canadian military personnel of World War I