Builder of the Wallace Block
Paul W. Wallace was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 20, 1832, and died in Sandwich, Illinois, on December 21, 1909, at the age of seventy seven.
He married Sarah Webster Erwin on June 20, 1853. After brief periods in Newark, Illinois, and a return east, the couple settled permanently in Sandwich in 1863. Wallace would remain a resident of the city for forty-six years.
Soon after arriving, he established a meat market. In 1872, he opened his market on the southeast corner of Eddy and Railroad Streets. As his business prospered, Wallace and his sons erected the substantial brick P. W. Wallace & Sons’ Block on the site in 1893.
Beyond business, Wallace was deeply involved in civic and religious life. He transferred his membership to the Sandwich Methodist Episcopal Church in 1864 and served in numerous lay offices, including Sunday school superintendent for approximately fifteen years. He was a strong advocate of temperance reform and served two terms as alderman.
He was initiated into Sandwich Lodge No. 212, I.O.O.F., in 1864 and served in every office within the lodge, acting as treasurer for twenty-one years.
In his passing, Sandwich lost a respected businessman, civic leader, and churchman. His most visible legacy remains the Wallace Block at 102 East Railroad Street, a lasting monument to family enterprise and community investment.