We talk a lot about Lew and Susan Wallace here at the blog, but someone who isn’t mentioned often is Lew’s father David Wallace. David attended West Point Military Academy and began practicing law in Indiana in 1823. He served in the Indiana State Legislature from 1828 to 1830. In 1831 he was elected Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana.
From 1837 to 1840, David Wallace served as Indiana’s sixth governor. On October 30, 1840, David signed the first state proclamation for Thanksgiving and a day of prayer. So if you live in Indiana and are planning to have turkey and pumpkin pie later today, you have Lew Wallace’s father to thank!
