Introduction / Margaret Gray and Thomas Reid / Lilias Stobie Reid and John Wallace

John Alexander Wallace and Elizabeth Peace Muir

John Alexander Wallace was born on Eday 11 August 1868. As a young child, his family moved briefly to Shetland, but returned to Eday following the early death of his father in 1875. By 1891, John was working as an agricultural labourer at the Stenaquoy farm on Eday, and on 12 December 1895 he married Elizabeth (Betsy) Peace Muir. Betsy, the daughter of David Muir and Robina Peace, was born 14 April 1864 and was from Caldale on the west side of Eday.

John and Betsy had five children:

• John Alexander Wallace (Jackie), born 2 March 1897 at Hatston, near Kirkwall, killed in action, 1918

• David Wallace (Davie), born 16 July 1899, Kirkwall, married Williamina M. Drever in 1941, and died 25 February 1992

• Lilias (Lily) Wallace was born 3 January 1902 in Kirkwall. She married John Harcus in 1924 and they had four children. John died in 1964 and Lily died 2 August 1990

• William Wallace was born 7 June 1904 in Kirkwall. He married Rachel Mary Peace in 1934, daughter of John Peace and Mary Peace. William and Rachel had two children. William died 20 July 1982 and Rachel died 17 September 1988.

• Thomas Henry Wallace, born 25 October 1906 and died 13 August 1987

John's employer, David Gibson of Stenaquoy, bought a larger farm outside of Kirkwall, and John and Betsy moved with them. Later the Gibsons moved to a smaller farm and John worked in the Ayre meal mill, near Kirkwall. While here Davie was born. The dust from the mill caused health problem so John and Betsy returned to Eday and lived at Upper Cott on Calfsound. John made his living crofting and fishing, but never regained full health.

John died in 1926, at age 57. Betsy lived to age 89; she spent her last years with her unmarried son Thomas at Esonquoy, just below Upper Cott. She died in 1953.