[1] His family were of Scottish lineage and his grandfather fought at the Battle of Tippecanoe under General Harrison.

[2] Wallace's father Ephraim brought his family of five daughters and five sons, first to Rochester, then to Peru, by wagon in 1863.

[2] His sister, Alice, later married Pim Sweeney, director of Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

[2] Wallace enlisted in the American Civil War in the 13th Indiana Infantry Regiment in February 1865.

[1] The shows featured acts such as Willie Cash and his performing dogs, A.G. Fields the singing clown and the Walton Brothers who were acrobats.

[5] In 1890, Wallace bought out his partner James Anderson and became the sole owner and manager of the show.

[8] A contemporary Peru newspaper article reported that since Wallace owns most of the stock, his holdings were now "greater than those of any other showman in the country and probably the world.