Robert Henry Wallace was born March 4, 1852, near Clay, Kentucky. He was one of a family of ten children, being the seventh son. His father, a captain in the Confederate Army, was killed when Robert was about ten years old, leaving him the oldest son at home and the main support of his mother and younger children.
When just a young man, he went to Texas and served as a "Texas Ranger" for three years.
In 1874, returning to Kentucky where he was married to Lydia Z. Asher, Feb. 25, 1875. To this union were born four children, three sons and a daughter.
In 1888 they came to Indian Territory and established a home near Velma. At the opening of the Cheyenne and Arapaho country he made the run, and filed on a claim 8 miles north of Custer City, Okla. where they resided until 1901, when they moved to his present location, four miles east of Durham, where he resided continously for 37 years.
His wife, Mrs. Lydia Wallace and three sons preceded him in death, two sons in early childhood, and the third son, Dr. G. H. Wallace of Pampa, passed away Aug. 14, 1931.
In May, 1930 he was married to Mrs. Rachel Keller, who also preceded him in death Jan., 1936.
In middle life he professed his faith in Christ. He departed this life at Shattuck, Oklahoma, August 22, 1938 at the age of 85 years, five months and 18 days.
He leaves to mourn his passing his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Fox of Durham, the only surviving members of the immediate family, with whom he had made his home for the past two years.
There also survives him one brother, John Wallace of Canadian, Texas; two grandsons, Bob and T.J. Wallace, San Antonio, Texas and a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were conducted at the high school auditorium at Durham. Rev. J. Carleton, pastor of the local Baptist church officiated. The Grubbitz Funeral Home of Elk City was in charge. Interment in the Fairview cemetery, Durham, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma.