Dillon Wallace
Encyclopedia
Dillon Wallace was an American lawyer, outdoorsman, author of non-fiction, fiction and magazine articles. His first book, The Lure of the Labrador Wild (1905) was a best-seller, as were many of his later books.
. After high school and a few years working in a variety of jobs, he enrolled at New York Law School
in 1892, graduating in 1896. He went to the bar in 1897 and practiced law in New York for several years.
In 1900 Dillon Wallace met Leonidas Hubbard
, an assistant editor with Outing
magazine. Hubbard asked Wallace to join him on an exploratory trip through Labador, the plan was to follow the Naskaupi River to Lake Michikamau, a region that had yet to be explored by Europeans. They departed in July 1903, but due to a mapping error took the wrong river from the very start, following the much smaller and more difficult Susan River
. Short on supplies, with winter coming on, Hubbard became ill and died of starvation. Wallace made it back alive.
Wallace wrote a book about the trip called The Lure of the Labrador Wild (1905), it was his first book and a best-seller. Hubbard's wife, Mina Hubbard, was upset with Wallace because she thought the book blamed her dead husband for the mapping error, thus sullying her family name. After Wallace announced plans to make a second expedition to the same area, Mina announced her own plans to do the same, at the same time. "The great race of 1905" became a field day for the press. The two parties left just days apart, Mina following her husbands original route closely while Wallace took a more difficult overland route. Mina arrived first, with Wallace nearly 6 weeks behind. Mina wrote a book about the trip A Woman’s Way Through Unknown Labrador, Wallace also wrote a book, The Long Labrador Trail (1907). Neither Mina, in her book, nor Wallace his book, mentioned the other's 1905 expedition.
The Lure of the Labrador Wild was a best seller and The Long Labrador Trail did well too so he began a new career as a writer. He joined the staff of Outing magazine, which sent him on other expeditions around the world. Over the next 30 years he published 26 more books, fiction and non-fiction, and wrote many articles for Outing, National Sportsman, American Boy and other magazines. His books included biographies, references, boys fiction, novels and travel accounts.
Wallace married Leila Greenwood Hinman in 1917; his first wife, Jennie Currie, died in 1900 after three years of marriage. Dillon and Leila had two children, Leila Ann and Dillon III. Dillon Wallace died at Beacon, New York
on Sept. 28, 1939.
Biography
Dillon Wallace (junior) was born in Craigsville, New York, on June 24, 1863. He was the son of Dillon Wallace (senior) and Ruth Ann Ferguson. He grew up in Ridgebury, New YorkRidgebury, New York
Ridgebury, New York is one of the eight Hamlets in the town of Wawayanda, New York. The hamlet and its township are located in Orange County, New York, approximately 65 miles north of New York City....
. After high school and a few years working in a variety of jobs, he enrolled at New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
in 1892, graduating in 1896. He went to the bar in 1897 and practiced law in New York for several years.
In 1900 Dillon Wallace met Leonidas Hubbard
Leonidas Hubbard
Leonidas Hubbard was a journalist and adventurer.He was born in Michigan and studied at the University of Michigan , choosing journalism as a career. In 1901 he married Mina Adelaine Benson, a woman two years senior and at the time an assistant superintendent of a Staten Island hospital. They met...
, an assistant editor with Outing
Outing (magazine)
Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
magazine. Hubbard asked Wallace to join him on an exploratory trip through Labador, the plan was to follow the Naskaupi River to Lake Michikamau, a region that had yet to be explored by Europeans. They departed in July 1903, but due to a mapping error took the wrong river from the very start, following the much smaller and more difficult Susan River
Susan River
Susan River can refer to:*Susan River , a river in California, United States*Susan River , a river in Queensland, Australia*Susan River , a river in Labrador, Canada...
. Short on supplies, with winter coming on, Hubbard became ill and died of starvation. Wallace made it back alive.
Wallace wrote a book about the trip called The Lure of the Labrador Wild (1905), it was his first book and a best-seller. Hubbard's wife, Mina Hubbard, was upset with Wallace because she thought the book blamed her dead husband for the mapping error, thus sullying her family name. After Wallace announced plans to make a second expedition to the same area, Mina announced her own plans to do the same, at the same time. "The great race of 1905" became a field day for the press. The two parties left just days apart, Mina following her husbands original route closely while Wallace took a more difficult overland route. Mina arrived first, with Wallace nearly 6 weeks behind. Mina wrote a book about the trip A Woman’s Way Through Unknown Labrador, Wallace also wrote a book, The Long Labrador Trail (1907). Neither Mina, in her book, nor Wallace his book, mentioned the other's 1905 expedition.
The Lure of the Labrador Wild was a best seller and The Long Labrador Trail did well too so he began a new career as a writer. He joined the staff of Outing magazine, which sent him on other expeditions around the world. Over the next 30 years he published 26 more books, fiction and non-fiction, and wrote many articles for Outing, National Sportsman, American Boy and other magazines. His books included biographies, references, boys fiction, novels and travel accounts.
Wallace married Leila Greenwood Hinman in 1917; his first wife, Jennie Currie, died in 1900 after three years of marriage. Dillon and Leila had two children, Leila Ann and Dillon III. Dillon Wallace died at Beacon, New York
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
on Sept. 28, 1939.
External links
- Works by or about Dillon Wallace at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
(scanned books original editions color illustrated) (plain text and HTML) - Dillon Wallace: Our Dad, a memorial site by Ann Wallace McKendry, March 11, 2005
- Dillon Wallace: Explorer, Writer and Father Figure, a memorial by Allison Catmur, April, 2005
- Dillon Wallace papers, Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
library. Includes biography and other material online.