William H. Wallace - Career

Career

After being admitted to the bar, Wallace moved to the Iowa District of Wisconsin Territory in 1837. He was elected to the Iowa Territorial Legislature after Iowa Territory was organized the following year. Wallace was appointed colonel of state troops and receiver of public money at Fairfield. Wallace ran an unsuccessful campaign for delegate from Iowa Territory in 1843. In 1848 he was a candidate for United States Senate from the new State of Iowa, but the Iowa Legislature instead selected Democrats George W. Jones and Augustus C. Dodge. Wallace moved to Washington Territory in 1853. Sometime during the early 1850s, he befriended Abraham Lincoln and they remained good friends until Lincoln's death.

In 1861 Wallace was appointed governor of Washington Territory by President Lincoln, but was also elected the territory's delegate to the United States House of Representatives and never took office as governor. He was the first Republican chosen for those roles in Washington Territory. Wallace served a single term representing Washington Territory in the House. During his term, he got Congress to establish Idaho as a territory. Shortly after his term expired in March 1863, Lincoln appointed Wallace governor of the new Idaho Territory and he took office July 10, 1863.

Wallace designated Lewiston as the territory's capital and arrived there in July. Later that year, Wallace was elected as the delegate from Idaho Territory and again vacated his gubernatorial appointment to serve in the House.

Wallace was reputedly one of several people who turned down an invitation from Lincoln to accompany him to Ford's Theatre on the night Lincoln was assassinated.