Several notable persons made Wallace their home including those listed here
Donald Drysdale Betts PhD
Donald Drysdale Betts was born in 1929 in Montreal. The son of Wallace and Mary (Drysdale)
Betts he spent much of his youth in Wallace. Donald's lifelong passion for learning began
at the Wallace school and progressed onto earning degrees from Kings College, Dalhousie
University, and his PhD from McGill University. Donald made many contributions to his field
of choice, theoretical physics, and earned several awards for his work, most recently the
Royal Society of Canada’s Commemorative Medal for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2003.
His career as a professor involved teaching and research with two universities, first 24 years
with the University of Alberta followed by 14 years as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and
Science with Dalhousie University. Throughout his life, Donald was continuously involved in
the activities of his community. A modest man of perennial good humour, he instilled his love
of learning in his four children. Later in life, Donald and his family enjoyed spending time
at their house on Lazy Bay in East Wallace; he especially enjoyed cultivating vegetables in
the gardens. He died on October 23, 2012.
Dr. Ernest Sterling Boyle
Dr. Ernest Sterling Boyle was born on April 1, 1900, the son of George and Marjorie (Weatherbee)
Boyle. The family were long time residents of Wallace. Dr. Boyle was a graduate of McGill
University. He served in the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and 1918. He served in the R.C.A.F.
during the Second World War and was in charge of a convalescent hospital in Montreal. During
his medical career he served in Northern Quebec, helping with the medical needs of the logging
workers, as well the large native population of the area. Dr. Boyle's medical specialty was
Traumatic Surgery. He later served as Corporate Physician for the Canadian Pacific Railways.
He died on July 10, 1977.
Willard Sterling Boyle PhD
Willard (Bill) Sterling Boyle was born on August 19, 1924, in the near by town of Amherst but
soon returned to the family home in Wallace. Willard is the son of Ernest and Bernice (Dewar).
Home schooled in northern Quebec where his family relocated in his youth, he was enrolled in
the private school Lower Canada College at the grade nine level. He completed his education at
McGill University in Montreal attaining a PhD in Physics in 1950. Willard's education was
interrupted by World War II during which he was a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Air Services.
After a brief teaching career at Royal Military College, he began his very successful career
in 1953 with Bell Labs in the USA. Acknowledged as the co-inventor of two significant
technologies, the continuously operating ruby laser and the charged-coupled device (CCD),
Willard earned many awards in the scientific community. The latest and most prestigious award
being the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2009. Willard and his wife Betty retired to Wallace in
1979 where they resided until his death on May 7 2011. Bill continued to contribute to many
scientific endeavours after retirement collaberating with and mentoring younger scientists.
His research on lobster using a custom built underwater camera aided the industry as it gave a
better understanding of their behaviour. Bill and Betty were very good citizens of Wallace,
participating in many cultural and community minded groups during their years here.
William Knapp Buckley
W. K. Buckley, the developer of many fine cough and cold remedies, was born here in Wallace,
N.S. The family later moved to Sydney, N.S. and eventually on to Toronto where from a humble
pharmacy he founded the Canadian iconic business that bears his family name. His family was
extremely important to him throughout his life. He would send members of his family poetry
emphasizing the importance of family love. He was also a great lover of nature and worked for
animal welfare.
Dr. John William Flinn
Dr. John William Flinn was born on July 10, 1870, in Wallace, N.S. Following his graduation
from McGill Medical School, he returned to Wallace to practice medicine. After several busy
years of practice ill health forced him to move with his family to Arizona. His personal
struggle with tuberculosis led to his specialization in pulmonary medicine.He became an
internationally recognized authority. In 1903 he established the "Pamsetgaaf Sanitorium"
(an acronym for Pure Air, Maximum Sunshine, Equable Temperature, Good Accommodation, and Food).
He carried on his clinical work and research there for forty years. He was a Regent of the
University of Arizona. He died in 1944 in Prescott, Arizona.
Dr. Robert Stanley Flinn
Dr. Robert Stanley Flinn was born in Wallace in 1896 but very early in life moved with his
family to Arizona. He was a graduate of Harvard Medical School. He founded the Flinn Foundation,
a private philanthropic organization dedicated to improving health care in Arizona. The work
of the organization was dedicated to the work of his father, Dr. William Flinn. Dr. Bob
Flinn's recreational passion was horse racing; he was later to be inducted into the Arizona
Hall of Fame for his role in developing thoroughbred horse racing in the state. When he died
on July 22, 1984, the Dean of the Arizona College of Medicine said "Bob Flinn's impact on the
State, its medical education system and the health of its citizens will be felt for years to
come."
Dr. William Alfred Lawson
Dr. William Alfred Lawson was born in Wallace in 1874. He graduated from Dalhousie Medical
and Chicago Medical College. He specialized in diseases of the eye, nose and throat. He
served in several rural communities before moving his practice to Dartmouth, N.S. One of
his many hobbies included the study of shipbuilding history. He died on January 11, 1942 and
is buried in the Wallace Community Cemetery.
Senator Alexander MacFarlane, Q.C.
Senator Alexander MacFarlane, Q.C was born in Wallace on June 17, 1818. He practiced law
in Wallace for many years. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1855
to 1865. He was a member of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia from 1865 until Nova Scotia
joined with New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario to form the Dominion of Canada. He was also
one of the delegates from Nova Scotia to the Colonial Conference in London, a conference held
to complete the terms of Union, 1866-1867. He was called to the Senate on October 10, 1870.
He served as a Conservative Senator until his death on December 14, 1898. He died at his family
home in Wallace, N.S.
Simon Newcomb
Wallace is the birthplace of Simon Newcomb, a renowned mathematician, outstanding physicist
and leading astronomer of the nineteenth century, who in 1906 was given the title of Rear
Admiral in the American Navy. He was born in Wallace on May 12, 1835. It is recorded that he
sat in the branches of an old tree to study the stars on summer nights. He was almost entirely
self-taught in mathematics and astronomy. Simon used to carry his shoes to school "to save wear,
putting them on only in the classroom." He lived his first sixteen years in the community of
Wallace Bridge where, one hundred years later, in 1935, a cut stone cairn was unveiled to his
memory with the following inscription "Marking the birthplace of Simon Newcomb, who, self
taught in the face of adversity, became one of the world's greatest scientists. Migrating to
the United States at the age of eighteen, he devoted his life to astronomy. For his contribution
to science he was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London, made a foreign
associate of the French Academy of Science and honoured by many universities and learned
societies throughout the world. Albert Einstein paid tribute to Simon Necomb and placed him
"among those few great characters of science whose contribution live for all time to come."
Official
Biography