Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/304

 WALLACE RADCLIFFE ADCLIFFE, WALLACE, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, August 16, 1842. His father was Elias Radcliffe, a builder, whose most marked characteristics were energy, generosity, faith and loyalty. His mother's maiden name was Susannah Wallace; and the influence of his mother was strong upon his intellectual, moral and spiritual nature. His earliest known ancestor in America was John Wallace. To the associations of his youthful life he owes much. The environment of his childhood, an excellent education (which his father and mother with true parental instinct made easy and delightful to him) in the Pittsburg schools and especially in the high school and afterward in college, together with his vigorous health, made his early career normal, interesting and progressive; and it was of a truly American type. The home from which he came was one whose standards of right living gave the son of the household high ideals received in daily life, absorbed by his nature and not merely impressed upon him from without. His especial tastes and interests in childhood and youth were for the study of language, poetry, oratory and the management of school societies connected with the educational institutions of the city in which he was born and reared.

After he was graduated at the Pittsburg high school, he studied at the Allegheny academy and was graduated from Washington and Jefferson college in 1862. He pursued a course of theological study at the United Presbyterian seminary of Allegheny, with further study at Princeton theological seminary where he was graduated in 1866. His preparation for his life-work as pastor and preacher was thorough; and a mental equipment such as his, with excellent native powers and long training at the best schools of our country, leads naturally to such a position of influence for good as he has attained.

His first pastorate began at the Woodland Presbyterian church, West Philadelphia, which was built under his pastorate, in 1866. Here he remained until 1870. From 1872 to 1883 he was pastor of the First Presbyterian church at Reading, Pennsylvania. From 1885 to 1895 at the Fort Street Presbyterian church, Detroit, Michi-