Introduction

John R.Wallis led an incredible life full of adventure, travel, and remarkable history. He was born in London, England in 1859. His grandfather William Wallis was a Turnkey in the Tower of London in which he had living quarters and retired on pension after 40 years. His father also worked for the government in the control department, and secured living quarters. As a boy he grew up living in the Tower of London and spent some years at Chester Castle.

In Chester, England, as a young man he joined the Earl of Chester's Rifle Volunteers. In school, the only subjects he preferred were Geography and History. He loved nature, adventure, and being outdoors. His life history speaks of one trip as a young man walking from London to Scotland, he expressed the love of "roving and scenery".

 He served in the Royal Scots Army for 12 years, promoted to Sargent, served along side Captain Baden Powell, later Sir Baden Powell who founded the Boy Scouts. He spent time in Malta, Ireland, Caribbean and West Indies, Egypt, Sudan, and various other locations throughout Africa. 

 After moving to the United States in 1891, he founded the Rich County Round-Up in Randolf , Utah in1896, the Washington County News in June, 1898 and closed with slow economy in 1900. He moved back North and started The Advocate in Lardo, Idaho at Payette Lake until selling out in 1907. The economy in Southern Utah had picked back up again, and in 1908, the Washington County News re-opened. He ran the paper until his health hindered his ability to meet the high standard he demanded of himself. In 1927, at the age of 68, he leased out and eventually sold the paper.

John R. Wallis died December 15, 1951. He was inducted into the Utah Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1963

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Sincere Thanks - A sincere thanks to the following people and organizations for their contributions to this project. Without which this experience would not have been possible:

Cleone Davenport   -   Wallis Family Historian and granddaughter of John R. Wallis

John Herbert   -   Program Director -  Utah Digital Newspapers, Utah Newspaper Hall of Fame

Utah Newspaper Hall of Fame  -   Sponsored by the Utah Press Association 

J. Willard Marriot Library, University of Utah  -  UPA A Century Later