The Wallace John Lilly Family

Wallace married Pauline Coplan on June 9, 1912 in Safford, Arizona. She is the daughter of Walter Willis Coplan and Sarah Harriet Earl. They had eleven children: Flora, Oren Bruce, Iva Pearl, Mildred, Lawrence Willis, Irene, Clytia Mae, Ralph George, Max C., Peggy Jean, and Doreen.

Wallace passed away on October 23, 1959 in Safford, Arizona. He was laid to rest there with his wife Pauline.

Below is an article written about him in the book, "Now and Then with Kropffs and Crums."

Wallace learned and developed many skills that were to help him raise a large family. Among these things were farming, carpentry, mechanicing, logging, blacksmithing, and tree grafting.

As a young man he came to Arizona, where he worked for his Uncle Charlie in Globe, visited his Grandfather Crum in the Gila Valley, and met the girl his Aunt Minnie HAD picked for him. This girl, Pauline Coplan, he married beneath the cottonwood trees, at the home of Will and Molly Lee. (This is now the home of cousin Andrew Angle). Bishop John A. Lee performed the ceremony with the entire Cactus Flat congregation as witnesses.

Their honeymoon was an extended trip up through New Mexico to Mancos, Colorado, where they lived for the next few years, and where Flora and Oren were born.

They later lived in Norwood where Iva was born and where the James Lilly family were living, before returning to Arizona.

Mildred was born in Safford and then the family moved to the White Mountains where Wallace helped his father-in-law run a saw mill. It was at this mill that Wallace as a sawyer cut much of the lumber used in the large mill that operates in McNary today. At that time the mill and the town were known as Cody.

Wallace learned the carpenter trade and helped build many of the houses still in use in McNary today. However, in 1929 he fell, when a ceiling joist broke in the Union Oil building, breaking his back. This injury caused him trouble off and on the rest of his life.

The winter of 1931-32 was a memorable one because Wallace's family spent it in Colorado close to Aunts, Uncles, and cousins there. The older people would reminisce and sing old folk songs, such as "The Preacher and the Bear." The first radio came along then and only Wallace could tune it in clearly.

On the trip back to Arizona the car was hit by another, injuring part of the family, and Oren quite severely, but all survived.

Wallace's wife, Pauline was a practical nurse and a registered midwife. Her profession helped out during the depression with Wallace minding the family and farm. Always, Wallace lent her his manual and moral support, so she could keep her bag packed, or be quarantined in with whichever family needed her.

Such was his talent at mending whatever needed fixed, be it toy or motor, that his daughter, Clytia worried, "Who will fix things for me now that I'm getting married?"

He entertained youngsters by making willow whistles; by trotting them on his knee; or by playing a finger-knuckle game on the table.

The pride and joy of all the family was the small ford tractor Wallace bought in the late 40's. This came in handy both in Lakeside and in the 50's in Safford, when he and Pauline fixed up their last home.

When health sent them to a lower climate, what better place than the Gila Valley, where they met, to make their home? Every plant, shrub, bush and tree were planted by them. At one time there was a nice size orchard, but the gophers liked it too, and most of the trees were killed of.

No story of Wallace would be complete without mentioning his sharp shooting. The men would call out, "Time to go home, here comes ol' good eye." Sure enough he always took home the allowable limit. At one particular shoot, Wallace was there with his trusty 30.40 which he used for the long range shooting. This day he let Tony Johnson use it too, and Tony outshot him. But for the short range shooting both men used Tony's .22 and Wallace beat Tony with the .22.

Cancer took Wallace from his family in 1959, but nothing could take the love and kind memories he left. As of this time (Nov. 1974) there are 181 of his 198 descendants living.

Reference

Wells, Ruth Crum (1974). Now and Then with Kropffs and Crums Boyd Done Skyline Printing Tucson, Arizona.

To view Wallace and Pauline's many descendants click on the icon below.

• Descendants of Wallace John Lilly and Pauline Coplan
• Stories of Wallace's parents, brothers, and sisters
• Pictures of Wallace John Lilly Family
• Biographies of Pauline Lilly and the Coplans
• Memories of Wallace by Clytia Lilly McCabe
• Lilly Drive in Lakeside, Arizona
• Oren Bruce Lilly
• Iva Pearl Merkt
• Mildred Lilly Adair
• Lawrence Willis Lilly
• Irene Lilly Johnson
• Clytia Mae McCabe
• Ralph George Lilly
• Max C. Lilly
• Peggy Jean Stockton
• Doreen Lilly
• Lilly Coat of Arms
• Alphabetical listing of my relatives on the internet

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