Dr. David Richard Wallace
Waco, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(Nov. 10, 1825-Nov. 21, 1911) Educated as a physician, North Carolina native David Richard Wallace moved to Texas in the 1850s. He taught at Baylor University in Independence and in Waco, and served in the Civil War. In Waco, he was a prominent doctor, educator, and civic leader who was instrumental in the formation of state and local medical associations. An early pioneer in psychiatry, he was named to head asylum facilities in Austin and Terrell. Recorded - 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
North Carolina–born physician David Richard Wallace came to Texas in the 1850s, taught at Baylor University, and served during the Civil War before becoming one of Waco's most prominent doctors and civic leaders. He helped organize state and local medical associations and, as an early pioneer in psychiatry, was chosen to head the state asylums at Austin and Terrell. His career spans the professionalization of medicine—and of mental-health care—in nineteenth-century Texas.
Why it matters
He was a founder of organized medicine and an early leader in humane psychiatric care in Texas, shaping how a growing state treated illness of body and mind.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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