Wilson Dallam Wallis

Wilson Dallam Wallis (March 7, 1886 – March 15, 1970) was an American anthropologist. He is remembered for his studies of "primitive" science and religions.

Wilson Dallam Wallis
University of Oxford Anthropology Diploma class of 1910-11. Wallis is on the left of the back row.
Born	March 7, 1886 Forest Hill, Maryland
Died	March 15, 1970 (aged 84) South Woodstock, Connecticut
Resting place	Worcester Rural Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Education	Dickinson College, B.A., Philosophy and Law (1907) Oxford University, B.Sc., Anthropology (1910) University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D., Philosophy (1915)
Spouse(s)	Grace Steele Allen (1911–1930) Ruth Otis Sawtell (1931–1970)
Children	Virginia D. Wallis Bowers W. Allen Wallis
Scientific career
Fields	Anthropology, Ethnology
Institutions	University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Berkeley, Fresno Junior College, Reed College, University of Minnesota, University of Connecticut, Annhurst College
Thesis	Individual initiative and social compulsion (1915)
Notable students	Helen Codere, Elizabeth Colson, Margaret Lantis, Melford Spiro

Wallis was born in Forest Hill, Maryland. He completed an undergraduate degree in philosophy and law at Dickinson College, and in 1907 went up to Wadham College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, studying Edward Burnett Tylor. He received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania in 1915.

From 1923 to 1954, he taught at the University of Minnesota. After retiring from Minnesota, he taught for a time at Annhurst College. He died in South Woodstock, Connecticut.[1]

Works

• The Malecite Indians of New Brunswick (Ottawa, 1957)
• The Micmac Indians of Eastern Canada (Minneapolis, 1955)
• Messiahs: Christian and Pagan (Boston, 1918)

References

1. Archives Inventory of the Wilson Dallam Wallis papers, 1935-54 University of Minnesota

External links

• Wilson Dallam Wallis at Find a Grave
• Wallis collection at the Canadian Museum of History
• Dickinson College photograph
• Wilson Dallam Wallis collection at the University of Minnesota