Lewis Wallace was born around 1839 in North Carolina. Wallace worked as a laborer and resided in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Wallace was charged with larceny on October 19, 1874, and sentenced to two years in the North Carolina State Penitentiary. Wallace was recorded in the North Carolina State Penitentiary's Descriptive Register for the Years 1869-1884 as prisoner number 970. In his sentencing records, Wallace’s race is noted as Black. Wallace was thirty-five years old when he was arrested. Wallace was noted as being able to read. During his incarceration, Wallace was leased to the Western North Carolina Railroad Company to work on railroad construction. He escaped on August 21, 1875, and was recaptured on August 27, 1875. Wallace was discharged from the railroad on October 28, 1876.