James H. Wallis

Who was James H. Wallis?

James H. Wallis was a Latter-day Saint hymnwriter, editor and Patriarch. He was the author of the hymn "Come, Ye Children of The Lord".

Wallis was born in April, 1861 in London, England. His parents were James Wallis and Jane Sarah Booth. Wallis joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1877 and immigrated to the United States in 1881, settling in Utah Territory.

Wallis was involved in printing and publishing. He was trained while working on the Millennial Star under William L. Davies. In Vol. 95, no. 20 of the Star Wallis published an article on the history of the magazine entitled "The Star and Its Prophesied Headquarters". At that point he was serving as the associate editor of the magazine.

In 1917, Wallis became the editor of the Vernal Express in Vernal, Utah. Wallis bought this paper in 1921. His son William B. Wallis, his grandson Jack R. Wallis and his great-grandson Steven R. Wallis continued running the paper until Steven's death in 2007. Prior to coming to Vernal, Wallis had served as editor of the paper that by 1914 was entitled the Paris Post being published in Paris, Idaho.