Four generations of Henry Wallaces have profoundly influenced the development of American agriculture and agricultural policy. The impact of their activities has reached every corner of the world.

• The first Henry Wallace came to Iowa in 1862 as a Presbyterian minister, and co-founded Wallaces’ Farmer with his sons Henry C. and John in 1895. Through this publication, he became known as “Uncle Henry”, helped establish Iowa State College as a premier agricultural research institution, and promoted the Agricultural Extension Service. When asked to serve as Secretary of Agriculture, Wallace deferred to his friend James “Tama Jim” Wilson. He died in 1916.
  
  
• Son Henry C. Wallace was a professor at Iowa State College, editor of Wallaces’ Farmer, co-founder of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and longtime secretary of the Corn Belt Meat Producers’ Association. Henry C. worked hard to help farmers organize in associations and cooperatives. He served as Secretary of Agriculture for two presidents from 1921 until his unexpected death following surgery in 1924.
  
  
• Grandson Henry A. Wallace graduated from Iowa State College and went to work for Wallaces’ Farmer. In high school, Henry A. was already researching and breeding corn. He founded the Hi-Bred Corn Company in 1926, now known as Pioneer, A DuPont Company. Henry A. served as Secretary of Agriculture from 1933-1940, creating and developing most of the farm policies that were utilized until the 1996 Farm Bill. As Vice President from 1940-1944, Wallace traveled widely. He became Secretary of Commerce until 1946, and then ran for president in 1948. After his defeat, he retired from politics to write, travel, give speeches and farm. He died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 1965.
  
  
• Great-grandson Henry B. (H.B.) Wallace did for chickens what his father had done for corn. In 1939, he took over the fledgling hybrid poultry division of Pioneer Hi-Bred. His efforts increased egg production and industrialized the egg and broiler business. The poultry division became Hy-Line International, the world’s oldest layer genetics company. H.B. died in 2005.