An American politician, lawyer, and story writer, born in Brookville, Indiana. He was the son of David Wallace, the sixth governor of the state. Lew entered the state clerk's office at the age of sixteen, reading literature in his spare time and studying law in his father's office before volunteering during the Mexican War of 1846-1948, then serving as an attorney in Indiana. He was also a member of the court that tried those accused in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the former President of the United States. Lew Wallace wrote poetry and plays, but he became famous for his historical novels, such as "The Boyhood of Christ" (1888) and "The Prince of India; or, Why Constantinople Fell" (1893). His credits include Ben-Hur (1959) and A Prince of India (1914).