I want to remove a first floor interior wall in my 109 year old
Colonial two story house. My question is whether or not it is a
nonbearing wall and how to identify it as such. The wall contains a
passage way (framed for a door) between my front hall and living room.
The wall runs parallel to the joists supporting the first floor. I'm
not sure if it runs parallel to the joists supporting the second
floor.  Before I begin some demolition, I would like answers to two
questions:

Is it a good assumption to make that the joists for the first and
second floor run parallel?

If this is true, is this wall likely a nonbearing wall that can be safely removed?

I can offer the following comments about your wall.  If the first
floor joists are spanning parallel to the wall it is likely that the
second floor joists are spanning the same way. Why don't you see which
way the floor boards are going on the second floor and if they are
spanning perpendicular to the wall then the joists are spanning
parallel to it.

Your wall might be offering stability to the front or rear walls of
your house so it is not safe to assume that because no joists are
spanning onto it that it can be removed safely. In addition it might
also be offering stability to a neighbours house (if your house is
adjoined to another house).  you should really engage a Structural
Engineer to determine what exactly your wall is supporting.  It is not
possible to answer your question fully without seeing the wall so
don't take this as the definitive answer.

Given that the wall runs parallel to the floor joists there is a
simple way to determine if this wall supports a load.  Cut through 1
stud with either a hand saw or a reciprocating saw.  If the blade
binds up in the cut then the wall supports a load.  If it cuts easily
with no binding then there is no load.

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