Zerelda G. Wallace
Encyclopedia
Zerelda Gray Sanders Wallace (August 6, 1817 – March 19, 1901) was an early temperance and women's suffrage leader, a charter member of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
of Indianapolis
, and stepmother of General Lew Wallace
, author of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.
, she came to Indianapolis with her family in the early 1830s. She was a charter member of the Church of Christ in 1833 (later renamed Central Christian Church) which became the "mother church" of all Disciples of Christ congregations in Indianapolis. She was elected the first president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Indiana in 1874 and was a member of the Equal Suffrage Society of Indianapolis.
She married David Wallace
on December 25, 1836; they had six children and she was stepmother to Wallace's three sons from his first marriage. David Wallace became the sixth governor of Indiana
, serving from December 6, 1837 to December 9, 1840.
at Central Christian Church because of her convictions about alcohol use and abuse. Her refusal eventually led to the use of grape juice
rather than wine
at communion celebrated during each worship service of the Disciples of Christ.
Wallace spoke nationally on temperance and suffrage. On January 21, 1875, she testified before the Indiana General Assembly
, presenting 21,050 signatures on temperance petitions from 47 Indiana counties. On January 23, 1880, Wallace testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
on women's right to vote.
was erected in Zerelda Wallace's honor in 2004 along Fort Wayne Avenue in downtown Indianapolis on the grounds of the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The marker is located on Fort Wayne Avenue, an angle street, in the block between Alabama and Delaware Streets. Indiana's first female lieutenant governor
, Kathy Davis
, led the dedication ceremony for the marker.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...
of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, and stepmother of General Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace
Lewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
, author of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.
Early life and family
Born Zerelda Gray Sanders, August 7, 1817 in Bourbon County, KentuckyBourbon County, Kentucky
Bourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the remnant of what was previously a much larger Bourbon County, established as part of Virginia in 1785, and comprising what are now thirty-four modern Kentucky counties...
, she came to Indianapolis with her family in the early 1830s. She was a charter member of the Church of Christ in 1833 (later renamed Central Christian Church) which became the "mother church" of all Disciples of Christ congregations in Indianapolis. She was elected the first president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Indiana in 1874 and was a member of the Equal Suffrage Society of Indianapolis.
She married David Wallace
David Wallace (governor)
David Wallace was the sixth Governor of the US state of Indiana. The Panic of 1837 occurred just before his election and the previous administration, which he had been part of, had taken on a large public debt. During his term the state entered a severe financial crisis that crippled the state's...
on December 25, 1836; they had six children and she was stepmother to Wallace's three sons from his first marriage. David Wallace became the sixth governor of Indiana
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
, serving from December 6, 1837 to December 9, 1840.
Temperance and suffrage leader
Wallace became a temperance leader first in the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, when in 1883 she refused communionEucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
at Central Christian Church because of her convictions about alcohol use and abuse. Her refusal eventually led to the use of grape juice
Grape juice
Grape juice is obtained from crushing and blending grapes into a liquid. The juice is often sold in stores or fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar. In the wine industry, grape juice that contains 7-23 percent of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is often referred to as "must"...
rather than wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
at communion celebrated during each worship service of the Disciples of Christ.
Wallace spoke nationally on temperance and suffrage. On January 21, 1875, she testified before the Indiana General Assembly
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
, presenting 21,050 signatures on temperance petitions from 47 Indiana counties. On January 23, 1880, Wallace testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
on women's right to vote.
Legacy
An Indiana State Historical MarkerCommemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
was erected in Zerelda Wallace's honor in 2004 along Fort Wayne Avenue in downtown Indianapolis on the grounds of the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The marker is located on Fort Wayne Avenue, an angle street, in the block between Alabama and Delaware Streets. Indiana's first female lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
The Lieutenant Governor of Indiana is a constitutional office in the US State of Indiana. Republican Becky Skillman, whose term expires in January 2013, is the incumbent...
, Kathy Davis
Kathy Davis
Katherine L. Davis was the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, and the first woman to serve in that office.-Biography:...
, led the dedication ceremony for the marker.