WALLACE, Mrs. Zerelda Gray

Zerelda Gray Wallace was born in Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky on August 6, 1817.  She was a temperance reformer, a woman suffragist, a public speaker, and an author.

Zerelda spent her youth in Millersburg and her teenage years in New Castle, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana.  At age nineteen, she married Indiana's Lieutenant Governor, David Wallace, and became stepmother to his sons.  One of those sons was Lew Wallace, who wrote Ben Hur and used Zerelda as the model for the mother in the book.  David was elected to Congress the next year, and Zerelda spent some time in Washington, DC.

She was a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, as well as the first President of Indiana's chapter, and Zerelda spoke frequently about the cause.  Also very involved in the suffrage movement, Zerelda was an active participant in the Equal Suffrage Society of Indianapolis.  Zerelda participated in many conventions, including the National Woman Suffrage Convention in 1880, the first International Convention of Women, the Suffrage Convention in 1887, and the Women's Council in 1888.  She also lectured about women's rights.  In addition, Zerelda was involved in missionary work for her church, the Central Christian Church.  Her publications included A Whole Humanity (1887), Mrs. Wallace on Equal Suffrage (1890), and Suggestions of a Line of Study: For Woman Suffrage Leagues and Good Citizenship Clubs (1891).

Zerelda embarked on a lengthy lecture tour in 1891.  After she became seriously ill during a lecture, Susan B. Anthony and Frances E. Willard were just two of many friends who inquired about her health. Fortunately, Zerelda recovered from this illness, as well as another in 1896. 

During her later years, Zerelda lived with family members in Cataract, Indiana.  She passed away on March 19, 1901.

• The Frankfort roundabout. (Frankfort, Ky.), 13 April 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069848/1901-04-13/ed-1/seq-1/>

• Daily public ledger. (Maysville, Ky.), 20 March 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069117/1901-03-20/ed-1/seq-1/>

• The advocate. (Topeka, Kan.), 21 Nov. 1894. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85032018/1894-11-21/ed-1/seq-10/>

• Brenham weekly banner. (Brenham, Tex.), 06 Nov. 1890. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86089443/1890-11-06/ed-1/seq-4/>

• Phillipsburg herald. (Phillipsburg, Kan.), 19 April 1889. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85029677/1889-04-19/ed-1/seq-8/>

• The Indianapolis journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 24 Sept. 1891. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1891-09-24/ed-1/seq-8/>

• The Indianapolis journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 30 March 1900. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1900-03-30/ed-1/seq-3/>

• The Indianapolis journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 25 Feb. 1896. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1896-02-25/ed-1/seq-8/>

• The Indianapolis journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 31 March 1888. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1888-03-31/ed-1/seq-1/>

• The Cincinnati daily star. ([Cincinnati, Ohio), 26 May 1880. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85025759/1880-05-26/ed-1/seq-5/>

• The Indianapolis journal. (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 30 Jan. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1887-01-30/ed-1/seq-11/>

• Zerelda G. Wallace marker

• "Zerelda Gray Wallace: in The Part Taken by Women in American History, Logan, John A., Mrs. , 575-576  in Haihi Trust

• Greater Indianapolis : The history, the industries, ... v.2. Dunn, Jacob Piatt, p. 116 in Haihi Trust

• Greater Indianapolis : The history, the industries, ... v.2. Dunn, Jacob Piatt,  Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1910. p. 1167 in Haihi Trust

• "The First Woman Graduate of the Law School," The Michigan alumnus. v.32 1925/1926, p. 241

• Letter from Zerelda G. (Mrs. David) Wallace to May Wright Sewall.  April 27, 1888.  May Wright Sewall Papers, Indianapolis Marion County Public Library.

• The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), 08 Nov. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1887-11-08/ed-1/seq-3/>