Zachariah W. Wines

Black Merchant, Educator, Politician, and Church Leader in Society Hill

By Alexandria Swain

Who was Zachariah W. Wines you ask? Well, he was multiple things. He was a black merchant, educator, politician and church leader in Society Hill. He was a man with drive and determination as well as a heart for giving back to his community any way that he could. He had an interesting life that pulled him in various directions. His life and accomplishments were mostly during the Civil War and went into the Reconstruction era from 1865–1877. One could say he is a staple in Society Hill’s history.

Zachariah Wines was born in 1847 in Society Hill, Darlington County, South Carolina. He was the oldest brother of four. At a young age, Zachariah became a trustee and founding member of the Union Baptist Church in Society Hill. As he grew older, he and his other siblings attended college. He ended up going to a college in Richmond, Virginia, but had to drop out and head back to his hometown of Society Hill where he helped his family get back on their feet after some misfortune with their land. He felt it was his duty as the eldest to help pick up the pieces. So, he was the one to take on the responsibility of helping his father redeem the family property.

Zachariah put forth all of his energy into his family’s business. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to become a successful farmer and the owner and operator of a general merchandising store in Society Hill. His efforts and accomplishments became recognized by leaders of the state, and from 1876-1878. he was appointed to serve as a Representative in the 52^nd General Assembly House of Representatives. While he was a Representative, he was commissioned as Captain in the South Carolina National Guard by Governor Wade Hampton. Once his term came to a close, he continued his service as Secretary of the Darlington County Republican Party at the State Convention.

As his political career ended, Zachariah became a teacher at Waddell School in 1879. He began helping African-American Colleges of Higher Learning and, in the midst of that, had a student dorm built at Morris College, Sumter, South Carolina. As time went on, he became Society Hill’s Postmaster of 1897-1904. Towards the end of his life, Zachariah owned over 1,500 acres of land in 4 different counties: Darlington, Florence, Chesterfield and Sumter, South Carolina. He married his wife, Mariah Mishaw and had six beautiful children together.

Representative Zachariah W. Wines died January 1920. Fast forward 100 years later, and you’ll see where in 1979 he was honored with a Historical Marker 16 – 21 for his contributions to the African-American community. You can see it today on Cheraw Street in Society Hill, South Carolina. Zachariah was definitely a contributor to African-American history as a whole, not just in Darlington County. It is people like him that provide inspiration for those that lived during his time and for generations to come.

Credit for some historical background: http://www.culturalrealismvision.com/Reconstruction%201865-1877%20Series%20Representative%20Zachariah%20Wines.htm

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