Williams - Zachariah
Source: Beckwith, H.W. History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Chicago: Beckwith, 1881 p 288
Zachariah Williams (colored) whitewasher and calciminer, Crawfordsville, was born August 11, 1841 in Lebanon, Kentucky and is a son of Moses and Ellen Williams. His father was a native of KY and slave. Moses and Ellen Williams were liberated during the war, but died in Kentucky before they had tasted the fair fruits of freedom. Zachariah became a waiter on a boat when a boy. When at New Orleans he decided to be his own boss, so he escaped and came north to Springfield, Illinois in 1855 and engaged in a hotel. In 1861 he went south and was hired as a waiter in Gen Hood's southern army. Leaving the south he went to Chicago and there he enlisted in 1862 in Co F 81st Ill Reg under Samuel Campbell and Colonel Rogers. He fought at Vicksburg, Little Rock, Mobile, Nashville, Frankfort, Guntown. At the last named place he was chased by five rebels all day and was shot at by them as many as 50 times but he escaped. He was at Memphis and Chattanooga; was taken sick at Chattanooga and sent to Chicago. He soon returned to Vicksburg and went to Texas. He was in the Red River Expedition and was finally discharged after serving three years and one month. He next made his home in Crawfordsville. He was porter in the Crain Hotel for five years. For 7 years he kept a restaurant. His present business is whitewashing and calciminating. Mr. Williams has traveled all over the US and has been to Mexico and three times to Canada. He has amassed a fortune, owning property in Rockville, Jamestown, Crawfordsville and Indianapolis. He is a republican and contributes largely to further his party principles. He is steward and trustee in the African ME Church. He is also a Mason and an Odd Fellow. He was married May 16, 1871 to Marie Bulger of Ripley, Ohio. Her father bought himself free and then worked and bought his wife and five children free before the war. She is also a Methodist. Mr. and Mrs. Williams' home in the stopping place for all notable visitors of their race who come to Crawfordsville and Mr. Williams is widely known and has great influences with his people at home and abroad. - -transcribed by kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Star 8 May 1879 p 1
Rev. JW McNeil, a strange colored preacher lectured at the AME Church on Monday night on “Nine years at sea.” He borrowed Zack Williams’ watch to keep his recogning by while lecturing and afterwards skipped out with the watch and $35 taken in at the door. He is supposed to be again at sea, but Zack don’t propose to wait 9 years to get back his chronometer and is keeping the telegraph operators busy in all the adjoining towns trying to run the Rev. Mr. Scoundrel to cover. - kbz