William Harllee

William Wallace Harllee (July 29, 1812 – April 29, 1897) was an American lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 49th lieutenant governor of South Carolina.

Biography

Harllee was born in 1812 in Marion County, South Carolina and married in 1840. He practiced law in Marion and became a brigadier general in the South Carolina Militia. He served two non-consecutive terms in the South Carolina House of Representatives, elected once in 1836 and again in 1848.

He became the founder and president of Wilmington and Manchester Railroad; he oversaw the construction of the railroad across eastern South Carolina. Along the tracks, a small village was established. Harllee named this village after his daughter, Florence. Gen. W. W. Harllee, the president of the W & M, built his home at the junction, and named the community "Florence", after his daughter.

In 1860, Harllee was elected lieutenant governor and assumed office December 14, 1860, six days before the state seceded from the United States. Harllee was one of the signers of South Carolina's declaration of secession. He served one term until 1862. Harllee was elected the president of the South Carolina Bar Association in 1885. The sculpture was created by Alex Palkovich in 2017.