Ohio County, West Virginia Biography of Ebenezer Zane & brothers. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal represen- ative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ COLONEL EBENEZER ZANE & BROTHERS From: MYERS' HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA, Volume 1, Chapter XVIII, pages 295-298. Compiled by S. Myers, 1915. Published by The Wheeling News Lithograph Company. Colonel Ebenezer Zane, whose family is of Danish origin, was born in Berkeley County, West Virginia, October 7th, 1747. The fore-parents early moved to France, thence to England, and towards the latter part of the seventeenth century emigrated to America. One branch settled in New Jersey, nearly opposite Philadelphia; the other on the South Branch of the Potomac River, in Virginia. The subject of this sketch is from the latter branch. Having heard of the beautiful Ohio Valley, and being desirous of looking upon that country himself, he, when about twenty-three years old, accompanied by his faithful dog, left his home on the South Branch and on a certain morning in June, 1770, arrived at the east bank of the Ohio River, just above the confluence of the river with Wheeling Creek, "and gazing upon the outspread landscape of island, hill and river, his enraptured vision comprehended all, and more than realized his most extravagant expectations." Being a young man of good judgment and sagacity, he readily comprehended the natural advantages of the location for a settlement and the future possibilities of the same becoming a great city. At this time, it is said, there was not a permanent white habitation from the source to the mouth of the Ohio River. Selecting a site, Zane erected a cabin and after remaining one season on the Ohio he returned to the South Branch. In the following spring he and his family, together with some friends, moved westward as far as Redstone, where a part of the emigrants were left while Ebenezer, with his brothers, Jonathan and Silas, and two or three others, proceeded on to what is now Wheeling, where they commenced the necessary improvements for the reception of their families, who, in due course of time, were brought to their new homes. In 1773 quite a number of other settlers came from the South Branch and further increased the population of what is now the largest city in West Virginia. Ebenezer Zane married Elizabeth McColloch, sister of the daring McColloch brothers, of border warfare fame. She bore him thirteen children: Catharine, Ann, Sarah, John, Samuel, Hetty, Jesse, and Daniel, and five others whose names we do not know. "The clearing of Col. Zane embraced about ten acres, comprehending that portion of the present city of Wheeling lying along Main and Market streets from the brow of the hill to a point above where the Suspension Bridge crosses over to the Island. It was girdled on every side by the dark green forest, save on the west, where swept the beautiful river. "Col. Zane's intercourse with the natives having been marked by mildness, courtesy, and honorable dealing, his hamlet escaped the fury of the savages and nothing occurred to mar the pleasure of his western life until the fall of 1777, when the attack was made on Fort Henry of which mention has been made elsewhere. From time to time he received marks of distinction from the Colonial, State and National governments. To these, however, he seems never to have aspired -- preferring the peace and quietude of his home to the pomp of public positions. "He was as generous as brave; strictly honorable to all men, and most jealous of his own rights. He possessed, in an eminent degree, the constituents of a true gentleman -- the disposition to render unto all their due -- the quick, delicate, accurate perception of others' rights and others' claims. He was of a nervous temperament and hard to restrain when excited; a plain, blunt man, rude of speech but true of heart, knowing nothing of formalities and caring about little else than his family, his friends, and his country. "The personal appearance of Colonel Zane was somewhat remarkable: dark complexion, piercing black eyes, huge brows, and prominent nose. Not very tall, but uncommonly active and athletic, he was a match for almost any man in the settlement, and many are the incidents in wood and field told of his prowess and his strength. He was a devoted hunter and spent much of his time in the woods. But few men could out-shoot, and fewer still out-run, him. In illustration of his skill with the rifle, it is said that he once took aim from the fort and shot an Indian on the island." Colonel Zane's courage was further attested by his actions during the siege of the fort in the fall of 1782, related elsewhere. By an act of Congress, May, 1796, Colonel Zane, assisted by his brother Jonathan and son-in-law John McIntire, aided by an Indian guide, Tomepomehala, whose knowledge of the country enabled him to render valuable suggestions, erected a public road, in the year 1797, from Wheeling to Maysville; in consideration for which service Colonel Zane was granted the privilege "of locating military warrants upon three sections of land; the first to be at the crossing of the Muskingum, the second at Hock-hocking, and the third at Scioto." The colonel thought of crossing the Muskingum at Duncan's Falls, but foreseeing the great value of the hydraulic power created by the falls, determined to cross at the point where Zanesville has since been established and thus secure this important power. The second section was located where Lancaster now stands, and the third on the east side of the Scioto opposite Chillicothe. The first he gave, principally, to his two assistants for services rendered. In addition to these fine possessions, Colonel Zane acquired large bodies of land throughout what is now West Virginia, by locating patents for those persons whose fear of Indians deterred them undertaking personally so hazardous an enterprise. After a life full of adventure and vicissitude, the subject of our sketch died of jaundice, in 1811, at the age of sixty-four. EBENEZER ZANE'S BROTHERS (De Hass' Extracts from Withers' Border Wars.) In the spring of 1771 Jonathan and Silas Zane visited the west and made explorations during the summer and fall of that year. Jonathan was, perhaps, the most experienced hunter of his day in the west. He was a man of great energy of character, resolution and restless activity. He rendered efficient service to the settlements about Wheeling in the capacity of spy. He was remarkable for earnestness of purpose and energy and inflexibility of will, which often manifested itself in a way truly astonishing. Few men shared more of the confidence and more of the respect of his fellow men than Jonathan Zane. He was one of the pilots in Crawford's expedition, and it is said, strongly admonished the unfortunate commander against proceeding; as the enemy were very numerous and would certainly defeat him. He died in Wheeling, at his residence, a short distance above the site of the old first ward public school. He left large landed possessions, most of which were shared by his children. The late Mrs. Ezenezer (Ebenezer?) Martin, Mrs. Wood, and Mrs. Hildreth, of Belmont County, Ohio, were children of his; also the late Mrs. Daniel Zane, of the island. Of Colonel Zane's other brothers, Silas and Andrew, little can be gathered of the personal history. The latter was killed by the Indians while crossing the Scioto; Isaac was a somewhat more conspicuous character. He was taken captive when but nine years old and carried to the Indian towns, where, he afterwards stated, he remained four years without seeing a white man. He became thoroughly Indian in his habits and appearance, and married the sister of a distinguished Wyandotte chief, by whom he raised a family of eight children. He acquired, with his Indian bride, large landed property and became an important man in the confederacy. But, notwithstanding all this, he remained true to the whites and often was the means of communicating, important intelligence which may have saved the settlements from most bloody visitations. In consideration of those services, the government granted him a patent for ten thousand acres of land, on Mad River, where he lived and died. Contributed by Linda Cunningham Fluharty.