Ebenezer Zane (abt. 1747 - abt. 1811)

Born about 7 Oct 1747 in Berkeley, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (McColloch) Zane — married about 1767 in Ohio, West Virginia

Descendants

Died about 19 Nov 1811 at about age 64 in Wheeling, Marshall, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

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This profile is part of the Zane's Trace, Northwest Territory One Place Study.

Biography

Ebenezer Zane is Notable.

Ebenezer Zane is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A130539.

Ebenezer Zane is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P326549
Rank: Col

Ebenezer was born 7 October 1747 in Berkeley County, West Virginia. ^{[1] [2]}

Marriage and Family

Ebenezer Zane married Elizabeth McColloch, "sister of the daring McColloch brothers, of border warfare fame," ^[1] about 1767, most likely in what is now Wheeling, West Virginia. Ebenezer and Elizabeth are said to have had thirteen children, including the following who survived infancy: ^{[3] [4] [5]}

1. Catherine (Zane) Martin (1769-1816)
2. Mary Ann (Zane) Burkett (1771-abt. 1816)
3. Sarah "Sally" (Zane) McIntire (1773-1854)
4. Rebecca (Zane) Clark (1776-1866)
5. Noah Ebenezer Zane (1778-1833)
6. John Zane (1780-1805)
7. Samuel Zane (1784-1854)
8. Hester Ann (Zane) Woods (1786-1854)
9. Daniel Francis Zane (1792-1860).

Settlement in the Ohio Valley

In the early 1770s Ebenezer moved westward through the Ohio Valley and eventually settled in what is today, Wheeling, West Virginia:

In 1769, Col. Ebenezer Zane, his brothers Silas and Jonathan, with some others from the south Branch, visited the Ohio river for the purpose of commencing improvements; and severally proceeded to select positions for their future residence.
The brothers, Ebenezer, Silas and Jonathan, who settled Wheeling, were also men of enterprise, tempered with prudence, and directed by sound judgement.^[6]

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."
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.^[1]

Ft. Henry (West Virginia) & the US Revolutionary War

Ebenezer Zane, along with his brothers Silas and Jonathan, established “Fort Henry” near Wheeling in 1774. It was one of a series of forts built to protect settlers along the frontier (not to be confused with the Tennessee Fort Henry). The conflict of the day in that region was between Shawnee American Indians and the Colony of Virginia. In 1782 the Zanes fended off a force of about 300 Wyandot, Shawnee, Seneca, and Delaware Indians in what was known as the Siege of Fort Henry. ^[7]

Ebenezer Zane's Revolutionary War service record indicates he was a 2nd Lt. in the 12th Virginia Regiment:

It appears from the Rev. War records on file in this office that one Ebenezer Zane raised a Lieutenant's Command which was stationed at Wheeling on the Ohio. He was tendered the 1st Lieutenancy of a Co. of the 12th Va. Reg. of which his command became a part. He afterwards declined a Continental commission. ^[8]

Zane's Trace

In 1796 Col. Ebenezer Zane petitioned Congress for and oversaw construction of “Zane’s Trace,” an early American trail through what is now Ohio. He was assisted with the cutting of Zane’s Trace by his brother Jonathan, and John McIntire, his son-in-law for whom John McIntire Armstrong was named (John McIntire was married to Ebenezer’s daughter Sarah Zane). Jonathan Zane and John McIntire were principal founders of Zanesfield, Ohio, a settlement along the Zane’s Trace route. ^{[9] [10]}

Death and Legacy

Ebenezer died in 1811 in Wheeling, West Virginia. ^{[4] [3] [1] [11]}

The city of Zanesville, Ohio is named for Ebenezer.

Research Notes

Disputed Children

• Gretchen (Zane) Robinson - Gretchen is named in some Zane family genealogies, although without confirmatory source. She is not mentioned in any secondary sources included herein that list other children of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Zane.
• Ezekiel Boggs - "Ezekiel was the illegimate son of Ebenezer Zane ... his mother being Sally Boggs ... Ezekiel was a large man with red hair as was Ebenezer ... Ezekiel was reputed to be 6 feet and 4 inches in height and over 200 lbs in weight." ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Myers, Sylvester, Myers' History of West Virginia: In Two Volumes (Wheeling: Wheeling News Lithograph, 1915) Vol. 1, 297; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/458164-myers-history-of-west-virginia-v-01 : accessed 20 March 2023), image 301 of 569.
2. ↑ Wilson, James Grant and John Fiske, Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography (New York: D. Appleton, 1887-1900), 655; digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/appletonscyclope0000unse : downloaded 20 March 2023).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Wiseman, Charles, Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield County, Ohio (Columbus: F.J. Heer Printing Co., 1901), 11; digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/pioneerperiodpio00wise/page/10/mode/2up : accessed 20 March 2023).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2QM-YB7Z : 12 March 2018), Ebenezer Zane, 1811; citing Ohio, West Virginia, United States, Will book, v. 002 1810-1828, page 26, Jackson County Clerk, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 853,049.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH28-4VX : Wed Mar 15 18:19:14 UTC 2023), Entry for Ebenezer Zane, 1810.
6. ↑ Withers, Alexander Scott and Reuben Gold Thwaites (ed.), Chronicles of Border Warfare or, A History of the Settlement by the Whites, of North-Western Virginia, and of the Indian wars and Massacres in that Section of the State: with Reflections, Anecdotes, &c. (Cincinnati: The Robert Clarke Company, 1895), 124; digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/chroniclesofbord1895with/ : accessed 07 January 2023).
7. ↑ Johnston, Ross B., (comp.), West Virginians in the American Revolution (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977), 319; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/2636123?mark=d9777ad447b93b7cce41fcfddb9e40f12c50a6e9bad1790823c162cacbe763d4 : downloaded 22 March 2023).
8. ↑ "Revolutionary War Service Records," database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/23083957 : downloaded 21 March 2023), record for Ebenezer Zane; citing NARA Microform Publication M881, NAID:570910 , roll 1077.
9. ↑ See Zane's Trace - Road through Ohio
10. ↑ "Private Law, 4th Congress, 1st Session: An Act to Authorize Ebenezer Zane to Locate Certain Lands in the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, May 17, 1796," (National Archives Identifier: 178713561), Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, Record Group 11: General Records of the United States Government; National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference, NARA Microform Publication M337.
11. ↑ "Ohio Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6D7-KTL : 12 December 2014), Ebenezer Zane, 1812; FHL microfilm 182,793. Note: death date in this record conflicts with other sources.
12. ↑ Ezekiel Boggs Sr., from "The Hooker Family Genealogy," compiled by David J. Hooker (1998).

See also:

• FamilySearch ID: LHV8-81C
• Find A Grave: Memorial #13414231
• Ohio History Central: Ebenezer Zane
• Wikidata: Item Q799200, en:Wikipedia
• Wikipedia: Zane family
• Newton, J. H., G. G. Nichols, Ag. G. Sprankle, History of the Pan-Handle: being historical collections of the counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia: with illustrations (1879; reprint, Evansville, Indiana: Unigraphic, 1973), 131-133; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/50339-history-of-the-pan-handle-being-historical-collections-of-the-counties-of-ohio-brooke-marshall-and-hancock-west-virginia-with-illustrations : accessed 24 March 2023), images 138-140 of 505.