Whether one speaks of Wheeling, Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, St. Clairsville, , Cambridge, Zanesville, Lancaster, Chillicothe or other southern Ohio communities, the Zane family played some role in its development. Two cities, Wheeling and Zanesville, were founded by Colonel Ebenezer Zane.

ORIGINS

Born in Virginia in 1747, Ebenezer Zane was the patriarch of the family. He served in the British Army, since Virginia was under British rule by its Governor, Lord Dunmore.

Although Dunmore was known for his cruel treatment against the colonists and their families during the war, Zane served as his bookkeeper and was well treated and even handled Dunsmore’s chief disburser duties in Wheeling. Upon leaving the military, he made his first investment with a grant of land in Wheeling in return for his military service. He began as a surveyor and became Ohio’s first road builder and developer.

FAMILY

He and his wife Elizabeth, his siblings Silas, Jonathan, Andrew, Isaac and Elizabeth, the legendary “Betty Zane,” settled in 1769 in what is now Wheeling.

It wasn’t long before the elder Zane realized that the future of this new land was with the colonists and settlers moving West across the Ohio. That same year, he and his brothers laid claim to the Wheeling area, including what is now Wheeling Island. They quickly realized that Wheeling’s strategic river location would be the gateway to the West.

INDIANS

Life for these pioneers was tough, both to eek out a daily existence and raise a family. Although there were only two major Indian attacks during five years, the stress of being constantly on guard against Indian attack was also a daily occurrence. In fact, Zane’s brother, Isaac was captured and then adopted by the Wyandot tribe and later married Myeerah, daughter of Tarhe, chief of the Wyandots.

Ironically, some years later, Isaac assisted the American government with peace negotiations and was rewarded with land near Zanesville.

WAR

As the Revolutionary War raged on, a fort was constructed to help protect Wheeling’s settlers. It was first named Fort Fincastle and later Fort Henry in honor of early governors of Virginia. Everyone in the Zane family was at the forefront of defense against constant attacks from the Indians and British. Zane’s wife, Elizabeth functioned as the fort’s chief nurse. Other members of this community included Lydia Boggs, Hamilton Carr, the five McCulloch brothers and the three Wetzel brothers.

BETTY ZANE

In 1782 the last battle of the Revolutionary War was fought and won by the colonists at Fort Henry.

The settlers fought courageously, but they were about out of powder when the battle was saved by Betty Zane, who tied a tablecloth to her waist, ran from the fort to the nearby Zane blockhouse, where extra powder was stored. Filling up her tablecloth with powder she carried it back to the fort. Amazingly, it was the chivalry of the Indians that lost them the battle, for it forbade them from firing on a squaw.

Since they didn’t realize what Betty was doing at first, they fortunately did not start shooting until she was a short distance from the fort.

FAMILY BUSINESS

Having grown up in Virginia’s Potomac River Valley, all the Zanes were well-trained in the ways of the woods and the pioneer arts. Not only was Ebenezer the eldest, he was the most enterprising and ambitious. Supported by his brothers, Silas, Jonathan, Andrew and a crew of seven other relatives, the Zane’s were a productive construction team.

Also, since Congress never had any money in those days, Ebenezer became adept at negotiating with Congress for his choice of acreage along the roads he built.

Zane secured approval from Congress to begin the first road West across Ohio from Wheeling in 1796. Recognizing what this road would mean to economic development, President George Washington and Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory, were strong supporters of the road, first called Zane’s Trace.

St. Clair also knew that, although river travel was still the most efficient, at times when the Ohio froze in the winter and the sand bars built up in the summer, an alternative route inland would still keep growth moving. He also knew that once there was a road, entrepreneurs would start businesses to distribute products and services from the East. Towns would sprout up along the Trace, which was to become National Road and eventually U.S. 40.

WESTWARD

As the road moved westward, each of the Zane’s accumulated wealth through property holdings gained for building the road through Martin’s Ferry, Bridgeport, St. Clairsville, Cambridge, Zanesville, Lancaster and Chillicothe. The National Road eventually reached westward to Illinois and ended 100 miles short of St. Louis, Missouri.

However, its initial purpose was to first reach Zanesville, then go South down to rejoin the Ohio River at Limestone, now Maysville, Kentucky. Zane also profited from ferry services he was authorized by Congress to built and operate across rivers which interrupted his road.

Starting out at Wheeling, going South from Zanesville, first through Lancaster, then to Chillicothe, Ohio’s first state capitol, and then to its completion at the Ohio, Zane’s Trace traveled through 11 counties.

First it was not much more than an Indian trail. Zane followed such trails whenever possible, widening them for a pack horse. But the road was not made wide enough for a wagon until Ohio became a statein 1803. The following year funds were again appropriated to widen the road to 20 feet.

Traveling on U.S.40, we are reminded of the legacy that Colonel Ebenezer Zane and his family left us from Wheeling along the National Road and the communities they founded and helped develop. Colonel Zane died in 1812 at age 66. He is buried in a Martins Ferry Cemetery on a terrace overlooking the mighty Ohio.

Ebenezer Zane is the great grandfather of the famous western novelist, Zane Grey, of Zanesville, Ohio, who has authored more than 100 books and has been credited with as many movie and television adaptations of his stories. His first book, “Betty Zane,” in 1903, was a fictionalized story of his great aunt’s exploits at Fort Henry in 1782.

Editor’s Note: A self-described storyteller and history buff, Phillips headed media relations agencies in his native Cleveland and in Phoenix. He is available for speaking. Reach him at phillphx@aol.com.