Zane family facts for kids

The Zane family was very important in the early history and settlement of what is now West Virginia and the state of Ohio. They were pioneers who helped shape the American frontier.

Brothers Ebenezer (born 1747) and Isaac Zane were leaders in Virginia before moving west. They helped create new areas in the Ohio Country. This included founding towns like Zanesville and Zanesfield. Their sister, Betty Zane (born 1759), became a hero during the American Revolutionary War.

The Zane Family: Early Beginnings

The Zane family originally came from England.

Moving to America

• Robert Zane was born in England in 1643. He married Margaret Hammon in Ireland in 1664.
• Their son, Nathanial Zane, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1670. He moved to America and married Grace Rakestraw in Philadelphia in 1697.
• William Andrew Zane, Nathanial's son, was born in New Jersey in 1712. He later moved to Wheeling, Ohio.

Key Members of the Zane Family

Many members of the Zane family made important contributions to American history.

Isaac Zane: Living with the Wyandot People

Isaac Zane (born 1753) had an amazing life story. When he was about nine years old, he was kidnapped by Wyandot Native Americans in 1762. This happened near his family home in Virginia.

Isaac was adopted into the Wyandot tribe and lived with them for 17 years. In 1771, he married Myerrah, whose name meant "White Crane." She was the daughter of Chief Tarhe, a powerful Wyandot leader. Because of this marriage, Isaac held an important position within the tribe. Myerrah passed away in Zanesfield, Ohio, in 1823.

Isaac and Myerrah had a son, also named Isaac Zane, born in 1777. This younger Isaac married Hannah Dickinson. Their son, Ebenezer O. Zane, was born in 1824. He married Rebecca Ann Barnes. They had several children, including Isaac O. Zane, born in 1847.

Lawrence G. Zane: A Wyandotte Descendant

Lawrence G. Zane was born in Mississippi in 1873. He was a descendant of Isaac Zane and his Wyandot family. Lawrence received a land grant in Colorado from President Woodrow Wilson. This was because he was a member of the Wyandotte tribe.

His son, Lawrence Gus Zane, was born in Kansas Territory in 1901. He married Lulu Mini Rodecker, who was a member of the Cherokee Nation. They had two children: Betty Virginia Zane and Herbert Donald Zane. Herbert served in World War I.

Betty Virginia Zane later had a daughter named Virginia Lu Nichols.

Elizabeth Burton Conley: Protecting Sacred Land

Elizabeth Burton (Zane) Conley (born 1838) was Isaac Zane's granddaughter. She was a multi-racial member of the Wyandot tribe. She and her sisters, known as the Conley sisters, became famous for saving the Wyandot National Burying Ground in Kansas City. This was a very important place for the Wyandot people.

Zane Grey: Famous Author

Zane Grey (born 1872) was a very popular author. He wrote many Western novels, which are stories about cowboys and the American West. Grey's mother was a descendant of the Zane family. She named him Zane to honor this important family line.

Places Named After the Zane Family

Several places are named after the Zane family, showing their lasting impact:

• Zane Township, Logan County, Ohio
• Zane's Trace, an old road that went through Ohio, connecting Wheeling, West Virginia to Maysville, Kentucky.