Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-30
aTbeelin9 Register.
OLD TINE WHEELING
ONIYASNALL GROUP OF CABINS HERE 0NB
HUNDRED YEARS AGO
And a Formulation Of Between 200 and SO0-Ihe
Early Ponsss-S1.tisg Of Revolutionary
Fans-Ths Progsnii1rs o. People
Who Are Now Living

Wheeling is not one hundred years old
II became a town in 1906, and on the 15t
Of April in that year the first town cleo
ton was held. Ia 1898, however, Col
Ebenezsr Zane laid out the first lots, IL
innumber, between what is now known a
Eighth and Eleventh streets and bstweeI
Market street and the river.
A century ago to-day between 200 an'
800 people lived in what is now the city o
Wheeling. 1t then consisted Of cabins an
LOG houses scattered from what is nov
Eighth street to Tenth street. Only Col
Zsne's house-a block house-was below
Tenth street Between Tenth and Eleventh
streets. on the west side Of Main street
stood the memorable Fort Henry. Between
the fort and the river was q slOping pas
Iure.
By the close Of the last century, few
changes had been made. The frontier had
been removed by Gen. Wayne's victory
over the Indians, a long distance westward
The popoulatiOn rad increased somewhat.
A few clearings had been made here and
there for cornfslds An orchard planted
a few years before had grown forth, and
on the vest side of Main street, between
Ninth and Tenth streets, the pioneers bur
led their dead On every side was the
wilderness.
In 1903, Jacob Gooding built for him
selfa brick house, on the present site Of
the Windsor Hotel-the first brick build
ing 20 be erected To- Wheeling IL YVES used
for a hotel for many years.
With her early settlers who lived nearly
a hundred years ago the people OF Wheel
ing are pretty familiar. Yet on such an
historic occasion 10 may be well 20 hastily
sketch few Of them.
COL. EBENEZER IANE.
Among those identified with the early
history Of this vicinity during the RevOlu-
tiouary war, and the subsequent Organiza-
ton Of the Government OF the United
States. whose Centennial Is to-day to be
celebrated, there are few indeed whe de-
serve more grateful remembrance for valu'
able and various service than Col. Ebenezer
Zane, the first settler and founder OF
Wheeling.
He was the son Of William Zane, and
was born on the South Branch Of the
Potomac, Berkeley county, Virginia, Dc
tober It'll, 1747. The family Is Of Danish
origin, but being of an enterprising turn
esrly moved TO France, subsequently to
England where they became identified
with the Quakers, and finally emigrated
20 America with William Penn.
To was in December, 1867, as Weather S
Chronicles correctly states, that Col. Zane,
who was among the first to explore the
country from the South Branch of the
Potomac, through the Allegheny glades,
10 she Ohio river, set out an expedition
thiiher TO make a location He was ac-
compsnied on that expedition by Isaac
Williams, two men named Robinson, and
some others; but setting of rather late IL
the season, and the weather being
very severe, they were compelled to re-
turn. without having panetroteu 10 the
Ohio river" One of the party died from
the extent Of the cold on the way home.
In the spring OF l76S Col. Zane finally
left the south branch with his family and
household Effects, migrating as FAR west as
Redst0ne Old Fort, now Brownsville. Pa.
The subsequent year, 1869 he left his
family 90 Rsdstone, and in company with
his brothers, Jonathan and Silas, sought
TO penetrate the unbroken wilderness to
some eligible Location on the Ohio, The
story of his arrival at the hill overlooking
the river near the mouth Of Wheeling
creek. aud of his Immediate determination
10 stake out his claim and make a permR-
nent settlement here has often been told
and is entirely familiar to cur readers.
Together with his two brothers he built
a cabin, cleared some land, and leaving
his brothers in charge, returned for his
family. Ia the succeeding spring be
brought his wife and child and took
possession of his new home, where he re-
NAMED the balance of his life.
Thus in September, 1859, was laid the
foundation of what Is now the populous
and prosperous city of Wheeling.
The settlement thus made was but the
precursor of many others, and within the
succeeding year or two quite a large pOpu-
lation had gathered on the waters OF the
Moncugahela and Ohio, and was already
stretching out toward Kentucky. The
effect was to make the Ohio river, for a
time. the extreme frontier, and the conse-
quent collisions between the settlers and
the Indians an along the border were
frequent and bloody. Our local annals
are full Of these inCursious and massacraes,
and show the bravery and fOrtitude Of the
early settlers of this vicinity to be unsur-
passed In the history Of The nation.
The Wheeling settlement suffered fire.
Quently flou these attacks OF the Indians,
but rep He'd them with much courage sad
not q little skill Col zane took an active
and prominent part IN many OF these en-
counters, and often saved the settlement
from attack by his wise and coocihatory
attitude toward several of the leading
tribes Had his counsel been needed it is
quite probable The Dunmore war would
baye been entirely ayerted.
Early in 1114 the frs. mutteriugs Of the
storms Of war between the colonies and the
mother country were heard even on the
remote fror tier and are referred to IN let
ter from Valentine Crawford, then present
with the Colonial Governor, Lord Dun
more. and bis army at Wheeling, en- route
for the campaign against tie Indians al
Chlhcothe It Is dated Fort Flncastle,
name of the Wheeling Fort before the
war. October 1st l774 and is written 10
General Washington. 10 which he says
they were anxious thst DuumOre should
'accommoist e q peace, which we all hope
for, m order that we may he aole 10 assist
ven in relieving the poor, distressed Bos-
tonisns if the report here Is true, that
General Gage has bombsrded the City OF
Boston. This is a most remarkable cir
cumstarce and calls 20 every friend OF the
liberty of his country 20 sXer, himself a.
this ums iu ITS cause.
Tn the Revolutionary WAT which fol
lowed the Indians were induced by Brit
ish eri. saries 20 constant raids on che
border, and these c1lmiusted IN the severe
attack by nearly 900 Indians on Fort
Henri IN September, l717 In this e.
csunter the settlement suffered the severe
loss Of twenty-five mer no the hrst onse;
,r.s7ns the walls OF the fort The subse-