The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-09
wuEELING'S HISTORY AND GROWTH,

The First Settlements OF the Zanes In
West Virginia In Hardy County-Moylng
Further WeSt-WhOslIug Founded.
From an entertaining Wheeling letter
in the Catholic Mirror, OF Baltimore, the
following extracts are taken:
Among the men OF marked force Of
character who followed William Penn
to Pennsylvania in quest Of liberty and
improved fortunes. was the father OF the
four Zane brothers-Isaac, Ebenezer,
Silas and Jonathan-who also gave his
lame to one fthe chief streets OF Phila.
delphia. Isaac, while a lad of 0 years,
was carried of by the Indians to Ohio,
among whom he grew up, intermarried,
and became q prominent chief, without,
however, losing his friendly feelings for
the whites. His father, who was q
Quaker, for marrying out Of the sect lost
favor with It, which led to his removal
to the south branch Of the Potomac In
Virginia, to where the town OF Moore
field has since been built, From this
point, in 1867, his son, Colonel Ebene.
Ter, with some companions, attempted
the passage Of tho Alleghenies in mid.
winter, in quest OF q location on the
Ohio, but got snow-bound, n Of the
Robinson brothers dying; IsaacW Williams
being badly frost.bitten. Nevertheless,
this bold pioneer, with his family and
his brothers, Silas and Jonathan, some
negro slaves and other laborers, renewed
the attempt some months later, follow.
ing the Indian trail from Fort Cumber.
land to Fort Redstone, in Pennsylvania,
now Brownsville, on the Monongahela.
Leaving the family at Redstone the three
brothers pushed their way westward
through the unbroken wilderness, sub.
sisting on meal and wild game till, after
several days OF %journeying and adven.
lures, they struck the head waters OF q
stream that drained q region Of great fer.
tility and promise. At this sight, i'm
agination raised their hopes to the high.
est pitch-which withal fell short OF the
reaIlty-when on reaching the submits
Of tho range OF hills through which the
stream do6ouched into the Ohio, they
saw outstretChed before them that no.
BILE river, It's mountain barriers and the
virgin arabic lands they were in quest
OF. 1t was indeed q vision Of wealth
and glory, where no rude hand OF man
had as yet made a Clearing" Both
l~ittorals and the reclaimable picturesque
hill slope, on closer approach, were found
TO be alive with deer and other forest
game, wing in abundance with the
ieathered tribes and fish in the river.
"Here," said they, I'VE pitch our tents
and end our journeyings." Construct
ing a log raft held together with hickory
| Sithes and ~navigated with long, slender
poles, they effected a landing Ton what
they thought its western bank, when to
their surprise they found themselves on
Il long fertile island, dividingthe Ohioin
mid.stream-which they proceeded at
once to lay claim to by blazing the trees
and other signs OF what was then
known as the "Tomahawk titles"
Returning to the eastern bank, on an
eminence facing the island in question,
now the heart OF the p%opulous city Of
Wheeling, Col, Ebenexer broke ground
for his residence, while sllas followed
suit on tho rich lands Of Wheeling Greek,
Jonathan, the third brother, continuing
10 reside and club interests with Eben.
ezer, the colonel. This was In the Sep
TENDER Of 1908. One year later the rest
OF the family rejoinod them from Fort
Redstono with their household goods,
cattle and horses. The next step was 70
secure patents from Richmond for their
respective surveys and Glearings, and 70
ANNOUNCE their success 10 their friends
onthe south branch oil the Potomac, theil
old home, which led to the prompt 90
cessions 10 the Zane settlement oil the
Shepherds, the WetzelS, the McCollochs
and Others, whose names figure protni'
nently In the early history Of border
progress and indian warfare In the Pan
handle and adjoining counties. ,Qthel
hardy pioneers from pennsylvania
Maryland and Virginia settled on Grave
and Buffalo and Short creeks, tributaries
oithe Ohio, about the same tlme The
Tomlinsons, the Doddrldges, the BlggseS
the Swearingers, the Bakers and Others
Thus reinforced, the Zanes and theil
new allies formed q border guard againsl
the raids olthe INDIANS whostlll swarmet
and owned tho larger part Of what In
DBCHulb buU pIhbU VI NulVt Ilh
boldened by the security thus created, {
large number Of other vigorous settle
ments sprung up In the interior, on tht
tAble lands, and over tho western slopel
oithe Alleghpnles aud adoYn the valley
OF tile Kahawha, tho guYaldotte, the
Big Sandy, and their chief tributaries.
BuCh we're the beginnings oftho earllU1
and chief settlements OF what was ther
known o. the nWest Augusta, or Wilder
mess Disttict,n Of the Old Dominion
Thus also we're laid the foundations 0
what 10 now tle large and Drosperou
city Of Wheeling, whose growth Id mum
bofs and wealth has been steady, and II
advance OF tho most sanRuine hopes Q
ia founders, When incorporated Rs
town In 1900, the settlers had incFeaseO
10 nearly 1000, In 1885 10 6,000i In lSs
to lB,O00j In 1859 70 nearly 10000, not !
speak OF The OtiShoOtg IN the Yesteft
bank Of tho 0hio-Bellalie, Bridgeport
and Martins Fefry-hourishing inanu
iacIufinRAnd commercial centres ehflCl
Ing and giving tenunefatiyO employ
: tn6nt TO On additional population
nearly 10000.
Alta point chosen for their BettlensE
j. BY the 'HanD brothers, tho forests hay
plyeh place 10 what on approach, q
!. phafa 10 DO q continuous town OF BeV6
~ - a.. NaaNa :. IT, nkNa an