Zane Grey

Betty Zane Zane Grey

The first Zane of whom any trace can be found was a Dane of aristocratic lineage, who was exiledfrom his country and came to America with William Penn. He was prominent for several years inthe new settlement founded by Penn, and Zane street, Philadelphia, bears his name. Being a proudand arrogant man, he soon became obnoxious to his Quaker brethren. He therefore cut loose fromthem and emigrated to Virginia, settling on the Potomac river, in what was then known as Berkeleycounty. There his five sons, and one daughter, the heroine of this story, were born. Ebenezer Zane, the eldest, was born October 7, 1747, and grew to manhood in the Potomac valley. There he married Elizabeth McColloch, a sister of the famous McColloch brothers so well known infrontier history. Ebenezer was fortunate in having such a wife and no pioneer could have been better blessed. Shewas not only a handsome woman, but one of remarkable force of character as well as kindness ofheart. She was particularly noted for a rare skill in the treatment of illness, and her deftness inhandling the surgeon's knife and extracting a poisoned bullet or arrow from a wound had restored tohealth many a settler when all had despaired. The Zane brothers were best known on the border for their athletic prowess, and for theirknowledge of Indian warfare and cunning. They were all powerful men, exceedingly active and asfleet as deer. In appearance they were singularly pleasing and bore a marked resemblance to oneanother, all having smooth faces, clear cut, regular features, dark eyes and long black hair.