our history
History of the Ebenezer Zane Chapter of the Ohio Society, Sons of the American Revolution (OHSSAR)
Our chapter had its beginnings at the Cumberland Trail Genealogical Society Genealogy Exposition in St. Clairsville, October 1997, where Larry Parkins met with Dr. Ruluff McIntyre, then Membership Chairman of the Ohio Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, to formulate plans to organize a chapter in East Central Ohio.
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Afterwards, a series of organizing meetings was held at the St. Clairsville library to gather members, appoint officers, determine a Chapter Constitution and establish by-laws. At a June meeting, the founding members submitted their membership applications to Dr. McIntyre for forwarding to the NSSAR for approval. Most of the applications were approved in August 1998.
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In December 1998, at a meeting held at the Puskarich Public Library in Cadiz, the name EBENEZER ZANE was selected as the chapter designation. As a colonel in the Virginia Militia, Zane participated in the defense of Fort Henry (named after Patrick Henry) at Wheeling, WV on September 1, 1777, when the British and
their Indian allies made their first serious attack on western boarder settlements. Later, on September 11, 1782, a company of British troops and a large number of Indians, laid siege to the fort. The small garrison, 20 men and a few women, under Colonel Zane's command survived. This was the last time the British flag flew in battle in the Revolutionary War.
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Colonel Zane was a member of the 1788 Virginia Convention that adopted the new Constitution. In May 1796, Congress empowered Zane to open a road, known as Zane's Trace, from Wheeling, WV to Maysville, KY, a major contribution to settlement in Ohio. Ebenezer Zane's many accomplishments give ample justification for naming the Chapter EBENEZER ZANE to honor and perpetuate his memory.
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The Ebenezer Zane Chapter which has St. Clairsville, OH as its headquarters, received its Charter from the Ohio Society, Sons of the American Revolution during a ceremony at the Winter Board of Management meeting February 6, 1999 at the Lenox Inn in Columbus, OH. The Ohio Society provided a set of flags and financial support to this new Chapter which was the twenty-first in Ohio. A gavel and sound block were presented to the group by Dr. Ruluff McIntyre as a personal gift.
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The twelve founding charter members of the Ebenezer Zane Chapter were Randall G. Crumpler, Charles Henderson, Edward W. Large, James E. Large, George E. Livingston, Dr. Ruluff D. McIntyre, C. Richard Michael, Richard V. Moore, Larry R. Perkins, Stephen W. Perkins, George R. Ruch and William W. Smith. Charter Officers from 1998-1999 were President Larry R. Perkins, Vice President George R. Ruch, Secretary Richard V. Moore, Treasurer C. Richard Michael, Genealogist George E. Livingston and Chaplain Randall G. Crumpler.