Col. Zane’s sister was the famous ELIZABETH ZANE whose bravery in saving the gun powder at Fort Henry in 1782 has been celebrated in song and story. The Zanes were a tine courageous family with wills of their own. Thus it happened that when a wandering shoemaker, born of Scotch parentage at Alexandria, Va., in 1759, one John Mclntire by name, arrived in Wheeling, he sought out the Zane family, and being a bold and forthright young man, was soon impressed by Ebenezer and his brother Jonathan, into service on the trace.
While working with the Zanes he met and fell in love with Ebenezer ’ s daughter, Sarah, then a beautiful girl in her teens. She announced her decision to marry the thirty-five year old shoemaker, and nothing would deter her, not even the equal determination of her parents that she should not do so.
On the day of the wedding her father went hunting to show his distaste at having a son-in-law only twelve years younger than himself. Her mother, it is said, even used her slipper on the young bride-to-be, to force her to give up the man of her choice. But in spite of parental objection, Sarah became Mrs. John Mclntire.
In the fall of 1799, Ebenezer Zane having deeded to Mclntire and Jonathan Zane the lands of the Muskingum crossing, John and Sarah Mclntire came to Zanesville to make their home. With her, Sarah brought the famous side board and chest of drawers which are still being preserved and are on exhibition at the present time in the Art Institute at Zanesville.
There had never been an inn or hotel at Zanesville —which became a “city” in 1802 — and John and Sarah, building a commodious house, luxuriously furnished according to the times, opened it to travelers. Louis Phillipe, of France once stopped there and often recalled the gracious hospitality of Sarah and John Mclntire. Mclntire Tavern, as it was called, was visited by many famous people and the name of Sarah Mclntire has gone down in history with that of her husband, who, born a poor boy, yet died a rich and influential man.
Having no children they adopted a young girl fourteen years old whom they made their heir. But she died soon after the death of Mclntire, who passed away at the age of fifty-six.
Remembering his own difficult youth and aided and abetted by Sarah, whose heart was as large as the proverbial omnibus, they willed their fortune to found a free school for the youth of the community and a home for orphaned children. The latter is in existence today and is administered by executors of the estate.
It is said that Sarah had all the resolution and courage, all the fine sense of justice which made her father, Col. Zane, so notable. She certainly proved a splendid mate for the pioneering husband she married. Some of her silver and small possessions are in the possession of Zanesville families and are treasured for their historical value.
