Betty Zane

Betty Zane
A 19th century depiction of Elizabeth Zane's legendary feat of retrieving powder during the 1782 siege of Fort Henry
Born	July 19, 1765 Berkeley County, West Virginia, British America
Died	August 23, 1823 St. Clairsville, Ohio, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Ephraim McLaughlin Jacob Clark
Children	Minerva Catherine Zane with Van Swearingen Mary Ann "Polly", Sarah Nancy, Rebecca McLaughlin and Hannah McLaughlin with Ephraim McLaughlin Ebenezer Clark and Catherine Clark with Jacob Clark
Parent(s)	William Andrew Zane Nancy Ann Zane
Relatives	Ebenezer Zane, brother Silas Zane, brother Jonathan Zane, brother

Elizabeth "Betty" Zane McLaughlin Clark (July 19, 1765 – August 23, 1823) was a heroine of the Revolutionary War on the American frontier. She was the daughter of William Andrew Zane and Nancy Ann (née Nolan) Zane, and the sister of Ebenezer Zane, Silas Zane, Jonathan Zane, Isaac Zane and Andrew Zane.

Three of the Zane brothers — Ebenezer, Silas and Jonathan — migrated from present-day Moorefield, Hardy County, [West] Virginia in 1769 and founded the first settlement at present-day Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. The rest of the Zane family later joined them at the new settlement.

According to a historical marker in Wheeling, on September 11, 1782, the Zane family was under siege in Fort Henry by American Indian allies of the British. During the siege, while Betty was loading a Kentucky rifle, her father was wounded and fell from the top of the fort right in front of her. The captain of the fort said, "We have lost two men, one Mr. Zane and another gentlemen, and we need black gunpowder."

Betty's brother carelessly left gunpowder at their house. She ran 40 to 50 yards to retrieve gunpowder. Then returned safely. They held off the Native Americans and lived.

The Zane family later settled in what became Martins Ferry, Belmont County, Ohio, across the Ohio River from Wheeling, and played an important role during Ohio's formative years.

In 1782 Native American and British forces attacked the small garrison of Fort Henry (modern-day Wheeling, West Virginia) which was being defended by forty-two men under the command of Colonel David Shepherd of the Ohio Militia. When the garrison ran low on ammunition (black powder), Zane volunteered to leave the garrison to retrieve more ammunition from her brother's home nearby. Zane's actions are credited with allowing the defenders to continue to hold the fort, which remained under American control.

Elizabeth "Betty" Zane was married twice and was a mother of nine children.

Before her first marriage, she bore a daughter, Minerva Catherine Zane, also known as Miriam, by one Capt. Van Swearingen. Court records in Ohio County, Virginia show an order for Van Swearingen to deed property to Betty Zane, so the daughter would be provided for and not become a burden on the county.