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History The Elizabeth Zane Chapter, Buckhannon, West Virginia, was organized July 21, 1902, by Frances Mable Hart (Mrs. J.R. Ritzinger) as organizing regent. The officers elected were as follows:
The Charter members number twelve:
The name chosen for the chapter was Elizabeth Zane, heroine of Fort Henry Wheeling, West Virginia, on September 11, 1782. She was born in 1759, died in 1823 and was the daughter of William Andrew Zane, great-granddaughter of Robert Zane of Salem, New Jersey. The Elizabeth Zane Chapter holds great admiration for Clara DuMont Phillips Heavner (Mrs. Clark), who was accepted in national membership in April 1910. The chapter, not having been very active for some time, was reorganized under her leadership. The following October, at the West Virginia state conference, she was elected to the office of state treasurer which she held continuously until 1917, when she resigned to accept the office of state vice regent. She served two years and was elected as the tenth state regent of the West Virginia Society Daughters of the American Revolution in 1919. She served three years. Ten chapters were organized under her leadership as state regent. She has served as regent of Elizabeth Zane Chapter from 1914-1918 and the membership increased from 13 to 65 members. Mrs. Heavner is buried in the Heavner Cemetery in Buckhannon, West Virginia. On July 4, 1911, the Elizabeth Zane Chapter members unveiled the memorial monument to early settlers John Fink and Captain William White in the Heavner Cemetery. The funds raised through the efforts of DAR members, the county court, and citizens of the county were $600.00. These men were killed by Indians in an ambush and were buried close together, so the marker was placed between graves in the sight of Bush's Fort. Historical markers have been placed on a granite boulder to mark the location of Bush's Fort and also for the Pringle Tree, two and one-half miles from Buckhannon. This sycamore tree with its hollow trunk was the home of Samuel and John Pringle from 1764-1767. Revolutionary War soldiers' graves marked or honored in Upshur County include the graves of Zedekiah Morgan, John Cutright, Jacob Hyre, Elijah Phillips, Samuel Pringle, John Pringle, Phillip Reger, James Tenney, Jacob Brake, John Fink, and Captain William White. This chapter made contributions to Constitution Hall and to furniture for the West Virginia Room in the DAR national headquarters in Washington, DC. Elizabeth Zane Chapter was the owner of one of the first chapter houses in West Virginia. This house, located on Island Avenue, was the oldest house in Buckhannon, reportedly built shortly after the Revolutionary War. Built of logs and later weather boarded, it was located on a lot 50 by 225 feet and purchased for $2500.00. The chapter members met each month in the house and held all their social functions there. This house was built by the Jackson family, prominent in the early history of Western Virginia, and owned at the time of purchase by the Farnsworth heirs. The chapter made a partial payment and Clara D. Heavner paid the balance. The chapter paid only interest on notes she held. At her death, by her will, she gave clear title to the chapter for the property. This house was later sold for $5,000.00 and the money was invested in certificate of deposit with interest used for the operation of the business of the chapter. Since 1902 there have been 286 members who have helped membership in Elizabeth Zane Chapter. At present, the membership is 45 with 4 being Fifty Year Members. ~~~~~
Elizabeth Zane
images are provided courtesy of the West Virginia State Archives:
http://www.wvculture.org/history
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