Isaac Zane and Jonathan Alder

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      The battle lines drawn between the whites and the Native Americans, a special breed came forward to attempt a peaceful co-existence between the settlers and the Native Americans—the adopted white children of the Native Americans.

                As the whites encroached on the Native American’s territory, white children and even adults were from time to time taken captive during raids or while on hunting parties.  Many of the captives were subsequently adopted into the tribes,  From most accounts these adopted children were treated quite well, and some even refused to return to their white families in later years.

                Caught between two races, these children came to age in a world where their past battled with their present.  Some of these children, in adulthood, were instrumental in bringing the whites and the Native Americans to peaceful talks.  To these children a new legacy was born.

                At the age of nine, Isaac Zane, born in 1753, was captured by the Wyandots near his home in Virginia and taken to Buffalo, Detroit, and Sandusky, before coming to what is now Logan County.   His brother, Jonathan, was also captured but released and returned to Virginia.

                Chief Tarhe accepted Zane into his family and Zane married Tarhe’s only daughter, Princess Myeerah sometime in 1796 or 1797.  Some written accounts state that Zane visited his white family, but always returned to the Wyandots.

                On several occasions, Zane served as interpreter and liaison between the whites and the Native Americans. He is also said to have warned settlers of impending trouble with Native Americans, preventing much bloodshed.  In 1786 Zane and Tarhe were witnesses to the signing of the treat between the Shawnee and the United States.  In addition, Zane was present and acted as interpreter for Tarhe’s speech at the Greenville negotiations.

                Zane was said to be living at Zane’s Town at the time General Logan’s troops destroyed Mac-o-chee villages.  Accounts differ as the whether Zane later obtained land at present day Zanesfield from Tarhe, the government, or by purchasing the land.

                Zane died at his home in 1816 at the age of 63, leaving several children.

                Jonathan Alder was born in New Jersey on September 17, 1773.  His parent moved to Wythe County, Virginia when he was eight years-old.  In 1782 he was captured by a party of Mingoes and taken to a Mingo village located on the north side of the Mad River in what is now Logan County.

                Alder was forced to run the gauntlet of Mingo children before being adopted into a Mingo family. His Mingo father was Succohanos, a chief.  He later wrote, “I would have lived very happy if I could have had my health; but for three or four years O was subject to very severe attacks of fever and ague.”

                Alder was living at the Mac-o-chee towns when Logan destroyed them in 1786.  He was also involved in the attack on Fort Recovery in 1794 and was involved in several expeditions into Kentucky inquest of horses.

                Alder, while living as a Mingo, maintained a certain regard for his ancestry.  After the treaty of 1795, he is said to have written, “I could now lie down without fear, and rise up and shake hands with both the Indian and the white man.”  After the Greenville Peace Treaty he moved to Darby plains and began farming like the whites.  He raised hogs, cows, and horses, and sold milk and butter. 

                Alder learned to speak English from the settlers and began a successful search for his family.

~Written by Bridget Early