Thomas & Susan Zane -- Jesse Zane
Thomas Zane was the son of Jonathan Zane and Anna Maria Williams, born in 1845 in Pennsylvania; his father died when he was thirteen months of age. His mother then married Thomas Wright and he was raised by his mother and stepfather. He married Susan Virgina “Jennie” Cummings in 1867 in Michigan and they had two children Jesse Thomas Zane and Elizabeth Ann Zane Fox.
Thomas served during the Civil War, in Company I of the 44th Illinois Infantry. He married Jennie Cummings in 1867 in Michigan. She was the daughter of Elza & Elizabeth Ann Cummings, born in 1849 in Virginia. They came to Wyoming in 1890 – following daughter Lizzie and son-in-law William Fox who had settled on Little Houston Creek. Thomas was a blacksmith, known as “Smoky” Zane here in Sundance, and became a member of the Sundance Marching Band!
Crook County Monitor, August 1901 – “Another hoary-haired veteran of the civil war has responded for the last time to roll call and joined the silent majority. While on a fishing trip on Sand Creek in company with his wife July 30, 1901, Thomas Q. Zane suddenly expired from the effects of heart disease. He left camp in quest of the horses and stated he would return in time for breakfast, which was being prepared by Mrs. Zane. His failure to return excited Mrs. Zane’s suspicions and a short search revealed the fact that her husband had mounted one of the horses and proceeded only a few feet on his way to camp when overtaken by death. Mr. Zane was born in Pennsylvania in 1845, removing with his parents to Michigan while yet a small boy and remained there until eleven years ago, when he settled in Crook County. At the age of Fifteen years he enlisted in the army as a drummer boy. At the expiration of three hears he re-enlisted and served until honorably discharged at the close of the war…he was a blacksmith by occupation. Owing to ill health he had not worked at his trade for three years prior to his death. The deceased was noted for his generosity and cheerful disposition.”
Jesse Thomas Zane was born in 1868 in Michigan and came to Wyoming with his parents in 1890 – he married Zoe Olive Reed in 1897, they had no children. According to his obituary, he “was one of the most agreeable and companionable men in the county. When he was himself he was usually the life of any crowd of which he was a member. He was an aggressive and potent worker in local politics and was a good loser as well as a complacent winner. He was devoted to his wife and his home and a more congenial couple would be hard to find.” In April of 1905, Jesse made final proof on his Houston Creek homestead. “Jesse has one of the best agricultural spots in the country,” according to the Monitor.
According to Ilone Williamson, writing an article in “Bits and Pieces”, Zoe Zane was born Zoe Olive Reed, the daughter of Louisa Killion, a woman of somewhat dubious reputation who operated a road house at her ranch, which became the Nefsy, then Barton, then Hadley Ranch. Louisa and Cyrus Reed were married in 1870 and two girls were born to their union – Zoe Olive and Maud Edna, about six years apart. A double wedding was held on December 20, 1891 when Zoe Olive became the bride of a man named Samuel Ropp and Maud Edna the bride of William Beavert. Not long after Sam Ropp deeded his 160 acre claim (complete with mortgage) to his mother-in-law and pulled his freight for North Dakota. “Apparently Black Sam (as he was known because of his hair and beard) was not only a cowpunching, horse-busting rambler not give to domesticity but also a wife-neglecting man given to riotous living, as was later mentioned in their divorce in 1896. Zoe never saw him again – and no longer had to take in washing to help support him.”
On January 17, 1897 Zoe became the bride of Jesse T. Zane at the house of Charles Mulholland with Jacob Breneman officiating. This marriage lasted until the death of Jesse due to an abscessed lung and long confinement in bed because of typhoid fever. He was 47 at the time of his death – Zoe was probably 43. He died in the fall of 1915 at his homestead two miles northwest of (Ilone Williamson’s) home near Coal Divide. Zoe sold her land to Earl Bryan about 1915 or 1916 and went to the state of Washington to live. Her sister, Maud had been living there for many years. In Washington Zoe married again and at the time of her death many years later (she was in her 80s) her name was Zoe Weston. According to Ilone, Zoe never mentioned being Mrs. Killion’s daughter or spoke of her marriage to Sam Ropp. “Zoe was a lovely person and well thought of by all who knew her.”
Thomas Zane was the son of Jonathan Zane and Anna Maria Williams, born in 1845 in Pennsylvania; his father died when he was thirteen months of age. His mother then married Thomas Wright and he was raised by his mother and stepfather. He married Susan Virgina “Jennie” Cummings in 1867 in Michigan and they had two children Jesse Thomas Zane and Elizabeth Ann Zane Fox.
Thomas served during the Civil War, in Company I of the 44th Illinois Infantry. He married Jennie Cummings in 1867 in Michigan. She was the daughter of Elza & Elizabeth Ann Cummings, born in 1849 in Virginia. They came to Wyoming in 1890 – following daughter Lizzie and son-in-law William Fox who had settled on Little Houston Creek. Thomas was a blacksmith, known as “Smoky” Zane here in Sundance, and became a member of the Sundance Marching Band!
Crook County Monitor, August 1901 – “Another hoary-haired veteran of the civil war has responded for the last time to roll call and joined the silent majority. While on a fishing trip on Sand Creek in company with his wife July 30, 1901, Thomas Q. Zane suddenly expired from the effects of heart disease. He left camp in quest of the horses and stated he would return in time for breakfast, which was being prepared by Mrs. Zane. His failure to return excited Mrs. Zane’s suspicions and a short search revealed the fact that her husband had mounted one of the horses and proceeded only a few feet on his way to camp when overtaken by death. Mr. Zane was born in Pennsylvania in 1845, removing with his parents to Michigan while yet a small boy and remained there until eleven years ago, when he settled in Crook County. At the age of Fifteen years he enlisted in the army as a drummer boy. At the expiration of three hears he re-enlisted and served until honorably discharged at the close of the war…he was a blacksmith by occupation. Owing to ill health he had not worked at his trade for three years prior to his death. The deceased was noted for his generosity and cheerful disposition.”
Jesse Thomas Zane was born in 1868 in Michigan and came to Wyoming with his parents in 1890 – he married Zoe Olive Reed in 1897, they had no children. According to his obituary, he “was one of the most agreeable and companionable men in the county. When he was himself he was usually the life of any crowd of which he was a member. He was an aggressive and potent worker in local politics and was a good loser as well as a complacent winner. He was devoted to his wife and his home and a more congenial couple would be hard to find.” In April of 1905, Jesse made final proof on his Houston Creek homestead. “Jesse has one of the best agricultural spots in the country,” according to the Monitor.
According to Ilone Williamson, writing an article in “Bits and Pieces”, Zoe Zane was born Zoe Olive Reed, the daughter of Louisa Killion, a woman of somewhat dubious reputation who operated a road house at her ranch, which became the Nefsy, then Barton, then Hadley Ranch. Louisa and Cyrus Reed were married in 1870 and two girls were born to their union – Zoe Olive and Maud Edna, about six years apart. A double wedding was held on December 20, 1891 when Zoe Olive became the bride of a man named Samuel Ropp and Maud Edna the bride of William Beavert. Not long after Sam Ropp deeded his 160 acre claim (complete with mortgage) to his mother-in-law and pulled his freight for North Dakota. “Apparently Black Sam (as he was known because of his hair and beard) was not only a cowpunching, horse-busting rambler not give to domesticity but also a wife-neglecting man given to riotous living, as was later mentioned in their divorce in 1896. Zoe never saw him again – and no longer had to take in washing to help support him.”
On January 17, 1897 Zoe became the bride of Jesse T. Zane at the house of Charles Mulholland with Jacob Breneman officiating. This marriage lasted until the death of Jesse due to an abscessed lung and long confinement in bed because of typhoid fever. He was 47 at the time of his death – Zoe was probably 43. He died in the fall of 1915 at his homestead two miles northwest of (Ilone Williamson’s) home near Coal Divide. Zoe sold her land to Earl Bryan about 1915 or 1916 and went to the state of Washington to live. Her sister, Maud had been living there for many years. In Washington Zoe married again and at the time of her death many years later (she was in her 80s) her name was Zoe Weston. According to Ilone, Zoe never mentioned being Mrs. Killion’s daughter or spoke of her marriage to Sam Ropp. “Zoe was a lovely person and well thought of by all who knew her.”