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Birthplaces of Pocahontas James Ewing's Children

Jean McClure

Pocahontas James Ewing had owned numerous of tracts of land, but only the tracts where his children were born are discussed in this article. Information about these tracts provides definitive information about the birthplaces of Pocahontas James' children. This proof comes from his testimony and depositions relating to the size and location of these tracts and to the years James Ewing lived on these tracts.

The birth dates for each child of James Ewing are are taken from Enoch Ewing's records of his Ewing family. Enoch Ewing was a grandson of Pocahontas James Ewing. Enoch was born July 31, 1799, at the family cabin at the mouth of Savage Creek on Swago Creek in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. He was the eighth of the twelve children of William 'Swago Bill' Ewing and Mary McNeill (McNeall) Ewing who were married November 16, 1785, in Lewisburg, West Virginia.[1] The family moved to Gallia County, Ohio, in 1810 when Enoch was eleven years old. Enoch then moved to Hillsdale County, Michigan, in 1853 and continued recording his family’s history.

Children of James Ewing

1741 — Ann Ewing was born about 1742, probably at James Ewing’s family cabin on the 44 acres he sold to Moses Moore Sr. for two steel traps and two pounds English Sterling. James Ewing would had to have settlement rights to be able to sell the 44 acres. Settlement rights required the building of a cabin and the planting of a crop so this means that James Ewing and his wife, Sarah Mayse, would have settled on the land by 1741 or before. James Ewing was born in 1721 and would have been twenty years old in 1741. Surveying of the 44 acres did not occur at the time of sale, so Moses Moore Sr. had a survey made on April 19, 1769.[2] Moses Moore Sr.'s neighbors' surveys show that this land was on Ewing’s Creek (sometime after 1853 called Knapp Creek) located in Pocahontas County and a major contributory to the Greenbrier River.

1746 — James Ewing had made a survey for 256 acres "on the upper reaches of Jackson River where it joins Muddy Creek." This means that the family was there by at least 1745 to establish settlement rights for a survey to be made. Possibly he came to this location when the 44 acres on Ewings Creek were sold to Moses Moore Sr.

1747 — Indian John Ewing was born December 27, 1747. Indian John Ewing must have been born in James Ewing’s family cabin at the mouth of Muddy Run on the Jackson River.[3] James Ewing sold his 254 acres at Muddy Run on the Jackson River to Archibald Armstrong in 1752 and moved to The Richlands on the Greenbrier River.

The Jackson River runs parallel to the Cowpasture River until the Jackson River bends to flow toward the James River. The Jackson River then flows a short distance until it comes to the mouth of the Cowpasture River. This area is known as the 'Jackson River Settlements.' Ann Ewing Clendenning went to her Mayse grandparents in the Jackson River Settlements after her captivity in Ohio and lived there until after her second marriage, to John Rodgers.[4]

The Jackson River was named for William Jackson who owned a thousand acres on that river. James Ewing lived close to him because the Augusta County, Virginia, records include a note[5] by James Ewing and a payment made to Napthalum Gregory who had land close to the 44 acres James Ewing sold to Moses Moore Sr.

Augusta County, Virginia, was the large area west of the Blue Ridge which was British land without limit. It was bounded on the north by Lord Fairfax’s Northern Neck Grant and the Maryland and Pennsylvania lines, and bounded on the south by the Carolina line. Augusta County was formed as a county between 1738 and 1745 from Orange County, Virginia. For about twelve years, Augusta County Court was the only court for that area until other counties were formed. Indian John Ewing was born in the Orange County, Virginia, area, not the Orange County, North Carolina, area as some have mis-stated. A few of the Orange County, Virginia, records were left in the Augusta County records.

The Augusta County Fee Books prove that there were two men named Moses Moore living in different areas in Augusta County: Moses Moore in Borden’s Land and Moses Moore in Greenbrier.[6]

Elizabeth Ewing, daughter of James and Sarah (Mayse) Ewing, was born about 1750, so must have been born in the cabin at the mouth of Muddy Run on Jackson River. Elizabeth married George Dougherty and the couple moved to Kentucky.[7] Land records show that a William Dougherty was a neighbor to both James Mayse and Archibald Clendenning Sr. on the Cowpasture River at the time of Archibald Clendenning Sr.’s death. A lawsuit[8] involved the settlement of Archibald Clendenning Sr.’s estate after his death and involved one-half of his land. Jane, called 'Jennie' and the daughter of Archibald Clendenning Jr., was awarded title of the land. She was the widow of John Davis and living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, west of Lewisburg. James Mayse died at Ft. Dinwiddie on December 11 or 13, 1756, when many were killed and others taken prisoners during the Indian incursions.[9]

May 1752 — James Ewing moved to land in The Richlands between Clover Creek and Thorny Creek on the Greenbrier River.

A lawsuit[10] indicates that James Ewing had retained Joseph Mayse to bring suit against William Sharp who had paid James Ewing a dollar, "considered earnest of the bargarin," and had paid no more. James Ewing stated in his deposition that he came in May 1752, built a cabin, planted a corn crop, and stayed for four years. A Matthew Bracken came and built a large cabin in another place on the land. When Bracken left, he sold the land to William Sharp. After testimony by others, the ruling was that James Ewing had a right to that land.

Jean Ewing, daughter of James and Sarah (Mayse) Ewing, was born about 1753.[11] So she must have been born in the cabin on the land in The Richlands.

Jean Ewing married Moses Moore Jr.[12] The records of marriages in Augusta County for three ministers 1786 includes:

11 April 1786, by Rev. Samuel Shannon: Moses Moore and Jean Ewing.

In the August County Fee Books for 1790, Moses Moore Jr. was listed with 'insolvemts and delinquents' and 'gone to Kentucky.' Nancy Hanks Ewing erred when she stated that Moses Moore Jr. was taken captive by the Indians.[13] Moses Moore Sr. was the captive.[14]

May 1756 — This was possibly the date James Ewing moved from The Richlands (since he had stated in his deposition that he lived there for four years) to 190 acres on Stony Creek, across the Greenbrier River, 'on the headlands of Elk Creek.' James Ewing was asked, in his testimony on October 11, 1794, whether he then had other land on Elk River; he answered that he did.

William 'Swago Bill' Ewing was born on Stony Creek on December 24, 1756. William Ewing married Mary McNeill (McNeall) on November 11, 1785; the marriage was recorded in Lewisburg, West Virginia. William Ewing built their family cabin not far from the mouth of Swago Creek on the Greenbrier River. Enoch Ewing, their eighth child, was born there on July 31, 1799.

The land on Stony Creek was the only land owned by James Ewing that remained in the family through the years.[15] Indian John Ewing moved to Gallis County, Ohio, in 1804, after James Ewing’s death. Indian John wrote a June 15, 1808, letter from Gallia County to his son William in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, assigning power to William to pursue the ownership of this land, based on the settlement right of James Ewing.[16] The case was not settled until June 24, 1823, when John Ewing was granted title to the land. Indian John transferred title of the 190 acres to his son William on October 9, 1823. William was the only one of John and Ann (Smith) Ewing’s children who remained in Pocahontas County.

1781 — James Ewing owned 400 acres by virtue of a certificate on a fork of Elk River opposite the head of Stony Creek, including Red Lick.[17] He also warranted a preemption of a thousand acres.[18] 500 acres were above the 400 acres, and 500 acres were below the 400 acres.

1798 — A Bath County Chancery Court filing[19] concerned the 500 acres at the lower end of James Ewing's thousand acre survey on Old Field Fork of Elk. Testimony was given by William Ewing Long.[20] Testimony was also given by Joshua Ewing, a nephew of James Ewing and about twelve years younger than James. John Ewing Jr. was also cited as John Smith Ewing. The case dragged on. Others gave testimony and James Ewing was deposed at the courthouse in August 1800, one year before his death.[21] So James Ewing was still living then on the 400-acre homestead. Land records show that he had already sold off the 500 acres on the upper end of the thousand acre warrant. James Ewing is possibly buried on the 400-acre homestead.

Indian John Ewing must have had close contact with his parents. He did not move to Ohio until 1804, after James Ewing’s death in 1801. On September 1, 1801, John Ewing Sr. (Indian John) was appointed administrator of his father’s estate and Moses Moore and John Cochran gave bond of $1,000. James Ewing’s wife, Sarah Mayse, may have gone to Ohio with Indian John and Ann (Smith) Ewing in 1804.[22]

Public land records show that Pocahontas James Ewing was the only James Ewing living in the Jackson River / Greenbrier River area during his lifetime.

Jean McClure, a long-time member of Ewing Family Association, is descended from Joshua Ewing, son of John Ewing, son of John Ewing of Carnashannagh. She attended the second Clan Gathering, planned by Rev. Ellsworth Samuel Ewing, has attended all the gatherings except two since then, and organized the 2002 Gathering held in Columbia, Missouri.

 

Summary

 

Child

Birth Date

Birth Location

Ann Ewing

circa 1742

James Ewing’s family cabin on 44 acres on Ewing’s Creek (sometime after 1853 called Knapp Creek) located in Pocahontas County and a major contributory to the Greenbrier River; later sold to Moses Moore Sr.,

'Indian John' Ewing

27 Dec 1747

James Ewing’s family cabin on 254 acres at the mouth of Muddy Run on the Jackson River; sold to Archibald Armstrong in 1752; in the Orange County, Virginia, area

Elizabeth Ewing

circa 1750

ditto

Jean Ewing

circa 1753

James Ewing’s family cabin on the land in the Richlands between Clover Creek and Thorny Creek on the Greenbrier River; land later homesteaded by Matthew Bracken and sold to William Sharp

William 'Swago Bill' Ewing

24 Dec 1756

James Ewing’s family cabin on 190 acres on Stony Creek, across the Greenbrier River, on the headlands of Elk Creek; James Ewing moved to Stony Creek in May 1756


 

[1] Greenbrier County, West Virginia, records.

[2] Greenbrier Land Surveys and the McAllister Lists.

[3] Augusta County: DB2 15 October 1765, p. 286, John Jameson & Mary late of the county of Augusta, to Archibald Armstrong 280 acres on Jackson River, corner land in possession of James Ewing patented to John Jamison 20 Sept 1769.

[4] According to testimony by her daughter to Mrs. Royale and, also, The Draper Manuscripts, collected by Lyman C. Draper (www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/collections/detail/Draper-Manuscripts-199.shtml).

[5] Augusta County WB 1, p.341, appraisement for William Jackson

[6] Augusta County Fee books: 1771, p. 44, Moses Moore in Borden’s Land; in 1774, p. 13, Moses Moore, Greenbrier

[7] Enoch Ewing's records

[8] Augusta County; O.S. 232; N.S. 82, William Douglas vs. Davis

[9] The Draper Manuscripts, collected by Lyman C. Draper

(www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/collections/detail/Draper-Manuscripts-199.shtml).

[10] Bath County Chancery Court, James Ewing’s October 11, 1794, deposition

[11] Enoch Ewing's records

[12] Marriage Bonds of Augusta County: 22 March 1786, Moses Moore and Jane Ewing, daughter of James Ewing, witnesses: Wm Rankin, Alex Gibson. There was possibly a recorder error when he heard and wrote Jean’s name.

[13] Ewing, Nancy Hanks. James Ewing – Pioneer. Privately printed and posted on the Ewing Family Association's web site at www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/books/Document_JamesEwingOfPocahontas.html.

[14] Price, William Thomas. Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Marlinton, West Virginia, Price Brothers, 1901. Also, The Draper Manuscripts, collected by Lyman C. Draper (www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/collections/detail/Draper-Manuscripts-199.shtml).

[15] Bath County, Virginia, Court case: John Ewing vs. Isaac Jones.

[16] The original letter is in the court records and I secured a copy. It was published in the Journal of Clan Ewing.

[17] Greenbrier County, West Virginia, Land Surveys

[18] Warrant @2203

[19] Bath County, Virginia, Chancery Court, filed August 1798, John Ewens Jr. and John Ewens Sr. vs. James Ewens

[20] This is William Ewing’s, of Frederick County, son who married Mrs. Mary Taylor; he is buried in the Joshua Ewing Cemetery at the mouth of Locust Creek on the Greenbrier River. This is the only time I have ever seen the word 'Long' written after his name in large letters to differentiate him from the other William Ewings on the Greenbrier; William Ewing, himself, wrote 'long' in small letters after his signature in a different document, at the top right after writing Ewing.

[21] I have a copy of his deposition with his signature — he was literate.

[22] Implied by Indian John Ewing’s letter to his son William in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, giving William the right to sue Isaac Jones for the land on Stony Creek.