ARTICLES FROM VOLUME 1 (1994-95)

Journal of Clan Ewing


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CONTENTS

Please note, the FIND under EDIT can be used to search for any word or words.

 

A TRIP TO SCOTLAND

Comments about trip and visit to Bonhill where a couple of old Ewing graves were found.

MEMORIES OF THE WORLD'S TALLEST WOMAN

Ella Ewing born 9 March 1872 in Lewis County, Missouri. She was billed as “the Missouri Giantess” and reaching the height of 8 feet 4 ½ inches.

JOHN EWING OF CARNSHANAGH

Discusses when John was born and gives information from two important family letters.

LAND PATENTS AND GRANTS

Ewing land patents, Virginia Land Patent and Grants 1623-1800.

ALEXANDER EWING FAMILY CEMETERY

A effort to save the Alexander Ewing (1752-1822) Family Cemetery in Nashville.

WILLIAM DAVIS EWING

William Davis Ewing, M.D. born 30 October 1829 in Rockingham County, Virginia, died 22 January 1902.

WHERE WAS IT?

Where did the early families enter the colonies? Was the ship “Eagle Wing”?

JOHN GILLESPIE EWING

Correspondence pertaining to the family of James Ewing of Inch Island and John Ewing of Carnshanagh.

WILLIAM YOUNG CONN EWING

William Young Conn Ewing born January 23, 1788 died January 28, 1853 in Lafayette County, Missouri. He is a son of Urban Ewing and Mary “Polly” Ewing.

JAMES EWING OF POCAHONTAS

James Ewing and his sons John “Indian John” and William “Swago Bill”.

THE CLAN FINLEY

Refers to ship “Eagle Wing” and Newcastle being a port for that ship.

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED

Pertains to Fayette Clinton changing his name to Fayette C. Ewing.

JAMES EWING (1712-1788)

James Ewing of Prince Edward County, Virginia.

ORIAN'S TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN EWING

Dr. John Ewing the first provost of the University of Pennsylvania. John was one of twin sons of Nathaniel Ewing and Rachel Porter.

DR. EWING'S GRAVE MARKED

Dr. Ewing’s grave found after 100 years.

WHO IS WILLIAM EWING OF ROCKINGHAM?

              Some differences in the older generations of this family.

RESEARCH FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH EWINGS

Families that lived near the family of John Ewing of Carnshanagh.

WHEN DID EWINGS ARRIVE IN AMERICA?

Information available is not necessarily conclusive as to the arrival date of some.

LIFE’S GREATEST BATTLE

Poem

QUAKER HILL - THE JOHN EWING HOUSE - 1797

            John Ewing and his family moved from Kentucky to Washington Township in 1797.

MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA REUNION

Remarks made by Peggy Ewing before we visited Valley Forge.

CECIL COUNTY COURT (LAND COMMISSIONS) 1724-1751

Regarding boundary lines of tract called “Teagues Delight.”

SAMUEL EWING AND WIFE, MARGARET

This information is from Back To Old Virginia with Dillard, Daniel and Kin by Carlton M. Dillard.



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Page 3

A TRIP TO SCOTLAND:  

[Vol 1 No. 1 - Aug 1994, page 7]


Mr. William M. "Bill" Ewing, Tulsa, OK, writes about a two week vacation he and wife took in Scotland. "Our impressions of the old country were cold windy days, rough cobblestone streets, old buildings reeking with history, steep hills dotted with sheep, picturesque lakes, rough narrow highways, general frugalness, great food, lack of a visible affluent middle class, and an unexpected, universal Scottish hatred of the English. It is easy to see why the immigrants left. We really enjoyed the trip and may go back some day. We were a little disappointed in Stirling Castle because it is in a rather sad state of repair; however they were working on restorations while we were there."


"We stopped at Bonhill while in Scotland and found a couple of old Ewing graves. The most interesting one was that of a William Ewing which reads:


"In memory of William Ewing, a native of the vale of Leven (near Dundee), a graduate of Glasgow University, for fifty years a resident of the southern states of America, and the tutor of eminent Virginian statesmen. Died in Glasgow 27th April 1865, age 80." [The article included a picture of this stone and many others in the background but not wording is visible from any of the stones.]


There are several clues here which may permit some of the clan members to identify this fellow. Another gravestone is very hard to read but goes something like this:


"To the memory of Peter Ewing who died 28 May 1850 (or 59), age 56 years, Catherine Ewing, his spouse who died 19 Feb 1860, age 72 years. Thomas Ewing who died 10 Sep 1863, age 24 years. Agnes, wife of Robert Walker, April 1901."


Perhaps Thomas and Agnes were Peter's and Catherine's children. There may be several other Ewing graves at Bonhill but many of the stones have eroded or fallen over. The People that purchased them probably thought they would last forever.


The Ewington Hotel is where we stayed in Glasgow. We picked it just because of the name. A man named Ewing converted an old townhouse to a hotel about 80 years ago but the family no longer owns it. The present owners didn't know much about the Ewings. It's a very nice place to stay but a little hard to locate.

                                                                                    Bill


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Page 4

MEMORIES OF THE WORLD'S TALLEST WOMAN 

 

[Vol 1 No. 2 - Nov 1994. Page 3]


The following article was published in The LaBelle Star, Wednesday, January 10, 1979.


January 10, 1979, marks the sixty-sixth anniversary of the death of Ella Ewing of Gorin. Miss Ewing was widely known as "the Missouri Giantess" and was billed as reaching a height of 8 feet 4 1/2 inches before her death at the age of nearly 41.


The present Guiness Book of World Records gives Miss Ewing's height before her death at an estimated 7 feet 6 inches. These discrepancies aside, Miss Ewing did become widely known for her size and the following article was taken from earlier articles published in area newspapers.


Miss Ewing was born March 9, 1872, in Lewis County, and when about a year old was brought by her family to the Gorin vicinity in Scotland County, which was her home until her death. She was the only child of Benjamin F. and Annie Eliza Herring Ewing, both of whom were of average size, the father 6 feet, 2 inches and the mother, 5 feet, 6 inches. In her early years, Ella was a small, frail child and until about nine years of age appeared to be of normal size in comparison to other children of that age. However, about that age she began to grow so rapidly that by the time she was ten years old she was 6 feet, 9 inches tall. She was still a "little" girl, typical of other ten-year-olds, but towered above the tallest men in the neighborhood.


Problems began to arise and her parents, hard-working farm people with a very small income, spent most of their time and money in trying to make things as comfortable as possible for their daughter, but it seemed impossible to keep up with her phenomenal growth. Most of her growth was from her waist down and in her arms and hands. A ring that would fit the thumb of a man would barely slip on her little finger. She was known to wear many rings to camouflage her large hands.


Ella grew up near Gorin and local people remembered her as a warm, friendly person whose personality overshadowed her size. Her parents tried to shield her from "gawkers" but the task became harder all the time and Ella continued to grow taller and taller.


One of her neighbor friends said that she never thought of her as being different from other people and that her earliest memories were reaching up to her knees and how she had to stoop to get through their doors, and that Ella "always made the best of everything." She said that she was kind and sweet and everyone who knew her loved her. She told that when she came to their home to play croquet or some other game, she rode a horse with a side saddle as it tired her to walk and she had a long black riding skirt to cover her feet, like everyone had in those days.


The first public appearance that Ella made was reported to have been of age 14 at a Fourth of July celebration at Rutledge where she was to read the Declaration of Independence, but she became so embarrassed and was too nervous to read the document that another person had to do it and she left in tears. Other reports state that the celebration was at Wyaconda and the same day, later in the afternoon, she read the Declaration before a group at Gorin.


Her first "exhibition" was a trying one as the stares from the crowd broke her composure and she was led from the platform. She realized that day that she was destined to live as a "freak" in the eyes of normal people. Ella became increasingly sensitive of her size and for a time remained at home and away from all public places.


After her first public appearance, news spread rapidly, far and wide, of this "tall and getting taller" person. Her parents, who had tried to shield her and had for several years firmly refused the offers of shows, carnivals and circuses, finally agreed to let her appear for $250 a week plus expenses for both parents to accompany her. It was also said by some that a close friend convinced her to capitalize on her appearance. If people were going to stare - make them pay.


She became a featured attraction in 1890 with Barnum and Bailey Circus at age 18 and later with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and in her own tent from time to time at fairs and expositions. Her parents or a friend and traveling companion always accompanied her. Ella never overcame her "homesickness" and if her parents were unable to be with her, it was a proviso that at least once a month their expenses would be paid to visit their daughter while on tour. Some of her traveling companions were named in articles to be a Miss Blackwood, Miss Maude Wilson of Kahoka, Miss Alta Moore of Edina and manager, D.J. Buford.


(Picture not part of document.)

  Miss Ella Ewing and her parents, Benjamin F. and Ann Herring Ewing, taken at a fair in Edina. She was 8 feet 4 1/2 inches tall and weighed 256 pounds when this picture was taken in September, 1895.


Ella found happiness with the circus, among others who were "Different" from the ordinary people. They didn't find her great size so strange, they, too, had uncommon features. Happiness also was found in that she was not a burden to her parents and her dream was to become a reality in providing for them. She wanted to make them comfortable and during her circus and show years, she made enough money to buy a 120-acre farm near Gorin, in the Harmony Grove community.


A comfortable home was built with 15-foot ceilings, 10-foot doors and 7-foot windows, high enough so that she need not stoop. It is said that she would have been a few inches taller had she not carried herself in a somewhat stooped position, partly because of embarrassment of her tallness and also because of entering ordinary-size doors and entrances.


(Picture not part of document.)

    Miss Ella Ewing, in center, stands with members of her family in front of the Ewing home at Gorin. The tall windows, doors and ceilings were built to accommodate her height.


It was told that Ella stated that her father could never keep up with the race of her growth. She was too tall for her bed, too tall to see out the windows and was in the way at a dinner party. Her knees came a foot or so above the table and once when she stretched them out underneath, she upset the table. It took 25 yards of cloth to make her a dress and she outgrew it soon after being made. Persons who approached from the rear as she sat in a chair were not aware of her height until she stood up and then they were speechless. her home was built to her specifications as was her furniture. Her bed was 9 1/2 feet long and sheets 10 1/2 feet long, her dresser, 6 feet high, was without bottom drawers so that she did not have to stoop to get its contents, a hammock was 15 feet long and her table was 4 1/2 feet tall.


Traveling brought its difficulties because of her size, much different to that of her home and furnishings. Sleeping cars and carriages of her day were uncomfortable, but a hansom carriage afforded her traveling pleasure. One area resident said that many times he had seen her return home by Santa Fe and that always a large crowd was on hand to welcome her, as well those who came sightseeing.


There are different stories pertaining to Ella's tour of Europe. Some say that she would not consent to leaving the United States but other articles refer to her own story in which she made the statement that she went all over the country with the circus and also in Europe. She described the trip across the ocean and of no accommodations on the steamship for her size, being obliged to lie diagonally across the floor and "curl up" a little. It required two ordinary beds placed side by side for her to sleep away from home.


Even though she became accustomed to millions of people staring at her during her circus days, she never overcame her shyness concerning the size of her feet. She had a special canvas built which could be moved to prevent viewers from seeing her feet as she walked from a platform or down steps. One article stated that a man at the fair, probably on one or her appearances at he Knox County Fairgrounds at the east edge of Edina, said, "Let me see your feet," and she replied, "You want too much for your money."


Reports as to the size of her shoes varied from sizes 20 to 24, but a pattern of her shoe in this office measured 16 inches long and 9 inches across at the widest part. One report stated that in the making of the high-top lace shoe, two and two-thirds feet of patent stock were required in the vamp and 5 feet of mat kid for the upper stock. The leather for the soles supposedly weighed 3 1/4 pounds. A shoe and numerous other articles are on display at the State Historical Museum in Jefferson City and other items are owned by friends among her home community.


When Ella was baptized in 1900 at age 27, on an extremely hot day, she sat on a chair placed in the water and two men helped the minister tip the chair backward into the water to immerse her. She was an active member of the Harmony Grove Baptist Church and was baptized in the nearby Fabius River.


Miss Ewing made use of her extensive travel and was able to converse fluently of what she had seen in various localities. She was acquainted with the affairs of the nation and her travels served a good purpose in completion of her education.


Her home was one of hospitality and Miss Ewing was a charming hostess delighted to entertain company. Following her tours, she returned to enjoy her home and friends. She wanted only enough money to live comfortably. Many stories, none confirmed to any extent, are told about the amount of money she made on her tours but apparently no large estate was left.


Although she never married she received many proposals during her lifetime. She refused each one believing that her suitors sought only her money.


Miss Ewing became ill of pneumonia while on tour and came home where she died Jan. 10, 1913, at age 40 years, 10 months and 1 day. The Embalming Burial Case Company of Burlington, Iowa, was said to have put its entire force to work all one night and half the next day to make her casket, designed with a fancy octagon end and covered with white plush. The casket was so long that the seat in the horse-drawn hearse had to be removed to allow the rear doors to close. The undertaker was George Baskett of Wyaconda, who assisted with funeral arrangements and said that it was a big funeral, between 800 and 900 persons, who came to pay their final respects to their friend and neighbor, and there were no sightseers. Old records listed the funeral cost at $284.80, complete, an average funeral at that time being $56 to $100.


The services were at the Harmony Grove Church in Knox County and so many persons attended that the church and churchyard were filled. Because it was an extremely cold day, with snow drifts piled along the country roads, two stoves were set up in the yard to warm those who could not get in the church. The Rev. F.M. Baker officiated and Mrs. Dauma was pianist. One record gave the names of pallbearers as Francis and Claude Frazee, Willis Davis, Elmer Snelling and James Parrish. The sixth was not named. Burial was in the Harmony Grove Cemetery.


On her death bed she requested her father have her body cremated, and that he should stand beside the oven and see the reduction of her body to ashes, in order that her remains might be secure from the hands of possible vandals, whom she always feared would take her body from the grave. But her father declared he could not stand to see such a thing, and in order that her body should be doubly secured from those who might see to take it up, it was decided that the grave should be lined with a thick wall of Portland cement and a heavy lid covering of the same material should be built over it, and that the body should be put in a steel casket, seven feet, eight inches in length, inside measurements, and deep enough to accommodate the high pillow which was necessary in order to accommodate the stooped condition of the body and enable the casket to contain her length. The steel casket was enclosed in an invulnerable, automatic steel vault, and the vault lowered into the sarcophagus of cement, the covering built permanently thereon leaving no possible opening.


The family had steadfastly refused permission for examinations of any sort to be made and feared that someone might steal Ella's body from the grave and sell it for medical examination, so Mr. Ewing kept a guard in the cemetery for some time after Ella's death to assure her body the privacy that he had sough for her in life.


Her parents are also buried there. Her mother died March 23, 1900, in Chicago, of appendicitis, while on tour with Ella, and the father died at the Gorin home in April of 1933. After the death of the mother, the home was shared by the father and an aunt of Ella, Miss Susie Herring.


In 1966 there started a project of securing enough money from friends to provide a memorial for Ella and in 1967 it was completed. The long flat cement border surrounds the granite marker which reads: "In memory of Ella K. Ewing, born March 9, 1872, Lewis County, Missouri, died January 10, 1912, (a date disputed by area records) Scotland County, Missouri. Height 8 feet 4 1/2 inches, weight 256 pounds. Member of the Harmony Baptist Church. Daughter of Benjamin F. and Anna Herring Ewing." The memorial below the engraving reads "This memorial made possible by folks that knew of Ella, 1967."


The two-story Ewing home fell into shambles. The house had suffered from curiosity seekers and visitors, later was used for grain storage and fell into ruins and was finally destroyed by fire from unknown origin in July of 1967.


During the early 1940's the Gorin Civic Club planned to restore the old home but efforts did not progress. The club had a room in Gorin where a large cardboard model of the home was displayed along with some of the Ewing furniture.


The Missouri Department of Conservation honored Miss Ewing when a 15-acre lake near Gorin, built by the Soil Conservation Service, was opened Oct. 1, 1969, the Ella Ewing Lake. It is a fishing attraction for the Northeast Missouri area.


Many little quirks could be added to any story written of Ella Ewing. It is hoped that the above will be enjoyed by interested readers even though there may be some who "knew or had heard differently" or could have added first-hand information.


AN OMISSION:


The source for the article about Miss Ella Ewing in the last issue was not given in error. Through some correspondence with the Caldwell family the article was sent in by Mrs. Marianna Barneyback. We appreciate the article being sent to us from someone outside of the Ewing family. After the last Journal was mailed, we learned that Ewing, MO, at one time was called Briscoe's Station, but the name was changed to Ewing in honor of Ella Ewing. (Source: A 1975 letter from Missouri Historical Society to Russell Ewing, Carpinteria, CA)


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Page 9

JOHN EWING OF CARNSHANAGH 

[Vol 1 No 3 Feb 1995, page 4]


The Descendants of William Ewing of Scotland in the United States 1695-1990, charts, complied by E. S. Ewing, Fifth Edition 1990 show John Ewing as a younger half-brother to Nathaniel Ewing. Both are shown as descendant from William, son of William of Sterling. The depicted descendancy of this John results in a fundamental error that needs to be corrected. The lines of descendancy shown in the "John" chart cannot be of John the half-brother of Nathaniel Ewing. It is most likely, however, that they represent the descendancy of John Ewing from Carnshanagh, Parish of Fahan, County Donegal, Ireland. Sometimes he is called John Ewing, "Burgess of Londonderry." (There are many variants of the spelling of Carnshanagh. See Clan Ewing of Scotland, page 118.)



There are several sources that give dates for the birth of John from Carnshanagh. These dates are either ca. 1648 or ca. 1660. It is generally accepted that Nathaniel Ewing, said grandson of William of Stirling, was born in 1693, married Rachel Porter ca. 1721 and died in 1748. If these dates are only roughly true, John from Carnshanagh cannot be a younger half-brother to Nathaniel—he was alive, married, and having children prior to the time that Nathaniel was born. In other words, he would be a contemporary of the above William, son of William of Stirling. It is interesting to note that Elbert Ewing, author of Clan Ewing of Scotland, had difficulty with John who was the half-brother to Nathaniel. He was not able to pin him down and trace where he went (see page 286 of Clan Ewing of Scotland). It is also of interest that no one has been able to tie John of Carnshanagh and his family to any of the other Ewing immigrant families.


John Ewing of Carnshanagh was said to have been of Scottish descent. He married twice: first to Jannet Wilson ca. 1685 and second to Janet McElvaney in 1701. (Note that there are many variants in the spelling of McElvaney.) It is probable that he had as many as seven or eight children by his first wife, some dying at an early age. We now think he had six children by his second wife. The six children by his second wife were named John, Mary, Thomas, William, Samuel, and James.

 

There are two important family letters. The first was written by Robert Ewing (Robert4, Robert3, Samuel2, John1) in August of 1827. It was based on family information he received from his aunt, Elizabeth Ewing Jamison, in July of 1820. Elizabeth Ewing Jamison was the daughter of Samuel and the granddaughter of John Ewing. Robert sent a letter with this information to his cousin, Sallie Jamison, who was Elizabeth's daughter. This letter names most of the sons and daughters of John's second marriage and goes on to say that "John Ewing Senior was of Scotch descent and born in the North of Ireland about the year 1660. Married, name of first wife unknown, about 1685. Fought the Irish Armies of James II." The letter continues, "John Ewing Senior, then married his second wife, Janet McElvaney, and embarked to America in the year A.D. 1715." The year 1715 would be consistent with the well-known statement that his youngest son, James, was "born in America."


The second letter was written by the above Sallie Jamison to her niece Catherine (Reily) Cochran and was dated 26 May 1875. Sallie Jamison, the great granddaughter, writes "He (meaning John Ewing - WSE) was an old man when he came to America. He fetched his family with him. He bought land in Chester County, Pennsylvania in Nottingham Township on Octarira [sic] Creek." (No evidence has been found that John owned land - WSE) This letter was in the possession of Robert A. Todd in 1947.


 An additional account is given in the History of the Epler, Oldwiller, Huckleberry, Carr and Ewing Families compiled by Emma Epler Knudson. She published 150 copies of this genealogy in the early 1900s. From this source we have the quotation, "He (John - WSE) immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1729. His sons with their families wished to come to America, but their father being 81 years of age..." Unfortunately, this genealogy is flawed. There is no record or evidence to support the thesis that John Ewing was 81 years of age when he came to America. However, I have examined an old book entitled Confession of Faith. This book was handed down through the Ewing and Walter family lines. In this book is the inscription, "John Ewing has departed this life September 23rd 1745 in the 97th year of his age." If he were 97 when he died, he would have been born ca. 1648. If he were 81 when he came to America, he would have arrived ca. 1729. The earlier birth date and later arrival in America have been accepted and handed down through a number of the family branches. There is a genealogy that was compiled by John Gillespie Ewing, an Attorney from New York and Washington D. C. It references the above account of Emma Epler Knudson and quotes part of her genealogy, "their father being 81 (?) years of age." The question mark was added in John Gillespie Ewing's genealogy. This indicates that he had some reservations about the age of John when he arrived in America. I share this reservation.


However, from the foregoing, it is reasonable to argue that this John Ewing came to America no sooner than 1715 and no later than 1729. There are virtually no traces of him or his wife, Janet McElvaney. There has been speculation that in his later years he lived with his son, William, near a place called Stevens City, Virginia.


In an old Ewing cemetery near Stevens City, Virginia there are headstones that have been uncovered belonging to early family members. This location is where William Ewing, son of John, settled. Most notable are the partial stone of William and Samuel's headstone. William and Samuel are sons of John. The stone of Elizabeth Ewing wife of William,* has also been found there. To their credit, Jim and Evelyn Ewing of Emporia, VA, along with family and friends, have cleaned up and enclosed the cemetery and are seeking an easement. This past summer several new stones were found, and town elders relate that there were once about 20 headstones there. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for major excavation. This will hopefully follow next year. It would be an exciting event to find the headstone of John from Carnshanagh. Meanwhile, there are others that believe that they have identified the John who was a half-brother of Nathaniel.

                                                                        William S. Ewing


Acknowledgments: Margaret Ewing Fife, Anne Kimball and Sally Geitz


*Names in bold is a correction formerly read “Elizabeth Ewing Jamison, daughter of Samuel” which was in error.


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Page 12

LAND PATENTS AND GRANTS: 

[Vol 1 No 3 Feb 1995, page 17]


Ewing land patents, Virginia Land Patent and Grants 1623-1800


Mr. John W. Burris submitted the following records and a portion of his letter is printed which explains these land grants and patents.


This is a complete list of Ewing land patents and grants found in Virginia. There is a total of 42 books and to find out more it would be necessary to look at each book or patent/grant number.


Bear in mind this is a list of land grants and patents by the State of Virginia. More records will be found in each county as many Ewings bought land from other people rather than from the state. Sometimes and many times these records will also be found in the county records.


This is only an index, the actual record or deed will have more information. If all the data on these land transactions were gathered and printed we would have a better understanding of the different Ewing families in Virginia.

                                                                        John W. Burris


[NOTE: When reading the information, you need to remember that West Virginia did not become a state until 1863 and all of the counties of today in Virginia did not exist at the time the grants and patents were issued.]

 

[Note: You may have to enlarge your window to see a readable rendition of the following table.]

 

Name                          Date                County            Acres  Location         Grant/ Page

                                                                                                Patent

Alexander Ewing                    25 Apr 1785           Montgomery           215                                          Gr. O      634

Alexander Ewing                    10 Mar 1794           Wythe                     200          Cripple Creek         Gr. 29     416

Alexander Ewing, Jr               25 Apr 1785            Montgomery           400          Cripple Creek         Gr. O      461

Alexander Ewing, Jr               30 Oct 1785            Montgomery           144          Cripple Creek         Gr. S       391

Alexander Ewing                    30 Oct 1785            Montgomery           156          Cripple Creek         Gr. S       392

Charles Ewing                        10 Jun 1760            Bedford                   242          Otter Creek             Pa. 34      523

Charles Ewing                         6 Apr 1769             Bedford                   70            Boreauger Cr          Pa. 38      610

Charles Ewing                        20 Aug 1770           Bedford                   200          Goose Creek           Gr. G      99

Charles Ewing                         1 Jan 1782             Bedford                   16            Otter Creek             Gr. G      13

Charles Ewing                         1 Jun 1782             Bedford                   390          Otter Creek             Gr. F       396

George Ewing                         15 Dec 1749           Amelia                    (168)       Vaughanes Cr         Pa. 27      494

George Ewing                         20 Nov 1784           Montgomery           168                                          Gr. N      365

George Ewing                         20 Mar 1785           Montgomery           400          Hobbs Branch         Gr. P       320

George & Samuel Ewing       20 Aug 1794           Montgomery           390          Cinch River            Gr. P       297

Henry Ewing                          14 Jan 1780            Augusta                  128          Cooks Creek           Pa. A       423

James Ewing                           5 Jul 1774              Botetourt                 1,000       Wolf Creek2           Pa. 42      518

James Ewing                          22 Jun 1791            Randolph                1,000       Adj. his own land   Gr. 23     632

James Ewing &

    Francis McNutt                    7 May 1787            Greenbrier                              Indian Creek           Gr. 8       647

John Ewing                             13 Jan 1780            Augusta                  19            Cooks Creek           Pa. A       462

John Ewing                             13 Jan 1780            Bath                        50 Adj. to land lives on       Gr. 37     26

John Ewing                              4 Jun 1783             Greenbrier                              Greenbrier Riv.       Gr. H      97

John Ewing                             16 Aug 1787           Greenbrier              300          Upper end of

                                                                                                                                Great Leavels         Gr. 12     482

John Ewing                             18 Jul 1787             Washington            500          Trading Creek         Gr. 12     188

John Ewing                             18 Jul 1787             Washington            440          Powells River & 

                                                                                                                                Trading Creek        Gr13       275

John Ewing                             28 Aug 1794           Washington            400          Powells River,       Gr.30      298

                                                                                                                                Coxes Branch

John Ewing                             30 May 1795          Montgomery           315          Powells Valley      Gr.32      232

Joshua Ewing                         24 May 1794          Greenbrier              509          Greenbrier Riv.       Gr. 31     117

Joshua Ewing                         18 Mar 1777           Greenbrier              150          Little Leavels          Gr. 37     185

Joshua Ewing                          7 Jan 1783             Greenbrier              250          Locust Creek          Gr. 27     345

Joshua Ewing                         13 Jan 1800            Lee                          300          Lick Branch of

                                                                                                                                Martins Creek         Gr. 43     225

Joshua Ewing                         23 Jul 1788             Washington            270          Isl. of Cinch Riv     Gr. 16     572

Robert Ewing                         15 Dec 1749           Augusta                  160          Br of Roanoak R.    Pa. 27      465

Robert Ewing                         27 Mar 1760           Bedford                   225          S. Otter Creek         Pa. 33      860

Robert Ewing                         27 Aug 1779           Bedford                   194          Otter & Goose Cr   Pa. 39      98

Robert Ewing                          5 Jul 1793              Bedford                   200          Otter River              Pa. 42      619

Robert Ewing                          2 Nov 1779            Bedford                   370          Goose Creek           Pa. B       36

Robert Ewing                          1 Sep 1780             Bedford                   700          On Otter River        Pa. D       296

Robert Ewing                          5 Jul 1785              Bedford                   77            On Otter River        Gr. Q      387

Samuel Ewing                        12 Jan 1746            Amelia                    595          On Fort Creek         Pa. 24      597

Samuel Ewing                         1 Jul 1782              Bedford                   See Ewing, Charles                Gr. F       396

Samuel Ewing                        21 Apr 1785            Greenbrier              350          On Indian Cr.          Gr. O      599

Samuel Ewing                        23 May 1799          Lee                          150          On Trading Cr.       Gr. 39     297

Samuel Ewing                        24 May 1797          Lee                          170          On Trading Cr.       Gr. 39     296

Samuel Ewing                        27 Aug 1794           Washington            390          On Holstein Riv      Gr. 30     297

Samuel Ewing                        15 Aug 1792           Washington            (200)       Holstein River        Gr. 28     2

William Ewing                        1 Jan 1795             Bath                        745          On Swago Cr.         Gr. 3       10

William Ewing                        1 Sep 1780             Bedford                   300          On Otter River        Pa. D       263

William Ewing                        1 Jan 1782             Bedford                   283          On Otter River        Gr. F       392

William Ewing                       11 Jun 1799            Greenbrier              205                                          Gr. 41     312

William Ewing                       30 Jan 1796            Greenbrier              170                                          Gr. 36     35

William Ewing                        8 Jul 1791              Lee                          300          On Trading Cr        Gr. 42    425

William Ewing                       17 Jul 1788             Montgomery           307          On Cripple Cr         Gr. 18     112

William Ewing                       17 Jul 1782             Montgomery           86            On Cripple Cr         Gr. 18     113

William Ewing                       15 Mar 1793           Montgomery           192          On Cripple Cr         Gr. 27     591

William Ewing                       18 Jul 1787             Washington            815          Powells Valley       Gr. 11     586

Wm & Joseph Ewing             30 Jan 1795             Greenbrier             170          South side

                                                                                                                                Swobes Knobs        Gr. 31     302

George Ewins                         25 Jan 1747            Amelia                    287          on Buffalo River     Pa. 36      77

William Ewins                        29 Sep 1643            James City              1,100       Chippokes               Pa. 1       904



1Charles, Samuel, George, Legatees of Charles Ewing got this land, Deed.

2Branch of Greenbrier River


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Page 14

ALEXANDER EWING FAMILY CEMETERY 

[Vol 1 No 3 Feb 1995, page 19]

Alexander Ewing (1752-1822) served in the American Revolution. He entered the service in Virginia. After the war he moved to what is now Davidson County, Tennessee. His farm and home were just north of Nashville. The home (Woodlon Hall) is a National Historic Landmark and a modern day sub-division is built on most of the land that was once his farm.


In November, 1994, it was discovered that a two and one-half acre tract of land in which is the Ewing Family Cemetery was being bulldozed and being cleared for the construction of a multi-family dwelling. The cemetery is located at the corner of Ewing Drive and Knight Road in what is now the northwest part of Nashville.


Channel five News in Nashville and the State Archeologist, Nick Fielder, got involved and the project has been stopped for now. The land is offered for sale at $110,000. A family that descends from Alexander Ewing has responded in a way to try to help save this old family cemetery and to prevent the cemetery land from being turned into a development.


In an effort to save this family cemetery, where Alexander Ewing and wife, Sarah Smith, are buried along with others, most likely being family, friends, and slaves, three things will be done provided the resources are available. These being:

1.         An application has been made for a government headstone--a veteran's benefit which Alexander should deserve for his revolutionary war service. However, the cost of setting the stone and the additional engraving of Sarah's name and dates must be born by the family.

2.         Application is being made for a historical marker to be placed on or near the site. The marker will both allude to Alexander's prominence in the Revolutionary War and in Nashville. We will also allude to the spot as being the site of his family cemetery. With such a marker, it will be difficult for a future owner to destroy the cemetery claiming ignorance as to its existence. The cost of the marker is $1,300, and it, too, must be paid by the family. It will be an official steel marker of the type you have probably seen all over the United States. It will be maintained by the Metropolitan Historical Society of Nashville, but that organization does not have money for new stones.

3.         If possible, we would like to construct an attractive fence around the cemetery and provide for future maintenance of the grounds.


Mrs. Evelyn Ewing, wife of Vernon Ewing, deceased, and her two daughters spent a week in Nashville learning what could be done to save this Ewing family cemetery.


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Page 15

WILLIAM DAVIS EWING 

[Vol 1 No 3 Feb 1995, page 22]

William Davis Ewing, M.D. (30 October 1829 - 22 January 1902) was born at the Ewing homestead "The Grove" located three miles west of Harrisonburg, Virginia. At the age of 20, he attended Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) during the term 1849-1850. The president of the University informed me by letter dated December 22, 1980 that the records show "He had a course in general chemistry with a grade of 5 1/2, rhetoric 5.67, freshman math 4.94, natural philosophy 6.42, behavior 7." also, the minutes of the Board of Trustees show on "June 20, 1849 The Rev. Horatice Thompson, Revd. I. D. Ewing and Dr. A. Leyburn are appointed a committee to attend the examinations for the ensuing year."


The Alumni Association, University of Virginia records show he attended the Medical College 1852-1853 and at one time listed his address as Mt. Meridian, VA.


By letter dated February 26, 1980 Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Penn. reported he was a graduate in the Class of 1854 receiving a M. D. degree. Jefferson Medical College was established in 1847 and in 1855 graduated 170 students. Requirements included good character, student of medicine for three years with at least one course in clinical instruction and a thesis. Term was from October to February.


He moved to Augusta County in 1855 apparently on a farm with his sisters near Mount Horeb Presbyterian Church and practiced his profession. At the bride's residence "Spring Farm" on October 24, 1859, by Rev. Irving, he was united in wedlock with Margaret Ann Sellers (25 Dec 1833 - 20 Nov 1915) daughter of Isaac Sellers (1797-1839) and Susannah Long (1809-1888).


The property described as "Spring Farm" is of interest to the Ewing Family. Major David Golladay (1759-1823) purchased 200 acres for 750 lbs. from Charles Beard of Rockingham County and his brother William Beard of Augusta County by deed dated 21 July 1808 and being a part of 400 acres acquired by Samuel Lockhard by Patent dated May 17, 1751. David moved into his newly constructed home in 1809 and described it in his holographic will as his "manchen house". He constructed on his land and operated Rockland Mills (grist and saw mills). He later acquired additional land contiguous to his original acquisition and sold 56 acres (lying cross North River in Rockingham County) of the original acquisition of 200 acres to his sister-in-law Teckla Hockman Krickenberger and her husband Johannes Krickenberger. The Krickenbergers had preceded the Golladays in moving from Shenandoah County by about 5 years.


Major Golladay and wife Rebecca Hockman Golladay produced 10 children and raised three nephews, attended Old Augusta Stone Church, enjoyed Thomas Jefferson hospitality and entertained his daughter in law's (Jane Lowry Golladay) nephew Commondore Barron who killed Admiral Stephen Decatur in a duel. See Augusta Historical Bulletin Vol 6, No. 2, Fall, 1969.


David died in 1823 and his wife Rebecca died in 1828 - both are buried in the family graveyard on the bank of North River now known as "Sellers Cemetery".


By deed dated October 29, 1827 Spring Farm consisting of 285 acres was conveyed by Rebecca Golladay, her sons William and Isaac Golladay to Isaac Sellers and wife Susannah Long Sellers for the sum of $7,000.00. Isaac and wife Susannah are buried in Sellers Cemetery.


(A picture of the house in the article is not of the quality that it could be reproduced. "Spring Farm" Weyers Cave, Virginia. Also, the picture of the mantle done by the Hession soldier artisans cannot be reproduced.)


Dr. Ewing enlisted at Staunton, Virginia August 2, 1861 as a surgeon in Company G, 52 Inf. and assigned to hospital duty in Winchester, Virginia. On May 14, 1863 he was relieved from hospital duty and in August 1863 detailed to Regimental Duty in General Early's Division. Transfer from surgery to Hospital Duty - his request was denied. On September 19, 1864 he was captured at Winchester, Virginia - was held as surgeon to wounded Confederates for about four months and on January 19, 1865 was in the U. S. Army General hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. On February 2, 1865 he was in Fortress Monroe, later paroled at Winchester, Virginia and discharged at Lee's surrender on April 19, 1865.


He practiced his profession at "Slate Hill" farm located 1 1/2 miles east of Weyers Cave, Virginia and died of Bright's disease in 1902. Dr. Ewing's great grandson acquired Slate Hill farm in 1971 and restored the old dwelling house.


Ownership of "The Grove"


"The Grove" is located three mile northwest of Harrisonburg, Virginia. The first house was built about 1742, the second house was built about 1822.


Name of the original owner to present day owner:


a. William Ewing (1694-1796), the immigrant, by patent, 1742.

b. John Ewing, son of William, by inheritance, 1796.

c. William Ewing, son of John Ewing, by inheritance, June 1822.

d. Mary Elizabeth Ewing, by inheritance and division 1890 and 1894.

e. W. N. Deputy, by deed from H. W. Wyant Spcl. commissioner, Novel 1919.

f. William C. Wampler, by deed from W. N. Deputy November 24, 1919.

g. The New York Life Insurance Company of New York from trustee. Aug 1. 1933.


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Page 17

WHERE WAS IT?


[Vol 1 No 3 Feb 1995, page 25]


In Clan Ewing on page 142, we find this statement, "He [Nathaniel Ewing] married a cousin of his own, Rachel Porter, in the year 1723, and four years afterwards he emigrated to America, bringing with him his half-brothers and sisters, and a large connection of the Porter family, and also the Gillespies." From the very early families, we know that the Ewing and Caldwell families intermarried. But, we do not know if the Caldwell family came to America at the same time.


On page 134 of Clan Ewing, we find: "...therefore, with the few earthly goods left to them, some embarked, say traditions, upon the good old Eagle Wing, others on the staunch Rising Sun, to seek in America what their fathers had vainly sought first in Scotland and then Ulster."


In correspondence with the Caldwell family regarding when that family came to American and how they traveled, the following reply was received:


"Yes, "The Eagle Wing," or just "Eagle Wing," was the name of the ship that in 1727 the Caldwells and their relatives took from somewhere in the north of Ireland, or "Ulster." "... this Caldwell bunch to build a church on Cub Creek, Lunenburg Co., Virginia, and it took place about 1737, or about ten years after they landed at New Castle, Delaware."


From the Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society on pages 7 and 8, V.25 No. 73, January 1927, we find the following:


“About the year 1735 my grandfather James McAfee, married Jane McMichael in Ireland, and his father dying soon after, in 1739 leaving a large family who had married off ...and after a tedious passage landed at New Castle on the Delaware River on the 10th of June in that year ... his resources being limited his wife and himself were compelled to reserving his small stock of money to purchase land which he accomplished that fall in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on Octorara creek...." Malcolm McMichael was the father of Jane. Also, Malcolm was the father of Margaret McMichael who married Samuel Ewing.


“It is about fifteen miles from New Castle, Delaware to Elkton, Maryland the county seat of Cecil County. Between Elkton and New Castle is Glasgow. I wonder where that name came from?


“What all of this seems to say is that ships with passengers from Ireland, maybe certain ports in Ireland, came to the port of New Castle over a period of several years. Based on the location of Cecil County, it appears to make sense that a number of immigrants that settled in that general area might have landed at New Castle. Get your atlas out and look at how much traveling is involved if the ship goes up the Delaware River rather than going south around the tip of Virginia and then going back north to stop some where on the Chesapeake Bay. It would sure be nice to find some evidence to prove it. Which brings me back to the Caldwell information. They do not have any proof that it was 1727 or New Castle except tradition. In this case tradition is fact until someone finds proof. Do the Porters and/or Gillespies have any information on when and where their families came and landed in America? How about the Breading family, Anne "Sea Gull" Ewing married her cousin, James Breading” (page 164, Clan Ewing).


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Page 19

JOHN GILLESPIE EWING


[Vol 1 No 4 May 1995, page 10]


 Editor's note: What is interesting about John Gillespie Ewing is that within a three week period, I got correspondence from three different people that contained information from or about John Gillespie Ewing. From what I have seen, John must have corresponded with a lot of different Ewings and researched the Ewing family a lot.


"THE EWING CLAN . . . .


"About 1730 four or possibly five brothers came to, and settled in Nottingham township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. They were as is supposed the sons of one James Ewing of Inch County, Donnegal, an island in Lough Swilly, about ten miles west of Londonderry in Ireland. They were as is supposed; John, Henry, Samuel, Alexander and possibly Thomas. Alexander died in Nottingham township. His widow Ann, and his son John Ewing had letters of Administration on his estate granted the 23rd., of July, 1752.


"He is supposed to be the father of Alexander Ewing, who on April 20, 1771 secured conveyance of certain lands in Fawn township, York County, Pennsylvania. He died intestate, and there is a deed of the date Dec. 3, 1829 conveying the interest of six of his children to the seventh. His wife was then dead, as she does not sign the deed.


"The children were as follows, a. Elanor Ewing, b. Martha Strawbridge, c. James Ewing and Nancy his wife, d. Henry Ewing and Ann his wife, e. Thomas Ewing and Rebecca his wife, and f. John Ewing and Ann his wife, who deed to Alexander Ewing of Fawn.


"Thomas Ewing of Penna., was born June 12, 1782, and died Mar. 20th., 1859. Married in 1803, Rebecca Hartman of Maryland. She was born Aug. 12th., 1779 died Oct. 6th., 1854. They moved to Niagara County New York in 1803.

                                                                 John Gillespie Ewing

                                                                 217 Broadway

                                                                 New York City

                                                                 Mar. 14., 1919"


On the bottom of the above letter is the following notation with a handwritten date of Aug. 25_ 1927.

JAMES EWING

and his son (?)

ALEXANDER

with ANN his wife

whose son was

ALEXANDER

and whose son was

THOMAS EWING


Editor's note: The above letter has been attached to a number of pages of genealogy information for the children of Thomas and Rebecca Ewing. The second generation follows:


THE FOLLOWING ARE OF THE SECOND GENERATION OF

            THOMAS EWING 6-12-1782

                        AND

            REBECCA HARTMAN 8-12-1779

                        of Maryland

 

a. ALEXANDER 7-22-1804            b. HENRY 2-9-1809

            Mary Ann Edson                                Thirza Pratt

                                                                        Sarah Pratt 5-26-1817

c. JOHN 2-12-1811                          d. JAMES 2-26-1813

            Lydia Garfield                                    Louisa Kemp 1-8-1820

            Salina Garfield                                        *Alice Muir 2-22-1839

            (Probably sister of Thomas                         married Owen Welfare

            father of Charles.)                                          James Ewing

                                                                                           ____ Muir

e. MARY ANN 5-20--1807             f. SARAH

            ____ McMichael                              ____ Tice

 

g. FRANCIS 12-17-1805                 h. REBECCA TAMAR 5-27-1815

            Frances Barry 8-1-1810                   ____ McKee

                        in Dublin

 

i. ELIJAH                                          j. ABGAIL

            Married and divorced                         Hannibal Eaton

            soon after.                                           James Burbeck


            *Alice Muir who resides at 49 Irwin St., Muskegon, Michigan is the last living member of this generation. Ill health and almost total blindness prevents her attendance at the re-unions, tho she is very much interested in the family.


          D.H. Ewing’s Sons

               Creamery,

BUTTER, CREAM, MILK, EGGS

   312 W. BRECKENRIDGE STREET

              Louisville, Ky


AERATED

    MILK

in STERILIZED

    BOTTLES


Both Phones 1028

 

[The original article contained a copy of the actual letterhead. The above are the words as appeared originally.]


By means of a short history left by my father, David Henry Ewing, as given to him by his father, James Ewing, I am able to trace the family back to my great, great, great grandfather.


In the little history given he only speaks of our ancestors coming from Scotland. But I have heard my father (in his life time) and also others of the family say that the family originally emigrated from Scotland to Ireland and thence to America. I will give the little sketch just as he has it written and the remainder from the family Bibles.


"Early in the eighteenth century, John Ewing my father's great grand father, in the sixtieth year of his age with his family, (the number unknown) came to this country from Ireland. His son, James Ewing, [Editor's note: James is in error, it should be Samuel, see letter that follows] married an American by the name of McMeekin in Chester Co., Penn., near the Maryland line. They reared a large family. The names of the children are as follows, -Daniel, John, Samuel, William and Thomas. The boys all immigrated to Kentucky except John. Daniel Ewing immigrated in 1779 to Perryville, Ky. William, Samuel and Thomas came together in the fall of 1788 landing at the falls of the Ohio, now Louisville, thence to Perryville where they located. Samuel Ewing brought with him his nephew John Ewing. He located on the Oil Creek, Perry Co. fifty miles below Louisville, where he died and left a large family and they scattered. Samuel Ewing lived and died near Perryville leaving two sons Samuel and Thomas. Samuel died a bachelor. Thomas Ewing married and moved to Driftwood Fork White river, Brownstown, Ind. where he left a family and they scattered.


"My father's uncle, Samuel Ewing, daughters were five in number. 1st Margaret married in or near Perryville, her own cousin, John McAfee, and emigrated in 1815 to Brownstown, Ind. where they both died. 2nd Elizabeth married in Perryville at her father's house, Jesse Durham and shortly afterward moved to Brownstown, Ind. He was one of the commissioners who located the state capitol of Indiana at Indianapolis and died leaving a family. The other three daughters he does not mention. My father's uncle, William Ewing, emigrated from Penn. to Perryville in 1788 and in 1790 married Margaret Gant. They moved in 1798 into the Green river country near the Grayson springs, where he lived until he was quite old and moved with his son William to Prairie, Ill. seventy five miles west of Vincennes, Ind. where he died in the eightieth year of his age. He left two of more married daughters in Kentucky. Polly married John Morgan who acted as sheriff of Grayson Co. for years. Nancy married William Wearthum. He represented the Co. of Grayson in the state legislature.


Thomas Ewing, my grandfather emigrated from Pennsylvania to Perryville, Ky. in 1788 in the twenty-first year of his age. On June 4th 1790 he married Margaret Tilford who lived five mile from Danville. In 1793 he moved to Washington Co. near Mackville where he lived until he died."


This Daniel Ewing, who immigrated to Perryville, Ky. in 1779 had rather a tragic death. He lived in Fort Harrison as Perryville was then called. They had a garden across Chaplin in the river bottom directly across from the fort. Daniel and another man were in the garden at work when the Indians surprised them. He ran for the fort but as he was climbing the bluff an Indian shot and killed him instantly. A man in the fort killed the Indian who did the shooting. The other man was a cripple and was captured and never heard of again. The place is still pointed out to relatives of the Ewing family with a great deal of interest. My father does not speak of this Daniel Ewing having any sisters but a relative of ours to who I have been writing says that his sister Mary married Thomas Crawford on Feb. 28, 1783, and they reached Fort Harrison a few days after Daniel was killed. It was his persuasion that brought them to Kentucky.


Beginning now with the old family Bible, I will give the history as best I can from that.


Thomas Ewing, my great grandfather was born March 4, 1767. Died July 23, 1836. His wife, Margaret Tilford was born June 16, 1766, and died Sept. 7 1823. Following are the names of their children with their births and deaths as near as I can get them from the old Bible.

James Ewing (my grandfather) was born Apr. 23, 1791. Died Sept. 27, 1874.

Ann Ewing was born Aug 30, 1792. She married Thomas Head Nov. 29, 1814. Died Aug 5, 1822.

Samuel Ewing was born Nov. 21, 1794. Married Susan Lewis Dec. 20, 1821. Died April 18, 1855.

Polly and Betsey Ewing were born July 20, 1790. [Editor's note: The birth year of 1790 could be 1798. Based on the sequence of children, this birth follows 1794. The copy of the original information it appears as a zero but it is written like the bottom portion of an eight on the line.] Betsey died in infancy. Polly (or Mary) was married to John Riley Dec. 21, 1820. Died ---- 1885.

Peggy Ewing was born May 1, 1801. Died April 18, 1821

Patsy Ewing was born April 12, 1803. Married Wm Edmonson on December -- 1831. Date of death not given.

Rachel Ewing was born March 25, 1806. Married Newton Nourse. Dates of marriage and death not given.

Sallie T. Ewing was born Dec. 23, 1808. Date of death not given.


My grandfather, James Ewing was married to Sally Clark, March 6, 1823 in Washington Co. near Mackville, Ky. She was born Aug. 22 1801. She was reared and died in the same neighborhood. They both lived to a good old age as the dates indicate and were highly respected by all who knew them. My grandfather was a mill wright, distiller and extensive farmer. There were born to them seven children. Their names are as follows.


1. Daniel McMeekin Ewing, born May 12, 1825. He was married to Miss Lou Ann Riley Aug. 15, 1857. Three children were born to them, two daughters and one son. The son died when he reached manhood and the two daughters were living in Missouri when we last heard from them. Daniel died Sept. 14, 1864.


2. Elizabeth Ann Ewing, the eldest daughter was born Dec. 2, 1826. She died March -- 1901. She married her first cousin William Ewing Riley, son of J. C. and Mary Riley of whom I have spoken. Seven children were born to them. Four (Mrs. Mary Ewing Nourse, Miss Annie Riley, Jas. C. Riley and Mrs. John T. Allen) are now living in Los Angeles, Cal. and another sister Mrs. Geo. B. Frazee is living in Louisville. Lizzie D. died when quite a young girl and another daughter Mrs. Johnnie Riley Cammach died quite a young woman.


3. John T. Ewing was born May 2, 1829. He married Miss Amanda Thompson of Springfield, Ky. Jan. 2, 1855. They had four children, two sons and two daughters. The girls died when quite young. Stephen Parker grew to manhood and then died of typhoid fever. A strange coincidence is that these three died of the same disease.

The only child left is Jas. T. Ewing now living in Pittsburgh, Penn. He married Jane D. Brown of Springfield, Mar. 25, 1885. John T. in his prime was quite a successful stock trader. He moved to Kansas and carried on an extensive ranch. He afterward moved back to Ky. He died this past Sept. 15, 1903 of pneumonia.


4. Jas. C. Ewing was born Dec. 28, 1831. He married Mattie E. Short of Washington Co. May 14, 1874. She only lived a short while dying Nov. 24, 1875. One son, Wm Benjamin, was born to them Nov. 17, 1875. He lives in Louisville. A few years later he married a widow, Mrs. Fannie Brown, who died Sept. 10, 1896. He only lived a short while after her death, departing this life April 19, 1897.


5. David Henry Ewing was born Jan. 22, 1833. On Feb. 17, 1859 he married Miss Arzilla Ann Weldon of Savannah, Mo. They lived in Missouri until 1863 when they were compelled to leave on account of the war. Seven children were born. James Milton Ewing the eldest child was born Nov. 27, 1859. He was married to Miss Lula Blair of Louisville, Oct. 28, 1897. The second son William Weldon Ewing was born Dec. 13, 1861, and only lived a few years, dying Sept. 8, 1865. Thomas Reed Ewing, the next son, was born Dec. 9, 1865.

On June 5, 1895 he was married to Miss Bettie Button of this city. They have three children as follows:

            Ethel Button Ewing, born Apr. 20. 1896.

            Laura Virginia Ewing, born Feb. 22, 1898.

            Albert Button Ewing, born Nov. 8, 1899.

Charles Oscar Ewing, the fourth son, was born Feb. 15, 1868. On Oct. 26, 1892 he was married to Miss Lillian Anderson of this city. Three children have been born to them. Their names are as follows:

             Tilford Anderson Ewing, born Aug. 9, 1893.

            Helen Ewing was born July 27, 1894 & lived about ten days.

            Charles Oscar Ewing Jr. was born April 11, 1897.


The next child born to D. H. and Arzilla Ewing was Katie Elizabeth Jan. 11, 1870. On June 15, 1898 she was married to Wm Edward Beynroth of this city. One child, Lucille, was the result of this union. She was born Aug. 27, 1899, died Sept. 4, 1899.


Next was Mattie B. Ewing born Nov. 26, 1874.

John T. Ewing was born Oct. 13, 1880. He is still at home. Most of his life has been spent in school. After graduating from the Male High School in this city, he then attended Centre College, Danville, Ky., where he graduated in two years with honors. This is his third year in Louisville University of Medicine.


Going back to my father, D. H. Ewing, I will take up his business life. While in Missouri he had some very responsible positions. After coming to Kentucky he farmed for a number of years and finally got in to the dairy business. About twenty years ago he and his youngest brother, Benjamin, formed a partnership in the creamery business and established a store in Louisville. This partnership only lasted a year, Benjamin F. deciding to go to the country to farm. D. H. Ewing then took his three oldest sons into the partnership with him. The business has grown rapidly and it is now one of the largest creameries in the south. Since D. H. Ewing's death, his sons have continued the business under the name of D. H. Ewing's Sons. D. H. Ewing died April 6, 1899.


6. Margaret Ewing, daughter of Jas. and Sallie Ewing was born Oct. 23, 1836. Died quite young.


7. The youngest son of James and Sallie Ewing was Benjamin Franklin. He was born April 4, 1840. He has always been an extensive and very successful stock trader until the last few years. He now lives about eight miles from the city on a farm. On June 29, 1875 he married Miss Mary Adele Rudy of St. Matthews, Ky. Four children were born to them. They are as follows:

            John Henry Ewing, born May 27, 1876.

            Sallie Rudy Ewing, born Aug. 9, 1877.

            Samuel Rudy Ewing, born Sept. 11, 1879.

            Benjamin Franklin Ewing, Jr., born March 5, 1881.


They all live with their parents and the two older boys help to conduct the farm. Benjamin F. is now attending Central University at Danville, Ky. from which he expects to be graduated this June. He then expects to study law.


Editor's note: The above document is not dated nor is it signed by the author. The family history must have been written the later part of 1903 or early 1904 based on the statement for the death of John T. Ewing in 1903. John G. Ewing responds to this family history.


[Source: The above family history and the two letters that follows were furnished by Sam R. Ewing, Jr. , Louisville, KY. This family history may have been sent to John G. Ewing after he wrote his January 8, 1919 letter. We appreciate this information being furnished to the journal.]



                                                            January 8th, 1919

Benjamin F. Ewing

Inter-Southern Bldg.,

Louisville, Ky.


My dear Sir:-


            I would greatly appreciate it if you would let me know something of your Ewing forefathers in this country and of your kindred now living of the Ewing name with their whereabouts.


            I am a grandson of Thomas Ewing of Ohio, being the eldest son of Judge Philemon Beecher Ewing, his eldest son-both of whom lived and died in Lancaster, Ohio. My distant grandsire, in the sixth generation, Thomas Ewing came to this land in 1718, and settled in Greenwich, New Jersey.


            Trusting to hear from you, I remain,


                        Sincerely yours,


E-L.



                                                            March 11, 1919

Ben. F. Ewing, Esq.,

Louisville, Ky.


My dear Mr. Ewing:-


            Pardon my long delay in answering your interesting letter of the 3rd February, but I have been prevented by business matters pressing.


            The Enclosed account of the descendants of your distant ancestor, John Ewing of Carnshanagh, Co Donegal, Ireland, will show you that I have been able from what I have gathered to correct your line of ascent and to go further back than you seemed able to do.


            The first correction is in the name of the father of Thomas Ewing who was born March 4 1767 and removed to and settled in Washington Co Ky. His name was not James, but Samuel. The name of his wife has always been given-not McMeekin but McMichael. But there may have been an error in this last, as the

name seems to occur of McMeekin in your line.


            The father of this Samuel Ewing was John Ewing of Carnshanagh, who came to America in 1729.


            You write of a John Ewing, nephew of Samuel Ewing and who was also therefore according to your statement nephew of Thomas Ewing your ancestor. You give him as the father of two sons Samuel, who died unwed, and Thomas who removed to Brownstown Indiana. These two were the sons of Samuel Ewing jr, the brother of your ancestor Thomas, and not of a John Ewing.


            I will greatly appreciate it if you will give me an exact copy of all the record written in the bible of your grandfather James dealing with persons and matters prior to his father Thomas. The errors themselves often give interesting clues to real facts and persons.

            If you are willing to try, with the sketch I have given you herewith, I would be glad to fill out the record of the descendants of John Ewing of Carnshanagh. You will notice that I have only given the record of those that bore the name of Ewing. The women of the name I have only given, where I could their marriages, births and deaths. It is so hard to follow out all descendants on "the distaff" side and the work grows so voluminous that I have never attempted it. In my own line, I have simply kept track of the descendants through women of my grandfather Thomas Ewing. This would make the task easier for you and I advise you follow it. But even following the men will be a long task. I have secured a great deal of interesting information as to many Ewing lines in this country and hope some day to put it all in print possibly, if not, in typewritten form and deposit copies in the Congressional Library at Washington, The New York Public Library and the Newberry Library at Chicago, since they all having very extensive collections of matters genealogical. In 1858 there was published a sketch of my branch of the Ewings. I should say printed-not published. I have a copy of it but it is very scarce. I have been besought by all three of the libraries to secure a copy for them. I have been able to correct and add to this record in many ways.


            I would suggest that Mr. John W. Ewing of New Albany, Indiana, who is a lawyer, and who I believe was once located at Cannelton, Indiana, is in all probability one of your line and descended from John Ewing of Carnshanagh. Write him and find out. I wish you would find for me whether Mr. L. C. Ewing of your city of whom you write is of your branch.


            So far as I know our lines do not come together. You run back to John Ewing of Carnshanagh in the parish of Fahan, co Donegal, Ireland who was born about 1650. I go back to Finlay Ewing of the same parish of Fahan, Co. Donegal, who was born about 1660. Whether they were of kin it is difficult to say. I have so far gotten no tract of Finlay's brothers or sisters or his ancestors. The family tradition that he came from county Dumbarton, is most credible, as he came from Scotland and the Ewings of Scotland did all hark back to "The Lennox"-the counties of Dumbarton, Stirling, with parts of Perth, Renfrew and Lanark. In Dumbarton prior to 1689 there are many Finlay Ewings found, though the name of Finlay Ewing does not appear in after times. The oldest will in this region was of Finlay Ewing of Ladystoun, parish of Bonhill, co Dumbarton in 1585.


            I have wearied you enough. Trusting to hear from you,

with kindest regards, I remain

                                                Sincerely yours,

                                                /s/ John G. Ewing


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Page 27

WILLIAM YOUNG CONN EWING


[Vol 1 No 4 May 1995, page 23]


William Young Conn Ewing born January 23, 1788 and died January 28,1852 in Lafayette County, Missouri. He is a son of Urban Ewing and Mary "Polly" Ewing and a grandson of Robert Ewing and Mary Baker. Mary "Polly" Ewing is the daughter of George Ewing.


I belong to several family clans, the Campbell, Ewing, Livesay, and Austin. One of the staff members of the Livesay Society gave me a lady's (which turned out to be a relative) name Ruth Basham. It turned out she only lived four blocks from my mother's home. Ruth is 88 years old and I am 50 years. Her father, Robert Erfraim Livesay, and my great grandfather, William Fountain Livesay, were brothers. She told me about Napoleon, Missouri and the Old Arnold Cemetery. I went to Napoleon and asked at the Post Office for directions to Arnold Cemetery and I also obtained a list of the graves in the mail from the County Clerk in Lexington, Missouri.


When I arrived at Arnold Cemetery, I found most of the old section was all my ancestors, the Ewings, Renicks, Livesays, and Fishbacks. When I came to William Young Conn Ewing's grave, I noticed his headstone was cracked in half and laying flat on the ground. I had found out he was in the War of 1812. Therefore, I ordered from the Government a new Bronze Marker. It took a lot of paper work and about a year before the marker arrived at my home. I tried to find a caretaker to set the headstone. I checked in all of the surrounding cities including Lexington, Missouri. No one knew who to contact. So more time had gone by and I felt guilty having this grave marker still at my home. In the Spring of 1993, my sister Norma Ulledahl and her husband, and I set out to set the grave marker. The cemetery is in the middle of a cornfield with no running water or electricity. We set the marker but we left the old one. We didn't think we should disturb it. We said a prayer and put two flags and a flower on the grave. I tried to get the local paper interested but at no avail.


Last Spring, in 1994, we went again to the cemetery to decorate all of the graves with flowers. The caretaker was there and not to happy with where we had put the marker. I told him I didn't know how to find him and he was then more agreeable. He said in order to mow the grass all markers had to be in a line so he was going to reset the marker and remove the old marker. Since he was going to throw the old marker away, I brought the old William Young Conn Ewing marker home with me and it is in my backyard. He had died in 1852 some 143 years ago. I met another relative from my Ewing line and he has several pieces of silver that had belonged to our common ancestor William Y. C. Ewing. What a small world.

                                                                                    Carol Austin Benjamin


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Page 28

JAMES EWING of POCAHONTAS                                                

[Vol 1 No 4 May 1995, page 27]


[Source: This information was taken from the book put together by John W. Burris, DESCENDANTS OF JOHN EWING (INDIAN JOHN). We appreciate having the opportunity to print this material.]

INTRODUCTION

Indian John Ewing was not an Indian and had no ancestor that was native American. He was captured by the Shawnee Indians when they made a raid on the settlements of then western Virginia. This is well documented in the history of Augusta County. He had something of an education and kept a record of his marriage and the birthdays of his children. Had it not been for this record it would be impossible to trace the family.


Dr. Alvin Enoch Ewing (1864-1945) spent a good part of his life researching the family of James Ewing. His articles appeared in many newspapers and magazines.


Nancy Hanks Ewing (Deceased) a granddaughter of A. E. Ewing spent about twenty five years researching the Ewing family. She collected a vast amount of material for a book called "James Ewing, Pioneer". Her untimely death brought an end to her endeavors and a lifetime of work, fourteen large boxes in all were put in storage. Almost by accident these were rescued and all her research material is now in the possession of Barbara Ewing Powell.


EWING FAMILY

[Dr. Alvin Enoch Ewing (1864-1945) spent a good part of his life in researching the Ewing family history and genealogy. He wrote a good number of articles on the history of the family and early America. His great grandfather was William (Swago Bill) Ewing. The following is the only one that he wrote and is copied exactly as written about 1936 (JWB)].


The exact year of James Ewing's birth is not at present known, nor do we know exactly the year he came to America. He was the first American ancestor of our Ewing line. Grandfather Enoch Ewing never saw his Ewing grandparents. A few facts about them has been handed down to him and these he handed down the line. He said Grandfather James was born in the north of Ireland, but of Scotch parents, and that he came to Virginia when a young man and soon after married an Irish girl whose name he did not remember but though lived to a ripe old age. James had two boys and three girls, John was born in 1747 and William in 1756. One of the girls Jean, married Moses Moore as late as 1786. Elizabeth married George Daugherty and is said to have moved to Tennessee. The other daughter, Ann, must have been older than her brothers for, in 1763 when her brother was but sixteen, she was the wife of Archibald Clendennen and the mother of three or four children. History records that in July 1763 the Shawnee Indians of what is now Ohio raided the Virginia settlements on the Greenbrier River, killed Clendennen, two little boys, and took prisoners Ann (Ewing) Clendennen, her little girl, Jane, her little boy Johnny and her brother John who was at that time living with the Clendennens. It was this tragic incident that helped fix matters in grandfather's mind and it was one of his stock stories, although it happened thirty six years before he was born. Since it belongs to our Ewing history, the story may well be related briefly here.


Ann (Ewing) Clendennen escaped from the Indians the first night of their march back to Ohio. She made her way back to the ashes of her home, buried the dead and started back to the older settlements east of the Allegheny mountains. She came near losing her mind, but recovered and lived to marry again. Her infant was killed by the Indians after her escape from them. Her daughter Jane, three or four years old, was taken by the Indians into the Ohio country and there adopted into a tribe of Delawares where she remained a captive for nearly two years. Her little boy Johnny was killed by the Indians after reaching Ohio to settle a quarrel between two squaws as to which of them should have him.


John Ewing, brother of Ann Clendennen, and uncle of Enoch Ewing was adopted into a tribe of Shawnee Indians in Ohio and remained a captive with them for nearly two years. He and his niece Jane were liberated at the same time and returned to Virginia. Jane grew up and married John Davis in Virginia and had a family.


John Ewing later married Ann Smith in Virginia and raised a large family of ten children. In 1802 John moved with his family to Gallia County, Ohio and settle on lands over which he had been when an Indian captive. His Indian captivity made John conspicuous in his day. He came to be called "Indian John".


What we know of John Ewing and his sister, Ann Clendennen, helps us to approximate the age of their father James and the date of his coming to Virginia. If Ann had four children in 1763 when John, her oldest brother, was sixteen, she must have been at least six years his senior, even if she married young. This would place her birth at about 1741. If she were the oldest of James's children and I believe she was, we can estimate that James was married about 1740. Then applying grandfather Enoch's story that his grandfather James came to this country a young man and soon after married, if we allow that James was at least twenty when he married, it would place his birth year at about 1720, and his coming to Virginia in about 1740.


Many attempts have been made to connect James Ewing with other well known Ewing's who came to America much earlier than 1740, but there is nothing yet to prove the relationship, whatever it may have been. Scotland was full of Ewings: as protestants and non-conformists, many of them fled from Scotland for safety, taking refuge in the northern counties of Ireland - Antrim, Londonderry and Donegal; they were known to be there prior to 1690. For the next thirty or forty years, the Scotch-Irish (Scotchmen born in Ireland) flocked to America, and among them were several Ewings who landed at various points along the Atlantic seaboard at different times. They were doubtless related to each other as fathers, sons, uncles, cousins, and nephews. Just what degree of relationship and of these bore to our James is not yet known, and the chances are good that it will never be known. The fact that James did not come over until about 1740, leads me to think that he came alone and that he left his parents --dead or alive-- in Ireland.


It has also been claimed by some that our James Ewing was a soldier of the Revolution, that he was a captain, and that he fought at the battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina in 1780. In my opinion these claims are unfounded. I have been unable, after years of research, to find a single proof of any such claim or claims. There was another James Ewing in Virginia during the Revolutionary period who was a soldier, and the names become confused. Besides this, grandfather Enoch Ewing stated time and again that he never knew of his grandfather's being a Revolutionary soldier. Had he been, I am sure that the fact would have been talked about and handed down to his grand children. Moreover, he was at least sixty years of age in 1780. Another claim that has been made is that James Ewing's wife was Margaret Sargeant. Although I have heretofore spread the statement as fact, I do not believe it was an error due to confusion over the two James Ewing's who lived in Virginia.


We do not know when James Ewing died or whether he lived to see the Revolution. A few facts have been gleaned from records. In 1760, James Ewing appears to have owned 254 acres on the upper waters of Jackson River where it is joined by Muddy Run in which is now Bath County, Virginia. To the best of my judgement, this is where James Ewing raised his family of three girls and two boys. If you will turn to your map of Virginia and West Virginia, you will see that the two states are separated by the Allegheny divide. Jackson River is east of the divide, while Greenbrier River is west of the divide. The two rivers parallel each other and are scarcely more than twenty-five miles apart--as the crow flies. Apparently James sold this land, just when we do not know, but ten years later, in 1770, we find him selling land over on the west side of the divide, on Ewing's Creek (now called Knapps Creek) to one Moses Moore of Ewing (Knapp) Creek. If you find Buckeye marked on you map, that is the closest point to the old William Ewing home and the old Thomas McNeill settlement. Another small branch of the Greenbrier is a little north of Marlinton, is Stony Creek and it was upon this creek that John Ewing (Indian John) settled and raised his family. We also know that Ann Ewing Clendennin's home was in Greenbrier County, some 20 miles south of Buckeye. We also know that Jean (Jane) Ewing became the second wife of Moses Moore in 1786. The other daughter, Elizabeth, married George Daugherty--presumably there in Greenbrier County, and it is said they moved to Kentucky, so have no trace of their family, if they had one. It seems to me therefore, that there can be no doubt that James Ewing and his entire family left their Jackson River home sometime prior to 1770, but subsequent to 1763, and settled in Greenbrier County west of the mountain divide. At what point and in what years James Ewing and his wife died, we do not know, but it is my opinion that they both died in Greenbrier County after the Revolution. Enoch Ewing, born in 1799, stated that he never saw either of his Ewing grandparents.


Now comes another bit of interesting news which prompted me to write this sketch. In the December 24, 1936, issue of the Pocahontas Times appears an article of considerable interest to those interested in our Ewing family history. From it appears that the lands once owned by James Ewing on Ewing Creek were included in a grant of lands surveyed October 11, 1751 for General Andrew Lewis. The grant of lands was not actually completed until June 2, 1780, when Thomas Jefferson, then Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, executed the conveyance. It included 480 acres at the mouth of "Ewens Creek". It commences "Beginning at three white oaks near the east side of Ewens Creek. Then it runs this way and that from one tree to another, and ends up thence north 48 E 240 poles crossing Ewens house to the beginning". This doubtless had reference to James Ewing's cabin. If the house was there in 1751 when the original survey was made, it suggest that James Ewing may have "Squatted" there prior to 1751. It is my private opinion that James Ewing was very much a hunter, and that he may have established hunting and trapping headquarters on "Ewens Creek", spending much of his time there, while his family still remained on Jackson River.


The reason for my thinking that the James Ewing house was maintained on Jackson River to a later period is that when Ann Ewing Clendennen escaped from the Indians in the summer of 1763, in Greenbrier County, she made her way back to the old settlements on Jackson River. It would have been much nearer to "Ewens Creek" if her folks had been living there at that time. Again when John Ewing was liberated from the Ohio Shawnees in 1765, he returned to his old home and was greeted by his sister. I feel certain that this was the old Jackson River home.


General Andrew Lewis was of the famous Lewis family who also came to Virginia from the north of Ireland. They were land "boomers" and induced many Scotch-Irish to emigrate to America. I suspect they were the cause of James Ewing coming to Virginia. Each of James Ewing sons--John and William-- had a son named Andrew, and I am disposed to think they were named Andrew in honor of Gen. Andrew Lewis.


Both John and William Ewing raised large families. John moved to Gallia County, Ohio in 1802, and William moved to the same county in 1810.


This is for your Ewing historical file.


                                                            Dr. Alvin Enoch Ewing


Editor's note: Barbara Ewing Powell is now the custodian of all these years of research by Dr. Alvin Enoch Ewing and Nancy Hanks Ewing. The first volume has been printed and the second volume is about ready to go to press. If you are interested in these books, you can write to: Barbara Ewing Powell, 27631 Fig Lane, Newman, CA 95360.]


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Page 32

THE CLAN FINLEY 

[Vol 1 No 4 May 1995, page 33]


Source: The Clan Finley, Second Edition, 1956, The Eagle Press, Volume One, Copy housed at the Family History Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.


Maryland and Pennsylvania because of their guarantee of religious freedom were attractive to the Celts and, to these colonies, the tide of Scotch-Irish immigration quickly turned. To the rising effects of this immigration many ships were built for the purpose of carrying passengers and goods to America.


Among the ships built for this purpose was the brig Eagle Wing launched at Belfast, Ireland, in the year 1714 and in constant service for more than thirty-five years between that port and the ports of Newcastle, Delaware, or Philadelphia. It was a fast sailing vessel, modern for, the times, making the trip to America, if all went well, in seven to ten weeks.


The ship is of importance in our history since so many of the Clan were numbered among its passengers on its many voyages to our shores.


It is a tradition, likely, though without documentary proof, that on several voyages the Scots chartered the brig in order to obtain thereby reduced fares. Even in those days our ancestors were given to being cautious with their cash.


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Page 33

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED 

[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 5]


Source: This information was furnished by Alicia Ewing Towster. _______


When information is received about an individual that may or may not affect the lineage of a person, the information will be printed. In the past someone might have found the same piece of information and later finds information that disproves the information found earlier. When information is proven to be wrong, we will publish that information with the proper explanation.


Recently, the following two pieces of information came to the editor. The information appears to be information that the family researchers for those lines would be interested in.


Presley Kitteridge Ewing


Presley Kitteridge Ewing in his book The Ewing Genealogy with Cognate Branches, on page 95, states "Fayette Clay Ewing was the second son of Ephraim M. Ewing and Jane P. McIntyre; he was born in Logan County, [KY] March 4, 1824." Fayette Clay Ewing was the father of Presley Kitteridge Ewing.

 

"On 27 February 1843, by an act of Kentucky legislature, Fayette CLINTON changed his name to Fayette C. Ewing. [Kentucky Frontiersmen, v. 7: Kentucky Acts 1801-1850]. This suggests a couple of things (1) that he was of age, and the Louisiana census entries for him put his birthday at 1821/23, rather than the 1824 provided by PKE. And (2) that Fayette Clinton had Ephraim McLean Ewings's assistance/approval of the change. We can not assume this is an acknowledgement of paternity, though it might be a statement of kinship of some kind."


A letter from Adlai E. Stevenson [Vice-President under Grover Cleveland], Bloomington, Ill August 24, 1913, to Mr. A. P. Strother, Fort Smith, Ark. A typescript copy of that letter was found in the papers of Alicia Towster's grandmother. The letter states:

 

"My mother Eliza Ewing was born in Iredell County North Carolina October 28th 1809. Her father Adlai Ewing removed with his family to Christian County Ky in 1816. He died there in 1820. My mother married there in 1832 (April 26th) to my father John T Stevenson. They removed to Bloomington, Illinois in 1852. My father died May 4, 1857 and my mother March 6th, 1899. Both families were of Scotch-Irish descent - Presbyterians.

 

"My mothers father Adlai Ewing was born in Rowan County N.C., and her mother (Sophie Wallis) in Cabarris County N.C. My mothers grandfather Nathaniel Ewing was born in Maryland, emigrated to N.C. before the Revolutionary War - his father Alexander Ewing was a native of Ulster, Ireland."


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Page 35

JAMES EWING (1712-1788) 

[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 8]


In my effort to trace my ancestry back to its earliest days in America, I have come to the conclusion that James, the youngest of the seven or eight brothers, to-wit: Nathaniel, John, Samuel, Alexander, Henry, Joshua, and William, the sons of William of Glasgow and Londonderry, a son of William of Stirling was the first of our line to immigrate to America.


Originally James Ewing settled in Cecil County, Maryland, and then in the early 1740s moved with his wife, Ann Dunn, into Amelia/Prince Edward County, Virginia, where he purchased land in 1746 (Amelia County Deed Book 2, page 315). Amelia County was later divided and a part of it became Prince Edward County, Virginia (1753/4).


In research reports done by Alycon Trubey Pierce, C.G., a certified genealogist, dated 4 September, 1993, and 29 June, 1993, she states in her conclusion there is no clear proof that James Ewing formerly of Cecil County, Maryland, and now of Amelia/Prince Edward County, Virginia, was the father of Samuel Ewing and William Ewing, the two brothers, who later left Prince Edward County, Virginia, and moved on to Kentucky. William Ewing, the brother aforementioned, has been proven to be the progenitor of our family's line in America. In a letter to Thomas Ewing 10 August, 1994, Ms. Pierce did state the following: "My opinion is that there is good preponderance of evidence case supporting James Ewing (died circa 1788) as the father of William Ewing (ca 1735-40 Virginia died 1799 Kentucky)."


While lacking documentary proof there is considerable circumstantial evidence that James Ewing, the immigrant, of Cecil County, Maryland, and Amelia/Prince Edward County, Virginia, was indeed the father of Samuel and William Ewing. This evidence as uncovered by Ms. Pierce and by other research is as follows:

 

+ James Ewing of Prince Edward County sold in equal halves his 300 acres on Fort Creek, the first tract going to Samuel Ewing in 1777 and to William Ewing in 1783. The land was again sold by William and Samuel Ewing in 1795 prior to their departure for Kentucky.

 

+ That first in 1774 and 1775 James Ewing tithable list entry includes the Samuel Ewing assessed to him, as would befit a son.

 

+ The Kentucky Will found by Mrs. Margaret Fife for Samuel Ewing proves that he and William Ewing were brothers, thus cementing the second half of their theoretical equation.

 

+ Likewise, no Will which we have discovered survives in Prince Edward County in which these brothers, Samuel and William Ewing, were claimed as sons by some other Ewing.

 

+ William Ewing named his first son, James, as evidenced in the 1793 Prince Edward County Personal Property Tax List and in William Ewing's Will. It was not uncommon for a son to name his first born son after his grandfather. Samuel Ewing, the brother of William, apparently had no issue.

 

+ Despite the now known presence of two James Ewings in early Amelia County/Prince Edward County, Virginia, there is evidence that the 1750 Power of Attorney recorded by James and Ann Ewing does belong to James Ewing who remained in Amelia County/Prince Edward County. The Power of Attorney was given to Joshua Ewing, who is refuted to be one of James Ewing's immigrant brothers, though the Power of Attorney refers to him as his friend. The Power of Attorney was witnessed by George Ewing, Samuel Wallace, and Edward Johnstone. As illustrated in the county wide patent map submitted with the Pierce report both George Ewing and Samuel Wallace held land patents which were not only adjacent to each other, but also adjacent to the identical Edward Briswait patent from which James Ewing's land had come. Therefore George Ewing and Samuel Wallace are proven neighbors of the Fort Creek James Ewing thus there seems no immediate reason to doubt that the Prince Edward County James Ewing of 1783 was identical to the James Ewing who (a) filed the 1750 Power of Attorney in Parent County/Amelia and (b) who obviously held land in either his own name or through his wife's name, Ann, in Cecil County, Maryland.


Additional information which sheds light on the issue of James Ewing, Sr. was contained in a report of the British Mercantile Company in 1802 and was reprinted in the Virginia Genealogist Volume 25, Page 183.


"James Ewing, Sr. £28.7.0 dead. His children removed to Kentucky. He was insolvent in 1783 and ever sense."


In the same report of the Virginia Genealogist it was reported that Patrick and Isabell (Ritchie) Gillespie had moved to Fayetteville County, Kentucky. This Mr. Gillespie was the father-in-law of Samuel Ewing who had married his daughter, Eleanor. This Samuel Ewing was the brother of William Ewing, the two purported sons of James Ewing.


In addition to finding evidence leading to a preponderance one can also make assumptions which are based on evidence which eliminates possibilities of Samuel and William Ewing being the sons of some other Ewing in Prince Edward County, Virginia, at about this same time. There were two other James Ewings which are reported to have been in and about this area of Amelia County/Prince Edward County, Virginia, during the middle years of the 18th century, to-wit: 1746 through 1800. Both of these James Ewings appeared from the information available to be eliminated as the father of Samuel and William Ewing which are the subjects of our investigation. The following information has been found on these two James Ewings. It appears that James Ewing sometimes called James Ewing, Jr. left Prince Edward County on or about 1750 with a son, Joseph Ewing, and went to Augusta County, Virginia. There is some thought that this James Ewing would have been a brother to the immigrant brothers, Robert and Charles Ewing.


The next James Ewing listed in this vicinity was a son of Nathaniel Ewing, the immigrant, and a twin. He was the twin of Dr. John Ewing who was from Virginia and Pennsylvania and was connected with the 1st Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. This James Ewing was the son of Nathaniel and Rachel Porter Ewing the first oldest of the immigrant brothers and the half-brother of our James Ewing. This James Ewing died in Prince Edward County in about 1817 and had one son, John James Ewing.


The foregoing information has lead me to the belief along with my further study that James Ewing, the immigrant of Prince Edward County was our most likely progenitor of our line and it is an assumption I am willing to accept based on the preponderance of the evidence until further research or documentation proves otherwise.

 

            August 30, 1994                                             Thomas W. Ewing

                                                                                    Pontiac, IL


[Editor's note: Unfortunately, in a sense, we have too many Ewings by the same names, such as: James, William, John, living in the same area at the same time. As more and more records are found, it is possible to separate the people with the same names. James Ewing was identified on the charts by Rev. Ellsworth S. Ewing. The research done by two different families make it obvious to the researchers for those two families that the James Ewing of Prince Edward County, Virginia is the half-brother to Nathaniel and that James Ewing of Pocahontas is not the half-brother of Nathaniel. See page 27 in the May 1995 journal for the article about James Ewing of Pocahontas. Some research is going on at this time that might identify the father for James Ewing of Pocahontas. If you would like to participate in that research please contact Clan Ewing.]


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Page 38

ORIAN'S TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN EWING 

[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 18]


            "Unveiling recently in the old burying ground of the Pine Street Church of a memorial to Dr. John Ewing, first Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, was the occasion for an eloquent eulogy by Burton Alva Konkle, the historian. John Ewing was one of twin sons born June 22, 1732, to Nathaniel Ewing and his wife in West Nottingham, then in Maryland, but later to be placed within the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania by the settlement of the boundary disputes, in which the young Ewing, grown to manhood, had a part. As boy and youth, he studied at New London Academy under Rev. Francis Allison and from there went to Princeton, in preparation for the ministry, graduating in 1754. Meanwhile Dr. Allison had become rector of the Academy in Philadelphia, which was the beginning of the University of Pennsylvania, and young Ewing came to him to continue his study of theology, accepting an appointment as instructor. When Provost Smith, of the College of Philadelphia, went to Oxford in 1759 to receive a degree, he left his classes in philosophy in the hands of the twenty-seven-year old theologian, John Ewing, who, at that time, the First Presbyterian Church at Philadelphia was calling to its pulpit. He was astronomer, mathematician and scientist, as well as theologian and philosopher, and the Penns appointed him to the Commission of Pennsylvania for the determination of the boundaries of this State, Delaware and Maryland, in which important work he took a prominent part and continued until its final settlement in 1779.

            In 1773, he and Dr. Williamson were sent to Great Britain to secure endowment for the Academy in Newark, Delaware, which became a predecessor of that State's university. He was now over forty years old and well known to Presbyterians in Scotland. The head of Edinburgh University, Dr. Robertson, conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon him. It is told that Dr. Samuel Johnson, at their first meeting, reflected on America as without books, whereupon Dr. Ewing replied, "We have read the 'Rambler'" and made a friend out of "Ursa Major" for the rest of their lives.

            In 1775 Dr. Ewing returned to America and on the fall of Philadelphia in 1777 with his family he returned to West Nottingham, his birth-place, until the enemy left Philadelphia. A member of his church, Judge George Bryan, a leader in State affairs, in 1779 secured a law confiscating the College and Academy and charitable schools of Philadelphia and reorganized in 1779 as "the University of the State of Pennsylvania." Thereupon Dr. Ewing was made, on February 26, 1780, the first Provost of the new university and continued for nearly a quarter of a century, or until his death.

            Beside the medical students, the new institution had about 200 in attendance; and Provost Ewing was Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, and vice provost Rittenhouse, Professor of Astronomy. Dr. Ewing also had a part in the observation of the Transit of Venus, having been chosen a vice president of the American Philosophical Society, for whose proceedings he wrote the official account. Meanwhile he was producing his regular lectures and sermons through a long period of forty years.

            Dr. Ewing was tall and graceful in person, of a remarkably strong and sound constitution, generous and even tempered, more of a philosophical than poetic nature, an excellent narrator and conversationalist, affable and easily approached, regular and unfailing as the stars he gazed upon. In theology he was a follower of no school, but created his own, and set the pace of the pulpit which was to be graced by such great figures as Albert Barnes and Herrick Johnson."


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Page 40

DR. EWING'S GRAVE MARKED 

[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 19]


"Location in Old Pine St. Burial

Ground Found After 100 years


            A monument marking the grave of the Rev. Dr. John Ewing, first provost of the University of Pennsylvania, whose burial place was lost for more than 100 years, has been erected by his successors.

            The monument was unveiled yesterday in Old Pine St. burial ground, 4th and Pine sts. Among those taking part in the ceremony were Dr. Josiah H. Penniman, provost; the Rev. Dr. Edward Hill, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, of which Dr. Ewing once was pastor, and Miss Lucy E. Lee Ewing, 1180 Spruce st., a direct descendant.

            Dr. Ewing, born in 1732, was provost at the University from 1780 until his death in 1802. The location of the grave was unknown until last October 11, when a safe in the Old Pine Street Church was blown open by thieves. A record of the grave's position was found among its contents."


[Editor's note: The two above articles about Dr. Ewing were sent in by Mrs. Dorothy G. Ewing, Rising Sun, MD. We appreciate having the opportunity of sharing these articles and the time it took to locate them after more than sixty years and sending them to Clan Ewing. Both articles were published in the Philadelphia Bulletin: The Orian's Tribute article June 11, 1932 and the grave marked article June 3, 1932. ]



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Page 41

WHO IS WILLIAM EWING OF ROCKINGHAM?


[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 20]


Below there is some of the information that Clan Ewing has received for the family of William Ewing of Rockingham County, Virginia. As you look at the information, it is easy to determine that each of the five sources of information are dealing with William Ewing that died in 1796 in Rockingham County, Virginia since they all refer to that date. Also, four of the five families carry on through Andrew Ewing, born 15 March 1740. The place of birth for Andrew is not the same for all five sources of information.


Before we go to far, lets consider some dates that apply to this family:


            Augusta County, Virginia was created 1738-45

            from Orange County, Virginia

 

            Rockingham County, Virginia was created 1778

            from Augusta County, Virginia


            Tennessee was created as a state in 1796. A number of the present day Tennessee counties were settled before they were formed into counties. Davidson County was settled in 1780 created as a county in 1783 being in North Carolina.

 

1.         William Ewing married Eliza Milford,

son: William Ewing b. 1694 Tillichewan Castle, Scotland; d. 1796 Augusta Co., VA; married 1733, Bucks Co., PA, Anne Shannon,

son: Andrew Ewing b. 15 Mar 1740 [1740/41], d. 30 April 1813 Nashville, TN; married Susannah Shannon,

son: William Ewing b. 29 Nov 1771 Davidson Co., TN d. 24 Nov 1845.

 

2.         William Ewing married Eliza Milford,

son: William Ewing b. 1694 Tillichewan Castle, Scotland; d. 1796 Rockingham Co., VA; married 1733 Anne Shannon,

son: Andrew Ewing b. 15 Mar 1740 [1740/41?], PA, d. 30 April 1813 Davidson Co., TN; married Susannah Shannon,

son: Edley Ewing b. 1778 Rockingham Co., VA, d. c1847.

 

3.         William Ewing b 1665-1670 Scotland, married 1687-91 Bonhill, Scotland, Eliza Milford,

son: William Ewing b1694 Stirlingshire, Scotland, d. c1782 Cumberland Co., PA married unknown,

son: William Ewing b. 1710 Stirlingshire, Scotland, d. 1796 Rockingham Co., VA, married 1733 Anne Shannon,

son: John Ewing b. 1741 Philadelphia, PA, d. 17 May 1822 Rockingham Co., VA, married 1768 Phebe Davidson,

son: James Ewing b. 4 Apr 1773 Rockingham Co., VA

 

4.         William Ewing married Eliza Milford,

son: William Ewing b. 1665-1670 near Stirling Castle, Scotland, married unknown,

son: William Ewing b. 1710 Londonderry, Ireland, d. 1796 VA, married 1733 Anne Shannon,

son: Andrew Ewing b 15 Mar 1740 [1740/41?] Rockingham Co., VA, d. 30 April 1813 Davidson Co., TN, married 11 Dec 1760, Susannah Shannon,

son: William Ewing b. 29 Nov 1771 Rockingham Co., VA, d. 24 Nov 1845.

 

5.         Alexander Ewing b. c1660 Scotland, buried Bonhill, Scotland where Ewing arms appears on Tombstone, Baron of Craigtown,

son: William Ewing b. 1694, Lock Lomond Scotland, d. 1796 Rockingham Co., VA, married Ann Shannon,

son: Andrew Ewing b 15 Mar 1740 [1740/41?] Bucks Co., PA, d. 1 May 1813 Nashville, TN, married 11 Dec 1760,

son: Nathan Ewing b. 11 Feb 1776 Augusta Co., VA, d. 1 May 1830


From a sixth source, a book, Ewing Family Chronicles 1629-1979 350 Years Revisited, by Udell Ewing Busch, printed in 1984, traces the family of Thomas Ewing and Mary Maskell. However, the author has identified the father of Thomas Ewing as Findley Ewing saying that Findley had two brothers, William and Robert, and a sister that is not identified by name. The Robert Ewing is the same Robert that married Mary Baker and settled in Bedford County, Virginia. [Editor;s note: Thomas Ewing was born about 1695 and Robert Ewing who married Mary Baker birth is estimated as 1718 and has died by May 1787. It is not very likely that this Robert Ewing is an uncle to Thomas Ewing and a brother to Thomas' father, Findley Ewing.] The William Ewing identified as a brother to Thomas married Anne Shannon and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia.


The father of Thomas, Robert, and William is identified as James Charles Ewing, born, 1629, and James lived near Stirling Castle on the River Forth in the vicinity of Lock Lomond and Glascow, Scotland.


This is not my family line and I do not propose to tell anyone what the correct line of descent is for William Ewing of Rockingham. But, I do think that everyone would agree that everyone [data presented above] can not be correct about the ancestry for William Ewing of Rockingham after looking closely at the information above.


Some information has come into the hands of Clan Ewing that might help with determining the correctness of some of the information above or eliminating some information that does not appear to be correct. When Clan Ewing had some research done in 1991 in Scotland, we sent information that indicated that a William Ewing was born in Tillichewan (sic) Castle and the following is the reply from our researchers that we received:

 

"Many thanks for your note, which arrived this morning. Sadly, the story is not very likely. The main Ewing family in the Dumbarton area in the late 17th and early 18th century was that of Ewing of Keppoch; the Ewings of Craigtoun were probably also relatives. Tullichewen in the early 18th century was a possession of the Colquhouns, a large family based on Luss on the western shore of Loch Lomond. I am enclosing some photocopies and though I will check a couple of further sources when next in Edinburgh, I think we can dismiss Tullichewen, where the 'imposing residence' called Tullichewen Castle was not built till the late 18th century and which does not seem to have been a barony. Indeed, all the statements I have so far seen claiming a west of Scotland connection seem to be based on assumption rather than evidence and this story is certainly inconsistent with all the others.

 

"The statement by Nathaniel Ewing (of which you sent me a copy) is much more authoritative and is consistent with the facts which can be ascertained. He is quite clear that the family 'were originally from Scotland, their seat...being on the Forth, not far from Stirling Castle.' His information in one respect can be more or less confirmed for Nathaniel Ewing married Rachel Porter on 2nd March 1721 at Templemore, Londonderry, Ireland [IGI].

 

"... The IGI mentions several Williams but it is quite impossible to say how they are related; none is recorded as married to an Eliza Milford. Milford is not a name which occurs in Scotland at that time and I am sure that she came from Ireland where the name is common. My enquiries in Ireland have not been very fruitful and I am afraid that detailed local research is the only hope of disentangling the situation there...."


From some correspondence from Beulah Gordon, Coleman, TX to Ben Ewing, Benton, AR, Beulah says " I have a book that I bought in Bonhill called Records and Reminiscences of Bonhill Parish by John Neill. I bought it from the Vicar of Bonhill Church. I suppose it is a local deal; but have no reason to think it isn't correct__

 

Tullichewan Castle was "erected" in 1792_ Purchased in 1843 by Wm. Campbell & occupied till his death in 1864. His son James Succeeded__"


Some sources indicate the age of William Ewing of Rockingham as 102 years when he died. If that is a fact, then his birth year can easily be calculated to be 1694 (1796 - 102). The birth year of 1694 agrees with three of the sources for the information in the table.


When you look at all of the information and statements made about the Ewing family a couple of thought provoking questions come to mind. 1. It seems that the books written about our Ewings explain the meaning of Scotch-Irish. The point that they all seem to make is that both parents are Scotch and they are living in Ireland. If that is a fact, then the name Milford brings up a very interesting point based on the fact that the name is not known in Scotland in the 17th century but is common in Ireland. 2. Most histories of our Ewing family indicate that William Ewing of Scotland moved to Ireland from Scotland before 1690 and there married. His second wife being Eliza Milford. The William Ewing of Rockingham's birth place always appears to be given as Scotland. If in fact, William Ewing of Rockingham was born in Scotland then how does that match up with William Ewing of Scotland and wife, Eliza Milford, living in Ireland.


The source for 5. above gives the father of William Ewing (1694-1796) as Alexander. The information above identifies Findley as the father of William and James Charles Ewing as the grandfather. Four sources as shown above indicate Eliza Milford and William Ewing as the parents and two sources show them as the grandparent.


A number of Clan Ewing members give this William Ewing of Rockingham as their ancestor. Of that number, I have no idea of how many are actually doing research. Also, lets hope that the research being done in Ireland at this time will shed some light on the various Ewing families that are a part of Clan Ewing. If any members would like to help with research to solve some of the differences in the data contained in the chart and this article, I will be glad to put each of you in touch with anyone else that wants to work on this family line of William Ewing of Rockingham. Write to Clan Ewing.


When I try to put the information in an Appendix for William Ewing of Rockingham, I find it very difficult to do since I do not know which set of data is correct. Until, I get some clarification on which data should be used, I will be reluctant to include the ancestors of William Ewing of Rockingham as part of the information in an Appendix [in the journal].


Remember, this is not a line that I am researching. The differences in this family needs to be reconciled by descendants of William Ewing of Rockingham.

                                                                                    Jim McMichael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Page 45

RESEARCH FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH EWINGS:


[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 24]


The following information is taken from letters that Mrs. Jean McClure, Columbia, MO has written to James R. McMichael. Based on the results of some of the McClure's research they are being lead in a certain direction which brings them into contact with other Ewing families. Jean is looking for the father of her Joshua Ewing (---- -----). She believes that John Ewing, Jr. is the father of Joshua and John Ewing of Carnshanagh is the grandfather of Joshua. From her letters:


A Valentine Cackley/Keckley had land adjoining my Joshua Ewing on Locust Creek on the Greenbrier. He is possibly the Valentine Cackley name in the will of Jacob Cackley in Frederick County. Also, I think he is the father of the Rebecca Cackley who married John Smith Ewing. (I think research refutes the statement that James Ewing married a Margaret Sargent; I believe that the Margaret Sargent piece of information is similar to a piece of wrong information in another of my family lines which simply was passed on without verification). I have always wondered whether the Jonathan Backle mentioned in the will of William Ewing of Frederick County (as his wife's son) was a Cackley or Buckley. More about that William Ewing of Frederick follows. I will be interested to learn what Elizabeth Qualls has to say. [Ed. note: Remember Elizabeth Qualls' query in a prior journal.)


I strongly feel, based on the research that a cousin and I have done, that John Jr. is the father of my Joshua. I did learn from the tax records of Chester County, PA that John Jr. and William Ewing, children 5 and 7 on the first sheet (John of Carnshanagh) (Ed. note: see list of children that follows) appeared on the tax records first in 1729, both in Nottingham. John went to London Britin (Little Britain) in 1732. William was last on the tax list in 1735. (This agrees with the date given in Northern Neck records for William's coming to Frederick Co., VA.) Interestingly enough, the Ewing name on the tax records in Chester County was spelled Huin, one of the same spellings in the Scottish research report which you sent out.


Let me just go down the list of the children of John Ewing of Carnshanagh with relevant (or irrelevant comments, Ha!) based on our research.

1. Alexander- never married.

2. Nancy married Mr. Huston- this bears research on Sam Huston--the Huston family early lived in the Shenandoah Valley area and we might learn something.

3. Jane Ewing married Mr. Vance--an Andrew Vance signed as witness on John Ewing Jr's will. May be other Vance connections.

4. Thomas Ewing married Nancy Campbell.

5. John Ewing Jr. died leaving sons Thomas and Joshua.

6. Mary Ewing married Mr. Collins--one of my Joshua Ewing's daughters married a John Collins in Joshua's area and his son John Collins married another daughter.

7. William Ewing married Elizabeth Tharp (had the son Jonathan Backle) listed in William Ewing's Frederick County, VA will. (I believe this William to be the one appointed to be guardian of John Ewing's sons Joshua and Thomas in his will.)


William's son John moved from Frederick County, VA to my Joshua Ewing's area, as evidenced in William's estate settlement. Robert Rhea (who had land adjoining my Joshua) married a Martha Meek who ran off with a John Ewing, as evidenced by Robert Rhea's divorce petition to the Virginia assembly. I have not determined which John Ewing this was, but was possibly William's son. Martha Meek was the daughter of Thomas Meek--Question: Could McMeekin have changed to Meek?


William's son William also moved to my Joshua Ewing's area. Frederick County records would seem to indicate he deserted his wife who seemingly was a daughter of Adam Kline; he later married Daniel Taylor's widow.


William's son Robert is the Robert Ewing who married John Ewing of Carnshanagh's granddaughter (#8 Samuel Ewing who married Margaret McMichael's daughter) Margaret who married Mr. Carr and then Robert Ewing (Frederick County records verify.)


8. Samuel Ewing married Margaret McMichael (McMeekin).


Their daughter Elizabeth married James Jamieson. A John Jamieson held land in 1760 on Jackson River adjoining James Ewing whom I believe to be #9 and to be the one called "Pocahontas James," to identify which James he was. After final county boundary lines were established, that James' and my Joshua's lands were in present Pocahontas County, WV--James also had land in Randolph County.


Mary, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Ewing, married Mr. Crawford. There were Crawfords in the Greenbrier area. My Joshua Ewing served in the Frederick County militia in 1758 along with William and Valentine Crawford's half brother Hugh Stephenson (two of my Joshua's daughters married Stephensons--still working on that linkage). That is the William Crawford who was burned at the stake in Ohio. Dr. John Ewing stayed overnight at the Widow Crawford's when running the Pennsylvania and Maryland state line. (Proof: his diary)


9. James Ewing would have been a young boy when Joshua, son of #5 was born. If, in truth, these two are Pocahontas James and my Joshua it certainly would explain why the two lived close together on the Greenbrier and why we have sensed from our research they must have some relationship.


Now, go to the McAfee material.


About 1735, James McAfee married Jane McMichael and later came to Lancaster County on Octoraro Creek--was a weaver. John Ewing Jr. (#5 of John of Carnshanagh) was also a weaver and lived in the same area on Octoraro Creek.


Jane McMichael McAfee, daughter of Malcolm McMichael, had a sister Margaret whom married Samuel Ewing (see #8, Samuel, son of John Ewing of Carnshanagh). Also, note there was a daughter Elizabeth McMichael who married (her second) Mr. Rogers (Pocahontas James daughter married a John Rogers after her husband Archibald Clendenning was killed in the Clendenning massacre).


Page 9 of the McAfee article, "My (Robert B. McAfee) paternal grandfather's family and history may be summed in a short summary, his mother, whose maiden name was Mary Rogers, came with her son to North America and lived with him on Octoraro Creek in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania to the advanced age of 84 years, when she died...."


Note that Mary Rogers son James married a Clark. Jonathan Clark, William Clark, and George Rogers Clark were in the area in Frederick county where William Ewing lived, #7, son of John Ewing of Carnshanagh. My Joshua had Clark neighbors in the Greenbrier area.


Note Mary Rogers' son John married Margaret Ewing, daughter of Samuel Ewing Jr. son of Samuel Ewing #8 whom married Margaret McMichael.


George McAfee married Susan Curry, daughter of William Curry (page 10 of McAfee article). Remember that my Joshua's daughter Mary is my line and that she married a Samuel Curry. Tradition has it that his father was one of five brothers, all of who participated in the Revolution.


George McAfee's sister Margaret McAfee married George Buchanan; they had a daughter Margaret (page 10, McAfee article) who married William Ewing and moved to Indiana. Is this perhaps the William, son of #8 Samuel Ewing and Margaret McMichael?


Mary McAfee married John Poulson, (page 11, McAfee article) had daughter Margaret who married William Ewing, grandson of Samuel Ewing #8?


William McAfee married Rebecca Curry, a sister to the above Susan.


Page 11 of McAfee article, "I have thus given the name and marriages of my father's and mother's family as far back as I get from tradition as given to me by my uncle, James, the eldest branch of our family, and from Anne Hillis, (married to Abram Hillis) who was a daughter of Samuel Ewing the elder and who was in the 84th year of her age in 1831 when I conversed with her."


[Editor's note: A researcher never knows where they will find information on the family being researched. Research being duplicated is the unfortunate thing that happens in family research. Research in the early 80s appear to be over the same information that Jean McClure has reviewed over the past few years. Clan Ewing can help bring the people together that are researching the same family lines. The above comments show how the research on the related names to a family helps to prove information about a family line. Researching the family names associated with your early Ewing family should not be overlooked.


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Page 49

WHEN DID EWINGS ARRIVE IN AMERICA?


[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 28]


In the February 1995 journal, the question was proposed in the article "WHERE WAS IT?". That articled talked about the possibility of the Ewings and others landing at New Castle, Delaware. In the May 1995 journal, we have information from the Finley Clan that indicates the ship Eagle Wing stopped at the port of New Castle on a regular basis for thirty five years. Based on the fact that the Ewings were going to Maryland and came on the Eagle Wing, New Castle appears to be a good bet for the port where they entered America.


This article will deal with when the Ewings came to America. From what appears to be reliable sources and everyone seems to accept. Thomas Ewing and maybe others came to America in 1718. Thomas Ewing settled in New Jersey where he found his bride.


Marguerite and Vernon Brown bring up an interesting point in their book Ewing - McCulloch - Buchanan Genealogy. On page 13, they say "Since Alexander Ewing was considerably older than Nathaniel and his half brothers, he is believed to have been one of the leaders of this group of Ewings, Caldwells, Porters, and Gillespies, and possibly others in their migration to America."


Alexander Ewing's (1677-1738/9) sister, Margaret, was the mother of Rachel Porter. Being her uncle, he became the uncle, in a reference sense, of Nathaniel Ewing when he married Rachel.


In Clan Ewing of Scotland on page 142, we find this statement, "He (Nathaniel) married a cousin of his own, Rachel Porter, in the year 1723, and four years afterwards he emigrated to America...."


It depends on where you find information for the immigration of Nathaniel and others, you may read it was 1725 or it was 1727. To me, it really doesn't matter if the year was 1725 or 1727. But, what I am interested in is when data is found that it be considered in light of the facts and not what a person would like it to be. This event appears to be a good example.


When the year of emigration was published as 1727 in Clan Ewing, there must have been a basis for that date. It could have been that someone said the Ewings got to America in 1727 four years after Nathaniel married. Therefore, the author, or someone else, could have calculated the marriage year for Nathaniel to be 1723. We know that 1723 plus four years of marriage would be 1727.


However, we find in other places that Nathaniel married Rachel Porter on 2 March 1721. If indeed they married in 1721 and emigrated to America four years later then our math of adding four to 1721 would be 1725. Just those simple cases can easily be understood.


You now know how the calendar worked before 1752 based on the article in the February journal. Now, we will assume that Rachel and Nathaniel did get married on 2 March 1721 in Ireland. Twenty-three days after they got married it was the first day of 1722, March 25th, the first day of the year.


I believe that the statement that Andrew [Nathaniel] and Rachel emigrated four years after they were married is a valid statement. I do not think they left on their anniversary date, 2 March, but left sometime during the year after they had been married four years. It could have been four years and one week or it could have been four years and ten months.


When you tell someone your age, a child's age, or a grandchild's age, you usually say I am 63, she is 20 years old, or he is 6 today. We usually give the years and ignore the months. A lot of times people left destination "A" for destination "B" after the crops had been harvested. If the Ewings and the other families left Ireland in late fall or early winter, we could have the following arrival date:


Left 4 years 10 months after Nathaniel married, which would be about January 1726 (this would be 1727 using the new calendar) then add two months travel time and that gets you to about February or March 1726 or maybe April 1727. Very close to 1727. After the calendar changed, could they have corrected the year to 1727 after the calendar changed in 1752?


In an article that appeared in the Southwest Virginia Enterprise, Wytheville, Virginia on Tuesday, February 7, 1939, under the title "OLD BIBLE PROVES TO BE ONE OF MOST INTERESTING 'FINDS', we find "James Ewing his bible, Bought in the year 1727. Bought by Alexander Ewing in Irland (sic)." Did Alexander Ewing and his family travel with Nathaniel Ewing and his family to America?


Now, let's consider when the children of Rachel and Nathaniel may have been born. Let's assume that thirteen months after marriage the first child was born which would be April 1723. Assume the second child was born two years later, which is about the norm, that would make the second child born in April 1725. We know that the third child, Anne, was born at sea. Again, say she was born two years after the second child which would be April 1727. Now, you can say it was a little more or less than two years between the children. Or, it was not was thirteen months after marriage before the first child was born. If you use a normal period for the birth of the children, the time frame for having three children will most likely add up to more than four years.

 

My purpose in this article is not to prove that Nathaniel and Rachel came to America in 1725 or 1727, but when we look at information that concerns dates and families, we need to consider all the facts that apply. Then come to a conclusion as to the best answer.


In order for us to separate truth and fiction that concerns our Ewing ancestors, we will need to consider all of the available information. Then, we need to be prepared to consider new information when it is found and change our opinion when fact require a change to be made.

                                                                        Jim McMichael


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Page 52

[Vol 1 No 5 Aug 1995, page 33]



LIFE'S GREATEST BATTLE


I've fought a thousand different wars

Within my frail and troubled soul

But learned the toughest of them all

Was that great fight for self control


To face a knave with cutting tongue

Then smile and still be just plain you

You'll find takes more than faulty man

To win such battles all day through


Thus I have learned, if each new day

Life's greates war you hope to win

Just smile, forgive, forget and love

And try your best to follow Him.


                                                                                    __W. Francis Ewing


W. Francis Ewing is the author of

                        From Edentowne to Bethlehem

                        Jacqueline Kennedy's Forebears


[Source: The above poem appears on the cover jacket for Mr. Ewings book and it was sent in by Mrs. Shirley E. Trader, Port Charlott, FL]


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Page 53

QUAKER HILL - THE JOHN EWING HOUSE - 1797


[Vol 1 No 6 Nov 1995, page 9]


[Source: This article was furnished by Mrs. Lola A. Kimmel, Federal Way, WA, a descendant of John Ewing. We appreciate Mrs. Kimmel sharing this information with us.]


With the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, this territory was opened up for settlement. Revolutionary War veterans were given preference in the purchase of large areas of land. This land was then part of Hamilton County and of the Northwest Territory.


John Ewing and his wife, Elizabeth Garner Ewing, with their eight children, ages 17 to 2, came from Kentucky to Washington Township in the spring of 1797. This family was truly in the vanguard of civilization in this area, and was unquestionably one of the first few dozen families to settle in all of Montgomery County. Beers 1882 History of Montgomery County tells us that their first winter here was a severe one and that John tracked a bear from his house to the Little Miami River and back and killed it near his house. This gave the family much needed meat for their first winter. This was a 14 mile round trip.


John Ewing held title to 690 acres as early as 1798. at which time tax records show that he paid $3.50 taxes for that year. The purchase price of this land at that time would have been approximately $3.00 per acre. John Ewing was the tax collector himself for Dayton Township in 1799.


He started the first section of his house in the spring of 1797, which still exists in its entirety, along with the sections added later. He located his house on a logical spot, for heavy springs flow even today in front of the house near the road. This 1797 frontier house measures 20 x 24 feet, and consists of two stories and a cellar underneath. It is of braced frame construction, consisting of heavy corner post beams with diagonal braces tied in with wooden pins. The first section of the house was covered on the outside with poplar lap siding, and brick nogging was used between the studding, as was often done in the 18th century for greater warmth. The brick was then plastered on the inside. The plaster has been removed today in the taproom as well as in one area upstairs to show the visitor the brick noggin and braced frame construction details. The first section of this pioneer house boasted two fireplaces, one up and one down. The huge center chimney measures 7 x 7 feet at the base and is supported by large slabs of creek stone laid in 3 stacks of 2 each running in alternate directions.


This earliest part of the house boasts the original floors, which are oak downstairs, and poplar upstairs. Most all the houses built by the middle class in America prior to about 1820 had very low ceiling heights of about 7 feet, as does the Ewing House, for better warmth. The living room contains today it's original walnut mantel, and hand planed walnut paneling along the stairs. In the cellar a visitor can see round bark covered 20 feet long tree trunks laid 24 inches apart, holding up the oak floors of the living room section. There is no sub-flooring, and tapered pegs were driven into the oak flooring to close any holes left by loose knots. Although much of the woodwork throughout the house has had to be replaced, several of the original board and batten doors have survived, as well as the hanging pegboard rails, and some of the original baseboards and chair rails. Two more children were born to them in the pioneer homestead, John, Jr. in 1802 and Priscilla in 1803. This made 10 children in all. We have two items in the house today which belonged to Judge John Ewing. They are a page from an 1806 dictionary published in Philadelphia, and a pair of iron gooseneck hand forged andirons in the upstairs fireplace.


The first addition to the house was the west end of the front elevation, and is believed to have been added before 1815. The first addition nearly doubled its size, and consisted of a large kitchen downstairs with a large cooking fireplace, and a bedroom and hall upstairs. This house is considered a rarity among old houses, and the Montgomery County Historical Society place it in the top 19 outstanding landmarks in the county, in their Landmark Committee Report and brochure.


John Ewing was obviously a man of means in his day (by 1816 he had amassed a total of 996 acres) and he also was a man of excellent intellect. We do not know about his formal education, but the history books referred to him as Judge Ewing, and he presided as the judge when the first court ever to be held in Montgomery County was convened on July 27, 1803, in the upper room of Newcom's Tavern. He died in 1817, at the age 61, and the home, along with 120 acres, was given to his youngest son, John, Jr. Judge John Ewing deeded 50 acres each to 4 of his daughters, and 160 acres to each of his 4 sons.


Certainly no persons ever connected with the 197 year history of this John Ewing Pioneer Homestead could boast so long an intimate an association as John, Jr., and his wife, Elizabeth Elwell. He was born in the house on February 14th, 1802, before Ohio even achieved statehood. He and Elizabeth had a total of 14 children born to them in this house. In the ensuing years, between 1830 and 1840, the rear wing was added to help accommodate this new large family of Ewings. It consisted of the two rooms which presently serve as the dining room and kitchen of the house, and the cellar below. The front porch, including a room for the hired farmhand, was added to the front of the house about 1860.


John Ewing, Jr. died on January 30, 1882, on the old homestead farm, at the same place he was born 80 years before. Elizabeth Elwell Ewing must have lived on the farm until she died on November 17, 1885. The Ewings then sold the farm to Frederick and Clarinda Whipp Dern. Clarinda Whipp Dern was a sister to Caroline Whipp Ewing, wife of Robert G. Ewing. Thus ended an era of 89 years of occupancy of the old pioneer Ewing Homestead on Whipp Road by the Ewing family.


The Derns lived in the house from 1886 until 1903. When Mr. Dern died, his wife, Clarinda Whipp Dern, rented the farm to share croppers until she died in 1938. Those who lived here were: James and Ester Pyper and their family - 1904-1922; Irvin and Hazel Frizzell family - 1922-1927; the Thomas Mockabee family - 1931-39. At least 19 children are known to have been born in this house, two to Judge John & Elizabeth Garner Ewing, 14 to John, Jr. & Elizabeth Elwell Ewing; 2 to James Pyper and one to Irvin and Hazel Frizzell. Our son, Dana Studebaker, was born at Miami Valley Hospital, but he came to live at Quaker Hill when he was three days old.


By the beginning of the 1940's the old house began to really show its age, and was in sad need of repair. The farm had been platted off to make room for new homes in the fast growing township. In 1945, John O. Weston and his wife, Gweneviere, purchased the old house, along with three acres, and with much loving care, began to renovate the home. Their work was cut out for them because the house had no central heating, plumbing was a pump on the kitchen counter, and the only electricity was rudimentary over the wall wires, running to overhead light bulbs in a couple of the rooms.


There were twelve buildings on the property at this time, all of which were razed except the dwelling house. The Weston's removed the old front porch and added a new Colonial revival one. Then added the library-bathroom wing to the north and west, and the garage wing on the east side, and lived here 13 years.


Sue and I purchased the property in 1958 and have been diligently continuing the restoration of this nice old home. We have replaced the springhouse, added the barn, dovecote, garden houses, pond and swimming pool, with its pool house, and the screened porch. We also added a second story to the rear wing.


We have enjoyed our 36 years in this historical house, and have reared 2 sons who have never known any other home as they were growing up. Park was just three when he came to Quaker Hill.


We have enjoyed meeting all the wonderful Ewing Family descendants who have contacted us concerning their ancestral home through the years.


If houses could only talk, this one would surely have much to tell, for its rooms seem to echo the laughter and tears of the many families who have lived here and loved the old place.


(History of the John Ewing Homestead, Washington Township, Ohio, by Dr. Richard Studebaker, at the dedication of the NSDAR Historical marker, July 23, 1994.)



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Page 56

MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA REUNION


[Vol 1 No 6 Nov 1995, page 13]


Editor's Note: Peggy and Joe Neff Ewing planned and made all of the arrangements for the reunion in 1995. I believe everyone that attended the reunion would agree that we had a wonderful place to stay and the programs were excellent. The tours just added to our overall knowledge about the Ewing family and early years in America.


Not only did Peggy and Joe make the plans they did a good bit of research about the Ewings that were at Valley Forge. As a by product of learning more about the Ewings, they found information about some of Joe's other ancestors.


We are indeed blessed by having Joe as our Chairman backed up by Peggy. We sincerely appreciate the effort and time spent by Peggy and Joe putting the reunion together. Thanks a million.


Before we went to Valley Forge, Peggy made the following remarks to our group. Due to the amount of material that Peggy furnished to me, it will be necessary to break her comments into segments. Her remarks will be printed in consecutive journals until all the information is printed.


The remarks by Peggy Ewing to the "Clan Ewing in America" attendees, Friday, September 29, 1995, in Malvern, Pennsylvania


In planning this gathering Joe and I have attempted to incorporate Ellsworth's goals and ideas - the fact that 1995 may represent the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the first, known-to-us Ewings to these shores, and the role that these early immigrants played in the development of the Delmarva peninsula and the greater Philadelphia area during the 1700's. Let's look at what was happening in Philadelphia and environs in the late 1600's and 1700's and what was happening to some of the Ewings who lived in the region between New Castle and Philadelphia in the 18th century.


William Penn's first trip to America occurred in October 1682, where, and when, he stayed until August 1684. He returned once more in December 1699, leaving again in February 1701.


In 1612 the population was only 500 in the province. Penn organized a recruitment campaign and in 18 years, or by 1700, the population of Pennsylvania increased forty fold. Philadelphia alone had 10,000 people and until the American Revolution was the largest city in the colonies.


William Penn, as you know, a city planner of the first order, came with a dream to be known as "Penn's Holy Experiment' - the "city of brotherly love" - "Philadelphia" this dream was named, which means a "place of refuge" - a gateway to freedom. The city laid out by Penn was two miles long reaching from the edge of the Delaware River to the shores of the Schuylkill River, and one mile wide.


People came to this town because of the promise of religious freedom - freedom from Puritan intolerance - and freedom from the restrictions of the Anglican and Roman catholic churches at home. Presbyterians could not marry Anglicans; their children were considered bastards.


People came for economic opportunity. Pennsylvania was free from the South's slave-owning aristocracy, or the "cavalier" society. And, for the first half of the 1700's Pennsylvania was relatively free from Indian Wars which were plaguing the northern and southern colonies.


William Penn's land policy was attractive to small farmers. He sold to settlers not to big speculators. So liberal was his policy that Pennsylvania became a colony of small, independent farmers who formed the backbone of a stable economy.


Immigrants poured in, chiefly from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Switzerland. There were three recognizable sections: English in the Eastern counties, Germans in the limestone valleys and Scotch-Irish among the mountains, especially in Western Pennsylvania.


The First Wave was from Wales. Farmers and men of wealth. Before 1730 most doctors were Welsh. These Welsh people were described as intense, artistic, intellectual and physically vigorous. Names such as Tredyffrin, Radnor, Bryn Mawr, Narberth, Merion and Bala Cynwyd are Welsh in origin.


The Second Wave was English. By 1700, as a group, they were most influential. They had a great adaptability to the American environment. They were used to English law and they were less race conscious than the Germans and less clannish than the Scots-Irish. The Quakers (English) formed the backbone of Pennsylvania's commercial and political life until the Revolution. Quakers were shrewd businessmen. Philadelphia was the chief center of American business until the opening of the Erie Canal gave first place to New York City.


The Third Wave were the Palatine German, the German speaking Swiss and the French Huguenots. They, too, came seeking religious freedom and an opportunity to get ahead. Berks and Lancaster Counties are home to many of the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch, forming two groups: the church people - Lutherans and Reformed Moravians and the plain people - Mennonites, Amish, German Baptist and River Brethren.


The Fourth Wave was the Scotch-Irish. The Ulster Scots, different from their Lowland Scot kin, ruined by the reckless English trade laws, came to America in search of economic freedom and religious freedom.


Between 1728 and 1776 a total of 75,000 came.


By 1790, there were 100,000 Scotch-Irish in Pennsylvania. They settled first in Lancaster, Dauphin and Lebanon counties, then crossed the Susquehanna into the Cumberland Valley and into Indian Lands. After the French and Indian Wars of 1756 -1763, they crossed the Alleghenies. We know that our Ewings mostly entered this country in Long Island, New York County, Maryland, and possibly at New Castle, Delaware; settle there for a time and then moved on up and out the Indian trails and rivers to the west and southwest.


The 1750's saw England wrestling with France for control in the New World. Louisbourg was successfully assaulted in 1758, General Forbes and George Washington seized fort Duquesne, and the following year, Admiral Hawke defeated the French Navy which meant no more supplies to Canada. Wolfe captured Quebec in September and Montreal in 1760. French power ceased on North America.


A new king came to British throne, King George, III who dismissed William Pitt, the genius behind much of England's strategy in the colonies. The Peace of Paris was signed in 1763: French Canada and the Spanish Floridas were ceded to Great Britain. France ceded Louisiana and all claims west of the Mississippi to Spain. Yet, the war was not paid for and England had new problems.


From 1763 to 1789 there were increasing political problems, i.e.,., the balancing of liberty with authority. By excluding France from North America, the British took over more responsibility than they could handle. For the next 25 years England attempted unsuccessfully to solve the great riddle of imperial organization. The colonies almost had home rule by 1763. We all know what happened at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.


To be continued.


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Page 60

CECIL COUNTY COURT (LAND COMMISSIONS)

1724-1751


[Vol 1 No 6 Nov 1995, page 22]


page 265

    Cecil County } The Justices of Cecil County afsd in Court

June Court 1736 } Judicially Setting ~

Held for sd County } To Mr Randall Death Mr Wm Husbands Mr Nathaniel Ewing and Joshua Ewing of Cecil County Gent ~

Whereas William Teague of sd County planter by his humble petition to us the said Justices hath set forth that he is [not legible] in fee of a tract of land called Teagues Delight lying on the East side of Susquhana river in Cecil County afsd the bounds whereof depending on trees which are decayed and became obsolete and prayed us the said Justices to Grant a Commission and appoint Commissioners to Examine Evidences in relation to the bounds of the said tract of land pursuant to Act of Assembly of this practice.


We do upon the said Petition and by Virtue of the said Act impower you the said Randall Death Wm Husbands Nathaniel Ewing and Joshua Ewing or any three or two of you to be Commissioners you first taking an oath before this Court or some magistrate of this County duly and Impartially to Examine and certifie such Evidence as shall be to you nominated by the petitioner or other person concerned upon their Corporal oaths by you the Commissioners as afsd to be administered and you are to issue Summons and give notice before your meeting on such land where all parties concerned live in the County or where they are not known by affixing publick notes at the parish Church where the above said land is [torn] days at the least before your meeting as afs intimating your intentions and the time you Shall appoint and you are ordered to [torn] the like notes to be set up in the most publick places in the County twenty days before Such meeting and that when all persons interested are known and any of them lives out of the County that then you must give notice by affixing a note at the Church Door of the parish in which the party resides forty days at the least before your meeting as afsd and that you then meet at [page torn] By you to be appointed and upon the place or places where the said bounds are said to be and what the Evidences that shall be brought before you shall upon their Corporall Oaths declare touching the premises that you carefully reduce the same into writing in the presence of the parties concerned that shall be there present and that you return the same together with a certificate of having given notice as the law requires to this County Court to be Recorded in perpetual memory given under the seal of the County aforesaid this Eleventh day of June Anno Domini 1736

                                                By the Court   Wm Knight

page 270         (pages 266 through 269 are not in this article)

October 28th 1736 The Deposition of James Porter aged about thirty years & Joshua Ewing aged about 32 and James Ewing aged about 24 & Samuel Ewing aged about 31 & Andrew Madow aged about 24 Saith being Solemly Sworn on the Holy Evanglest of Almighty God that a Certain Stoney Hill some Distance below the place where Abraham Colletts evidence was taken the fifth day of August last is the first Hill from the mouth of Conawingo Creek and the Descent of the Hill they understand to be the Brow thereof where we made a Small heap of Stones this day and further Swear that a certain Edward Mury told them this day that William Teague twenty one years ago showed him a white ash tree the which tree he said William Teague told him that it was one of his line trees and further Saith not

Taken and Reduced into writing and Sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God this 28th day of October anno Doni 1736 Before us

                                                            Nathanl Ewing

                                                            William Husband

                                                            Randell Death

Recorded 20th November anno Domi 1737

                                                            Wm Knight


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Page 63

SAMUEL EWING AND WIFE, MARGARET


[Vol 1 No 6 Nov 1995, page 25]

Editors note: The information for this article is taken from Back To Old Virginia with Dillard, Daniel and Kin, by Carlton M. Dillard. Permission to print this information has given to Clan Ewing by Carlton M. Dillard. It is interesting that Carlton got interested in the Ewing family due to a Daniel marrying a Ewing, and, I found Carlton through my interest in the Caldwell family connections with the Ewing family. Jim McMichael


p. 181    These are the children of 1-1 James Daniel and Elizabeth (Cunningham) Daniel:


1-1-1       James Cunningham Daniel     m. 4 Feb 1790, Mary Parks.

1-1-2       Cunningham Daniel               m. ca. 1800, Jane Ewing.

1-1-3       John Thompson Daniel          m. 16 June 1803, Ann Thomson Hannah.

1-1-4       William T. Daniel                  m. 12 Sept., 1809, Elizabeth Bell.

1-1-5       Jane Daniel unmarried.

1-1-6       Sarah Daniel                         m. Josiah Ellington, Jr.

1-1-7       Margaret Daniel                    m. John G. Colbert.

1-1-8       Samuel Daniel                       m. 10 Nov. 1808, Hancock Co., Ga. Mary Evans.

1-1-9       Thomas Daniel (died intestate in 1825, without wife or issue). 

1-1-10     Richard Sankey Daniel           m. 27 Dec. 1813, Nancy Ellington.

1-1-11     David C. Daniel                     m. 13 Aug. 1818, Margaret Findley.


p. 185    1-5 Mary Daniel (daughter of 1-James Daniel and Jean [Kelso] Daniel) was born about 1750 in Amelia-Prince Edward Co., Va., married on 2 January, 1773, in Prince Edward Co., 1-5-1-1 Samuel Ewing, son of George Ewing. Mary's last name was spelled "Donald" in the marriage records, and Samuel was described as "son of George." One Ewing family researcher writes that Samuel Ewing was born 13 July 1753, in Amelia Co., Va., and died in Aug., 1809, Clarke Co., Ga.... After Samuel's death in 1809, his widow 1-5 Mary Ewing, together with her children and several other families (Ewings, Leepers and Dysarts, under the leadership of Alan Leeper), left Clarke Co., Ga., and removed to Tenn., settling near Farmington. Her sister, 1-6 Jane, who married Samuel Cunningham, a Revolutionary War soldier, brought her family to the same area of Tenn. Mary (Daniel) Ewing was active in Bethberei Presbyterian Church; and following her death on 10 Aug., 1834, she was buried in the Bethberei cemetery in Marshall (formerly Bedford) Co., Tenn.


p. 353    It was around 1800 when 1-1-2 Cunningham Daniel married Jane Ewing. They spent most of their married lives in southwest Wilkes County, Ga., where they ran a sizable plantation, and reared five children to maturity. Both of them died and were buried in Wilkes County, Cunningham in 1839, and Jane in 1847. The objective of this Ewing section is limited to identifying Jane Ewing's family and as many of her ancestors as possible. It has already been said that Jane's mother, 1-5 Mary (Daniel) Ewing, and Cunningham's father 1-1 James Daniel, were siblings. Mention has been made of the influence this Ewing family had upon the descendants of 1-1-2 Cunningham Daniel. Who were these Ewings? What was their origin? Like the other families being traced in this history, the Ewings sojourned in Virginia before removing to Georgia and Tennessee. Georgia Governor George Rockingham Gilmer (1790-1859) is reported to have said of these early Virginia families who settled the Broad River valley of Wilkes (later Oglethorpe) County, Georgia (of which Governor Gilmer's family was one), that their family pride was so strong that they felt no one else was good enough for them. As a consequence, they married among themselves, often marrying close kin. Probably more than any other family researched by the present compiler, the Ewings were quite guilty of marrying other Ewings, for what ever reason. The Ewing families listed below are typical.


p. 358    1-5 Samuel Ewing b. ca. 1695, County Londonderry, Ireland, was one of the sons of 1-William Ewing by his second wife. [Editor's note: In a Cecil Co., MD deposition taken October 28, 1736 ... "Samuel Ewing aged about 31" that would make Samuel being born about 1705 instead of ca. 1695. (Cecil Co. Land Commissions 1724-1751, page 270, film at Annapolis, MD, MSA NO: C624 [MdHR 11, 216, 1-11-6-34]). Samuel came to America about 1725, apparently with his half-brother 1-1 Nathaniel Ewing. It cannot be stated for sure; but it appears he removed to Virginia shortly after arriving in America and settled in the portion of Amelia County, Virginia, that went in 1754 to make up Prince Edward County. The earliest record of his being in Virginia is an Amelia County deed dated 17 May, 1745, conveying to him 238 ½ acres on Fort Creek. [DB 4, p. 545] Soon after Prince Edward County was formed (1754), Samuel Ewing was made one of the justices of the court. The source pointed out such positions were filled by the best men, which was a tribute to Samuel Ewing. In 1758, Samuel Ewing was paid by the Virginia legislature for supplies to the Virginia Militia in Prince Edward Co.


p. 360    It is known from his will, made 13 Sept., 1758, and probated 10 Oct., 1758, that Samuel died between those dates and that his wife's name was Margaret. A copy of the will from Prince Edward County Will Book 1, page 17, is set out below:


WILL OF SAMUEL EWING


            In the name of God Amen. I Samuel Ewing of Prince Edward County being Sick of Body and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to Almighty God and calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it, and my Body I Recommend to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty Power of God, and touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me my lawful debts being first paid I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. Item. I give and bequest to my son George Ewing and his heirs for ever two hundred and thirty eight and a half acres of land whereon my said son now lives for which I have a deed from Edward Brawhite.


Item. I give to my beloved wife Margaret Ewing the land whereon I now live during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided at the discretion of my executors amongst my six children and their heirs forever.


Item. I give to my beloved wife all my negroes during her life and after her decease I give to my son Alexander Ewing and his heirs for ever one negro named Charles.


Item. I give to my son George Ewing and his heirs forever one negro wench named Fanny and if the said wench continues to breed until she has four children them four to be divided betwixt my four daughters to Wit: Jane, Alener, Margaret, & Ann to them and their heirs forever.


Item. I give to my daughter Ann Ewing twelve pounds current money if she marries to the liking of her two brothers.


Item. I give to my grandson Samuel Ewing son of George Ewing five pounds current money.


Item. I give to my grandson Samuel Ewing son of Alexander five pounds.


Item. I give to my grandson Samuel Caldwell five pounds.


My will is that all the rest of my estate be equally divided at the discretion of my Executors amongst all my children and I do constitute and appoint my sons George & Alexander Ewing my Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this my last will and testament.


In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of September one thousand seven hundred & fifty eight.

                                                SAMUEL EWING (SEAL)

Signed Sealed &

Delivered in presence of us

            Chas. Venable

            James Ewing

            Nathl. Ewing


At a Court held for Prince Edward County the 10th day of October 1758. This Last Will and testament of Samuel Ewing deceased was presented in Court by George and Alexander Ewing executors therein mentioned and proved by the oaths of the witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded.

                                                John LeNeve, Clerk


p. 361    The home place mentioned in Samuel Ewing's will and bequeathed to his wife, Margaret, during her life, was sold by the children, apparently after Margaret had died. The plantation contained 395 acres in Prince Edward County and was conveyed to John Thomson and Abraham Thomson, sons of the Rev. John Thomson. The children of 1-5 Samuel Ewing and their spouses are considered Party of the ONE PART of the deed. For 120 pounds, the 395 acres on both sides of the North Fork of Fort Creek are conveyed to John Thomson, Smith, and Abraham Thomson of Prince Edward County, Part of the OTHER PART. Since the husbands of the married daughters of 1-5 Samuel Ewing are identified in the deed, the names of those making up the part of the ONE PART are listed here:

            George Ewing

            Alexander Ewing

            William Ewing and (wife) Jane Ewing

            John Caldwell and (wife) Ellener ( Ewing) Caldwell

            James Ewing, Jr. and (wife) Margaret Ewing

            Ann Ewing (apparently still single), all of Prince Edward and Botetourt Counties. The deed dated 14 April, 1770, appears in Prince Edward Deed Book 3, page 448.

[Editor's note: Montgomery County, VA was organized as a county in 1776 with part of the land coming from Botetourt County. In 1789, Wythe County, VA was organized as a county with the land coming from Montgomery County.


Nine persons from three or more families made up the part of the first part of the above deed. Each person had to sign the indenture. It is obvious, from these signatures, where families of that day place emphasis in the education of their children. Each of the men was able to sign his signature, while each of the women had to sign her name with an "X." This was even true with male and female children within the same family.


These are the children of 1-5 Samuel Ewing and his wife Margaret, as named in his will:


1-5-1 George Ewing             b. ca. 1717,             m. Elinor Caldwell

1-5-2 Alexander Ewing        b. ca. 1720.

1-5-3 Jane Ewing                 b. ca 1722,              m. William Ewing.

1-5-4 Elinor (also spelled Ellender and Aleinor) Ewing b. ca. 1725 m. John Caldwell.

1-5-5 Margaret Ewing          b. ca 1727,              m. James Ewing, Jr.

1-5-6 Ann Ewing                 b. 1730, is not known to have been married.


On pages 362 through 365, the author discussed the family of 1-5-1 George Ewing and Elinor Caldwell. From different sources the author has received conflicting information about the children for George Ewing. One source indicated Catherine Lawson was the wife of George Ewing while the other two sources listed Elinor Caldwell as the wife. After publishing his book, the author is now convinced that George Ewing's wife was Elinor Caldwell. On page 207, Clan Ewing of Scotland the children of George and Elinor are listed. In the Marshall county (TN) Historical Quarterly, Vol. XVII, No. 1, page 17, the research of "The Ewing Family" by Donald C. Jeter was published. The children of George and Elinor Caldwell Ewing are listed from the two sources listed by the author:

 

Source: Clan Ewing                      Source: Donald C. Jeter

Samuel    b. 1752, VA                                             Samuel    b. 13 July 1753

                   d. 1809, GA

                married Mary Daniel

 

_____                                                                    Mary   b. 18 Apr 1755

 

Ann                                                                       Annis  b. 3 Mar 1757

                married Samuel Cosby

 

Margaret                                                               Margaret Purdonia    b.7 June 1759

                                                                                                                d. 15 Dec 1835

                married Alexander Purdun

 

John        b. June 1761                                            John  b. 20 June 1761

                   d. Ky                                                               d. 3 Feb 1835

                married Polly Ewing (daughter of Robert and Mary Baker Ewing)

 

Mary                                                                     Mary   b. 12 Nov 1763

                married Urbin Ewing (son of Robert Ewing, Bedford County, immigrant

 

George                                                                  George

                                                                                                b. 20 July 1766 d. 19 Feb 1838

                married Margaret Ewing                                                        married Margaret

                                                                                                d. 10 July 1837

 

Ellen     b. 1760                                                      Eleanor   b. 20 Nov 1768

                d. 1831                                                                    d. Oct 1831 (62yr 10m 15d)

 

James                                                                     James      b. 23 Dec 1773

                d. 1826                                                                   d. 4 Jan 1826, TN


p. 366    After Mary (Daniel) Ewing's death, a suit was filed in Chancery Court for Maury County, Tenn., in 1831 (?) for the division of the Samuel Ewing Estate. (The date 1831 would appear to be an error unless the suit was filed before, and litigation continued after, Mary Ewing's death. Her grave marker and the minutes of Bethberei Church confirm that Mary (Daniel) Ewing died 10 August, 1834. Notes within the abstract text make reference to the death of Samuel Ewing in 1809, and say, "Mary Ewing his widow died August 10 last ...." From this, it would appear that the suit was filed after August 10, 1834, and before August 10, 1835.) It was from those court records that the discovery was made that Jane (Ewing) Daniel, wife of 1-1-2 Cunningham Daniel, was the daughter of 1-5-1-1 Samuel Ewing and 1-5 Mary (Daniel) Ewing. These records show the suit was titled George Ewing, Et Al versus William D. Ewing, Et Al. Elizabeth N. Ewing of Maury County and Mary E. Ewing of Bedford County, Tenn., legatees of Samuel, deceased, appointed William D. Ewing their attorney. The file notes that 1-5-1-1 Samuel Ewing died 1809; and Mary Ewing, his widow, died 10 August, 1831 (sic.), leaving slaves and other property. Since the death of 1-5-1-1 Samuel Ewing, three of his children had died, leaving families which increased the number of legatees "of about 16." Andrew F. and Joseph Ewing had died with wills leaving property to their mother Mary. Samuel Ewing (which Samuel is not clear) also gave bequests to Mary F. Cunningham. Andrew F. Ewing had a wife Margaret and daughter Malissa. Joseph Ewing had a wife Elizabeth and children. Polly Ewing, widow of James D. Ewing, was a party in the suit. Mary F. Cunningham, it was noted, had, since Andrew Ewing's death, married John Maberry (also spelled Jobe Maberry).


The children of 1-5-1-1 Samuel Ewing and 1-5 Mary Daniel are:


1-5-1-1-1 James D. Ewing b. 23 Dec., 1773, Va., m. 9 Nov., 1808, Elbert Co., Ga., Mary E. McLeary (or McClary). He died in Tenn., 4 Jan., 1826, and is buried in the Ewing Cemetery. It is reported that he was a Revolutionary soldier.


1-5-1-1-2 George Ewing b. 30 Mar., 1775, m. Jane Cunningham, d. 9 May, 1842, in Marshall County, Tenn., and was buried in the Bethberei Presbyterian Church cemetery.


1-5-1-1-3 Andrew F. Ewing d. 1829, buried in Bethberei cemetery. His will was recorded in Maury Co., Tenn., 6 Aug., 1829 in Will Book Vol. 1, page 18.


1-5-1-1-4 William D. Ewing b. 12 Oct., 1786, m. 11 Oct 1808, Elbert Co., Ga., Rebecca Ewing. He died 1 May, 1782, Marshall Co., Tenn., and was buried in Bethberei cemetery.


1-5-1-1-5 Joseph Preston Ewing b. 10 Dec 1788, m. 15 Sept., 1812, Clarke Co., Ga., Elizabeth Newton. Joseph d. 10 Aug., 1833, in Tenn., and was buried in Bethberei cemetery.


1-5-1-1-6 Jane Ewing b. ca. 1780, m. ca. 1800, 1-1-2 Cunningham Daniel, spent most of her married life in the Tyrone community of Wilkes Co., Ga., reared five children, made her will and died in 1847 in Wilkes Co. She and her husband are believed to have been buried at old Salem Presbyterian Church (now the site of Phillips Mill Baptist Church) in Wilkes Co.



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