Journal of Clan Ewing
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CONTENTS
Please note, the FIND can be used to search for any word or words.
MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA REUNION - Part II
Capt. James Ewing used by John Kennedy, Jr. for membership in “The Sons of the Cincinnati”.
THIS IS HOW IT WAS & HOW IT IS NOW!
Pertains to the family of Alexander Ewing (1676/7-1738).
Congressman Thomas W. Ewing of Illinois trip with President Clinton.
Robert of York County, PA was born about 1779 or 1780.
MALVERN , PENNSYLVANIA REUNION - Part III
The home of Thomas Ewing.
INFORMATION FROM ONLINE RESEARCH
Ewings who purchased federal lands in Illinois before 1850.
James Ewing of Somerset County who died 18 Mar 1794.
Thomas Ewing family, the first to settle Pleasant Township, Ohio, first settled in this spot in 1802.
ALEXANDER WRAY EWING (1809-1853)
Dr. Ewing came to Texas in 1830 and participated in the Battle of San Jacinto.
“Please read this because it is the story of the greatest little grandmother of the Ewing clan to which you belong, namely, the “Swago” William Ewing clan.”
“My grandfather was Joseph Ewing, son of Isaac Ewing, Sr. And not John Ewing’s son like it is in this Ewing Book. Your father and my father sere first cousins.”
NATHANIEL EWING LINE IN THE COURTS
One branch of the line sired by the immigrant Nathaniel Ewing has included more than its share of judges and connections with judges.
"AN EARLY STUDY OF SCOTTISH GENEALOGY?"
COURT ORDER BOOK 1842 - 1848, Page 456
A page from the Wythe County, Virginia Court Order Book.
Trades his land in Texas for land in Oklahoma.
SAMUEL EWING (c1705-1758)
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 1 -Feb 1996, page 4]
Editor's note: In correspondence received from Margaret Ewing Fife, she gives some information that helps clarify who this Samuel Ewing is and adds information to help clarify when the children of Samuel might have been born. This is one family where we have no full dates for the birth of the children. Refer to the article on page 25 in the November 1995 journal titled Samuel Ewing and wife, Margaret. Jr. and Sr. are used to identify two people by the same name that are living in the same area.
The November 1995 Journal of Clan Ewing on page 23 seems to give us correct ages of some of the half-brothers of Nathaniel Ewing. It quotes the Depositions of three EWING men. "Samuel Ewing is 31 in 1736". Therefore, his children as listed on page 29 of the journal with "ca" (about) birth dates are probably not correct birth dates. Thus, we now know when Samuel was born and that had not been known at the time Carlton Dillard wrote his book. He has graciously agreed with new findings. If Samuel Ewing was born ca 1705 (1736 minus age of 31), then his children would not be born beginning in 1717, would they? His two sons, George Ewing, Jr. and Alexander Ewing bought land in 1753. That seems to indicate they may have become 21 or more that year. Thus, George, Jr. as he is known was born about 1730 and the second son Alexander (in Samuel's will quoted on page 27 in the November journal) was born by 1732.
A number of deeds recorded in Amelia and Prince Edward County, Virginia show a George Ewing, Sr. and/or George Ewing, Jr. are parties to transactions. It takes only a few deeds, thoroughly read, to prove that Samuel Ewing who died in 1758 had a son George Ewing Jr. and that there was another George Ewing, Sr. in the same area for a number of years. Samuel Ewing who died in 1758 and George Ewing Sr. are both half-brothers to Nathaniel Ewing.
George Ewing, Sr., his nephew Thomas Ewing (son of William who died in 1782) and Nathaniel Ewing (son of Joshua) went to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Nathaniel son of Joshua went on to Rowan County, North Carolina. George Ewing, Sr. went on to and died in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Thomas, William, Jr. and Samuel sons of William Ewing who died in 1782 in Prince Edward County, Virginia went to what became Laurens County, South Carolina.
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MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA REUNION - Part II
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 1 - Feb 1996, p5]
Remarks made to the "Clan Ewing in America" attendees, Friday, September 29, 1995, by Peggy Ewing.
Because we will be visiting Valley Forge National Park this afternoon where George Washington and his Army encamped during the miserable winter of 1777 - 1778, my research began there at the Willcox Library in Maxwell's Quarters.
I discovered in the Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution that eleven Ewing men served their new country. This list is included in your packet of information for today.
List of Ewing officers:
1. Ewing, Alexander (Va.) 2. Ewing, George (NJ)
3. Ewing, George (Pa.) 4. Ewing, Henry (Mass.)
5. Ewing, James (Md.) 6. Ewing, James (Pa.)
7. Ewing, Jasper (Pa.) 8. Ewing, Nathaniel (Md.)
9. Ewing, Samuel (Md.) 10. Ewing, Thomas (Md.)
Known Military Dead during the American Revolutionary War indicated that four Ewing men died. We know that other Ewing men gave their lives as well. And from the Index of Revolutionary War Pension Applications in the National Archives we see that fifteen Ewing men or their spouses sought pensions. Of these Ewings, eight were from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, four from Virginia, one from North Carolina and one from Vermont.
I was interested in the eleven Ewing officers and how they might be related to our Ewing ancestors, especially those involved in the local battles of 1777, the Christmas day attack on Trenton, followed by the encampment at Valley Forge, the Battle of the Brandywine, the Paoli Massacre, and Germantown. There were two officers named George Ewing, one from New Jersey and one from Pennsylvania. The George Ewing who is number two on your list wrote a military diary which most of you have probably read. It was privately printed by a Thomas Ewing of Yonkers, NY in 1928. From this account, we learn that this George was the grandson of Thomas Ewing who emigrated to Southampton, Long Island from Ireland, moving to Greenwich, New Jersey in 1718 and marrying Mary Maskell in 1720. Thomas and Mary had ten children. Their second son, names Thomas, born October 6 (17), 1722 and died May 27, 1771, was the father of George Ewing. Thomas was a blacksmith by trade and an elder in the Presbyterian Church. In 1767, he and his son built a house which is still standing in Greenwich today. Every nail in the house was wrought on his anvil. George inherited the house and lived in it until 1785.
George was born 18 March 1754. A quote from his diary says, "On the 11th of November 1755, I inlisted myself as a soldier (private) in the Company of Capt. (Richard) Howell, 2nd Jersey Regiment". George was in camp at Ticonderoga in 1776 and returned in November arriving in Trenton the same day that the advanced guard of Gen'l. Washington's army arrived on their retreat through the Jerseys. Although his enlistment was up, he reenlisted, this time as a sergeant with Capt. John Barber just until April 1, 1777. He went home then only to buy a warrant from Mr. John Brown who was unwell, and on June 5 received an Ensigncy in Capt. Hagan's company, 3rd Jersey Regiment. He fought and skirmished through the Jerseys, falling in with Gen'l. Maxwell's command. In August, they had orders to join the Grand Army around Rahway, New Jersey, crossed the Sound "gave battle and routed Cols. Lawrence, Bartar and Buskirk's Regiments, took prisoners, two sloops and a great deal of plunder." They recrossed to New Jersey "where we sold our plunder at Public Vandu and then marched to join the Grand Army in Pennsylvania". George describes an engagement at Chadd's Ford - "a smart battle ensued but being over powered we were obliged to retire and leave them master of the field. Our loss was 8 pieces of cannon and about 500 dead." He concludes by writing "Were I to describe the hardships and difficulties we underwent from this time until the 4th of October no person but those who were with us would credit my relation, so therefore I chuse to pass it over in silence rather than those who see this work should think me guilty of hyperbole". During the fall they were involved at Germantown, White Marsh Hills and finally retreated across the Schuylkill via Gulp Mills to Valley Forge.
The rest of his diary describes the winter life which for him was not too unpleasant. Three times he mentions his Uncle James visiting him. I assume this is Judge James Ewing of the Findley line, born in 1744 and married to Elizabeth Tate first, and Martha Boy, second. He was a member of the Greenwich, New Jersey Tea Party, a Revolutionary War veteran and Mayor of Trenton from 1797 to 1803. George also refers to his Uncle Joshua, born in 1736 and married to Hannah Harris, and a member of the State Legislature. George's father, Thomas died in 1771 so you can imagine how important contact with these family members would be to him.
When George finally got home he married his sweetheart, Rachel Harris. His bonds, purchased with his inheritance before enlisting, were paid off in Army script which was practically worthless. Army life had not given him a trade skill. Eventually he and Rachel moved to Ohio. They had seven children. George died in Perry County, Indiana where the family had moved the previous June.
Reading George's diary gives one a vivid account of army and militia life - the coming and goings of troops, and the family connectedness and communication during those trying years.
Another George Ewing had a thankless task - that of Commissary of Hides. From Quartermaster Support of the Army, A History of the Corps, 1775 - 1939, by Erna Risch, we learn the following:
. . ."Shoes were being bought under contract from local cobblers or imported from abroad, but the distress of the Army for want of shoes showed no improvement under (General) Mease. Five months after his appointment, Washington complained that lack of shoes made some corps "almost entirely incapable of doing duty". Such shoes as Mease supplied were too small in size and therefore of little use. Imported shoes were "thin French pumps" that tore to pieces whenever they got wet.
Apparently convinced that supervision and a close control of materials were the key to improving supply, Congress resolved to establish a Hide Department under the direction of a commissary. Since the fall of 1776, the hides of the cattle that were slaughtered for Army use had been dried, cured and held for the use of the Continental Congress, subject to its orders. It now directed the Commissary of Hides to receive all raw hides belonging to the United States, exchange them for tanned leather or for shoes at the customary rates of exchange, and deliver the shoes to the Clothier General who would make distribution to the Army. If he could not make exchanges on reasonable terms, Congress authorized the Commissary of Hides either to provide tanyards, materials, and workmen himself, or to contract with proper persons for converting the hides into tanned leather. It then placed the Hide Department under the supervision of the Board of War. At the Boards's direction, the Commissary of Military Stores who in addition to receiving and delivering all arms and ammunition also procured all types of accoutrements for the Army. Congress promptly selected a Commissary but when he declined to serve, six weeks passed before it was able to fill the office by appointing George Ewing."
In October, 1777, we read in Journals of Congress,
Resolved, That the commissary general of issues, his deputies and assistants, and all persons employed under him or them, deliver over, on demand, to the commissary of hides, all hides, tallow, and offal of all cattle killed for the use of the army, taking a receipt for the same, any order or direction of any person or persons, to the contrary notwithstanding:
Resolved, That the said commissary of hides be supplied with money for carrying on the business of his department, from time to time, (upon his application to Congress, and that) he shall settle his accounts once a year, or oftener, if required, with the Treasury Board:
That, he and his deputies, at any principal department or post, be authorized to hire or impress one or more waggons or carriages for the use of his department, as occasion may require, which shall not be subject to be impressed for any other service by any officer of the army, unless by special direction of the commander in chief for the time being; and, if any officer shall (except as before excepted) on any pretence whatsoever, impress, without his consent, any waggon, cart, or carriage, in the service of said commissary of hides, he shall immediately, on application to the commanding officer nearest the place where the transaction happens, be put under arrest, be liable to pay all loss the states sustained by such impressment, and suffer such other punishment as shall be deemed proper by a court martial.
That the commander in chief, and the commanding officer of any department post or detachment, be directed to supply the commissary general of hides and his respective deputies with guards for their waggons, when the said commissary shall apply for the same, and they shall appear to be necessary.
That the said commissary of hides shall make a return, once in every three months, to the Board of War, of his whole transactions, etc.
That the said commissary of hides shall receive and take care of the tallow, and all useful offal of the cattle belonging to the United States, and see that the said tallow is properly rendered and made fit to be manufactured into candles and soap for the use of the army, etc.
Ordered, That there be advanced to George Ewing, Esq. commissary of hides, eight thousand dollars, for the use of his department, and for which he is to be accountable.
On Tuesday, April 20, 1779 it is recorded that "A letter, of 20, from George Ewing, commissary of hides, was read, resigning his office."
This George was a son of Nathaniel Ewing. He was born 1 Sept 1737/38 near Porter's Bridge in Cecil Co., Maryland. He married Mary (Jean) Porter on 8 April 1766. He was a farmer and lived in Peach Bottom Township, Lancaster County. He gave all his crops to the Continental forces during the Revolutionary War as well as serving in the Quartermaster's Department. He died in April 1785/88 in Lancaster, PA.
As you will see and hear this afternoon the conditions at Valley Forge were difficult, unhealthy and at times desperate. You will understand what an important role the commissary of hides played in that winter ordeal. As commissary this George served as a civilian not as a militia-man or regular army officer.
There are two James Ewings on the list of officers, one from Maryland and one from Pennsylvania. The Maryland James, born in Cecil County, MD around 1754, was the son of Alexander Ewing and his wife, Jane Kirkpatrick. Alexander was a son of the immigrant Nathaniel. James served in the Maryland Continental Line as Ensign and Lieutenant. He was wounded at Eutaw Springs, SC on 8 September 1781 and for gallantry at this battle he was made Captain, 6 November 1781. Richard Pindell, a surgeon in the 1st Maryland Regiment wrote a letter in 1816 with an account of the engagement at Eutaw Springs with a graphic description of the part taken by James Ewing whom he calls "Intrepid Ewing".
"At the Action of Eutaw Springs, after having dressed some wounded soldiers, of the Advanced Corps, who had fallen in with a British foraging Party early in the morning I pushed on to join the Troops and arrived on the field just as the Grand Charge was ordered. Discovering that some of the Troops formed on the left side of the Road under the Command of the Brave and Intrepid Ewing had discovered a disposition to hang back and were getting into Disorder unobserved by this Hero who was dauntlessly advancing in their front, I rode to him under a Heavy Fire of Both Cannon and Musketry and aided him in forming his men at the risque of my life and they a few seconds after took two Pieces of British Artillery, Killing and dispersing all the troops destined to Guard them.
In this charge Ewing received Seven wounds and nearly all his men were killed and wounded."
The James Ewing of Pennsylvania and General Roberdeau were chosen and served as Brigadier Generals of the Pennsylvania Militia on 4 July 1776. James was born in Lancaster County in 1736. He commenced his military career under Braddock and was with him when he was slain. James was a vice-president of the Commonwealth under President Dickinson in 1782 and was several times a member of the state legislature. He died at his county seat in Hellam Township, York County, PA on March 9, 1806.
General James Ewing played a significant role in Washington's retreat across the Jerseys and again in the attack upon Trenton on Christmas Day in 1776. He was to support Washington's troops at Trenton, securing the bridge across the Assanpank. However, because of the ice on the river, he could not get his troops in the proper position. Washington writes of him in numerous communiques. He is another Ewing to keep in your memory as we travel about the Valley Forge encampment this afternoon.
Jasper Ewing, number 7, on our list was born 15 July 1753, the son of Sarah Yeates and John Ewing who was born 27 August 1727. Jasper died at Sunbury, Pennsylvania, unmarried on 25 September 1800. In 1777-78, he served as Brigadier Major to his brother-in-law, General, and Doctor, Edward Hand. We know that Hand was not at Valley Forge, rather he was in western Pennsylvania at Fort Pitt to defend the frontier line from Lake Erie to Kentucky. I was fascinated by the name Jasper. Apparently named after his mother's brother, Jasper Yeates under who young Jasper studied law. This information came from an 1883 Pennsylvania Magazine article, "The Descendants of Joran Kyn, the Founder of Upland." Joran Kyn, (the Swedish name for George Keene), was and is an ancestor of my husband's mother in her Ashton line. So, Jasper must come from the Swedish side and isn't it interesting how our lines intermesh through the generations?
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ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 1 - Feb 1996, page 10]
In correspondence received from Shirley E. Trader, Port Charlotte, Florida, she indicated: "We are reasonably certain that our James, is Captain James Ewing serving with George Washington. This fact is backed by the choice of John Kennedy, Jr. as a member of the "The Sons of the Cincinnati" with James Ewing as his Revolutionary War Officer serving under George Washington.
Editor's note: It is possible that some of the books written about Jackie Kennedy Onassis will have her lineage included. For those that have been trying to identify Captain James Ewing, a copy of the application for membership by John Kennedy, Jr., if one can be obtained, could have some additional information about the Ewing family. If anyone learns more, please write to Clan Ewing.
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THIS IS HOW IT WAS & HOW IT IS NOW!
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 1 - Feb 1996, page 17]
Starting with this journal, we would like to use this column to address some of the information that has been published in the past; and, since that time with additional research, the new information indicates the earlier printed information was incorrect. We believe the journal is a good way to print information that corrects errors of the past.
We need you researchers to furnish Clan Ewing with the information that needs to be corrected and what you think is correct. The proper references should be given for the new information. By properly documenting the source of the information researchers that read the journal can go to the source cited for additional information when necessary.
In the National Genealogical Society Quarterly for September 1995 issue (Volume 83, Number 3) in an article titled: "Law of the Land v. Copycat Genealogies: What Proves Asahel Drake's Parentage?", by Gordon L. Remington, we find the following preceding the article:
Once genealogical waters have been muddied by erroneous information, how can genealogist clarify them? Establishing a clear and convincing argument for one published account over another usually means that further evidence must be brought to bear on the problem. In New England, arguably, great potential exists in the land records--which genealogist have long neglected in favor of the more-convenient vital records -- and in the interpretation of laws.
The above says a lot about published material, but I would like to quote a few lines from the opening paragraphs of the article cited above.
"Genealogists often confront conflicting versions of their ancestry, particularly when the family lived in an area where printed genealogical material abounds. The problem is acute for northeastern-American families, because that region has led the country in compiling and publishing genealogies. Unfortunately, the trend began when access to original records was limited and standards of proof were minimal--or deemed unnecessary. Corrective efforts are common among modern genealogist who insist on sound evidence, and many lineage societies now require new research to verify formerly accepted lines.
"Yet despite the best efforts of today's family historian, erroneous information survives. Earlier mistakes have been repeated in new publications or revived in reprints until they have become widely accepted. Even when specific errors are challenged in print, the corrective work is often overlooked by those who do not review the literature thoroughly, or it is ignored by those who judge the validity of assertions by the number of times they appear in print."
When I was pretty new to family research, I found information in print that sometimes sent me down the wrong path. Or, the information was different from what I had; and, then, I did not know where to go from there. In this article I would like to deal with some information that has been published and used by others about my immigrant Ewing ancestor and set the record straight. It appears to me from information that is recorded in official records at the Courthouse in Cecil County, Maryland it is easy to determine the name of the wife of:
ALEXANDER EWING (1677-1738/9)
The first record where I found my immigrant ancestor, Alexander1 Ewing (RobertA) was in the book by Elbert William R. Ewing, A.M., LL.B., LL.D., Clan Ewing of Scotland and the author did not name a wife for Alexander Ewing. The author did descend from this same immigrant. Not that he would know everything there is to know about his ancestor, or he would find every document, but he found no information to identify the wife of Alexander. He published his book in 1922. At that time, it was not easy to locate records in all of the various counties where Ewings lived.
Next, I found information in a book The Mecklenburg Signers and Their Neighbors by Worth S. Ray. On page 518, Mr. Ray gives information that was extracted from the will of Alexander Ewing that is recorded in Cecil County, Maryland, Will Book 8, page 26, he states:
wife: not named, son, John, son, William, daughter, Margaret, son, Samuel, son in law, Andrew Porter (step-son), and son, James. About the executors, Mr. Rays says, "The executors, Samuel and Nathaniel Ewing were brothers of the testator." "The witness Rachel Ewing was the wife of the testator, who had been Rachel Porter, the widow of a Porter." "Andrew Porter was her son by her former marriage."
Without anything else being said most of you that are familiar with the Ewings that lived in Cecil County, Maryland and Chester County, Pennsylvania know that what was written by Mr. Ray is not correct. After finding the above information, I have found the same information in two other books by Mr. Ray under different titles.
The purpose of correcting errors in the earlier published accounts of a person or family is not to discredit the author. The purpose is to get the correct information into the hands of Ewing descendants, libraries, and historical and genealogical societies. Just publishing the correct information is not sufficient. The information in error needs to be identified. In the future, the researchers that find the new information will also know what is trying to be corrected.
From the wills of the sons of Alexander Ewing that are recorded in Virginia, we can establish the fact that Andrew Porter mentioned in the will of Alexander is a son-in-law and the husband of Eleanor Ewing a daughter of Alexander but she was not named in her father's will. The wills of the sons of Alexander Ewing are recorded as indicated below:
Samuel Ewingwill recorded in Montgomery County, Virginia, 23 May 1786.
John Ewing will recorded in Montgomery County, Virginia, 5 March 1788.
James Ewing will recorded in Wythe County, Virginia, 8 November 1791.
William Ewing will recorded in Wythe County, Virginia, 9 July 1793.
On the charts published by Rev. Ellsworth S. Ewing, he published the information that was given to him that showed two wives for Alexander Ewing (1677-1738/9). The wives being: Rebecca (no last name) and Jane Porter. In correspondence and other places, I have seen Rebecca shown as being a Porter. I have never seen any proof or source given for Rebecca being a Porter.
In an application for membership into the Colonial Dames, Alexander Ewing is shown as having a wife by the name of Rachel Porter, widow.
Every place that I have seen where two wives are mentioned for Alexander, Rebecca is always listed first. Is it significant that Rebecca is listed first or not, I do not really know. Only the person recording the information knew what they meant since they did not show a source or reference for the information or why she is listed first.
Information that has been presented in a number of places and official court records show that Rachel Porter mentioned above and who was a witness to the will of Alexander Ewing was the wife of Nathaniel Ewing (1693-1748). Rachel Porter was married to Nathaniel Ewing on 2 March 1721/22 in Ireland and the date is recorded in the Registers of Derry Cathedral. Also, Rachel Porter Ewing, the wife of Nathaniel, is the niece of Alexander Ewing (1677-1738/9). Rachel and Nathaniel Ewing lived very close to Alexander Ewing in Cecil County, Maryland.
When the will of Alexander Ewing was recorded, James was identified as the oldest son. Also, John and William were mentioned. These names are mentioned in a deed that appears to properly identify the wife of Alexander Ewing and the mother of those sons.
In Cecil County, Maryland, Deed Book 7, pages 181-184, on June 14, 1750 a deed is recorded. From that deed, we learn that James Ewing is selling the half (145 acres) of the plantation that he inherited from his father as stated in the will of Alexander Ewing (1677-1738/9). Also, we learn who is the mother of the children in this statement:
"Likewise Rebeckah Ewing mother of the said James Ewing, John Ewing, and William Ewing did at the same time acknowledge all her right of Dower to the within land...."
Since we know from this deed that Rebeckah had a dower right in the land being sold by James, we can assume with confidence that she was married to Alexander Ewing when he died. How else would she have a dower interest in the land owned by Alexander when he died. She states that she is the mother of James, John, and William. With Margaret and Samuel being the two youngest children, we know that Rebeckah is the mother of at least five of the six children. Most likely Rebeckah is the mother of Eleanor but we have no proof to make that claim. However, I do claim that Eleanor is also the daughter of Rebeckah and Alexander Ewing since no information has been found that shows Alexander had a prior marriage.
We are going to have to open our minds to having new information discovered and reported; and making adjustments to our genealogy paradigm.
If anyone has any information that would indicate the above assumptions and information is incorrect, I would appreciate your views and seeing your additional information.
For additional information on the families of Nathaniel and Samuel Ewing and Alexander Ewing, you might review the book Ewing in Early America by Margaret Ewing Fife, published in 1995.
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A MEMORABLE TRIP TO IRELAND
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 1 - Feb 1996, page 21]
Editor's note: Correspondence from Representative Thomas W. Ewing of Illinois talks about his trip to Ireland with President Clinton.
During the last week of November and early in December, I had the opportunity to visit Ireland as part of the congressional delegation which accompanied President Clinton and Mrs. Clinton on their trip to the Republic of Ireland and to Northern Ireland. We visited Belfast and Derry (Londonderry) in Northern Ireland and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.
It was a very memorable trip and one which I think will have a beneficial and lasting effect on promoting peace between the two parts of this beautiful island. The President has been effective in his endeavor to bring the different factions of the Irish Republic and the United Kingdom to the table. The people of Ireland in both North and South appear to be hungry for a political and final solution to this ongoing trouble. They speak of the violence that has happened over the last 25 years as the trouble. The part that the congressional delegation played in this was to show bi-partisan support for the President's efforts. In addition, we met on two different occasions during the three day period with many of the political leaders of the different factions in both parts of the country at which we were able to give strong encouragement to the peace effort.
On Friday evening the Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. John Burton, and his wife hosted the President and Mrs. Clinton and members of the congressional delegation in a formal dinner at Dublin Castle. It was a very suitable and exciting climax to a whirlwind three day visit. I couldn't help but reflect on my heritage connections to this small island as I sat in the great hall of that castle and listened to comments from both Mr. Burton and President Clinton. It was a historic and defining evening for relationships between North and South as well as their relationship to the United States where Irish and Scotch Irish immigrants have had such a profound effect on our history. The evening was concluded with a repertoire of Irish songs* by Mr. Finbar Writh after which there was hardly a dry eye in the place.
I wanted to share this experience with you as I feel certain you would enjoy it. I was sorry I had no opportunity to do any personal investigating in Ireland, but I did examine the phone directory in Belfast and found that there were two columns of Ewings still listed in that city.
Thomas W. Ewing
*Songs: The Last Rose of Summer; Down By the Sally Gardens; I'll Walk Beside You
Love's Old Sweet Song; Danny Boy; Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms
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ROBERT EWING
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1934
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 2 - May 1996, page 7]
[Source: Vicky D. Lee, St. Petersburg, Florida supplied a copy of this article to Clan Ewing. Vicky points our in her letter that Nancy Metcalf is the niece of the Governor of Kentucky rather than his sister as indicated in the following article. We appreciate Vicky making this information available.]
The Ewings of Lancaster and York Counties. Some of them lived in the part of York County that is now Adams County since 1800.
John Ewing purchased 322 acres of land from the Pennsylvania Land Office November 5, 1745. He willed in 1766 his money and personal property to his sons, Alexander and Isaac and his daughter Martha Osborn, and his land to his sons Robert and Samuel. He made his mark in the record. Isaac purchased in 1763 from Jas. Chambers 767 acres of land in Mt. Joy Township which is near Mt. Pleasant Township where John Ewing settled. The Chambers Family was connected with Thomas Ewing through Susanna Patterson, Ewing, Conolly, wife of Thomas Ewing. In the will of John Ewing, the name is written "Ewin". He made his mark for signature.
In 1791 Robert Ewing, son of John Ewing had no direct heirs, therefore, he willed his property to his brothers, his sister and Robert his nephew, youngest son of Samuel. He gave his money to Alex, Isaac, and to Martha, his personal estate to Samuel and his real estate to Robert. John Ewing, eldest son of Samuel was made executor of the estate. The will was made January 18, 1791 and probated March 24, 1791. He made his mark for signature.
Samuel Ewing died in 1794 and his son John was executor of his will. He left a plantation of 297 acres to his heirs. James Chamberlain, husband of his oldest daughter, Elizabeth, was guardian for the three minor heirs, Robert, Margaret and Martha. His wife, Rachel, signed her right as heir to John as executor and had to make her mark for signature. One year from June 24, 1794, John was to pay Robert 57 pounds, 7 shillings, 6 pence and 4 farthings. In all, he received 86 pounds, 1 shilling, 4 pence. A decree of the Orphan's Court June 4, 1794 stated that Robert was 14 years old. December 19, 1810, James Chamberlain made final settlement to Robert, Margaret and Martha. In August, 1796, John Ewing sold the plantation to Yost Runk and paid all claims to the younger children. The fact that the plantation was sold to Yost Runk, a German, is part of the general movement that the Germans were purchasing the land from the Scotch Irish, and the latter were moving on west. After this date, 1796, Wayne had defeated the Indians and it was safe for settlers to go to Southern Ohio. Ewings moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, early and the place names in Ross and Highland Counties indicate that settlers came from the region southwest of Harrisburg, PA.
One records shows that Robert Ewing was born in 1787, but that does not seem to be authentic. The census record of 1840 shows that he was between 60 and 70 years old at that date. Census of 1850 states that he was 72 years old. This fact would show that he was born between 1770 and 1780. The decree of the Orphan's Court of York County, PA of June, 1794 states that he was 14 years old. This would show that he was born in 1779 or 1780. This data may establish the fact that this Robert Ewing was the same Robert Ewing, the father of George Ewing. In the will of John Ewing, grandfather of Robert, the name is spelled Ewin. This writer has a deed of Robert Ewing for a farm in Highland County, Ohio, where his name is spelled Ewin. The writer also has an old book From Robert's home in Kentucky in which is recorded the death, March 31, 1839 of Sally P. Ewing. Robert had an older sister named Sarah, who signed her name Sally in Legal documents. It is possible she was never married and lived in the home of Robert. He was married to Nancy Metcalf, May 1, 1806. They had six sons and three daughters, James, William, George, Eli, Robert, Sabina, Jane, Horace, and Maria. His brothers and sisters were Elizabeth, John, Rachel, Jane, Sarah, himself, Margaret and Martha. His wife was a sister to Thomas Metcalf, Governor of Kentucky, member of Kentucky Legislature and U. S. Senator from Kentucky. He was nicknamed "Old Stone Hammer" because he was a stone mason. In the old book from Robert Ewing's home is recorded the death of Alfred Ewing in September, 1822, and Eliza Kirk, June 28, 1838. They were children of Robert Ewing.
There was a James Ewing in Franklin Township, York County who willed his sons William and Thomas his property in 1786. William Ewing bought 397 acres in 1752 in Manchester Township of York County from Susanna Conolly, who had been wife of Thomas Ewing. He held a mortgage on this land. It was across the Susquehanna from where Thomas Ewing owned land. An Alex. Ewing bought, in 1771, land of B. Sterrit in Fawn Township. The Sterrits were in Lancaster County associated with Thomas Ewing. A Rev. Alex Ewing was appointed to distribute land in Fawn Township in 1806. Susanna Howard had married James Patterson in Ireland as early as 1708. Patterson died in 1735. She married Thos. Ewing in 1736. He died in 1743. She married Dr. John Conolly in 1744. She was a remarkable woman. She died in Lancaster 1755.
These three older Ewings, Thomas, James and John could have been brothers. Their business relationships and the nearness of their homes would indicate a close family relationship. The deeds and wills refer to all of these Ewings as "Gentlemen" or "Yeoman" indicating their high social rank. They were Presbyterians. Gen. James Ewing, son of Thomas was on the first board of Trustees of Dickinson College which was a Presbyterian School at that time. Thomas Ewing was born in Donegal, Ireland and came to Lancaster County in 1734. A James Ewing from Chester Co., bought from Robert Horner in 1770 in Mt. Pleasant Township, a farm at Sheriff's sale. The Horners were associated with Thomas Ewing.
General James Ewing, son of Thomas Ewing and Susanna Howard (Patterson) Ewing was the most outstanding man of the early Ewings. He was a Lieutenant in Braddock's army, Major General in the Revolutionary army, Lieutenant Gov. of PA, on first board of trustees of Dickinson College. His good education was due to the fact that his step father Dr. John Conolly was a surgeon. Thos. Ewing was a captain in British Army. His step father was a surgeon in British Army. James Patterson was an Indian Trader. Dr. John Conolly Jr. half brother of Gen. Ewing was an Indian Trader at Kaskia in 1768. Gen. Ewing's Brother John was a captain in Revolutionary War. Gen. Ewing was born in Manor Township but the family soon moved to Hallam Township in York Co. where he lived all of his life on his plantation near Wrightsville. His half brother Dr. John Conolly Jr. was a Tory and the General went on his bond to keep him out of prison. After the War was over, he was in the home of Gen. Ewing and remarked that England would come down from Canada get possession of the U. S. The remark was made at the dinner table. The Gen. seized him by the throat and Mrs. Ewing had great difficulty in separating them. The men both deplored the incident, because they loved each other.
Samuel Ewing's family were Elizabeth who married Norman Chamberlain. John, who is referred as Yeoman, Rachel, who married Jarrat Long, Jane who married Wm. Townsley, Sarah, who signed her name Sally, Robert, the central figure of this sketch, Margaret and Martha of who we have no further record. Samuel's wife was name Rachel.
If the writer had the time and the money to pay expenses to search records in Adams Co., Somerset County, Washington Co., and York Co. of Pa., and Ross Co. and Highland Co., Ohio and Flemming Co., Ky. and the Census Records and hunt up old family records he could establish the fact that Robert Ewing of Pa. and the one of Ky. are the same. The Census record mentions that the Ky. Robert was born in Pa. The records to be searched are to be found in the Office of Register of Wills of Recorder of Deed of Prothonotary or other Clerks of the County Courts.
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MALVERN , PENNSYLVANIA REUNION
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 2 - May 1996, page 12]
This is the third article that has been in the journal regarding the information presented to the attendees at the reunion in Malvern by Peggy Ewing. The remarks and information presented by Peggy was before we toured Valley Forge and the area of the Battle of the Brandywine. This article about Henry Ewing was prepared by Mrs. Margaret Ewing Fife.
HENRY EWING WHO DIED AT THE BATTLE OF THE BRANDYWINE
11 September 1776
Henry Ewing's, name appears on a Muster Roll dated 12 July 1776. A letter he wrote remains in the Archives of Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is dated 28 July 1776 and states he is in East Jersey in sight of the English but no fear of them coming over unto us.
The Henry Ewing of the Battle of the Brandywine was thought to have been born about 1760, but I think before that. There is no record of his birth. He may be the Henry Ewing, who was on the Roll of Captain James McDowell's Company of Militia 4th Battalion, Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1776, which was commanded by Colonel William Montgomery on 14 September 1776.
This man was a son of James Ewing and Eleanor Auld Ewing (a widow) of Oxford township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. James was a son of Henry Ewing of East Nottingham / Londonderry / Oxford township (became Lower Oxford of today).
Henry Ewing, the grandfather, is probably the Henry Ewing who wrote his will in 1772 (no month or day) Chester County, Pennsylvania Will Book G, page 200, #3531
"To son, James Ewing, plantation he now lives on and £1 cash. Land I now hold if undivided at my decease to go to Henry and John Ewing, Henry to have over and above all the houses I now possess on his part of the Plantation. Henry to share with John in building him a log house etc. ... Daughter Catherine 10 shillings; daughter Martha £5, daughter Ester £5, daughter Margaret £20, daughter Frances £5. To sons Henry and John all real estate etc..."
No wife signed.
witnesses Thomas Ewing /s/ Henry Ewing, Sr.
(Witness Alexander Ewing, married Henry Ewing's daughter, Frances in 1768 at Henry Ewing, Esq. by Rev. John Cuthbertson of Ireland, as recorded in his diary.)
Henry Sr. added a codicil dated 1776 witnessed by Thomas Ewing and William Ewing. (Alexander and Frances had gone to Fawn township, York County to live as proven by Cuthbertson Diary.). The will was probated 18 December 1782.
James Ewing, the father, we believe, of Henry who died at the Battle of the Brandywine wrote his will in Oxford township on 17 March 1785 and it was probated 31 October 1785. He names wife, Eleanor and her daughter Elizabeth Auld. The will is located in Will book 8 page 9, #3736, witnessed by Henry Ewing, John Ewing (his brothers we believe) and Philip Scott
"To beloved wife, Eleinor 1/3 real estate. To four sons Alexander, James, John, and Moses £5 each, stepdaughter Eliz. Auld 1 English guinea, To loving dau Jean etc. To loving sons Matthew and Samuel residue of personal and real estate."
The son, James, (who lived to be 93) applied for a Pension (#2203) 1832 at 83 his "brother Henry Ewing who was killed at the Battle of Brandywine. His brother, Samuel Ewing, testified in 1832 that James did, indeed, serve in the Revolutionary War."
[Henry Ewing, Sr. said to have been born 1701. He was also said to have been the "most pious Christian man of his day."]
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FIVE GENERALS AT ONE HOUSE
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 2 - May 1996, page 17]
Source: William M. "Bill" Ewing of Tulsa, OK sent in this newspaper clipping. No date or newspaper is identified. However, the advertisement following the article is a big clue.
Lancaster, Ohio (AP)--Four of the five Civil War generals from Lancaster came from one house. They were Maj. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Maj. Gen. Hugh Ewing, Brig. Gen. Charles Ewing -- all brothers -- and Gen. William T. Sherman, who was reared by the Ewing family.
The fifth was brevet Brig. Gen. J.A. Stafford. In addition, two other generals--Maj. Gen. Philemon Beecher and Brig. Gen. Samuel F. Maccracken--lived within a block of the Ewing home but died before the war.
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INFORMATION FROM ONLINE RESEARCH
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 2 - May 1996, page 21]
This is a subject that I really know nothing about. However, I have been exposed to the library research from the big computers and from the research laboratory for the company where I worked. Also, I do not have a modem and have no plans to purchase one any time soon. I stay busy enough with the Clan Ewing activities without getting into the bulletin boards and library searches.
This is where our members can help us. Many of our members have computers and modems. I would ask that each of you spread the word about Clan Ewing in America. Also, search around looking for information that might help some of our members. Mrs. Alicia Towster send me a printed list of information with the following introduction:
EWINGS who purchased federal lands in Illinois before 1850
NOTE: This index is available for online searching on the network known as the Internet. Anyone who has a computer account which provides Internet access - many universities, government agencies, research and development firms, provide such connection, as do some commercial subscription services such as Delphi - you can search it yourself. (Use goper software to access uic.edu, the system at the University of Illinois at Chicago: select the Library menu item then select Databases.) Alicia sent me 200 of the 281 records but I will list only one so you can see what information is available in this one file:
Ewing Alexander Nov. 5, 1827 Federal sale (FD)
The details for each purchase can be viewed, too. Below are the details for the above:
Purchaser: Ewing Alexander Record ID: 132627
Date: 11/05/1827
Acres: 80
Price: $1.25
Type of sale: Federal sale (FD)
County: 23 (Edgar)
Section: 6 Section Part: W2SE
Township: 12N Range: 10W
Meridian: 2 Purchaser Res: 23
Arch. Vol. No. 291 Vol. Page No.: 015
Cash warrant code: Record corrected: 0
Good luck with your research. Let us hear from you.
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ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 2 - May 1996, page 23]
Response: Phyllis Shaunesey wrote in response to the item in this column in February 1996 concerning Captain James Ewing. She states: "I have a particular interest in Capt. James Ewing because my gr. gr. grandmother Ann ("Nancy") Ewing (b 1788, m 1805 as his 2nd wife Ephraim Gover Hopkins and 1834 Wm. Wiles, all of Harford Co.)."
"The will of James Ewing of Somerset co., who d 18 Mar 1794 attested 24 Mar 1794, left all real estate of brother Isaac Ewing, and £150 each to James Ewing Jones and James Ewing Elzey, sons of brother officers. Execs. were Isaac, friend Wm. Jones Sr. and James McCulloch. (As it turned out, the real estate in Somerset Co. had been unlawfully sold to James, and Isaac had to forfeit same).
"Anyway, it seems obvious that Capt. James Ewing had no children."
The following article was published in the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin Vol. 30, 1989, page 19-20, regarding the bounty land of James Ewing. The article was contributed by Jon Harlan Livezey.
"Genealogists who have exhausted all the accessible sources in the residence of their ancestors should not conclude that the evidence they seek does not exist. It is possible that helpful material is in another jurisdiction, perhaps a family bible taken west or a chancery case in another state setting out the home state heirs of a migrating family member. These cases provide good reason for tracking down collateral relatives.
"In another instance of this type, the Harford County relatives of a Harford Countain were found set out in a deed recorded in Allegany County. Following the American Revolution, bounty land located in Allegany County (including present-day Garrett) was awarded for service to thousands of soldiers and officers. Most of the land was not taken up and either escheated or the rights were sold to speculators. Some years ago, while in Cumberland, the contributor examined the land records index to see if there was a disposition of the bounty land awarded to his ancestor James Sheridan. That was unsuccessful, but finding Harford County Sheridans in the index led him to a deed recorded in Liber 28 at folio 435. It was dated 21 December 1868 and was from the attorney-in-fact of "the sole surviving heirs at law" of James Ewing, late officer in the Maryland line of the continental army, to Elizabeth Nash of Essex county, Virginia, who paid $300 for the four 50 acre lots (Nos. 3603-3606) awarded to Ewing in September 1788. The heirs were listed without specifying their relationship to James Ewing, but some can be identified from other records. Some known siblings of these heirs are not listed. There are no significant records on James Ewing to be found in Harford County sources."
Name of Heir Tentative Identification
James Ewing
Nancy Wiles nee Ewing, b. ca. 1788; m. (1) Ephraim Gover Hopkins, (2) William Wiles
Edwin Ewing son of John Ewing who d. 1840
Elizabeth Riley dau. of John Ewing who d. 1840
William Ewing son of John Ewing who d. 1840
Margaret Hawkins Margaret Carroll m. 1831 John Hawkins
John Ewing
James W. Ewing son of John Ewing who d. 1840
John A. Ewing son of John Ewing who d. 1840
Richard Sheridan children of Mary Carroll, b. ca. 1813 who was probably the daughter of John Carroll who m. Jane Ewing
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HOUSE FULL OF HISTORY
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 3 - Aug 1996, page 6]
[Source: This article was sent in by Doris J. Ryan, Columbus, Ohio and indicated that the house was the Senator Thomas Ewing family home. When I talked with Paul Tooill, he indicated the home belonged to another Thomas Ewing. Ed.]
[This article appeared in The Columbus Dispatch, Sunday, June 26, 1994 and is REPRINTED, WITH PERMISSION, FROM THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH. The article was written by Beth Bohley Simmonds for The Dispatch. The pictures were taken by Tom Dodge, Dispatch photos. We appreciate The Columbus Dispatch allowing us to reprint this article for the enjoyment of our members.]
Lancaster, Ohio -- The magnificent brick house has provided comfort for generations in its 140 years.
A sense of peace and beauty remain as reminders of why the Thomas Ewing family, the first to settle Pleasant Township, first settled in this spot in 1802. Nearly 50 years later, they built a house that would endure for decades.
Ewing was one of the founders of the Presbyterian church in Ohio and was influential in the social political and business life in the area.
As many as seven generations of Ewings lived in the house, according to Paul Tooill, who along with his wife, Carol, bought the historical house in 1991. Some have left their mark. Signatures of Ewing family members dating back to the 1800s can be seen inside the spring house.
Other reminders of the Ewing family include an old child's skate, an 1857 Presbyterian of the West newspaper that debated whether slave-holders should be admitted as church members, and a ledger dating from 1899 which recorded the purchases of food and household items. "10 pounds of fish, cost $1.00; 10 pounds of salt, cost 40 cents; 10 pounds beef, cost $1.20." Because of the large quantities of food purchased, Mr. Tooill suspects the Ewings sold food to others in the area.
When the Tooill's built a new garage on the property they uncovered the kiln where the bricks were fired to build the house, the spring house and the summer kitchen.
Recorded history of the family also tells of the time one member who thought he was shooting at a bear accidentally wounded an Indian woman. "Some reports say he had to leave town for two years because he feared retaliation," Mr. Tooill said.
Carol and Paul Tooill are only the third family to live in the 4,900 square foot, 10 room house since it was build in the 1850s. They recently moved in after spending three years renovating the house.
Mr. Tooill has done most of the work himself, installing modern plumbing, wiring and heating, replacing ceilings and walls and sanding floors and woodwork.
"I've always been a fool to fix things, I'd rather go to the lumber yard than buy a new car," Mr. Tooill said, with a smile.
"It has been a labor of love," Mrs. Tooill added. "We have put our hearts into this house.
"This is our dream house. We really wanted to make it something that it was in their day."
Together the Tooills designed kitchen cabinets and had them custom-made for the house.
Restoring the house to its original grandeur has been a financial challenge as well as a physical one, the Tooills said. Especially after Mr. Tooill was laid off from his job at McDonnell Douglas in March 1993.
The Tooills are inspired by the history, the beauty, and the sense of peace imparted by the old house. "It was here 140 years ago and it will be here 140 years from now when we are all gone," Mr. Tooill said.
The summer kitchen, the spring house, and the smoke house, are still standing, reminders of another way of life.
The Tooills imagine the generations that have gone in and out the 10½-foot-tall front door and the countless children who have run their fingers over the 114 walnut and cherry spindles on the stair rail.
Babies and old folk alike have rocked in chairs on the four porches in the summer and huddled near the six gas fireplaces in the winter.
In 1949 when the last Ewing heir died, the home and it's remaining 240 acres were purchased by Luke Daughtery. When the Tooills bought the house from Daughtery only 3½ acres remained. The land abstract included a copy of a land patent signed by President Thomas Jefferson, Mrs. Tooill said.
They have thought about applying to get the house on the National Register of Historic Places. But Mrs. Tooill said, "Right now we just want to enjoy the house."
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ALEXANDER WRAY EWING (1809-1853)
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 3 -Aug 1996, page 10]
Source: The following information was taken from The Handbook of Texas, The Texas Historical Association, 1952, Volume 1, page 577, Jim McMichael found in a used book store in Dallas, Texas. You never know when and where you might find something about our enlarged Ewing family. Be sure to look under all the "rocks".
Alexander Wray Ewing was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1809. He studied medicine and surgery in Trinity college, Dublin, and received the M.D. degree from the University of Edinburg. Shortly thereafter Dr. Ewing came to the United States and began practice at Erie, Pennsylvania, where he lived until 1830, when he came to Texas and was given a grant in Stephen F. Austin's fifth colony in present Jasper county.
Ewing was appointed chief surgeon of the Texas Army by President David G. Burnet and served throughout the Revolution, participating in the Battle of San Jacinto. At the end of his military service Ewing established his practice in Houston, where he was also active in railroad enterprises. In July, 1840, he was on the committee to direct the celebration of the Houston and Brazos Railroad.
Ewing was twice married, first to Mrs. Susan Henrietta (Smiley) Reid and second to Elizabeth Graham by whom he had two children. Ewing died on November 1, 1853, and he was buried with Masonic Ceremonies in the Old Episcopal Cemetery adjoining Sam Houston Park, but his grave has been lost.
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JULY 20, 1913 EWING LETTER
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 3 - Aug 1996, page 13]
[Source: This letter was sent in by Billie L. Kern, Quincy, IL that was given to her by Mr. Grey who found it at the Gallia County Library in Ohio. Thanks Billie for sharing with us.]
Dear Relative:--
Please read this because it is the story of the greatest little grandmother of the Ewing clan to which you belong, namely, the "Swago" William Ewing clan.
In the western mountains of Old Virginia, near the present spot called Buckeye, at the juncture of Swago Creek and the Greenbrier, in the present county of Pocahontas, W. Va., in the pioneer cabin of her father, Thomas McNeil, was born, on December 25th, 1771, a baby girl to whom they appropriately gave the Christmas name of Mary.
The very day before her birth, a neighbor boy by the name of William Ewing, arrived at the proud age of fifteen years. This William Ewing was the youngest son of James Ewing, a Scotch immigrant to Old Virginia of perhaps about 1740. William was nicknamed "Swago Bill", to distinguish him from the other Williams in that vicinity. Williams's older brother, John, was known as "Indian" John, because of his exciting experience as an Indian captive during his boyhood. William worked at the clearings, and, of course, became a great hunter and mountain ranger. About the time of Mary's birth, revolutionary mutterings were heard in the east, and the Indians were constantly threatening the settlements from the west. When Mary was of the dignified age of three years, her future husband, then 18, joined Captain John Stuart's Company which became a fighting part of General Lewis's division of the colonial militia which attacked and whipped Chief Cornstalk's Indian army at Pt. Pleasant, W. Va., Oct. 10, 1774. William came through the battle, without a scratch, but had several close calls. After the battle he spent a year or two of soldier life at the fort at Point Pleasant. He was just waiting for little Mary to grow up, but neither of them knew it. On the sixteenth day of November, 1785, they were married and the fact is recorded at Lewisburg, W. Va. Mary lacked over a month of being fourteen, but she was about the healthiest and most capable specimen of girlhood that ever grew on the Blue Ridge. Her husband had seen more than twice her years, in fact was a man of nearly 29. It is not probable that Mary realized the size of the job she was so bravely undertaking. But she was a sturdy little Scotch girl, and not afraid of man, devil or Indian. At the age of 15 she was the mother of Elizabeth Ewing (Dodrill); at 16 her playhouse contained baby Thomas Ewing. At less than 19 she was mothering three little Ewings, and before she was 21 there were four little mouths to feed. At the age of 38, she was the proud mother of 12, all living, and all born within a period of 22 years. Here are their names and birthdays:
Elizabeth Ewing Dodrill, Feb. 15, 1787
Thomas Ewing, July 30, 1788
Sarah Ewing Wallace, May 23, 1797
Abram McNeil Ewing, Oct. 13, 1804
In 1810, with 10 children under age, and two who had reached the age of majority, they left their mountain home in Virginia and began life anew in the forest of Gallia County, Ohio, at the very spot where Ewington now stands. Here, in time, the children married and eleven of them became heads of families. Only one died childless and that was Sarah Wallace, who died at the age of 30. The descendants of the eleven live in half the states of the Union. William Ewing, the father, died in 1822, at the age of 66, and was buried near Ewington, Ohio, where his grave is identified by a good old fashioned tombstone.
It is not to be wondered at that this busy little mother should become grandmother to 81, the majority of whom grew up and had families of their own. Only six of the eighty-one are now living, to-wit: Janette Ewing White, Camden, Michigan, age 86; W. Leander Ewing, Latham, Kas., age 79; Leatha Ewing, Burlington, Ia., age 78; Jane Ewing Carter, Vinton, O., age 75; Henry McK. Ewing, Pioneer, O., age 72, and James K. Ewing, Seattle, Wash, age 69. This is the way Mary McNeil Ewing's descendants increased. Her son Thomas had 9 children; Jonathan, Elizabeth, William and Jacob, 8 each; James, 4; John 2; Sarah, none; Abram and George, 5 each; Enoch 10; and Andrew, 14. The oldest living descendant of Mary McNeil Ewing is Janette Ewing White of the second generation. This committee would like to have the name of her youngest and most remote descendant; whoever it is, is probably in the sixth or seventh generation. And who can approximate the number of living descendants today; five or six hundred is not an extravagant estimate?
William (Swago) dying in 1822, left Mary a widow at 51; her youngest child, Andrew, was then thirteen years old. She remained on the old place at Ewington, Ohio, till 1853, when at the age of 82, she determined to go west with her son Andrew. She refused to be dissuaded, and thus became for the third time a pioneer. They moved by wagon and had a tough time getting through; but the little Scotch girl of the Virginia mountains, who dared at 14 to become the wife of a back woodsman of twice her age, was not the woman at 82 to be afraid of an overland trip of 500 miles by wagon. Leatha Ewing of Burlington, Ia., was at Ewington, O., when her grandmother left for the west in 1853. She says: "I remember her as a woman of medium height, but quite stout. Her eyes were blue, and her hair had turned white. She could ride horseback, but had to mount from an elevation. She left for the west in a wagon, and had a ladder for her own special use in getting in and out of her wheeled cabin." They were delayed in Indiana by sickness in the family, but finally landed in Iowa, then to Missouri, where she died, in Mercer County, near the town of Ravanna, in 1858, at the good old age of 87 years.
Descendants of William and Mary Ewing, hats off to our littlest, greatest grandmother!!
But as Mary was born and bred in the wilderness, so she died and was buried in the wilderness, and no knows the location of her grave. The spot is unmarked. It is this fact that causes us to write this letter. Mary McNeil Ewing the child wife of William Ewing, the girl mother of twelve, the grandmother of eighty-one, the great grandmother of hundreds, the pioneer of four states, and the comrade of toil and hardship, has not even a pine board to mark her resting place or to identify her with the clan which has so much reason to be proud of her.
The mission of this letter is to arouse your interest, appeal to your pride, and ask for a contribution of any amount toward a fund of one hundred dollars, or more, for the erection of a suitable marker or monument in honor of Mary McNeil Ewing, beside the grave of her husband, William Ewing, as more fully explained in [the] secretary's letter herewith enclosed.
Yours truly,
119 Charlotte Ave, Detroit, Mich
R.F.D. 37, Camden, Mich
347 Charles Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich
[Please note this is a 1913 letter and it is not a request for contributions. Ed.]
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ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 3 - Aug 1996, page 23]
The following information was received from Jeddie Bristow Le Goff, Laurel, MD:
My grandmother told me way back in 1945 when I was a teenager but, unfortunately, not as interested in my heritage as I now am, that there was an error in the original CLAN EWING book published many years ago regarding her branch of the family. Recently, my Aunt Billie, Ann Raeford Bristow Mishoe, (Uncle S. Mebane Bristow now 84 is also still living) brought to my attention a copy of a note Grandmother wrote to her cousin Linda Cunningham Ewing nearer the time of the book's publication:
"My grandfather was Joseph Ewing, son of Isaac Ewing, Sr. and not John Ewing's son like it is in this Ewing Book. Your father and my father were first cousins.
"My great grandfather was Isaac Ewing, Sr. My grandfather was Joseph. He married Mary Raeford born 1801.
"Your grandfather was John Ewing who married Mary Chisholm."
Thus, Isaac Ewing, Sr. b. 1774, Richmond County, NC, who married Phoebe Jackson was the son of John Ewing b. 1730 and Mary Pratt b. 1738. And as noted in a margin of the genealogical chart at the Cecil County Historical Society
"is a son of John and Elizabeth Ewing of Queen Anne's County, NOT John son of Henry who was not married."
Grandmother's father was Dr. James William Ewing who married Mary Frances Wooley. He was the son of Joseph Ewing b. 1801 and married to Mary Raeford b. 1801. As far as we can determine Isaac Ewing, Sr., Joseph Ewing, and Dr. James W. Ewing all were born, lived and died in North Carolina. Isaac Ewing, Sr.'s father John Ewing and mother Mary Pratt also died in Richmond County, NC in 1804 and 1821 respectively.
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Nathaniel Ewing Line in the Courts
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 4 - Nov 1996, page 3]
One branch of the line sired by the immigrant Nathaniel Ewing has included more than its share of judges and connections with judges. This branch consists of the following:
Immigrant Nathaniel Ewing (1693-1748)
William Porter Ewing (1769-1827)
Nathaniel Ewing (1794-1874)
John Kennedy Ewing (1823-1905)
Samuel Evans Ewing (1852-1939) and Nathaniel Ewing (1848-1914)
Nathaniel Ewing (1794-1874) was one of the ten children of William Porter Ewing, lived in Uniontown, PA and was President Judge of the 14th Judicial District (Fayette, Greene and Washington Counties) of Pennsylvania from 1838 to 1848. In 1801 he married Jane Kennedy, a daughter of John Kennedy (1774-1846), who lived in Cumberland County and was a Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from 1830 to 1846. John Kennedy married Mary Creigh, a daughter of Judge Creigh of Carlisle, PA.
That Nathaniel's only child was John Kennedy Ewing (1823-1905), who also lived in Uniontown and who was President Judge of the 14th Judicial District 1864-1865. He married Ellen Willson, who was a sister of Judge Alpheus Evans Willson (1828-1884), who himself was a Judge and then President Judge of the 14th District from 1873-1883.
Of John Kennedy Ewing's children,
1. His oldest daughter Eliza Willson Ewing married Stephen Leslie Mestrezat (1848-1918), who became a Judge of the 14th Judicial District of Pennsylvania in 1894 and its President Judge in 1898. In 1900 he became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and served until his death in 1918.
2. His son Nathaniel Ewing (1848-1914) was a Judge of the 14th Judicial District (by then consisting of only Fayette and Greene Counties) from 1887 to 1894 and President Judge until 1898. In 1906 he was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to be a Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh and served in that capacity until 1908, when he resigned to become chairman of the Pennsylvania Railroad Commission, predecessor to the Public Service Commission and then the Public Utility Commission. In 1878 he married Sallie Smith, a stepdaughter of William Mitchell, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Minnesota.
3. Another of his sons Samuel Evans Ewing (1852-1939) served as a Judge of the 14th Judicial District in 1899 but had to resign because his hearing had become so poor he had trouble hearing what was going on in his courtroom.
4. John Kennedy Ewing, Jr. married Mary H. Mitchell, a daughter of the same William Mitchell mentioned above as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Minnesota.
There are five portraits of former judges hanging in Courtroom #1 of the Court House in Uniontown, PA, and four of them are of Ewings or Ewing relations ---- John Kennedy Ewing, the later Nathaniel Ewing, John Kennedy, and Stephen Leslie Mestrezat.
More detail about some of these illustrious persons will follow in a later article.
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"AN EARLY STUDY OF SCOTTISH GENEALOGY?"
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 4 - Nov 1996, page 7]
[Source: Bill Ewing of Canton, Texas sent in the following article. It was three pages from THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM by John Morey. Bill thought, (and we agree) this article was interesting. We hope you enjoy this article.]
Now it is well established that the Royal House of Britain is the long-lost House of David, and as the English people contain the children of Ephraim, with most (representatives) of the ten tribes of the House of Israel, there are evidences that Jeremiah's prophecy is coming true and that the House of David is being prepared for the final reunion of the two nations.
But how did the Royal House of David come to England? It came when James VI of Scotland became James I of England, and here we reach a most important point in this wonderful story. Students of the history and wanderings of the sons of Judah and their descendants assure us that the tribe of Judah as described in the Bible story consisted of the Children of Pharez-Judah only. This son received the family inheritance and the Judah tribe of early Scripture contained only his posterity. To this section of Judah the House of David belonged.
There were, however, two other sons of Judah -- Shelah and Zarah -- and Biblical genealogy gives us some clues as to the subsequent history and development of their peoples.
In I Chronicles 4:21-23 we read that Shelah had six sons, and some important facts concerning them are stated.
1. One son was named Er. We trace these Judah people to ancient Ulster, and here we find the origin of Erin, the name of ancien Ireland.
2. They were workers in fine linen. The writer has examined in the Belfast Library important documents on the origin of the Irish linen industry, and has found recorded therein the statement that this industry was brought to Ulster in the remotest times by settlers who came from the East.
In support of this belief we remind our readers that Shelah is one of the common Irish names today. We find surnames Sheil and Sheils based upon it, and the Christian names Shelah, Sheila, and even Shelagh, are in common use.
There is no doubt early Ireland contained descendants of Shelah-Judah.
3. They had "dominion in Moab". From this it is clear that this section of the family of Judah went out from the homeland to seek fame and fortune elsewhere. At the time of the record they were the prominent people in Moab, but this, of course, is no evidence that they remained there.
Now turn to Zarah-Judah. In I Kings 4:31 a wise man named Darda is referred to, and in I Chronicles 2:6 this man is shown to be a descendant of Zarah-Judah. Now it is known that this was the name of one of the old Trojan heroes, a name perpetuated in the Dardanelles of today.
Homer sang of the Trojans and told of their brethren who did exploits on the banks of the Jordan. The Trojans were Israelites who had trekked, and were most probably descendants of Shelah or Zarah-Judah.
We know that some Trojan peoples migrated to Spain and built a city which they named Zaragossa, after Zarah-Judah. They called the land the Iberian, or Hebrew Peninsula, and named the river which flowed through their new city the Ebro, or Hebrew. We know also that about the year 1100 B.C. a Trojan hero, named Brut, or Brutus, came to Britain and laid the foundations of London, naming it 'Troja Nova', or New Troy.
This was in the time of King David of old, and these facts throw interesting light upon the origin and character of the early British inhabitants of these islands. One step further. Some of the Ulster folk eventually migrated to Scotland, discovered and named the Hebrides, or Hebrew Islands, and formed the basis of the Old Scottish race.
One modern ethnologist informs the writer that some of the pioneers who first migrated from Ulster and Scotland were known as the Shelanites, and we find both Zarah and Shelah to be well-known Scottish names at the present time.
Calcol, another descendant of Zarah-Judah, was the first of the ancient dynasty of Irish kings whose descendants are traced in an unbroken line, through the kings of Scotland, to our James I, and to our present House of Windsor. There was a Judah royal house in these islands 580 years at least before David, of Pharez-Judah, was king in Palestine.
The ancient Celts, Picts, Scots and Britons contained a large proportion of Judah from Shelah and Zarah, and these were centuries later joined by a large section of Dan, the 'Tuatha de Danaan', the coming of whom is well known to history.
About the year 580 B.C. the daughter of Zedekiah, of the House of David, was brought to Ireland by Jeremiah the prophet, and was married to the chief Irish king, Eochaidh, who was descended from Calcol, of Zarah-Judah, as we have shown above.
In this manner the House of David was transferred from Pharez-Judah to Zarah-Judah in preparation for the great developments which were to follow later.
By this record two important facts also emerge:
1. The Scottish nation, to which the House of David came from Ireland, contained the descendants of Zarah, who ought to have received the family birthright instead of Pharez.
Scotland therefore was the official Judah nation containing the Throne of David at the time of the Union of Scotland and England under James I.
2. By this Union the two Houses of Israel and Judah came together under the House of David, and the first stage was reached in fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy of the two sticks.
The House of David came into the Union with the Scottish or Judah section, as might be expected.
The real name of James I was Jacob, and the flag of the Union became known as the Union of Jacobus, or Union Jack, and we therefore nationally celebrate the union of the two Houses of Jacob, though we have not understood the real meaning of the event.
from this study it will be gathered:
1. That the bribe of Judah was only one-third of the family of Judah.
2. That a large proportion of the Ulster and Scottish people are of pure Judah stock.
3. That most of Judah are not Jews.
4. That the scepter has always been in the hand of Judah.
5. That the breach which took place at the birth of Zarah and Pharez was remedied when the House of David came to Ireland.
6. That it was quite in harmony with God's plan for the House of David to move from Ireland to Scotland, thence to England.
7. That the Throne of David never went into captivity to Babylon but came direct to the appointed place where the reunion of the Israel tribes was to take place.
8. That the union of official Judah under the House of David could not take place with the House of Israel until the Angles, Danes, Saxons, Jutes and Normans had been welded into a nation in the isles.
9. That God, therefore, first assembled the ten tribes and re-formed them into a nation before He could reunite them with Judah and the House of David.
But this is only a step in the great fulfillment. The joining of the two sticks has begun, but is far from its completion. In many lands there are members of the House of Judah, for this stick represents the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with many of Levi.
A large portion of Benjamin came to Britain with the Normans in 1066, but probably some of this tribe remain in Scandinavia and other portions of Wester Europe.
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COURT ORDER BOOK 1842 - 1848, Page 456
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 4 - Nov 1996, page 17]
The page from the Wythe County, Virginia Court Order Book was sent by Pearle C. Woods. The information in this document is quite interesting and it tells a lot about the family it concerns.
Wednesday 16 Sept 1846, Virginia
"At a Court continued and held for Wythe County at the Courthouse on Wednesday 16th September 1846 . . .
It was proven in open Court and to the satisfaction of the Court that Hugh McGavock, late of the County of Wythe and State aforesaid and a pensioner of the United States for services as an officer of the Virginia State line in the War of the Revolution, died in said County of Wythe, on the 2nd day of April 1844, leaving no widow; but leaving nine children, whose names are as follows, to wit, Joseph McGavock; Jacob McGavock; Robert McGavock; Hugh McGavock; Randal McGavock; Sally McGavock; Polly Cloyd, wife of Thomas Cloyd; Eliza Ewing, wife of Andrew B. Ewing; Margaret McNutt, wife of Samuel H. McNutt - that the said Margaret McNutt has died since the death of her father leaving her husband & several children: that said Hugh McGavock, deceased also had another son named James McGavock, who died prior to the death of his father leaving a widow and several children - and that his said son Randal McGavock alone, qualified as Executor of said Hugh McGavock deceased and is now sole acting Executor.
Ordered that court be adjourned till Court in cause.
The early court records for some of the counties where the Ewings lived before 1776 could hold the answer to some of our unanswered questions. Those records are not indexed and the records have to be read to find the information.
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Editor's note. How many genealogy questions does the above record answer or verify for someone doing research? Take a moment to consider the above document and write down your answers.
Following is the list of answers that I came up with:
1. Hugh McGavock lived in Wythe county, Virginia.
2. Hugh McGavock was an officer in War of the Revolution and was a pensioner. This would indicate a pension file is available for research.
3. Hugh McGavock died 2 April 1844.
4. His wife had preceded him in death since he left no widow.
5. His ten children are named including a son, James, that preceded him in death.
6. James was also married and he left several children.
7. Identifies the husbands by name for the two daughters that are married.
8. Margaret McNutt, a daughter, has died since the death of her father.
9. Margaret McNutt has seven children.
10. Randall McGavock is the executor of the estate.
Eliza [McDowell] McGavock was married to [Dr.] Andrew B.4 Ewing (William3, Andrew2, William1).
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EWING MARTIN (1896 - 1995)
[Journal of Clan Ewing, Vol 2 No. 4 - Nov 1996, page 20]
[Source: A typed copy of the funeral service was sent in by William M. Ewing of Tulsa, Oklahoma.]
Eulogy
Ewing Martin was born to Thomas A. Martin and May Idella Ewing Martin on August 3, 1896. Thomas and May grew up together in Adrian, Texas. About 50 miles east of Dallas. They married and started a family. Thomas was a jack of all trades; he was a farmer, rancher, owned a country store which furnished the people of the surrounding area with groceries, dry goods, hardware, and other assorted needs. Thomas and May also owned the cotton gin for the community. May had the tough job of staying home and taking care of all the Martin children. There were eleven children in all, but two of the boys died when they were just infants.
In the fall of 1900 some of Thomas' friends made a horseback trip to Indian Territory. While hunting they met a man from Hickory, Indian Territory and found out that he was anxious to trade his property there for property in Texas. After the friends returned home they told Thomas about meeting this man and gave him the man's name and address. After the exchange of a couple of letters they agreed on a trade sight unseen. The two men talked and decided they would just trade businesses, homes, and even the furniture in their homes. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well with May. May jokingly said, "Why didn't you just trade your wife and children as well." Later in life, Ewing asked his dad the same question, "When we made that move why didn't you just go ahead and trade the children also?" Thomas said, "I would have, but he didn't have as many kids as I do."
On December 15, 1900, the family loaded up their three covered wagons in the dead of winter with their children, their belongings, and their livestock. They headed out on a 250 mile trek to Indian Territory. When the Martin family made the long and difficult trip there were five children. Eula, who was the oldest -- Jewel, Sally, Ewing, and Gertrude. Eula drove a wagon, May's brothers herded the 50 cattle and horses, and even little three-year-old Ewing held the reigns as the family moved on across the Red River.
They were on the road nine days. Making their way 250 miles in December was almost more than they could handle. They suffered from long days and cold nights. They had trouble at night with the horses pulling up their stakes and wandering away. The cattle were usually tired from the days journey and were ready to bed down for the night. Ewing's grandmother had given his sister, Jewel, a bantam hen to take along for the trip. The men fastened a little coup for her on the side of one of the wagons. One night the hen got out and the next morning everyone was searching for the little hen. She was finally found and the family loaded up and headed out.
When the family reached the Red River they had to cross on a small ferryboat -- one wagon at a time. While the men were taking the cattle across a few at a time one of the prized cows fell into the river. One of the men jumped into the river and saved the cow so that it didn't drift down stream. Finally, after nine days on the trail the family made it to their new home in Hickory.
When the family arrived in Hickory, in Indian Territory, they found out the family who was moving out of the home had been struck with smallpox and so it would be too dangerous to move the Martin family in right away. This was quite a blow to May. They had arrived one day before Christmas and May had secretly planned a Christmas Eve for the five children. Friends and relatives had sent along a big box of fruits, candy, nuts, and toys for everyone to enjoy. The Martins were graciously invited by a neighbor just down the road to share their home. For several days the Martins moved in with their new next door neighbor. They had a great Christmas and before New Years day the family was able to move into their new home. When the family finally did get to move-in Thomas found himself back in hot water as May thought the furniture was rickety and the house wasn't as large as the one in Texas. Thomas, in order to cheer May up, promised to buy new furniture for the house.
There was no grocery or drygoods store in Hickory so the family had to drive 20 miles to a new town, Davis, on the newly finished Sante Fe Railway twice each month to buy groceries and clothing. Because of the long trip by wagon, Thomas decided to organize the Indian Trading Co. He built a nice stone building and opened for business what became a famous trading place for the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians who had been moved to the area and given allotments of land.
After a year or so in the new location with the trading company, cotton gin, and ranch, Ewing's father and some of the men set their sights on the old frame school house. They decided to pool their resources and build a two story stone school house on the highest rocky point in town. All of the kids went through school in that building and Jewel even taught there. Thomas served on the Board of Education until the family moved to Porter, Oklahoma. In 1920, Ewing's father sold his home in Porter and bought a home in Britton.
At the Martin farm, Ewing and his brothers worked in the field and the girls worked around the house. Ewing graduated from high school and headed off to college at what is today called Oklahoma State University. Ewing worked to get his degree in Education and he excelled. All of the Martin kids were deeply concerned with education and utilizing the minds God had given them was very important.
When Ewing graduated he worked in Okmulgee for a time as a banker. While he was working at the bank, Jessie Lee remembers how Ewing sent her a beautiful sweater in the mail. Jessie Lee was still in high school and to receive such a nice gift from her brother meant the world to her.
Ewing worked for awhile at Webster Junior High in Oklahoma City. Ewing taught science, but he was able to teach many subjects. Ewing was able to speak five languages and he had a mind which was curious and eager to learn from all fields. I spoke with Mary Nave, a member of Britton Christian Church, and she told me that she was in Ewing's class. She remembers seeing Ewing in the halls at school -- tall, dignified, and always immaculately dressed.
During the Second World War Ewing signed on as an officer in the American Red Cross. Ewing worked with the front line troops and on one occasion he accompanied the men who were the first to make it to Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
After the war, Ewing came back home and became the principal of Classen High School where he loved working with the kids. Later Ewing would serve the Oklahoma City School District as an administrator. Even after Ewing retired from education he continued to work with students and oftentimes was called upon to help tutor the children of wealthy Oklahomans who wanted heir kids to be accepted to prestigious Ivy League schools. Judge Blakeney, who was an esteemed Oklahoma Judge, hired Ewing to tutor his son Ben for a period of time. The two struck up a friendship that would last for many years.
Ewing would later travel to Japan where Ben represented Tojo in the war trials. Later Ben and his wife were killed in a plane crash on Mount Fuji and Ewing was called upon to be the executor of Ben's will.
Ewing was not just held in high esteem by his family and those who knew him best, he was respected by many people throughout the state.
After he retire from education Ewing decided he wanted to sell real estate. It seems that his father's trading blood flowed in his veins. Ewing was quite an entrepreneur throughout his days.
Ewing loved to travel. He traveled throughout the world, but he would on several occasions travel with his sister Jewel to France where her husband who was killed during the war was buried. He traveled extensively in the United States including Alaska and Hawaii and in Canada and Mexico. Ewing went to many European cities. In Asia he traveled to Calcutta, New Delhi and to Agra to visit the magnificent Taj Mahal. In China he went to Hong Kong and Kowloon. In Thailand he visited Bangkok and other cities. In the Phillipines he visited Manilla and in Japan he visited Yokohama, Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto. Ewing went on two occasions to Guam. In Africa he visited places like Algiers, Morocco and Egypt where he visited Alexandria and Cairo where he visited the miraculous pyramids.
Ewing loved to travel, he loved to learn, and he loved to teach, but simply put, Ewing Martin was man who loved people of all ages. I believe from my relationship with Ewing that his love for people came from his deep love for the Lord. Ewing has been a leader in this church in every conceivable way imaginable, giving leadership and guidance to the members so that we could be as healthy and strong of a congregation as we are today.
Ewing's vision of the glory of the Kingdom of God couldn't be contained by the walls of one little church. He told me on more than one occasion that he donated money to Phillips University so that ministers could receive a quality education. Ewing believed that the local pastor was vitally important for the future of the church and that no pastor should be expected to carry the heavy load of leadership without a quality education.
Along with Ewing's passion for education and travel he was also an incredible story-teller. Anyone who knew Ewing was familiar with the endless stories he could tell. Charles told me on Wednesday that he oftentimes wondered if his uncle was embellishing a little bit until las summer when Charles came from Virginia to visit.
Charles had often heard of the stone house in Hickory that Ewing's father had built his mother. It seems that little house the Martins moved into when they arrived in Hickory would suffice so Thomas so Thomas built May a custom built home out of stone. After he finished his work which was done in secret, Thomas took May to see their new home. Thomas was so proud, but May was horrified when she toured the new home and found that Thomas had not built a kitchen anywhere in their new house. Thomas had to build a wooden leanto kitchen to keep the marriage intact.
Charles had wondered, since he had never been to Hickory, so he asked Ewing last year if they could go to Hickory. They made the drive to the now overgrown little town called Hickory. Sitting out in a field, overgrown with weeds and trees was a small stone house with a wooden shack attached. So came to an end the wondering concerning the sources and validity of Uncle Ewing's stories.
I have known Ewing since I arrived at Britton Christian Church in 1990. I have heard his stories and marveled at his many experiences, but I have been most impressed with his deep faith in God. Ewing Martin was a man that all of us would do well to emulate. His passion for people, his love for the Lord, and his willingness to use his resources to forward the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are all aspects of his life which have left a deep impression on my life and I'm sure your life as well.
Even though at the age of 99, Ewing has now gone home to be with his Heavenly Father, his impact on so many lives on as we continue the legacy of love and commitment which has been handed down to us.
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