Notes
Note for: Mary McNEIL, 25 DEC 1771 - JUN 1858 Index
Burial:
Date: 1858
Place: Grave Location Unknown; Marker in Ewing Cemetery, Huntington Township, Gallia County, Ohio
Notes
Note for: Jonathan EWING, 1 AUG 1790 - Index
Note: [McNutt7.FTW]
JONATHAN EWING written in 1905
* This was copied from the George & Barbara Winkleman McCumber family
tree book, where some locations were listed as WEST Virginia. However,
West Virginia did not become a separate state until 1861. States listed
before that date will be referred to in these Ewing Bios as VIRGINIA.
In the mountains of Virginia, in Greenbrier County, near the present site
of Buckeye, Pocahontas Co., was located the home of William Ewing, son of
James Ewing who was Captain of the Augusta Co.,Virginia militia during
the Revolutionary War. He and his wife, Mary McNeil, made their start in
life together Nov.16, 1785, and built their home on Swago Creek, near
that of their kindred , for at that time it was well to be within call in
cases of emergency. It was here that they raised a part, at least of
their family, ten boys and two girls, making up the number when complete.
Sometime about the beginning of the century, the tide of emigration began
to flow from the mountains of the Greenbrier region to the lands lying
across the Ohio River. John Ewing (the Indian captive), brother of
William Ewing, who moved to Ohio in 1801, was doubtless instrumental, if
not the leader, in this movement. He was followed by various members of
the family, relatives and friends at different times until in 1810, Wm.
Ewing and family came to cast their lot among children settled in and
near Ewington, Gallia Co., Ohio. Among other property, the family of Wm.
Ewing brought ten "muley cows" with them from Virginia. Here Wm. Ewing
died Oct.07,1822 at the age of 66 years.
The third child of Wm. Ewing, born Aug.01, 1790 was named Jonathan. He
came with his father to Ohio in 1810, being at that time 20 years of age.
Afterward, probably before his marriage, he made a trip back to Virginia
on horseback, in company with Mrs. Rebecca Woods, she being a descendant
of the Ewings through another branch.
Jan. 11, 1817, Jonathan Ewing and Margaret McMillen, who, also had lived
in Greenbrier Co., VA were married and founded their home near Ewington,
Ohio, where they lived 32 years. Here they raised their family of eight
children.
In the spring of 1822, fire swept them from their home and all they had
in it, leaving them to begin anew the battle for the welfare and comfort
of themselves and little family. But true to the spirit which enabled
more than Ewing to overcome difficulties, he set to work to build another
house, which when completed, became their home while they lived in Ohio.
In the fall of 1845, Jonathan Ewing, with a barrel full of dried apples,
and in company with his third daughter, Electa, made a trip to Fulton and
Whiteside Counties in Illinois, where his daughter, Sarah and her
husband, Wm. Aleshire, and other relatives had settled.
From Fulton Co., they with Wm. Aleshire, went to visit relatives on Rock
River, Whiteside County. While on this visit, Jonathan Ewing and Rueben
Thompson went to Davenport, Iowa, to visit Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Rowe-she
being a step-sister of Mr. Thompson and niece of Margaret Ewing.
On arriving there they found both Mr. Rowe and wife away from home, so
they proceeded to make themselves comfortable and prepared to spend the
night. They cared for their horses and made beds for themselves before
the fire and went to sleep. Sometime during the night, Mr. and Mrs. Rowe
came home and finding men asleep in his house, he at once begin
preparations for an attack against the intruders, but, woman- like, his
wife, Emily, began investigations in another direction, which soon
resulted in the identification of the strangers and possibly saved the
life of the subject of this sketch. She went to the stable to see if she
could find some horses that she knew, and on her return, we can only
imagine how she relieved her husband's anxiety by the information that
only kindred had invaded their domicile. Thus ended the nearest an
adventure of serious difficulty in which his living children remember
Jonathan Ewing ever to have been engaged. From this fact, we must
conclude that he was a mild, peaceful citizen of the community in which
he lived. Sometime in the fall of 1846, before the river froze up, he
returned to Ohio.
On Sept. 10, 1849, he with his wife and children, George W. and Lucetta,
and one married daughter, Fidelia, who had married Phineas Matthews, and
her family, moved in wagons to Illinois. They arrived Oct.01, 1849, and
settled in Hancock, Co., near Burnside, where he lived until Sept.03,
1850, when he died of a congestive chill, aged 60. He lies buried in a
cemetary near where he died. His wife, Margaret survived him 34 years,
dying June 14,1884, at the age of 87 years and was buried in the cemetary
near Carthage, IL.
Jonathan Ewing was a man who could do almost anything. In those days, men
had to make many things for themselves and families which now can more
easily be purchased ready-made. While it kept a man busy it developed
skill in many directions. He could spin, weave, knit and sew on his own
buttons when necessary. He farmed, made tar, made shoes, horse collars,
split brooms, shuttles, lasts and ox-yokes and taught school if a teacher
was sick or absent. He taught some of his daughters to knit. His
daughter, Electa, relates that he taught her how to turn the "back seam"
in a stocking--her mother turning it too fast for her to learn from her
how to do it.
When working for others he was modest in his charges, he would make a
pair of shoes for a man for a day's work and board himself and the man,
too, while he was doing it. He never held a higher office than school
director and was not a member of any secret order or church. Religiously
he and his wife were firm believers in the Universal Salvation of
mankind, and strictly observed the Sabbath Day.
In politics he was a Whig and frequently attended political meetings,
often taking his daughters with him, as well as escorting them to other
places of interest and amusement. He was never pressed into service for
his country, as at sometime in his life he had the "white swelling" in
one leg which disbarred him from such service.
At the time in which he lived he had a good education, being the best
scholar of the family and equal to any of them in intelligence. He was
good in mathematics, reading and spelling, and a plain,even writer.
Specimens of his penmanship today show the same evenness and other marks
that characterize the handwriting of so many of the descendants of both
John and William Ewing. It is remarkable that such a similarity can be
traced after so many generations but it is a fact neverless. It is said
of Indian John Ewing (his uncle) that he could write so straight and
evenly across the page that it could be ruled as easily after, as before
the writing had been done.
Superstition does not enter into the make-up of the Ewing family so far
back as history or tradition takes us, so of course Jonathan Ewing was
not afraid to plant his crops in his fields and vegetables in his garden
when he got ready instead of in the moon, as so many people are at this
day. When hunting for water, he used a spade rather than a forked stick,
and the bugs would drop off of his hams just as well if he hung the hocks
up as if he hung them down. Among his descendants, this freedom from
superstition is found, they taking no stock in hobgoblins, spooks,
ghosts, etc., and if a graveyard lies along their way they can pass by it
after night as easily as their ancestors did in days gone by.
In the time of Jonathan Ewing, the use of whiskey was common and almost
every man was expected to use it as he would bread, yet he never used to
excess and was never drunk. He chewed tobacco but did not smoke. (his
wife smoked)
In his dealings with his fellow man, he practiced uprightness and
honesty, doing unto others as he would that they should do to him, so
consquently he often lost in a pecuniary sense in his trades, because he
sold just what he represented; for instance, his neighbors as well as
himself made tar for sale, some of whom adulterated it, making it thicker
than the pure tar. When they sent it to Cincinnati to market, the
adulterated tar brought more than the pure tar, and those who were honest
did not receive as much for their labor as those who were less
conscientious.
Matrimonially, the descendants of Jonathan Ewing have been unusually
fortunate, enough so, at any rate, that the divorce courts do not figure
in their lives nor flourish by their patronage, and the men have all, so
far as we know, retained the covering God gave them, the baldness being
unknown in the family.
The descendants of the Ewing family have embraced many shades of
religious beliefs, and it is not known that any one went so far as to
doubt the existence of the Creator, yet none have risen so high as to
proclaim the Word of God from his sanctuary.
It has been a source of family pride, that no serious disgrace has ever
been attached to the name of any member of the family and that in points
of intelligence and education they have always been equal to, and often
superior, to the average of the community in which they lived.
They have engaged in many callings in life, and while none have been
wealthy, they as a class have been good livers, being content with plenty
of the necessities of life and enjoying luxuries as they came within
their reach.
Written by Mary Howell Finegan in 1905
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CHILDREN OF JONATHAN EWING & MARGARET McMILLIN
Sarah b Nov 16, 1817 d July 17, 1890- m Wm Aleshire, Dec 31, 1837
Mary A. b Dec 12, 1819 d Jan 23, 1874- m Wm.H.H. McCumber Dec 10, 1843
Electa J. b June 24, 1822 d after 1905 m- John Ewing Howell, Jan 30, 1848
Fidelia b Mar 16, 1825 d Sept 24, 1875 - m Phineas Matthews April 7, 1844
William A. b Mar 3, 1828 d July 31, 1828
Edward A. b June 25, 1829 d Jan 15, 1853
George Washington b May 29, 1833 d after 1905- m Eunice Cox , Jan--1858
Margaret Lucetta b Jan 23, 1837 d Oct 11, 1896- m Reuben Cravens. Jan 28,
1855
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