Virginia Sanders  Mylius

<gmylius@charter.net>   ·
Birmingham, AL    



Complete notes and sources available upon request.

The Ewing Family, continued (page 5)

The Early Ewing’s.... children of William Ewing II

SAMUEL EWING (our direct ancestor), whom I will call the 3rd son of William and “Ann,” was born calculated 1699/1705 in the Diocese of Raphoe, (Ulster) County Donegal, Ireland; died Sept/Oct 1758 Fork Creek, Prince Edward County, VA.      He came to America with his brothers Nathaniel, John, Joshua and James, in 1727.   He first settled in Cecil County, Maryland, but sometime after 1738 he moved to Amelia County (later became Prince Edward Co.), Virginia.  The first recorded deed, dated 17 May 1745, Deed Book 2, pages I42-I44, shows that Samuel bought land on Fort Creek in that county.  

Samuel was made a Justice of the Court of Prince Edward County in 1753.   His wife was named Margaret in his Will.   Samuel died October 1758 and Margaret died 1770 while they lived on Fort Creek in said county.   Their children are all believed to have been born in Cecil County, Maryland.   

Samuel's birth is based on Cecil County, Maryland Land Commissioners records 1724-1751 in a deposition dated October 28, 1736, he stated he is about 31 years of age. Samuel died between the date of his will 13 Sep 1758 and when the will was proven in court 10 Oct 1758. Samuel moved to Amelia County, Virginia and that area became Prince Edward County, Virginia in 1746.

Samuel Ewing was in Amelia County, Virginia by 1744. Based on land records, Samuel is the first of the half-brothers to purchase land in Amelia County, Virginia. It would appear that 1744 would be the earliest that a half-brother of Nathaniel would have had an opportunity to come back to Cecil County, Maryland for a visit.  

Prince Edward County, Virginia Deed Book 3 pages 448-450   [This is land the heirs of Samuel, an immigrant and half-brother to Nathaniel, and Margaret Ewing are selling.)

"This Indenture made this fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy ~ Between George Ewing, Alexander Ewing, William Ewing and Jane Ewing, John Caldwell and Ellinor Caldwell, James Ewing Jr and Margaret Ewing and Ann Ewing of Prince Edward and Botetourt County in the Colony of Virginia of the one part and John Thompson, Smith, and Abraham Thompson of Prince Edward County . . . for and in the consideration of one hundred and twenty pounds current money of Virginia . . . one certain tract or parcel of land on both sides of the North Fork of Fort Creek containing by estimation three hundred and ninety five acres. . . ."

When Jane Ewing signed the deed she used her mark. It is true in many cases, the men received some education and were usually able to sign their name and the women did not receive any education and were not able to sign their name.   Based on the short time line presented above, the power-of-attorney, and the above deed information, I wonder when Jane and William Ewing got married. It appears that Jane's father, Samuel Ewing, had moved to Virginia by 1745 and we know that William was living in Cecil County, Maryland in 1750, when he purchased land, and in 1759 when he executed the power-of-attorney to his brother-in-law, Andrew Porter {3849}. If they married before Jane's family moved, she would have been about thirteen years old and William would have been about sixteen years old. That does not appear to be very likely.

We know from deeds recorded in 1750 in Cecil County that William was a resident there. Is this a case of two people being in love and then separated by a few hundred miles based on Jane's family moving to Virginia? Since they had no children, we can not use the birth of a child to estimate when Jane and William married. We can assume that they married at a very young age or William went to Virginia to get his bride after her family had moved to Amelia County.

Based on some transactions recorded in the county records, we know that there was some traveling done between different areas at this time. We do not have any diaries that tell us more about the families. Since a number of relatives moved from the Maryland and Pennsylvania area to Virginia, there could have been more traveling between the two areas than what we might expect based on the kind of transportation they had to use. All of the families were farmers, therefore, they had some time that they could be away from home for a period of time after planting or harvesting the crops except for the farm animals that had to be looked after.
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"Ewing in Early America," in Chapter XXIV - The Land Commission Books of Maryland were quoted where Depositions were taken from Joshua Ewing, Samuel Ewing and James Ewing and their ages were given by the clerk who recorded it. The age of the above Samuel Ewing was given as "about 31" on 28 October 1736 indicating he was born about 1705. He was about a year younger than Joshua Ewing and about 7 years older than  James Ewing.  Nathaniel Ewing signed the Deposition record and we know he was born in 1693, and he was 43 years old in 1736.

Lancaster Co., PA was created from Chester Co., PA in 1729 and all townships in PA prior to that date were in either Bucks Co., Philadelphia Co. or Chester Co. In 1725 Samuel Ewing was in what was called, then, West Nottingham Twp., Chester Co., PA but on the same Tax Record are the Sidwell family who were, later, definitely in Cecil Co., MD (boundaries were changing fast), and the Oldhams and the Gatchells. Near Samuel Ewing was  Joseph Frazier whose wife was  Eleanor Ewing thought to be a sister to  Alexander Ewing died 1738 in Cecil Co., MD.  Alexander "Sr" on the East Nottingham, Chester Co., PA tax record for 1728. He purchased part of THE LEVELL on 26 Oct 1731 and moved there shortly after to Octoraro Hundred, Cecil Co., MD and had been baptised in Burt Congregation Church on 18 January 1679/80. See Chapter XXIII.

See Chapter XXII- in which are excerpts from LANCASTER CO. PA QUARTER SESSIONS ABSTRACTS (1729-1742) BOOK I. Samuel Ewing was, on the August Session of the Court in 1734 on a Grand Inquest. Serving with him were John Caldwell and James Alexander who went also to Amelia Co., VA., and Robert Love a neighbor of Nathaniel Ewing. Little Britain twp. Lancaster Co. was created in 1737 and in 1738, August Session of the Court Samuel Ewing and James Ewing were "of Little Britain twp." and were four of the six men who signed a petition "of divers inhabitants of Little Britain twp. for a road to be altered from Henry Reynolds Mill to Octoraro Creek." Samuel Ewing was one of four reporting back 7 Nov 1738. At the same Court he was, again, selected to serve on a Grand Inquest.  Robert Gillespie (who had married  Frances "Franke" Ewing daughter of  Mary Ewing Tavern owner) and Patrick Gillespie (who had witnessed the Will of Mary Ewing with James Ewing) all went to Amelia/Prince Edward Co., Va. at the same time. [See Chapter V].

1. 1744, 17 May, Amelia Co., Va. Deed Book 2 page 142:
"To Samuel Ewing from Edward Brifwat(sic Braithwate) 238 ½ acres of land standing on the side of Fort Creek by  James Alexander's land. [See Chapter XXVIII re James Ewing who bought part of the land James Alexander had also purchased from Edw. Braithwaite]. The deed was signed by Edw. Braford (sic Braithwaite) with an "x" and by Brigt. Brafford (sic Braithwaite) with an "x". It stated that buyer Samuel Ewing obtained possession on 17 May 1745, that would be a year after the purchase.

2. 1746, 12 January, Amelia Co., VA
 " William Gooch, Esq., Lt. Governor of VA. to Samuel Ewing in consideration of 40 Shillings do give grant and confirm unto him a tract or parcel of land containing 395 acres on both sides of the North Fork of Fort Creek bounded by his corner and west to Cobbs corner then to Harden's line east to Wallace's corner to the beginning."  (VA. PATENTS 1746 pp597-99).

3. 1747, September Court, Amelia Co., Va. Will Book D page 44 (from Wills 1735-1761)
 " Francis Baldwin's Estate was Inventoried and Appraised and probated in above court." Appraisers were Samuel Ewing,  Samuel Wallace and James Ewing.
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1759, 12 December - Prince Edward County VA. Deed Book 2 page 17:
“William Ewing, Jr. of State of Maryland gives his Power of Attorney to Andrew Porter of Prince Edward Co., VA to act for him in the settlement of the estate of Samuel Ewing.” [Note: As will be seen below Jane/Jean Ewing is daughter of Samuel Ewing and wife of William Jr. of MD. Margaret (Ewing) Porter wife of Andrew Porter is sister to William Ewing, Jr. and the John Porter and Andrew Porter families moved to Amelia/Prince Edward Counties in VA the same time as the others.]
• 1761, 10 March - Prince Edward Co., VA Deed Book 2 page 41: “Alexander Ewing to George Ewing, Jr. 25 acres for £30 land on Fort Creek part of 300 acres Alexander purchased of Samuel and Esther Wallace 5 May 1753.”
• 1763, 16 May - Prince Edward Co., VA Deed Book 2 page 155: “Alexander Ewing to Pugh Price, Sr. 47 acres for £18 land by Wallace’s line and Harden’s line.”
• 1770, 14 April - Prince Edward Co., VA Deed Book 3 page 448:  George Ewing, Alexander Ewing, William Ewing and Jane Ewing, John Caldwell and Ellener Caldwell, James Ewing, Jr. and Margaret Ewing and Ann Ewing of Prince Edward County in the Colony of Virginia, all of One Part, and John Thompson, (smith) and Abraham Thompson, of Prince Edward County, VA. of the other part for £120 do sell 395 acres of land on both sides of the North Fork of Fort Creek.” /witnesses/ Samuel Wallace, Joseph Parks, John Caldwell and Andrew Wallace. Rachel Ewing, wife of Alexander was in Botetourt Co. and men were sent to obtain her right of dower.

Wife, Margaret, of Samuel Ewing has died and children are selling his land as per his will. Names of his children are underlined in the Deed as is copied here. This is the Land Grant Samuel Ewing received in 1746-Patent from the Lt. Gov. of VA. for 395 acres.  From this deed we know that daughter of Samuel Ewing, Jane Ewing, was the wife of William Ewing, Jr. of Cecil Co., MD (a son of Alexander Ewing died 1738 subject of Chapter XXIII). Daughter, Eleanor (spelled Alener in Will) Ewing Caldwell married John Caldwell. Daughter Margaret Ewing had married James Ewing, Jr. twin to Dr. John Ewing both born 1732 in Cecil Co., MD to Nathaniel Ewing (1693-1748). We can conclude that Margaret who married James Ewing, Jr. was NOT a daughter of Joshua Ewing who died 1754 in Cecil Co., MD.

• 1770, 19 November - Prince Edward Co., VA Deed Book 4 page 153: “George Ewing, Jr. and wife, Eleanor sell to Samuel Goode, Jr. 292 acres on Fort Creek willed to George Ewing, Jr. by his father, Samuel Ewing.” [They are moving away.]

• 1772, 2 March – Fincastle Co., Va. Deed (no book #) page 61: “Alexander Caldwell sold to William Ewing” (he is husband of Jane Ewing, daughter of deceased, 1758, Samuel Ewing and son of deceased, 1738 Alexander Ewing in Cecil Co., MD.)

• 1773, 2 January - Prince Edward Co., VA. “Samuel Ewing married Mary Daniel ‘with approval of George Ewing, father’.”

1774, 1 April - Fincastle Co., VA pages 54-56. Robert Sayers to Samuel Ewing for £190, 650 acres granted to Humberstone Lyon in 1750. [Humberstone Lyon was in W. Nottingham twp. in 1725/6. Samuel Ewing is youngest son of Alexander Ewing (died 1738) and who had married Mary Purnal, a widow.]

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Samuel Ewing's Will, dated 13 September 1758, Prince Edward Co., VA
Will Book I, page 17

In the name of God Amen, I Samuel Ewing of Prince Edward County, Virginia, being sick of body and of perfect mind and memory thank be given to Almighty God, and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of al I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors, not doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God.  And touching such worldly estate wherewith it hat pleased God to bless me, my lawful debts being first paid, I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and ford:
ITEM:  I give and bequeath to my son George Ewing and his heirs forever two hundred & thirty eight acres of land whereon my said son now lives, for which I have a deed from Edward Brawhite.
ITEM:  I give to my beloved wife Margaret Ewing the land whereon I now live during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided at the discretion of my executors amongst my six children and their heirs forever.
ITEM:  I give to my beloved wife all my Negroes during her life, and after her decease I give to my son Alexander Ewing and his heirs forever one Negro named Charles.
ITEM:  I give to my son George Ewing and his heirs forever one Negro wench named Fanny and if the said wench continues to breed until she has four children them four to be divided betwixt my four daughters to wit:  Jane, Elener (sic), Margaret, Ann, to them and their heirs forever.  
ITEM:  I give to my daughter Ann Ewing twelve pounds current money if she marries to the liking of her two brothers.
ITEM:  I give to my grandson Samuel Ewing, son of Alexander, 5 lbs.
ITEM:  I give to my grandson Samuel Ewing, son of George Ewing, 5 lbs.
ITEM:  I give to my grandson Samuel Caldwell five pounds.
My will is that all the rest of my estate be equally divided at the discretion of my executors amongst all my children, and I do constitute and appoint my sons George & Alexander Ewing my Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made, ratifying & confirming this my last will & testament.  
 In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 13th day of September, 1758.  SAMUEL EWING (seal)    
Signed, sealed & delivered in presence of:  
James Ewing (his son-in-law)
Nathaniel Ewing

“At a court held for Prince Edward Co. the 10 October 1758 the Will of Samuel Ewing, deceased was presented in Court by George and Alexander Ewing, Executors, and proved by oaths of Witnesses and ordered to be recorded.”      /signed/ John LeNeve, Clerk.

James Ewing, witness, is probably the son of Nathaniel Ewing (b 1693) and twin of Dr. John Ewing both born 1732. Nathaniel Ewing, witness, is probably the youngest son of Joshua Ewing who died 1753 in Cecil Co., MD.  This Nathaniel, son of Joshua, was born about 1740/41 and would have been 18 in 1758.

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We have mentioned before the intermarriages of one Ewing family into another, i.e. cousins marrying cousins and brother and sister of one family marrying sister and brother of another.  It is extremely prevalent in this particular family, the Nathaniel Ewing family (Porter/Ewing) the Joshua Ewing family (Porter and Craig), the Ann Ewing Gillespie family and husband George Gillespie.   They moved in groups to new lands. It is all so very interesting, (and confusing!!!).

There is a Ewing-McClure cemetery in Virginia:   Ewing-McClure Cemetery - Started by Ewing family abt 1776.  I believe in Dinwittie or Lee County.  But these are the only burials I have been able to find there!   I have posted queries about the cemetery, but obtained no further information.  

Alexander P. LITTON
b. 6 Feb 1853
d. 6 Feb 1922, Lee Co., VA
bur. Ewing-McClure Cemetery, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA

Mary Elizabeth R. HERNDON
rel.  b. 10 Nov 1855
d. 26 Jan 1935, Lee Co., VA
bur. Ewing-McClure Cemetery, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA

Ballard W. LITTON  (Alexander & Elizabeth's son)
b. 26 Feb 1886, Lee Co., VA
d. 11 Mar 1911, Lee Co., VA
bur. Ewing-McClure Cemetery, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA

George Leonard LITTON  (Alexander & Elizabeth's son)
b. 21 Aug 1892, Lee Co., VA
d. 14 Mar 1922, Lee Co., VA
bur. Ewing-McClure Cemetery, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA

Edd STANDIFER
b. September 22, 1893;
d. January 5, 1995
Son of John and Arlena Ball Weddle Standifer
husband of 1. Juney Greer Standifer 2. Kitty Goins Standifer

Kitty Goins STANDIFER
born October 18. 1907;
d. May 14, 1971
Daughter of Howard and Lolan Goins; 2.w/o Edd Standifer

   Their children discussed in further detail on Ewing Family, pg 7

William Ewing (III) was born ca 1700 in Ulster, Ireland son of William & his wife.  He died 1782 in Prince Edward County, VA.    Left Scotland for Ireland at age 8 and to America at age 25. From Ireland, William came to America in abt 1725 and first settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  Owned property in Philadelphia where he attended school for three years. Married his school teacher. Later he went to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia in 1742 and purchased 600 acres in Rockingham County.  His first land purchase was in 1742 near Harrisonburg. (A water bottle is supposed to have survived his ocean voyage and have been in the possession of Phoebe Ewing).  William died in Virginia.  His widow and children (at least some of them) removed to Georgia. One of the grandsons and perhaps others of the family went to Texas.    Tradition holds that his father told him: "My lad, your oldest brother inherits the patrimony and the title. Go to America and seek an honest fortune in the greater opportunities of a new country. Aye, remember, lad, you are a son of a worthy Scoth Baron."

William Ewing, great grandfather of William Davis Ewing, M.D., married a Miss Shannon in the State of Pennsylvania. The family ancester is traced to the 17th century when they resided near Glascowm,  Scotland and being Calvinists in faith and persecuted by the followers of James II, took refuge in Londonderry, Ireland about the time of the accession of King William of Orange, and took part in the memorable siege of Londonderry enduring its incidental hardships. This was prior to the year of 1690. The family sought a home in the "New World", settling in Berks County, Pennsylvania. William lived in Berks County and at one time owned a portion of the land on which the city of Philadelphia now stands. He moved to Rockingham County in 1741 and a patent for land was issued to him in 1742. He lived to an old age,  and himself and wife always tetained the peculiar Scoth brogue, his dress was unchanged, retaining the short breeches and knee buckles.

He married Catherine [———?———]. She was born about 1713. Catherine died before 20 Jan 1783. William’s will was dated 24 April 1782 and was recorded for probate 16 July 1782 in Prince Edward County, Virginia.

4)   Samuel EWING - In his will William states: “I . . . give unto my son, Samuel Ewing, all the tract of land I now live on to him and his heirs forever only my beloved wife, Catherine, is to live on the plantation all her life.”  

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