James McEwen
James McEwen
On Ocober 31, 1912, occurred the death of James McEwen and
thereby was removed from the life of the city of Postville a man
greatly beloved and greatly trusted. As a financial adviser and
friend he stood in the same relation to the people as does a
family physician or spiritual adviser. They gave him their entire
confidence and he never betrayed a trust or failed a friend, for
the keynote of his character was scrupulous and conscientious
honesty. He was quiet, kindly, liberal in his views, conservative
in action and stanch in the support of what he believed to be
right.
The story of his life is an interesting one. It began in Canada,
at River Rouge, in the province of Quebec, July 25, 1830, his
parents being William and Catherine (McClaren) McEwen, both of
Scotch descent. The parents were of the plain people but they
bequeathed to their son those good old traits of Scotch character
-- thrift, industry, hardiness, honesty and enterprise.
James McEwen worked with his father in his early youth, taking
advantage of the public-school courses offered in the vicinity
and at the early age of sixteen engaged in teaching. In 1854 he
came to the United States, spending his first year in Wisconsin
working on various farms, and in 1855 came to Iowa, after which
time his life was identified with the history of Winneshiek,
Clayton and Allamakee counties. The next few years were spent in
teaching during the winter months and in work for various people
during the summer. In 1860, like many another adventurous youth,
he bacame inspired with the desire to go to the west and court
fortune in a search for precious metals. He spent a year
prospecting in the vicinity of Pike's Peak and it was there that
fortune stood at his elbow, but he knew it not. Working with
meager results, he became dissatisfied and sold for five dollars
a claim which in a short time made wealthy the man who bought it.
What would have been Mr. McEwen's history had he worked that
claim but a few days longer, no man may know, but this we do know
-- that while this good fortune was withheld from him, it was
still reserved for him to lead an honored, helpful and useful
life and fill an important place in the history of development of
Allamakee county.
Returning to Iowa, the next winter found him at Milliken's Bend,
Mississippi, chopping wood, for he was not afraid of work, and
teaching, for that was second nature to him. This time, however,
he taught little colored children and the children of the planter
which whom he lived. It was unlawful to teach the negro children
in the state of Mississippin in those days, but he did it, and we
believe he never regretted that he broke the law. At this time
came the outbreak of the great war. It was unsafe for a northern
man and an abolitionist, such as Mr. McEwen was, to remain in the
south, and upon the friendly advice of the planter, he hastened
to leave Mississippi, running the blockade on the last boat that
came north. He returned to Iowa and resumed his former work. He
was not a naturalized citizen of the United States at that time
and he did not feel it his duty to enter the army. He attended
Fayette College for a short time, being in the same class with
Hon. D.B. Henderson, but war conditions closed the school and Mr.
McEwen returned to work.
On the 17th of October, 1863, Mr. McEwen was married to Miss
Maria Styles, a daughter of Timothy and Hannah (Shaw) Styles,
well known pioneers of Allamakee county. They were from New York
state and Mrs. McEwen was born at Whitesville, that state. At the
time of her marriage to our subject the family lived at Henderson
Prairie, a postoffice in Fayette county. The young people went to
housekeeping on a farm, Mr. McEwen still engaging in teaching
during the winter months. In 1867 they purchased a farm of one
hundred and twenty acres about a mile east of Postville and here
they lived and prospered, moving to the city in 1878. Mr. McEwen
entered into two partnerships about this time. Under the name of
Styles and McEwen he bacame interested in al drug business which
was conducted at Postville for about a year, when the stock was
removed to Calmar. At the same time he was also interested in a
dry-goods store under the firm name of Skelton & McEwen in
Postville. To this latter enterprise he gave his personal
attention, succeeding well as a merchant. In 1887 several
business men of Postville established the Northeastern Iowa Loan
& Trust Company and Mr. McEwen succeeded to the management of
this concern, which was in successful operation for about five
years. At the end of this time the charter expired and the
business had grown to such an extent that it was considered best
to carry on its affairs through the medium of a bank, and the
Citizens State Bank of Postville was accordingly organized. Mr.
McEwen being made the cashier upon the establishment of the
institution and serving as such to the time of his death. He gave
to the bank his personal and careful attention and there was no
detail connected with the business too unimportant to be
solicitously considered. He became one of the foremost financial
men and one of the largest factors in the life of Postville and
could always be found in the front rank of those promoting the
interests of the city -- material, moral or intellectual --
although he was too modest to seek political honors and too
philosophical to care for their possession. However, he never
shirked responsibility and, being especially interested in the
cause of education, served his community faithfully and well as a
member of the school board for thirty-five years, as mayor of the
city, as alderman, and in many capacities, gaining him the
confidence of the people. All these offices came to him
unsolicited, it baing a case of the office seeking the best man
available. His influence was always for good and helpful
measures. He was liberal in his support of civic improvements,
church and school. He was a deep reader, but not only a reader of
books but also a reader of human nature and a student of life.
It was in the year 1877 that great grief came into his life, a
grief which tinged all his succeeding years, although time
ameliorated its cutting edge, making him a tenderer, truer, more
sympathetic man than he had ever been before. It was before the
discovery of antitoxin had robbed diphtheria of much of its
terror that the black "scourge" fell upon the land,
fifty little graves in the Postville cemetery marking the
visitation of the grim destroyer and three of these marking the
resting places of his beloved children: Frederick Eugene, in his
fourteenth year; Bertha May, aged eight, and Omar Lee, aged five,
all of whom were taken within three weeks. It was one of those
staggering, unfathomable blows of fate that time may mellow but
cannot cure, and only faith and hope can mitigate. Two children
remained to them in the later years: Mrs. Ethel Marsh, of
Chicago; and Lynn Shaw McEwen, now assistant cashier of the
Citizens State Bank.
It was in the afternoon of October 31, 1912, that Mr. McEwen
died. In the midst of a busy day he sat down to read and rest; a
favorite magazine was in his hands, and the wife, loved companion
of so may years, was close beside him, when there was a little
gasp and life had flown, bringing to an end a career rich in
usefullness, rich in attainments -- a life which had contributed
much toward elevating the fellow spirit in humanity.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913; pg. 40-44
-transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall
-note: Timothy Styles = Timothy Stiles
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