Thomas George Ewing

EWING, BOYLE, CLARK, HARRIS, SHERMAN

Posted By: Patricia Bollozos (email)
Date: 7/6/2020 at 12:53:08

Thomas George Ewing was a resident of Allamakee County, Iowa for more than three decades. He was born on March 22, 1826 in Perry County, Indiana. The son of George Ewing, Jr. (1779-1849) and Hannah Boyle (1789-1848). Thomas married Elizabeth Ann Clark (1830-1918) in Perry County, Indiana on October 4, 1848. Thomas and Elizabeth were the parents of twelve children.

Thomas George Ewing died on September 21, 1887, at his farm in Post, Allamakee County, Iowa. Thomas and Elizabeth are buried with many of their family members at Smith Cemetery in Allamakee.

Thomas George Ewing was the grandson of George Ewing, Sr. (1754-1824) and Rachel Harris (1750-1825). George Ewing, Sr. served in the American Revolutionary War from 1775-1778. He participated in the battles of Germantown, Brandywine, and Valley Forge. Ensign George Ewing wrote a journal of his military service during the war. The hand written and tattered manuscript was handed down through the generations. In 1928, Thomas Ewing transcribed and privately published the journal, “George Ewing, gentleman, a soldier of Valley Forge”. The journal is available online by the Hathi Trust, Digital Library.

Thomas George Ewing’s great uncle, Thomas Ewing, Sr. (1789-1871) served in the United States Senate from Ohio (1831-1837). The Honorable Ewing served as Secretary of the Treasury and was the first Secretary of the Interior. In 1829, with the death of his good friend Judge Charles Robert Sherman, Thomas became the foster father of his son, Tecumseh Sherman, the famous Civil War General. The Hon. Ewing and his wife Maria Boyle Ewing gave the first name William to Tecumseh. The Ewing’s daughter Ellen Boyle Ewing married William T. Sherman on May 1, 1850 in Washington, D. C. The Ewing sons, Hugh (1826-1905), Thomas (1829-1896) and Charles (1835-1883) severed as Generals in the Civil War with their brother-in-law General William T. Sherman. The Ewing sons practiced law, were elected to Congress and served at the pleasure of several presidents.
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This biography was compiled by the contributor from the following references: Daughters of the American Revolution, Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography pages 393-394, Find A Grave, Valley Forge Legacy, Wikipedia