Ewing, Matthew 1826 - 1904

EWING, PROBERT

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 4/13/2021 at 13:14:42

Elkader Register, Thur., 21 Apr. 1904. Volga column.

Matthew Ewing was born in Muirkirk, Ayershire, Scotland, April 23rd, 1826, and died at his home in Volga, Clayton county, Iowa, April 14th, 1904, at the ripe old age of nearly 78 years. He was next to the oldest in a family of seven boys and two girls, of whom three brothers and one sister survive him.

He was married Nov. 22nd, 1850, to Jeanette Probert, who lives to mourn the loss of her companion after a happy married life of over 53 years. They came to the United States in 1852 and settled near Pittsburg, in which vicinity they lived for five years and then moved to Illinois, where they resided two years, after which they came to Iowa in the spring of 1859, where they have lived ever since.

While a young man in Scotland he united with the Methodist church and has ever since lived a consistent Christian life. He was a charter member of the board of trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church in Volga, and has since continually held official positions in the church, being an honored trustee at the time of his death. The Sunday before his decease he was in his accustomed place at the morning preaching service. A good man is gone and will be greatly missed from the church and community, where he was loved and respected by all. While we mourn our loss we do not mourn as those who are without hope, but with the assurance that he was prepared for the change, and we may some day go to him.

The funeral services were held in the M.E. church in Volga Saturday p.m., April 16th. A large number of relatives and friends gathered to pay the last tribute of love and respect to the deceased.

Interment was made in the Volga cemetery, the pastor Rev. Thos. J. Elwick officiating. The appropriate text for the sermon was Numbers 23:10, "Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his."

It is not death, to fling
Aside the sinful dust,
And rise on strong exulting wing,
To live among the just.

"Jesus, Thou Prince of life !
Thy chosen cannot die
Like thee, they conquer in the strife,
To reign with thee on high."