Ewing

 

The Pioneer James Ewing Family of Pocahontas County: A Historical Briefing

Executive Summary

The history of the James Ewing family serves as a foundational narrative for the European settlement of Pocahontas County, Virginia (now West Virginia). Emerging from the mid-eighteenth-century Ulster-Scot migration, James Ewing (1721–1801) established a lineage defined by permanent agricultural settlement, frontier defense, and progressive westward expansion. Key takeaways include:

• Primacy of Settlement: While regional lore often cites transient scouts Marlin and Sewell as the first Europeans in the area, evidence suggests James Ewing was the first permanent settler to establish a home, cultivate crops, and sustain a family within the county's modern borders.
• Frontier Resilience: The family’s history is punctuated by significant conflict, including the Clendenin Massacre and the 22-month Shawnee captivity of John "Indian John" Ewing, as well as James Ewing’s personal involvement in vigilante justice against the Shockley Gang.
• Military and Civic Contributions: Members of the family, most notably William "Swago Bill" Ewing, participated in pivotal conflicts such as Lord Dunmore’s War and the Battle of Point Pleasant. Their influence extended into the Northwest Territory, where they founded the settlement of Ewington, Ohio.
• Geographical Legacy: The family’s impact is preserved in local toponymy, including the original naming of Ewing’s Creek (now Knapp’s Creek) and the naming of the Williams River.
• Historiographical Challenges: Reconciling the Ewing history requires balancing vivid oral traditions against formal land and military records, which occasionally reveal discrepancies regarding marital identities and Revolutionary War service.

Patriarchal Foundation and Transatlantic Origins

James Ewing was born on February 14, 1721, in Londonderry, Ulster, Ireland. He was the son of John of Carnashannagh Ewing and his second wife, Jennet McElvaney. Migration to the American colonies occurred between 1738 and 1740.

Genealogical Reconstruction

Considerable debate has existed regarding James Ewing’s primary spouse. While early researchers often cited Margaret Sargent, contemporary analysis of legal documents and naming patterns identifies Sarah Mayes (c. 1725–c. 1805) as his primary wife.

Spouse	Marriage Details	Key Children
Sarah Mayes	c. 1740, Stoverstown, VA	Jeanet Ann, Susan Jean, John ("Indian John"), Elizabeth, William ("Swago Bill")
Sarah Edwards	c. 1761, Augusta County, VA	James II, Mary, Sallie, Edward, Robert

The family’s initial presence in the Virginia backcountry was documented in April 1746 with a survey for 256 acres on the Jackson River. By 1750, James Ewing had moved further west into the Allegheny Highlands.

Land Acquisition and the Primacy Dispute

James Ewing was a surveyor and hunter who aggressively sought land west of the Cowpasture River. In 1750, he established a cabin on a stream then called "Ewing’s Creek" (now Knapp’s Creek).

The First Permanent Settler

Historical geography in Pocahontas County often weighs the claims of Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell against those of James Ewing.

• Marlin and Sewell (1749): Resided in a hollow sycamore tree and cave; acted as transient scouts.
• James Ewing (1750): Constructed a log cabin, introduced a family, and engaged in continuous agricultural improvement.

Thomas Lewis’s 1751 survey verified Ewing’s residence, noting the survey line ran "180 rods over the top of Ewing’s house."

Documented Land Holdings

Location	Acreage	Significance
Jackson River	256	Earliest recorded residence (1745–1752).
Knapp's Creek	480	Original homestead; later sold to Moses Moore c. 1770.
The Richlands	—	Site of a successful preemption rights chancery suit.
Stony Creek	190	Only property to stay continuously in the family; patented 1823.
Elk River	1,400	Final homestead of James Ewing; site of Ewens vs. Ewens litigation.

Frontier Justice: The Shockley Gang Incident

In the early 1750s, the lack of civil authority required self-policing. While James Ewing was away, members of the Shockley Gang—a band of cattle rustlers—stole his prized flintlock rifle from his wife, Sarah.

Ewing pursued the outlaws with a borrowed shotgun. During the confrontation, the leader, Shockley, attempted to fire the stolen rifle, but it misfired because he had failed to re-prime the lock. Ewing killed Shockley with a buckshot blast and subsequently killed the second outlaw in a hand-to-hand struggle using a hunting knife. Ewing famously refused the government reward, citing the return of his rifle as sufficient payment.

The Captivity of "Indian John" Ewing

One of the most enduring narratives in the family history involves John Ewing (1747–1824). In June 1763, during the Clendenin Massacre, John was captured by Shawnee warriors at the home of his sister, Jeanet Ann Clendenin.

Captivity Highlights

• Intervention: John saved his sister's life by pacifying a warrior who intended to kill her after she provoked him following her husband's death.
• Adoption: Taken to the village of Picawillma (Ohio), John was adopted by Wabawasena (White Otter) and lived among the Shawnee for 22 months.
• Cultural Exchange: Having learned the Shawnee language, John was tasked by Chief Thobqueh to translate a captured Bible. The Chief reportedly mocked the Genesis creation story but expressed concern regarding the feasibility of the Noachian Deluge.
• Release: John was released in 1765 under the treaty of Colonel Henry Bouquet. He returned to Virginia, married Ann Smith in 1774, and fathered eleven children.

Military Service and the "Birthplace of Rivers"

William "Swago Bill" Ewing (1756–1822) represents the family's transition into formal military service. He served in the Greenbrier County Militia under General Andrew Lewis and fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant (October 10, 1774), a conflict that secured the western frontier.

Hydrological and Geographical Impact

William established a homestead on Swago Creek. His landholdings at the headwaters of a major Gauley River tributary resulted in the naming of the Williams River. This area is part of Pocahontas County's "Birthplace of Rivers," a high-elevation continental divide where eight major rivers originate.

The Ohio Migration and Civic Development

Following the death of James Ewing in 1801, the family transitioned to Gallia County, Ohio, in two waves (1802 and 1810). This move was led by "Indian John" and "Swago Bill," respectively.

Integration into the Northwest Territory

The family became prominent in Ohio's development:

• War of 1812: William Ewing Jr. served in campaigns against British-aligned Maumee Indians.
• Economic Development: The family operated grist mills and expanded landholdings along Raccoon Creek.
• Founding of Ewington: In 1846, George Ewing platted the town of Ewington, Ohio, which became the new hub for the family’s activities.

Analytical Synthesis of Historical Records

Reconciling Ewing family history involves a synthesis of oral tradition and empirical records.

Conflicts in the Record

1. Marital Identity: Oral tradition long maintained James Ewing married Margaret Sargent, a claim later proven to be a conflation with a contemporary Pennsylvania John Ewing.
2. Revolutionary Service: While the DAR recognizes James Ewing as a Captain, his grandson Enoch Ewing—a primary keeper of family history—maintained that James never served, as he was approximately sixty years old during the Revolution.

Administrative Evolution

The political landscape of the family’s original home in Pocahontas County shifted significantly after the Civil War. In 1873, the state of West Virginia renamed the original Union-themed townships (Grant, Lincoln, Meade, Union) to reflect local history:

Former Township	Current District	Rationale
Grant	Huntersville	Original county seat.
Lincoln	Edray	Early pioneer settlement.
Meade	Greenbank	Settlement in Deer Creek valley.
Union	Academy	Former site of the Academy at Hillsboro.

The Ewing family's progression from the Ulster province to the Virginia mountains and finally to the Ohio frontier mirrors the broader Scotch-Irish experience that defined the early American trans-Appalachian West.

Eschatology

 

Clarence Larkin’s framework in Dispensational Truth (and his foundational chart Rightly Dividing the Word) treats human history as a grand, structured schoolroom. He defined a dispensation not merely as a period of time, but as a specific divine administration—a distinct period where God tests humanity based on a unique revelation of His will.

Applying his background as a mechanical draftsman, Larkin mapped out Seven Dispensations spanning from the creation of Adam to the final ushering in of the New Heaven and New Earth. In his system, each dispensation follows an identical, tragic structural cycle: Divine Revelation $\rightarrow$ Human Failure $\rightarrow$ Corporate Rebellion $\rightarrow$ Catastrophic Judgment.

The Seven Administrations of History

Larkin's blueprint breaks down the timeline of sacred history into seven distinct testing periods:

1. The Dispensation of Innocence (Edenic)

• The Test: Total obedience to a single negative command: do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

• The Failure: Adam and Eve succumb to temptation, choosing self-will over divine law.

• The Judgment: The Fall of Man, expulsion from the Garden of Eden, physical/spiritual death enters the cosmos, and the ground is cursed.

2. The Dispensation of Conscience (Antediluvian)

• The Test: With no written law or formal government, humanity is left to govern themselves guided solely by their moral conscience and the knowledge of good and evil.

• The Failure: Conscience proves insufficient to restrain human nature. The world descends into absolute moral corruption, violence, and wickedness.

• The Judgment: The universal Flood of Noah, wiping out all of humanity except for eight souls preserved in the Ark.

3. The Dispensation of Human Government (Post-Diluvian)

• The Test: God establishes civil government by giving Noah the authority to institute capital punishment (Genesis 9), making humanity collectively responsible for maintaining public justice.

• The Failure: Instead of scattering to replenish the earth as commanded, humanity pools its power to build a centralized, self-glorifying empire under Nimrod.

• The Judgment: The confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel, scattering humanity into separate nations across the globe.

4. The Dispensation of Promise (Patriarchal)

• The Test: God narrows His focus from global nations to a single chosen family line. He covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, testing them to simply dwell in the Promised Land and trust His promises.

• The Failure: The patriarchs repeatedly show a lack of faith (e.g., migrating to Egypt during famines). Ultimately, the chosen line ends up voluntary bondsmen in a foreign empire.

• The Judgment: The long, brutal 400-year bondage and enslavement under the Egyptian Pharaohs.

5. The Dispensation of Law (Legal)

• The Test: Extending from Mount Sinai to the Cross of Christ, God provides Israel with a codified, comprehensive system of moral, civil, and ceremonial law.

• The Failure: Continuous, generational violations of the Law, culminating in widespread idolatry, the rejection of the Old Testament prophets, and ultimately, the crucifixion of the Messiah.

• The Judgment: The destruction of Jerusalem, the burning of the Temple, and the global dispersion of the Jewish people among the Gentile nations.

6. The Dispensation of Grace (The Church Age)

• The Test: The present era. Humanity is no longer required to keep the ceremonial law for justification, but is asked to simply accept the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

• The Failure: Larkin argued that despite widespread evangelism, corporate Christendom would ultimately become apostate, lukewarm, and thoroughly corrupted by false teaching toward the end of the age.

• The Judgment: The sudden removal of the true Church (the Rapture), followed immediately by the seven-year Great Tribulation and the literal, physical Battle of Armageddon.

7. The Dispensation of the Kingdom (The Millennial Age)

• The Test: The final 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ ruling physically from Jerusalem. Satan is bound, the earth is restored to near-Edenic beauty, and humanity experiences perfect righteous governance.

• The Failure: Even under perfect conditions with Christ physically visible on earth, a massive contingent of natural-born humans quietly harbors resentment. The moment Satan is released at the end of the 1,000 years, they instantly rally to his side for a final rebellion.

• The Judgment: Fire comes down from heaven to consume the rebels, Satan is cast permanently into the Lake of Fire, and the Great White Throne Judgment takes place, leading into the eternal state.

Larkin's Architectural Logic

To understand how Larkin visualized this framework, it helps to look at the mathematical and symmetrical principles he built into his drawings:

• The "Parenthesis" of the Church: Larkin emphasized that the 6th Dispensation (the Church Age) was a prophetic "mystery" unrevealed to the Old Testament prophets. He drew it as a massive, bracketed valley or gap inserted into the middle of Israel’s historical timeline.

• The Law of Three Worlds: He structured his timelines across three major physical manifestations of the globe: The World That Was (Pre-Flood), The World That Is (The Present Age), and The World To Come (The Millennium and Eternity).

• The Rule of Target Audiences: Larkin insisted that confusing which dispensation applies to whom creates theological chaos. He maintained that God maintains separate covenants and distinct futures for the Jew (earthly inheritance), the Gentile (governmental accountability), and the Church (heavenly calling).

By structuring history this way, Larkin's charts offered his readers an immense sense of order: no matter how chaotic world events seemed, everything was unfolding according to a highly organized, unalterable divine blueprint.

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Clarence Larkin did not view the Second Coming as a single event, but rather as a two-stage manifestation separated by a seven-year gap (the Tribulation). To convey this clearly to his congregations and readers, he used his classic drafting techniques to create a distinct visual shorthand.

In his foundational Chart No. 4: The Second Coming, Larkin relies on specific spatial axes, celestial symbols, and directional arrows to map out the mechanics of these two stages.

1. Stage One: The Rapture (The "Morning Star")

Larkin visually frames the Rapture as an incomplete, upward movement that occurs entirely in the upper atmosphere, hidden from the earth below.

• The Symbol of the Morning Star: On the left side of the Tribulation bracket, Larkin illustrates Christ's presence as the "Morning Star" (labeled from Revelation 22:16). The morning star appears in the sky just before the dawn, visible only to those who are awake and watching.

• The Upward Vector: Vertical arrows point straight up from the "The Church" sphere and "The Grave," converging on Christ in the air. Larkin labels these paths "Translation Saints" (living believers) and "Resurrection Saints" (dead believers).

• The Atmospheric Boundary: Notice the wavy line running horizontally across the chart, separating the lower earthly realm from the upper heavenly realm (labeled near "The Prince of the Power of the Air"). At the Rapture, Christ does not cross this line to touch the earth; he remains above it.

• The Resulting Sequence: Once believers ascend, they move into an upper bracketed enclosure labeled "Judgment Seat of Christ" and the "Marriage Feast of the Lamb," which takes place safely in heaven while the storm rages below.

2. Stage Two: The Revelation (The "Sun of Righteousness")

On the right side of the Tribulation bracket, Larkin illustrates the structural opposite: a complete, downward movement that is visible to the entire world and directly alters earthly geography.

• The Symbol of the Sun: Christ is no longer hidden as a morning star; he is drawn as a blazing sun, labeled "The Sun of Righteousness" (from Malachi 4:2). This represents the full "dawn" of the Millennial day, bursting forth in open, unavoidable glory.

• The Downward Vector: A heavy, prominent downward arrow (labeled "Christ Coming with His Saints") slices straight through the atmospheric boundary line, pointing directly down to the earth's surface.

• The Earthly Touchdown: The arrow terminates directly on top of a mountain landscape labeled "Armageddon" and the "Judgment of Nations." This physically illustrates the literal touchdown of Christ's feet on the Mount of Olives to destroy the Antichrist ("The Beast") and establish the earthly "Millennial Kingdom."

Summary of Visual Contrast

By placing these two events like architectural pillars on either side of the curved Tribulation dome, Larkin established a vivid visual contrast:

Feature	Stage 1: The Rapture	Stage 2: The Revelation
Visual Position	Left side of the Tribulation	Right side of the Tribulation
Astronomical Icon	The Morning Star (Pre-dawn, hidden)	The Sun of Righteousness (Full day, visible)
Arrow Direction	Upward (Saints meeting Christ in the air)	Downward (Christ returning with saints to earth)
Spatial Boundary	Stops above the earthly atmosphere	Breaks through to the physical earth
Primary Event	The Judgment Seat of Christ (In Heaven)	The Battle of Armageddon (On Earth)

 

Clarence Larkin did not view the Second Coming as a single event, but rather as a two-stage manifestation separated by a seven-year gap (the Tribulation). To convey this clearly to his congregations and readers, he used his classic drafting techniques to create a distinct visual shorthand.

In his foundational Chart No. 4: The Second Coming, Larkin relies on specific spatial axes, celestial symbols, and directional arrows to map out the mechanics of these two stages.

1. Stage One: The Rapture (The "Morning Star")

Larkin visually frames the Rapture as an incomplete, upward movement that occurs entirely in the upper atmosphere, hidden from the earth below.

• The Symbol of the Morning Star: On the left side of the Tribulation bracket, Larkin illustrates Christ's presence as the "Morning Star" (labeled from Revelation 22:16). The morning star appears in the sky just before the dawn, visible only to those who are awake and watching.

• The Upward Vector: Vertical arrows point straight up from the "The Church" sphere and "The Grave," converging on Christ in the air. Larkin labels these paths "Translation Saints" (living believers) and "Resurrection Saints" (dead believers).

• The Atmospheric Boundary: Notice the wavy line running horizontally across the chart, separating the lower earthly realm from the upper heavenly realm (labeled near "The Prince of the Power of the Air"). At the Rapture, Christ does not cross this line to touch the earth; he remains above it.

• The Resulting Sequence: Once believers ascend, they move into an upper bracketed enclosure labeled "Judgment Seat of Christ" and the "Marriage Feast of the Lamb," which takes place safely in heaven while the storm rages below.

2. Stage Two: The Revelation (The "Sun of Righteousness")

On the right side of the Tribulation bracket, Larkin illustrates the structural opposite: a complete, downward movement that is visible to the entire world and directly alters earthly geography.

• The Symbol of the Sun: Christ is no longer hidden as a morning star; he is drawn as a blazing sun, labeled "The Sun of Righteousness" (from Malachi 4:2). This represents the full "dawn" of the Millennial day, bursting forth in open, unavoidable glory.

• The Downward Vector: A heavy, prominent downward arrow (labeled "Christ Coming with His Saints") slices straight through the atmospheric boundary line, pointing directly down to the earth's surface.

• The Earthly Touchdown: The arrow terminates directly on top of a mountain landscape labeled "Armageddon" and the "Judgment of Nations." This physically illustrates the literal touchdown of Christ's feet on the Mount of Olives to destroy the Antichrist ("The Beast") and establish the earthly "Millennial Kingdom."

Summary of Visual Contrast

By placing these two events like architectural pillars on either side of the curved Tribulation dome, Larkin established a vivid visual contrast:

Feature	Stage 1: The Rapture	Stage 2: The Revelation
Visual Position	Left side of the Tribulation	Right side of the Tribulation
Astronomical Icon	The Morning Star (Pre-dawn, hidden)	The Sun of Righteousness (Full day, visible)
Arrow Direction	Upward (Saints meeting Christ in the air)	Downward (Christ returning with saints to earth)
Spatial Boundary	Stops above the earthly atmosphere	Breaks through to the physical earth
Primary Event	The Judgment Seat of Christ (In Heaven)	The Battle of Armageddon (On Earth)

I cannot generate images. However, I can provide information and analysis regarding the content of rapture.jpg.

The provided image is a detailed dispensational chart created by the influential 20th-century theologian Clarence Larkin. It is a visual representation of his interpretation of end-times prophecy, specifically focusing on the events surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Overview of "rapture.jpg" (Clarence Larkin's Chart No. 4)

This chart, titled "THE SECOND COMING," organizes biblical history and future events into a structural timeline. Larkin, an engineer by training, designed these charts to present complex theological systems with mathematical precision. The central theme of this specific diagram is that the Second Coming is not a single event, but occurs in two distinct stages separated by a period of seven years (The Tribulation).

Distinguishing The Rapture from The Second Coming

Larkin uses specific visual shorthand to separate the "Rapture" from the final "Revelation" (Second Coming):

1. The Rapture (The "Morning Star")

On the left side of the "Tribulation Period" curve, Larkin illustrates the first stage of Christ's return, commonly called the Rapture (labeled here as "Translation" and "Resurrection").

• Spatial Location: Christ is shown as the "Morning Star" (labeled from Revelation 22:16) appearing in the atmospheric heavens. Critically, he is positioned above the horizontal line of the atmosphere and does not touch the earth.

• Vector Direction: Arrows point upward from "The Church" and "The Grave," indicating the ascent of living and dead believers to meet Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

• Key Event: This leads directly to the "Judgment Seat of Christ" and the "Marriage Feast of the Lamb," events which Larkin diagrams as occurring in heaven while the Tribulation happens below.

2. The Second Coming (The "Sun of Righteousness")

On the right side of the Tribulation curve, Larkin diagrams the distinct, second stage, often called the Revelation.

• Spatial Location: Christ is no longer hidden but is depicted as the blazing "Sun of Righteousness" (labeled from Malachi 4:2), representing a visible, global manifestation.

• Vector Direction: Heavy, prominent downward arrows (labeled "Christ Coming with His Saints") show Christ descending to the physical earth.

• Key Event: The touchdown of Christ's feet on the Mount of Olives results in the immediate destruction of the Beast and the Antichrist (illustrated by arrows pointing into the "Lake of Fire"), the "Judgment of Nations", and the establishment of the earthly "Millennial Kingdom."

By visually contrasting the hidden, pre-Tribulation Rapture (Morning Star, meeting in the air) with the public, post-Tribulation Second Coming (Sun of Righteousness, touching down on earth), Larkin's chart emphasizes his pre-tribulation, premillennial viewpoint.

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By visually contrasting the hidden, pre-Tribulation Rapture (Morning Star, meeting in the air) with the public, post-Tribulation Second Coming (Sun of Righteousness, touching down on earth), Larkin's chart emphasizes his pre-tribulation, premillennial viewpoint.

 

 

 

 

 

The Dispensation of Innocence (Edenic)
The Test: Total obedience to a single negative command: do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The Failure: Adam and Eve succumb to temptation, choosing self-will over divine law.
The Judgment: The Fall of Man, expulsion from the Garden of Eden, physical/spiritual death enters the cosmos, and the ground is cursed. 

 

 

A Forward-Thinking Legacy: Women's Suffrage

 

 

During the American Civil War, Pocahontas County was a deeply fractured, heavily Confederate-leaning frontier. For local Unionists, survival required navigating a brutal landscape of partisan warfare, bushwhackers, and regular military raids. Captain Samuel Young emerged as one of the most prominent leaders of this mountain Union sentiment, bridging the gap between local guerrilla resistance and the birth of the new state of West Virginia.

1. Organizing the Mountain Scouts & Militia

Because Pocahontas County was isolated and largely controlled by Confederate forces or Southern-sympathizing guerrilla bands (such as the 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry units operating nearby), local Unionists were frequently forced to flee across Cheat Mountain to Union-held strongholds like Beverly or Elkwater.

Samuel Young played an indispensable role in organizing these displaced pro-Union citizens. Operating as a captain and political organizer, he worked closely with other prominent local Unionists—notably Captain John Sharp—to gather intelligence, form specialized scout detachments, and establish an official Union military presence.

Archival records from the fall of 1863—just around the time of the pivotal Battle of Droop Mountain in Pocahontas County—reveal Young actively coordinating from the state capital. Writing to Captain John Sharp from the Senate Chamber, Young stressed the absolute urgency of immediately organizing an official Pocahontas County militia out of the county's Union refugees. His strategic goal was twofold:

• Security: Provide an organized, armed deterrent to secure the mountain passes and protect Union families from partisan violence.

• Political Power: Guarantee that loyal Union officers would be elected to lead the local commands, cementing a pro-Union power structure for the county's eventual return to civil governance.

2. From the Mountains to the Senate Floor

Young’s leadership in the mountains propelled him into the political arena during the birth of West Virginia. When the state officially broke away from Virginia, Samuel Young was elected to represent the region in the 1st West Virginia Legislature, serving in the State Senate at Wheeling from June to December 1863.

As a senator, Young became a fierce advocate for the fractured, war-torn border counties. He used his legislative platform to secure resources for regional defense, ensuring that state authorities recognized the strategic importance of the partisan warfare playing out in the Allegheny highlands.

3. A Forward-Thinking Legacy: Women's Suffrage

Beyond his wartime logistics and local defense organizing, Samuel Young held remarkably progressive views for a 19th-century mountain minister and politician.

In 1867, long before women’s suffrage gained mainstream traction across the country, Senator Young introduced an unprecedented resolution to the West Virginia Senate calling for the enfranchisement of women. He followed up on February 8, 1869, by introducing a resolution encouraging the U.S. Congress to grant women the right to vote nationally. Though these early efforts were soundly defeated by his contemporaries, Captain Young cemented his name in history as the very first legislator to formally propose women's suffrage in the state of West Virginia—more than fifty years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Historical Note for Researchers:

Original wartime correspondence documenting Captain Young's efforts to raise the Pocahontas County Union militia can be found in the Samuel Young Letters collection housed within the West Virginia University (WVU) Libraries Archival Center.