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.