Person:James Ewing (6)

LETTER TO "SISTER AND BROTHER" In 1790 (about February or March) , James Ewing wrote a letter to his sister and "brother" (brother-in-law?) in Scotland. Copies of the letter are owned by Louis Lehmann, by the Hunterdon County Historical Society and by the Hopewell Museum. James Ewing deserted from the British Army on September 15,1782 at the age of 27. Louis Lehmann's copy reads as follows:

    "«i»I received your letter of October 14th last on the 24th of January, which gave me more satisfaction than I can express. That I may have room to answer the many questions you have sent me I must omit expressing the feelings of my heart. What country my wife is of. She was born on Long Island near New York where I married her June 30, 1782! She has born me in this place four boys, the youngest about 8 months old. I deserted from the British Army on the 15th of September following. This I know will be a great mortification to you. However, I can assure you it is more to me for I really think that I only did that which was my duty when I did it, and have only to lament that I stayed  so long in the service of so a government, my reason for deserting I have not room this time to write. Let this suffice for the present that I never from the first approved of the conduct of the King and ministry respecting America. That  was so long before I did it was because of my station in the army, which for three years before I did leave them excluded me from an opportunity to do it, in which time I was a fixed whig in sentiment

    . When I left them I was in great hazard of being taken by the refuge tories but that God in whose strength I undertook the difficult enterprise protected, yea: singularly protected me and brought me and soon after me my wife in safety to this place, where excepting about ten weeks I have lived ever since, the character of a deserter was as odious to the people here as in Scotland,  occasioned by the immoral conduct of those who has before me been among them, but by the kind care of an indulgent Providence I soon found friends who have shone themselves such in the time of my  adversity. Your questions respecting the pension is I think now answered  The place where I left them was about 17 miles from New York on a foraging party, the bands of music not being ordered to stay in camp (7 miles from New York as was common). As to fatigue I had not so large a share of it as private Soldiers, though I had a considerable one. So tedious to be at present  elated

    . My dissatisfaction respecting the cause and the want of the gospel was more difficult to bear than fatigue. Your question respecting seeing me in Scotland is also now answered. My place of abode is in Hopewell Hunterdon County in the State of New Jersey about 60 miles from New York and distant from two memorable places Princeton 7 miles and from Trenton 11 miles in a fruitful part of the county which though ravaged by the British Army does not feel it.

     When I came first to this place I applied myself to common country weaving which I was not acquainted with, yet my diligent application I for a while made a  living but after sometime my health failed me and I felt much discouraged ut here providence once more favored me, for a school master being wanted in the place the people unanimously chose me, in which capacity I acted from July 1784 to January 1789 without any material attention in my way of life and by which I made a better living than I could have done by weaving and  the more so as I was sometime employed to measure or survey lands and draw writings for my neighbors....

    ..In January 1789 I was by the church put upon trial to preach the gospel and upon my faith trial was by their unanimous vote licensed last June, since whichI have preached occasionally but at the same time taught my school to support my family. I make no doubt but this will surprise you as much as my desertion,but in giveing this account so in obeying my sister or uttering the questions by a relation of plain matter of fact, I am not in church communion at the throne of grace with all the people of God among them, of all other denominations. In the summer of 1783 I joined a Baptist Church in this place,so that I am now a  Baptist -or as you may nickname me Anti(c)- Babtist. I have lived near six years within 300 yards of the Babtist Meeting House where I have the same doctrines as Mr. Ralp, and Ebenezer Erskiner preached or as the west minister confession of faith contained and which doctrines I also endeavor  to preach.

    You ask what proffesion abounds most here if you mean in the State the Presbyterians, if in the neighborhood where I live the Baptist are the most numerous though we have a few Presbyterians among us, among whom is the best friend I have in this place. But here and as far I can learn in general thoughout the United States the most numerous class of people are nothing ,that is, in communion with no religious society. As to our uncle William Ewing about whom you ask take the following. When he was a boy he was a follower of Mr. Whitfield  which gave great offence to his relations.

     He went into the army and Scotland when our father was about 12 years old, as did also another of our Uncles John. They were in the wars in Germany where our Uncle John, if I remember right, fell dangerously sick in some place, when they were under a necessity of  leaving him, which they did and his discharge along with him, so they parted. Uncle John recovering got retired home and Uncle William remained still in the Army. Upon the conclusion of that war when the army retired home Uncle William's lot was to be stationed in Ireland where he met with many of Mr. Whitfield's  followers with whom he joined himself and after sometime among them he began to preach, this comeing to the knowledge of our relations they wrote him in a very sharp manner and their disagreements went so far as to break off all correspondance! However he soon after dropped preaching.

     The French and Indian (war) was comeing on in America his requirement was sent hither. Here he was prefered receiving a Lieutenants and adjutants commission in an American provincial regiment since after the notable defeat of General Braddock he was in Philadelphia upon some army business when the people upon the frontiers sent to him two or three mangled bodies of men and women whom the Indians had scalped, tomahawked and killed in order to arouse the spirits of the Philadelphians to assist them, next morning the High Sheriff of the county sent a message to our Uncle expressing a desire to see him. He attended and the Sheriff begged of him to go to the statehouse where the dead bodies were and deliver to the multitudes who were there viewingthem   a discourse suited to the occation(occasion). Our Uncle used all his endeavors to plead his excuse but he would take none. He went to the place anda fter a psalm and a prayer, spoke from Amos 2d and 6th to such acceptance that committees from various churches and  congregations waited upon him to request him to preach for them which he did.

     Then he was a second time engaged in preaching as a Whitfield Methodist and as he preached in his requirement he got the name of the soldier minister after some time he parted with his commission,left the army, and joined a regular baptist church where he was licensed and afterward ordained and if alive, (for I have not heard of him in 20 years) is employed as such as he has been I believed much owned by the Lord in doing good to precious souls. He was married in Ireland and has a number of children and grandchildren and lives 300 miles from me towards Boston. Even after I landed in America I was possessed with a desire to see him if alive, though I knew nothing of him only his name, that he had preached in Ireland and that he had come to this country, but year after year passed without hearing of him till the year of 1801 (?) when in New York I heard of a William Ewing who had preached there but as I could not describe his person, haveing never seen him,the matter rested here till I came to this place where the people told me more about him. As opportunity soon after offering I sent a letter to him at a venture informing him of what family I was and my grounds for supposing him as my Uncle to which I received no answer till about a year ago when he came all the way with a design to see me and spend a few days with me and indeed they were agreeable ones to me.

     And now I have in a consise manner answered all your questions. I know not what thought may arise in your mind upon reading this but I have thought since I began to write them that it would happen to me as it did to our Uncle that mere prejudice will cause you to think I am not worth writing to. I certainly do know something of the force of prejudicea nd that it is a small thing for it  to cause the sister or the Brother in law decline correspondance with the Brother and the more as that brother has such a strange character blended in him as deserter Baptist and as if that were not enough a Baptist preacher too. The first two of his character and the difficulty of getting a letter to you not knowing, as I have reasons to suppose that you must be almost if not altogether unacquainted with my reasons for being in any one of the strange character so I wish you to suspend your censure till you do know. I wish you to remember that I am still your Brother and your only brother too. I am glad to hear that you are so well settled I mean that your Husband is a man of character, but I have one thing now to request of you of more importance to me than to hear that you had married the greatest man in Scotland, which is that you would not fail to send me word if you have any acquaintance with he at religion. That is if you know anything what it is to be born again (John 30) without this let your utward profession be what it may you are not one of his real disciples and can have no part of lot in that glory which shall be revealed.Now, dear Sister, I must draw this toward a conclusion. Kiss your children fo rme. Tell them I love them though I shall never see them, or you unless you should come to America. I hope not to forget you while we live.

     Give my love to Thomas Brown, his wife and family, his son Thomas and his family. I  am surprised at your silence with respect to Uncle Alex. Parker and Aunt Agnes our cousins and their children. Give my love to all of them, as far as you have  an opportunity. I wish you would send your love to John Smith in Paisley and his wife and daughter and desire him to remember me to all my old acquaintance.  I think they have cast me off or they would have written to be before now yet I hope the Lord has not. My wife whose name is Amelia joins me in love to you both. May the Lord himself grant you both his gracious presence though life,make you usefull in declairing  his glory and goodness and when done with you here recieve you to himself in glory is the sincere wish of your Affectionate  rother.....James Ewing...March 1790"  HopewellHunterdon Co."

«/i»

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AS SCHOOL TEACHER. The following conditions of James Ewing's employment as a school teacher are copied in "Pioneers of Old Hopewell" by Ralph Ege (page 48):..............«i»"While it is not our purpose at this time to give a history of the schools of this region, we cannot pass without copying the conditions of a contract entered into about one hundred years ago, between Rev. James Ewing, also pastor of the Baptist church, and his employers when he took charge of the school here. The conditions of this contract, which was signed by Mr. Ewing and his employers, are as follows, viz:

      '1st Discipline:   'The employers shall individually support him in keeping impartial order in the school, and in chastising any scholar for immorality, such as filthy or profane language, or action, lying, fighting, wilful disobedience  etc. Mr. Ewing engages not to chastise any scholar until it is proven guilty in the face of the school, also the employers to support him in expelling any scholar who may prove  incorrigible in wicked ways.

     The terms of tuition as follows, viz:  For   teaching reading, writing and arithmetic to the rule of three, two dollars a quarter, and for arithmetic beyond that, which he can teach in all its branches, two dollars and a half.  For English grammar and the general principles of mensuration, three dollars; for Trigonometry, Navigation, Surveying and Algebra, six dollars a quarter.  He wishes not to have more than 25 or 30 scholars, and begs the liberty of being sometimes absent for a day, but will make up lost time .He made a similar contract the next year with the following additions :Mr. Ewing engages to lose one half the price of tuition when any scholars are sick or die.  If he desires he will allow an employer to send one scholar in place of another, but will allow no making up of time by sending more scholars than they engage for. He will take no signature for less than a quarter, until he has seen all his employers, and if the subscription is filled up with whole quarters, he cannot parts of quarters'

The school very frequently had a vacation of a day and sometimes two or three days in a week, unless a competent substitute could be procured, as he was called upon to preach all the funerals in his congregation, besides attending to the other duties in connection with his sacred office. How, or when he made up his lost time we fail to understand, when we remember at that time, eight hours made a school day, six days a school week and thirteen weeks a school term and four terms a school year."

«/i» JAMES EWING AS A TEACHER: The following report suggests that James Ewing, pastor and school teacher at Hopewell, may also have done some teaching in the area of nearby East Amwell on the northern slopes of the Sourland Mountains..........«i» " John Manners, Jr., after the death of Mary Higgins, his first wife, married Rachel, daughter of James Stout. They had two children, Rachel, born 1773, and David, born 1777. David was the father of Jacob S. Manners, and lived on the old homestead. The schoolhouse stood where the tavern at Wertsville now is, and was built in 1756. Here, David went to school to James Ewing, a Scotsman, and pastor of the church at Hopewell. Here he studied surveying and became proficient in the art, and afterwards practiced it extensively in his native country. It is said that Mr. Ewing, having noticed that the farmers of Amwell allowed their grass to run out, and sowed no seed, taught David how to get a field in with good red clover, and that this was the beginning of the successful seeding of clover and grass in this part of the county."«/i» (From "Manners" - Adapted from Lequear's "Traditions of Hunterdon." Originally published in The Hunterdon Republican 1869-7 www.geocities.com/dane97520/Lequear.html }

JAMES EWING'S SONG COMMEMORATING GEORGE WASHINGTON. The following material is from an e-mail received from Thomas Dilts on 8/01/2003. ......" When we visited the Hopewell Museum in July 2002, we were given an extract from a sermon preached by Rev. James Ewing at the Baptist Meeting-house in Hopewell from Judes 3,9 and 10. The following verses were composed by Rev. Ewing and sung at the conclusion of the Sermon on February 22, 1800, in commemoration of the Life of George Washington:"

«i»"Great God of Nations and of Men, We would pronounce thy Praise, O'er all thy works thy watchful eye, Extend in war or peace.

Americans proclaim his grace, He heard your prayers and moan, And when war threatn'd to destroy, He rais'd great Washington.

Then didst him keep his plans succeed, By him didst give us rest. O that the Nations of the earth Were with such favors blest.

Yet while we own thy mercy past, Our Nation's loss we mourn, For Washington, the great and good O hear the nation groan.

And now on the our care we cast, Should troubles rise anon, To save us from our foes O Lord, Raise one like Washington."

«/i» JAMES EWING'S STATUS IN THE BRITISH ARMY...Thomas Dilts did further research during his 2003 trip to Scotland and sent the following comments to Louis Lehmann on 8/01/2003: ...... «i» "Bands of Music" referred to in James Ewing's letter refers to those men whose primary duties were medics -- but in battle they provided the music which helped to communicate commands and directions. The bag pipers lead the army into battle and the drummers brought up the rear. It is unclear by his letter whether he was an officer or an enlisted man. His statement"because of my station in the army" is ambiguous--and could mean he was always being watched, or had a position of responsibility. Given that his father was a tradesman (shoemaker), and his grandfather a cooper (made barrels), it is more likely that he was an enlisted man. "A History of the Uniforms of the British Army" Cecil Lawson, Vol IV, 1966, published by Kaye and Ward Limited, says:"During the American War, the following Fencible Regiments had been raised in Scotland: the Argyle, North and Sutherland, wearing Highland garb, all were disbanded in 1783."Argyll and Western Scottish Fencibles (which included Paisley) was organized in 1778 and disbanded in 1783. Their dress was Highland. They received 3 guineas as a signing bonus and were paid at a level equal to regular army."«/i»

1. ↑ Scottish church records - computerized - (Ewing). (Family History Library. LDS. Films 102912,, 104934 (Helen Ewing); 1041476 (Agnes Ewing); 1041385, 1041386 (James Ewing)).
2. ↑ Fife, Margaret Ewing. Ewing in Early America.. (Bountiful, Utah, Family History Publishers, 2003).
3. ↑ Compiled by H.E. Deats. Ewing "Chronological Table". (From a notebook labeled EWING found in the Historical Society (Doric House) in Flemington, N.J.).
4. ↑ Town Record of Hopewell, New Jersey. Church Records of the Old School Baptist Church of Hopewell, New Jersey.
5. ↑ Letter from James Ewing to "Sister and Brother". (Copy owned by Louis Lehmann).
6. ↑ Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon and Warren Counties, New jersey. (.. New York: Chapman Publishing Co., 1898.).
7. ↑ Journal of Clan Ewing. Vol 9 No. 2 May 2003.
8. ↑ Ege, Ralpsh. Pioneers of Old Hopewell. (Hopewell Museum, Hopewell, N.J. Originally printed 1908 by Race & Savidge. Reprinted 1963 by Hopewell Museum, Hopewell, N.J.)
   page 48.
9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Parish Registers. Kilmarnock, Scotland. 1640-1854. Baptisms. FHL film number 1041385.
10. ↑ Calendar of Wills 1806-1809.Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey..
11. ↑ Tombstone inscriptions in churchyard of Old Baptist Church, Hopewell, New Jersey.
12. ↑ ^12.0 12.1 Parish Registers. Kilmarnock, Scotland. 1640-1854. Baptisms. FHL film.