Son of Patrick and Lydia (Morgan) Ewing

GREENSBURG STANDARD
Friday March 29, 1907

THE PIONEERS
Our Oldest Citizens, Who Made This Country What It Is

A Blacksmith, Farmer, Capable Official
And a Splendid Citizen

ABEL EWING

Though belonging to the "junior class" of pioneers, Abel Ewing is older in experience, and better versed in the ways and means of life's methods than some men of many more years than the seventy-four he has passed in a very active life, most of which time he has had a working part on the stage to which Shakespeare compares a human to life.

Mr. Ewing traces his ancestory back to the historic Scotch-Irish. During the turbulent times of the American Revolution, in the summer of 1777, just before the crowning event to American arms-the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga-Patrick Ewing, with his family, came to America and settled in Cecil county, Maryland, near Lord Baltimore's town. An incident that occurred at this time is related, which illustrates a trait of the Ewings, familiar to all who know them. While they are slow to forget an injury, real or imaginary, they are mindful of a favor or friendly service, and will even go out of the way to pay it back. This is characteristic of the family, and if not too far fetched, the trait may be proved to be hereditary, by this incident. Upon the arrival of the family in America, General Israel Putnam had extended some courtesy, whereupon the elder Ewing named a baby boy that had been born on the water, during the voyage, Putnam, and the name has descended to the present generation, and the kindness of General Putnam, the hero of the continental fame, has never been forgotten in this family. This namesake of the noted general, Putnam Ewing, married Jennie McLellan, near Baltimore, Maryland, and in 1806, removed to Bourbon county, Kentucky, where he died in 1848, aged seventv-one years. Patrick Ewing, the father of our subject, was born in Maryland, July 28, 1802, and at the age of three, was taken by his parents to Kentucky, where he lived till Octonber, 1828, when he came to Decatur county, and settled in Clay township, near the present Ewington station, on the Columbus, Hope and Greensburg railroad. Patrick Ewing married Miss Lydia Morgan, daughter of Abel Morgan, who was a pioneer of Montgomery county, Kentucky, September 5, 1826. To them were born fifteen children, including triplets, Abel, Joshua and Putnam. The father died June 17, 1884, and the mother survived him till December 24, 1889. Joshua died March 3, 1891. He was a farmer on a part of the old home place at the time of his death. Putnam died January 20, 1903. He had been for several years cashier of the Third National Bank of this city. The other twelve children all grew to maturity, and became citizens worthy of respect.

Abel Ewing was born September 8, 1833, and was reared to a life of industry on his father's farm. He afterwards took up the trade of blacksmith, and for several years followed that avocation at old Ewington, on the Columbus road, in the days just after the war, when Noah Mendenhall was exploiting the first "corn dropper" invented in Indiana. He was married to Miss Nancy Patton October 11, 1860, with whom he lived happily till the date of her death, September 15, 1890. To them was born a son, Cortez, who, as soon as he had finished his high school work, entered the law office of his uncles, Cortez and James K. Ewing, and became afterwards a law partner in the firm of Ewing & Ewing, and rapidly rose to the first place at the bar of southeastern Indiana. He served a term as state senator, and was married to Miss Mary Matthews, a daughter of the late Governor Claude Matthews. Cortez Ewing died November 1, 1901, in the midst of a brilliant legal and political career. Abel Ewing's politics may be said to have been inherited. He has been a Democrat working in the harness. He served several terms as justice of the peace in Clay township. He aspired to the office of county treasurer, and in the face of the large majority of the opposition party in Decatur county, he demonstrated his personal popularity by overcoming a faction in his own ranks, and came within two votes of securing the office. On the first count it was a tie vote, but upon a revision by the county board of canvassers the certificate was issued to his opponent, the late Henry C. Stockman, by a majority of two votes. Mr. Ewing submitted to the decision, declining to contest the election, as he was urged to do, and as was customary in those days of uncertain methods of voting. He served in the revenue department under Dr. W. D. H. Hunter, a store-keeper, from 1885 to 1889, and was stationed at Lawrenceburg. His work in this capacity was marked by efficiency, accuracy and successful business methods. Upon the acceptance of his resignation, Dr. Hunter, in a personal letter, characterized his services as follows: "In parting with you officially, permit me to thank you for the faithful manner in which you have always discharged the duties of your office-and especially for the uniform courtesy exhibited in the performance of these duties." His resignation having taken effect May 1, 1889, he at once entered upon the duties of deputy warden of the State Prison South at Jeffersonville, a position to which he had been elected by the board of prison directors, it was in this capacity that Mr. Ewing's character for right, justice and humane feelings was tested. A youth named Benson, seventeen years old, had been sentenced to he hanged August 12, 1889. The prisoner had been dressed for the execution and the death watch set. The gruesome task had been assigned to the deputy warden, but he decided to evade it by resignation, unless relieved from the duty, but the dilemma was ended by Governor Hovey, who commuted the sentence to imprisonment for life.

On another occasion he was the custodian of a boy, who lacked but two months of having served his term, and was wanted at Martinsville as a witness. Mr. Ewing was met at the station at Martinsville by the boy's mother, who begged the privilege of taking her boy home. The warden's heart was touched by the mother's pleadings, and he at once said to her, "Madam, take your son home with you, but promise me that he shall be returned to my custody when wanted." Such humane sentiments were not in harmony with the stern duties of a prison official, and moreover, he protested against uncalled cruelty resorted to in discipline of the prison. He therefore resigned his position in June, 1891, but it was not accepted until the following September. Meanwhile he was granted a leave of absence, and forever turned his back on prison walls, and its cruelties. Subsequent events, and a result of his resignation, must be mentioned in this connection. The following legislature, of 1891, appointed a committee to investigate the conduct of the Prison South, especially with reference to the cruel treatment of the convicts. Mr. Ewing testified before the committee, and while he claims that the report made of the investigation, deserves the name of "white-wash," it is just to say that a reformation followed, and the matter did not rest until another great step had been taken, that of separating the prisoners into two classes, and removing the hardened criminals to Michigan City, and converting the Prison South into a reformatory. Logically, the name of Abel Ewing is to be connected with this laudable movement in the prison reform. For several years Mr. Ewing has lived in Greensburg, but his main attention had been given to the management of his farm near Ewington, and he has made of this business a success. He inherited from his father a good business judgement and a strong will, and these supplemented his industry, have favored his undertaking. He was made a Mason in Milford Lodge, No. 94, many years ago. He joined the Presbyterian church in 1870, during the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Irwin. He was married to Mrs. Mary E. Remy, December 13, 1893, and their home has been in this city since. They now live in a commodious house of recent structure, at 732 North Broadway, and are surrounded with the comforts which go to make life pleasant and old age endurable.