BIO:  Gen. James Ewing, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, historical editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE BOROUGH OF WRIGHTSVILLE, Page 596

GEN. JAMES EWING.

James Ewing, son of Thomas Ewing, was born 1736, in Manor Township, Lancaster 
County, about two miles east of Columbia.  He married a daughter of John Wright, 
Jr., and removed to the farm now owned by the heirs of the late William 
McConkey, near Wrightsville.  The land was part of that belonging to John 
Wright, Jr.  James Ewing came from the Scotch-Irish stock in Donegal, and 
inherited their love for fighting.  He enlisted as a private during the French 
and Indian war of 1755, and was with Braddock.  He was also a lieutenant in the 
company commanded by Capt. Robert McPherson, under Gen. Forbes, in his 
expedition to Fort Duquesne in 1758.  In the years of 1771-72-73-74-75 he was 
elected a member of the assembly.  He was an ardent patriot.  On July 4, 1776, 
he was elected second brigadier-general in the Pennsylvania Militia or 
Associators, and commanded the First Brigade of the Flying Camp.  He was at the 
battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton and other battles in New Jersey.  He 
was a splendid military officer and was greatly esteemed by Gen. Washington.  
November 7, 1782, he was elected vice-president of the Supreme Executive Council 
of Pennsylvania, which position he held with great honor to himself and State, 
until November 6, 1784, when he was compelled, on account of his health, to 
decline another election.  He was elected a member of the senate for York 
County, for the years 1795-96-97-98-99.  He died in March, 1806, aged seventy 
years, upon his plantation near Wrightsville.