James Ewing Biography This biography appears on pages 1209-1210 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. JAMES EWING was born in Washington county, Illinois, on the 22d of January, 1862, and is a son of Samuel and Martha (Lackey) Ewing. They had nine children: Maggie, Mary Susan, James, John, Cora, Thomas, Martha and Mamie. The father carried on farming in Illinois for twelve years and then turned his attention to the manufacture of brick and also did a general contracting business in that line. Both he and his wife have now passed away. In the common schools of his native state James Ewing acquired a fair knowledge of the branches of English learning usually taught in such institution. He accompanied his parents on their removal from Illinois to Colorado, where he resided for four years, at the end of which time he went to Kansas, remaining there a year. He next located in Missouri, where he spent about four years and afterward remained for a similar time in Texas. On leaving the south he made his way to Nebraska, where he lived for two years and thence came to South Dakota. In all these various localities he purchased land, and then sold his property at a large profit. The year 1886 witnessed his arrival in this state and he first purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, of which he became the owner in 1896. Two years afterward he bought an additional tract of forty acres and again when two years had passed he bought a similar amount. When another year had gone by he purchased one hundred and sixty acres near the town of Yankton and upon this tract he now resides, while the remainder of his land is rented, bringing to him a good income. On his home place he is carrying on general farming and stock raising and his life record presents a prosperous career, his advancement in the business world having been gained through untiring diligence, perseverance and through the capable management of his affairs. On the 28th of October, 1886, Mr. Ewing was united in marriage to Miss Edith Grant, of Yankton, who was born in Canada and was a daughter of Royal and Jane (Schooler) Grant. Her father died when she was but a year old and her mother afterward removed from Canada to Illinois in 1865 and there became the wife of H. A. Dunham, now a prosperous farmer of Yankton county. Her mother died in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have seven children: Maude, Leila, Pearl, Mabel, Laura, Lyle and Thelma, aged respectively fifteen, fourteen, twelve, nine, seven, five and two years. The family circle yet remains unbroken by the hand of death and Mr. Ewing is devoted to the interests of this happy household, finding his own happiness in administering to the welfare and comfort of his devoted and loving wife and children. In his political affiliations Mr. Ewing is an earnest Republican, never faltering in his allegiance to the party when questions of state and national importance are involved, but at local elections, when no issue is before the people, he votes independently. Mr. Ewing was reared in the belief of the Presbyterian denomination, although he is not at present a member of any church. His worth as a man and citizen are widely acknowledged and Yankton county numbers him among its valued representatives, respecting him for what he has accomplished and entertaining for him the warm regard which is ever the logical sequence of genuine personal worth.