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.

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	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.