POLK/Ewing re-hashing
There's been alot of discussion for many years about a letter that Nathaniel Ewing sent to President James K. Polk stating that some of his Ewing ancestors came to America with some of the president's kinfolk. William Harrison Polk makes mention of it in his 'Polk Family and Kinsmen'. There are some differences of opinions between modern day researchers as to whether the 1727 year of arrival that Nathaniel Ewing claimed was an approximation or fact.
I can't vouch for whether any Polk's arrived with the Ewings as Nathaniel Ewing stated in the letter to Pres. Polk, bu there has been evidence discovered that proves at least when James Ewing arrived. I don't know when or where the below article was 1st published in a newspaper but last week I found a copy of the article posted to someone's family tree on Ancestry.com, which seems to prove at least in my opinion, that Nathaniel Ewing knew exactly what he was talking about, at least as far as when his Ewing forefathers arrived.
I've typed up the article since I don't think its possible to copy and paste it here and saved a copy that I would be happy to forward on to anyone interested.
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OLD BIBLE PROVES TO BE
ONE OF MOST INTERESTING 'FINDS'
It is the day of old things being found and one of the most interesting finds that has come to our notice is an old Bible which Mr. John Davis has been good enough to bring to the office that we may see it.
The original binding is gone (except in spots) but evidently was of leather. Another cover, ancient looking too, has been sewed on and is of leather. Pasted on the inside cover is a card bearing the name of "B. Frank Porter, Ivanhoe, Va" and Mr. Davis tells us Mr. Porter is the grandfather of Mrs. Davis. The original owner, however, evidently was James Ewing, as among the numerous writings on blank pages and margins we find " Jas' Ewing his Book Ye 21 January 1746/7".
"James Ewing, his Bible, bought in the year 1727. Bought by Alexander Ewing in Ireland. He departed this life age sixty one, May ye 7th 1738.
------- Hannah Porter was born --- Dec 25, 1737.
--illiam Porter was born ---- 27, 1733 (or 23).
-----------ow Porter was born 1741.
----------- is 37 years old on March the 19th day of 1742. His book. "
On the page marking the New Testament was 'Printed in the year M.D.C.C. (1700). On the same page is written "'James Ewing". "Mary Porter was born November the 29th, 1743."
On the next page, which had been written all over can still be deciphered the following:
"James Ewing was born the 8th of Aug 1723. John Ewing was born on the 25 of ---- 1725. William Ewing was born the 8th of Jan'y 1728/9 and was baptized by John ------- Feb 28, 1728.
Margaret Ewing, daughter to Alexander Ewing ---- the 8th day ------- (born) ------ born the 12th of March 1734. ---------------- was born 10 of March 1729. Samuel Ewing was born 10 March 1738. "
On another page: "Alexander Ewing deces't in May ye 1 day 1737/8. "
The Bible is intact from Genesis through Revelation, though the first few chapters of Genesis are missing and all the leaves are yellow with age. It's interesting to note that all a's are made like 'f's' and in some places W is made thus VV (two v's).
Following Revelations is 'The Psalms of David in Meeter'.
Evidently James Ewing was a diligent reader, and yet his mind must have wandered from the text for here and there on the margin is written 'Polly' or 'Polly Porter', and who knows but that the tiny brown curl tucked away among the pages yellow and spotted with age may not be one of Polly's?
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Does anyone know anything about this article such as which newspaper it was published in or when?
Sounds like quite a discovery to me!
Becki (Polk) Pavlik
[email protected]