Anna Shannon McAllister

This book, "Ellen Ewing Wife of General Sherman" is a series of personal letters and photos shared by many of the family members. Ellen was the daughter of Thomas Ewing and Maria Boyle Ewing who were close friends and neighbors of Judge Taylor and Mary (Hoyt) Sherman, parents of Charles Tecumseh (Cump) Sherman. Both families had established homes and law offices in Lancaster, Ohio.
Fortune seemed to smile on the Ewings but sorrow came upon the Sherman family. While Mr. Sherman was attending a court session he died very suddenly leaving Mary with a large family and a difficult financial future. One morning Mr. Ewing, their closest friend, offered her that "Cump" could become their boy while keeping the Sherman name. When he was sixteen then Washington D.C. Senator Ewing sent him to West Point along with his own sons for training in what would become his life in the military. In the meantime the Ewing daughter, Ellen was enjoying school life with the Catholic nuns while receiving high marks in her examinations. Even as a 20 year old young lady she was overcome with injustices done in church bigotry and the race hatreds. The family life changed greatly in 1849 when Mr. Ewing was appointed U.S. Secretary of the Interior and this brought about a family move to Washington C.C. where their home was the famous Blair House. In January, 1850 Sherman was sent to Washington, D.C. with a report for the Secretary of War and he was invited to live with the Ewing family while there. After four years of separation from his fiancee he needed no "second bidding". There were "immediate preparations" for their May l evening wedding attended by President Taylor and his cabinet, many friends and military personnel.
It seemed the Shermans moved often with the assignment changes for General Sherman. Homes were established in San Francisco, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Ellen would quickly set up her family in their new home and then she would again be busy with working in her churches, seeing to her family needs and entertaining so graciously while often pregnant with one of their eight children. Never was she too busy to get her letters written to her beloved husband and family.
This book makes an interesting read of the personal history of the Ewing family as Thomas rose from being an Ohio farm boy to various political positions in Ohio, St. Louis and Washington , D.C. It also gives an accurate picture of General Sherman and his years in the U.S. military and his Civil War efforts. The Shermans are buried in St. Louis.
Following is family info down to Grandma Amanda Sanderson:
1 Findley (Captain) * EWING b: Abt. 1650 in Dumbarton, Scotland, d: Londonderry, Ireland
... + Jane Porter b: Abt. 1654 in Londonderry, Ireland, m: 1680 in Londonderry, Ireland
......2 Thomas* EWING b: Abt. 06 Oct 1690 in Coleraine, Londonderry, Ire, d: 11 Mar 1748 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ
...... + Mary Maskell b: 04 Sep 1701 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co., NJ, m: 27 Mar 1720 in Greenwich, NJ, d: 17 Dec 1784 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ
.........3 Thomas Maskell* EWING b: 06 Oct 1722 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ, d: 29 May 1771 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ
......... + Sarah Vickers b: 08 Nov 1731 in Southampton, Suffolk County, New York, m: 20 Jun 1751 in Greenwich Presbyterian Church, Greenwich, NJ, d: 19 Jul 1773 in Greenwich, Cumberland County, New Jersey
............4 George* EWING Sr b: 16 Mar 1754 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ, d: 15 Jan 1824 in Perry Co, Ind
............ + Rachel* Harris b: 02 Sep 1754 in Roadstown, NJ, m: 10 Aug 1778 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ, d: 29 Sep 1825 in Perry Co, Ind
...............5 George* Ewing Jr b: 11 Mar 1779 in Greenwich, Cumberland Co, NJ, d: 28 Nov 1849 in Rome, Perry Co, Ind
............... + Hannah Boyles b: 07 Nov 1789, m: 18 Aug 1809 in Athens, Oh, d: 12 Aug 1848 in Perry Co, Ind
..................6 Thomas George* Ewing b: 22 Mar 1827 in Perry Co, Indiana, d: 02 Sep 1887 in Postville, Ia

.................. + Elizabeth Ann Clark b: 20 Nov 1830 in Ripple Co, Ind, m: 04 Oct 1848 in Cannelton, Ind, d: 09 Mar 1918 in Postville, Ia
.....................7 MariettaMaryatte Ewing b: 23 Aug 1855 in Winneshiek Co, Ia, d: 23 Apr 1921 in Central City, Ne
..................... + Charles Gustaf Anderson b: 20 Jul 1853 in Norra Sandsjon Jonkoping Lan Smaland, Sweden, m: 15 Jul 1880 in Central City, Merrick Co., Nebraska, d: 19 Oct 1944 in Central City, Ne
........................8 Amanda* Anderson b: 08 Sep 1881 in Hamilton County, Nebraska, d: 30 Aug 1955 in Hall County, Nebraska
........................ + Alfred* SANDERSON b: 01 Nov 1865 in Sodra Vi Ostergotland, Sweden, m: 1899 in Marquette, Ne, d: 20 Apr 1954 in Central City, Ne
...............5 Thomas* EWING b: 28 Dec 1789 in West Liberty, Ohio County, Virginia, d: 26 Oct 1871 in Lancaster, OH
............... + Maria Wills* BOYLE b: 01 Jan 1801 in Chillicothe, Oh, m: 17 Jan 1819 in Philemon Beecher Home, d: 20 Feb 1864 in Fairfield County, Ohio
..................6 Ellen Boyle Ewing b: 04 Oct 1824 in Lancaster, Fairfield Co., OH, d: 28 Nov 1888 in St Louis, Mo
.................. + William Tecumseh Sherman b: 08 Feb 1820 in Lancaster, OH, m: 01 May 1850 in Ewing Home, Washington, DC, d: 1891 in St Louis, Mo… (altro)