Surnames: Ewing, Stokeley, Wilson, Veech, Breading, Mason, Wallace, Conwell
William Ewing, one of the early day eminent men of Fayette County, was born May 19, 1769, in Peach Bottoms, York County, Penna. He was the son of George Ewing, who was a brother of the Rev John Ewing of Philadelphia, a great scholar and an able minister of that period and for many years professionally connected with the University of Pennsylvania. Dr Ewing was a man of great scientific attainments and was commissioned to run the southern line of Pennsylvania.William Ewing, who for some time resided with his uncle Dr John Ewing, and under his direction had made considerable progress in studies, including that of medicine, following his brother Nathaniel Ewing, afterwards of Vincennes, Indiana, and his two sisters who preceded him by about two years, left York County and came as a surveyor into Fayette County about 1790 when he was about twenty one years of age and took up a tract of land, and built thereon a house in which he lived and wherein he died in 1827.
He married in 1791 Mary Conwell, daughter of Jehu Conwell and Elizabeth Stokeley (Stokely), her family perhaps coming from New Castle, Delaware, a woman of great spirit, natural talent and energy. She became the mother of a large family, widely scattered and occupying influential positions
in society.Their children were: Judge Nathaniel Ewing, born July 18, 1794, of Uniontown; Hon John H Ewing, born October 5, 1796, of Washington, Penna; Hon George Ewing, born February 27, 1797, afterwards of Houston, Texas; Mrs Elizabeth Breading, born July 9, 1799; Mrs Louisa Wilson, born March 8, 1802, of Uniontown, Penna; James Ewing, born April 18, 1807, of Dunlap's Creek, Fayette County, Penna; Mrs Maria Veech, born August 22, 1811, of Emsworth, Penna; Mrs Mary Ann Mason, born February 24, 1816, of Muscatine, Iowa; Mrs Ellen J E Wallace, born January 23, 1819, of Allegheny City, Penna; and Caroline Ewing, born April 20, 1804, and who died in infancy.
William Ewing was one of the early settlers of the Dunlap's Creek district, Fayette County, Penna, together with other of the now "old families" who came from York and Lancaster Counties: the Breadings, Conwells, Crafts, Davidsons, Finleys, Hackneys, Peterses, Wilsons-all associate names well known among early inhabitants and in these times also.
William Ewing and his son John H Ewing of Washington constructed the National Road between Hillsborough (Scenery Hill) and Brownsville. He was appointed by the Governor of the State a justice of the peace, and held that office with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the public
until the constitution of the State made it elective.He was a man of strong mind and excellent judgment, together with great physical strength, an active and enterprising businessman who kept up close relationships with the prominent characters of his day. He was a Federalist in politics, and often took an active part, especially in the Ross and McKean campaign of 1800.
William Ewing died October 21, 1827, of what perhaps would now be called typhoid fever. He lies buried in the Conwell family graveyard on the old homestead farm of Jehu Conwell, and is remembered as one of those substantial, honorable, public spirited men of whom the community was
justly proud.