Thomas Horn Ewing

Thomas Horn Ewing was born in North Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. He learned the miller trade while working with his father at the Ewing Mill. In 1856 he married Louisa Barrett Gourley who was born in 1835. Thomas operated a mill on Cowanshannock Creek, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He later moved back to North Mahoning Township and farmed for a time. He and Louisa had five children: Laura Barrett, Clarence F., John McLain, Lettice Work and Margaret T. Louisa died in North Mahoning Township on 23 September 1867.

In August 1864, Thomas enlisted in Co. C, 206th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. and served in the Grand Army of the Republic until the Civil War ended. After the death of his first wife, he married Lucy King on 29 December 1870 at the home of his nephew, John Reed. He operated a mill at Rochester Mills, Indiana County, Pennsylvania until about 1884. A Mr. Oberline tells of seeing the little Ewing boys, John, Lemuel and Emerson, skating in their bare feet on the frozen creek. One day Lemuel fell into the mill-race and his mother almost lost her life pulling the small boy to safety.

Thomas then bought the Warren Mill in West Mahoning Township and operated it until the spring of 1897 when he sold out and the family moved to western Nebraska. Thomas had developed a bad lung condition from working at the miller trade and his doctor recommended that he seek a place where the air was purer. The house at Warren Mill was supposed to be haunted and, indeed, strange noises were heard overhead at night. Upon investigation, it proved to be mice and rats running over loose timbers in the attic.

In the spring of 1897, Thomas and Lucy put their children, John, Emerson, Lemuel, Elizabeth, Lena and Carl, together with a few possessions, including an organ, on a train bound for western Nebraska. They stopped at Cozad, Nebraska where some friends named Stear resided. The family purchased a team and wagon and, with their friends Jake and John Stear and Frank Stiver, they followed the Oregon Trail west for several days. Some pioneers moved west in covered wagons but the Ewings' wagon didn't even have a cover. They stopped on land six miles southwest of what is now Gering, Nebraska. The closest town at that time was Kimball, Nebraska, fifty miles to the south, which was on the railroad; thus, from Kimball came all of their supplies and their mail. Thomas had to go to the town of Alliance sixty miles to the northeast to file on the homestead he had selected. Because this fee took almost all the money the family had, some very bad times followed. They made a dug-out for shelter and roofed it with pine and cedar logs hauled from the Carter Canyon area about three miles away. They lived in the dug-out until a better home could be built. Thomas was unable to do hard labor so the work fell on the shoulders of John (age 13), Lemuel (11) and Emerson (9). The boys went to work for neighbors as soon as they could to earn their board and keep, thus relieving the food situation at home. John went as far away as Greeley, Colorado to pick potatoes; Lem, Carl and Emerson went to work for some of the cattle companies in eastern Wyoming.

The children received a few years' schooling at the Carter Canyon, Cedar Valley and Gering Valley schools. Bible School was held in their home every Sunday as no churches had yet been built in the valley. The family loved to sing so their home was a gathering place for young people of the area who liked music. The family had trained their voices for singing quartet parts. Thomas sang tenor, John bass, Lucy, Lena and Lizzie could all sing alto, and Emerson, Carl and Lem sang soprano. Thomas was the first moderator of the Carter Canyon school, Scotts Bluff County, which was organized in 1893. The family lived on this homestead for twelve years and then moved a few miles northwest to the Mitchell Valley area. Two more children, Homer and Grace, were added to the family.

About 1900 they moved into Gering, Nebraska, a thriving little town which was founded a few months after the Ewings arrived from Pennsylvania. In Gering, Thomas was elected city Justice of the Peace. His health had greatly improved and about 1912, Thomas filed a homestead on more land at the head of Carter Canyon. This land adjoined his son John's land and, after improving on it, Thomas sold his land to son John. Once again, the family moved back into Gering, where Thomas died on 12 January 1915. Lucy lived with her daughters, Lena and Grace, until her death on 28 May 1915 (less than five months after Thomas's passing) at the Russell home in Mitchell Valley. Thomas and Lucy are both buried in West Lawn Cemetery, Gering, Nebraska.

Thomas Horn Ewing (b. 21 Jan 1835, d. 12 Jan 1915) Thomas Horn Ewing76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76 was born 21 Jan 1835 in North Mahoning, Indiana, PA, USA76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, and died 12 Jan 1915 in Gering, NE, USA76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76, 76.

Notes for Thomas Horn Ewing: Thomas Horn Ewing was born in North Mahoning Twp., Indiana County, Pa. He learned the miller trade while working with his father at the Ewing Mill. In 1856 he married Louisa Gourley who was born in 1835. Thomas operated a mill on Cowanshannock Creek, Armstrong Co., Pa. Later he moved back to North Mahoning Twp. and farmed for a time. His first wife Louisa died there September 23, 1867. Thomas and Louisa had five children: Laura B., Clarence F., John M., Lettice W. and Maggie T.

Thomas enlisted in August 1864 with Co., C. 206th Pa Volunteers and served in the Grand Army of the Republic until the Civil War ended. After the death of his first wife he married Lucy King on December 29, 1870 at a nephew, John Reed's home. He operated a mill at Rochester Mills, Indiana Co., Pa until about 1884. A Mr. Oberline tells of seeing the little Ewing boys John, Lemuel and Emerson skating on the frozen creek in their bare feet. One day Lemuel fell into the mill-race and his mother almost lost her life in pulling the small boy to safety. Thomas then bought the Warren Mill in West Mahoning Twp. and operated it until the spring 1997 when they sold out and moved to western Nebraska. Thomas had developed a bad lung condition from working at the miller trade and the doctor recommended that he seek a place where the air was purer. The house at Warren Mill was supposed to be a haunted house and sure enough, strange noises were heard overhead at night. But after investigation, it proved to be mice and rats running over loose timbers in the attic.

In the spring of 2867 they put a few of their possessions including an organ and their children, John, Emerson, Lemuel, Elizabeth, Lena and Carl on a train bound for western Nebraska. They stopped at Cozad, Nebraska where some friends by the name of Stears resided. Here they purchased a team and wagon in company with their friends, Jake and John Stear and Frank Stiver they followed the Oregon Trail west for several days. Some pioneers came in covered wagons but their wagon didn't even have a cover.

They stopped on land six miles southwest of what is not Gering, Nebraska. The closest town at that time was Kimball, NE, 50 miles to the south, which was on the railroad, and so from here all of their supplied had to come as well as their mail. Thomas had to goto the town of Alliance 60 miles to the northeast to file on the homestead he had selected. This fee took almost all the money the family had and thus some very bad times followed.

They made a dug-out for a shelter and roofed it with pine and cedar logs hauled from Carter Canyon area about three miles away. In this they lived until a better long house could be built. Thomas was unable to do hard labor, so the work fell on the shoulders of John age 13, Lem age 11, and Emerson, age 9. The boys went to work for neighbors as soon as they could earn their board and keep thus relieving the food situation at home. John went as far away as Greeley, Colorado to pick up potatoes and Lem, Carl, and Emerson went to work for some of the cattle companies in eastern Wyoming.

They received a few years schooling at the Carter Canyon, Cedar Valley and Gering Valley Schools. Bible School was held in their home each Sunday as no churches were begun, as yet, in the valley. The family loved to sing so their home was a gathering place for the young people of the area who liked music. They had trained their voices for singing quartet parts. Thomas sang tenor, John bass, Lucy, Lena and Lizzie could all sing alto and Emerson, Carl and Lem sang the soprano. Thomas was the first moderator of the Carter Canyon School, Scotts Bluff County organized in 1893. They lived on this homestead for 12 years and then moved a few miles northwest to the Mitchell Valley area. Two more children were added to the family, Homer and Grace. About 1900 they moved into Gering, Nebraska, a thriving little town which had its beginning a few months after they arrived from Pennsylvania. Here he was elected city Justice of the Peace. Thomas' health had greatly improved and about 1912 he filed on more land at the head of Carter Canyon. This land adjoined his son John's land and so after proving up on it, he sold it to John. Once again they moved back into Gering at which place he died January 12, 1915. Lucy lived with her daughters, Grace and Lena until her death May 28, 1915 at the Russell home in Mitchell Valley. Thomas and LUcy are both buried in West Lawn Cemetery, Gering, Nebraska.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 17 2021, 19:58:20 UTC