BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

EWING FAMILY

Submitted by Susan Ewing Wolfe

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The above picture is of John Henry Ewing. He was married to Cornelia Weeks. She was born in Orange Co., New York and came with her parents to Knoxville, Illinois where she met John Henry Ewing. They married in Knoxville, in The First Presbyterian Church there and lived there for a short time. Then moved on to El Dorado, Kansas where they raised their family. John and Cornelia lost two little girls in Knoxville either to a plague that went through the area or due to early childhood diseases.

John Henry Ewing and Cornelia Weeks Marriage Certificate

John H. Ewing 1832-1898 and his wife Cornelia 1839-1918

Albert Burdett Ewing

Great-Grandfather William Phillip Ewing, oldest son of John Henry and Cornelia. He is the one that moved the Ewings ( his branch), into Texas.

Deaths from the William P. Ewing Family Bible

William P. Ewing (age 50) - Feb. 18, 1911, McAllin, Texas, Buried in El Dorado, Kansas

Thomas Bruce Ewing (29) - Feb. 7, 1926, McAllen, buried El Droado, Kanas.

Elizabeth Foutch Ewing, age 90 - Jan. 22, 1952 McAllen, buried El Dorado, Kansas

John W. Ewing, age 67 - Dec. 10, 1954, McAllen, buried McAllen

John D. Ewing, age 53 - April 25, 1969, San Antonio, Tx., buried Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery

Nellie Johnston Ewing - May 12, 1970, McAllen, buried McAllen, Texas

Sarah E. Ferry - May 18, 1971, buried El Dorado, Kansas

Margaret Ewing - January 18, 1980

William E. Horn (son) - Sept. 12, 1958

Armintha Ewing - buried McAllen, Tx.

Ned Phillip Ewing - October 11, 1993 in San Antonio, Tex., buried Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery

Nellie Johnston Ewing & John William Ewing - The Ewing home in McAllen, Texas

Alburdett Ewing and wife Lottie Williams. Alburdett was born in Knoxville, Illinois. He was married and died in El Dorado, Kansas.

Charles, Cora, Charles W. Ewing & Bill

1885 City of El Dorado Directory

EWING, F. B., res, 301 Summit st.

EWING, Albert, salesman J. H. Ewings, bds. Merchant st.

EWING, C. W., salesman J. H. Ewings, bds 302 Merchant st.

EWING, J. H., grocer, 113 S. Main, res. 302 Merchant st.

EWING, W. P., salesman, O. Beaman's, bds. 302 Merchant st.

FOUTCH, E. L., Clk National Bank

Foutch, J. W., Pres National Bank, res. 107 Summit St.

Hoyt, J. C., Manager, Jarvis, Conklin & Co.'s, real estate, bds 204 Settler St.

1918 El Dorado City Directory

EWING, Albert B. (Alice Joseph) cashier, Butler Co. State Bank, res. 305 N. Washing

EWING, Chas. W. (Cora B.) res. 111 S. Topeka

EWING, Thos. B. (Carrie M.) hardware, 119 s. Main tel. 107; res 518 W. Pine

1923 El Dorado City Directory

EWING, A. B. (Alice J) Postmaster res 329 N. High

EWING, (Cora B) retd Res. 111 S. Topeka

EWING, R. W. (Eleanor A.) (R. W. Ewing Ins. Agy) res 419 W. Pine tel 1485

EWING, R. W. Insurance Agency (R. W. Ewing) 111 1/2 S. Main tel. 490

1935 El Dorado City Directory

Ewing, Cora (wid Chas. W.) h. 111 S. Topeka

Ewing, Furniture Co. (Walter K. Ewing), 102 S. Gordy

Ewing, Roger W. (Eleanor) real est. & loans 108 W. Pine Ave., h. 901 W. Central Ave

Ewing, Walter K. (Dola; Eweing Furnitre Co.) h. 408 W. Central Ave.

Ellsberry, Thos B. (Carrie M.) h. 518 W. Pine Ave.

1937 Only changes to above:

EWING, Caroline Ll, student r 901 w Central

EWING, Mary E. r. 408 W. Central Ave

EWING, Roger W. (Eleanor A.) sec-tresa Butler Co. Farm Loan Assn. H. 901 W. Central Ave.

FOUTCH, McCOOKS & SHERMANS Not mention. No William T. Sherman found anywhere

BUTLER COUNTY KS MARRIAGES RECORDS BOOK 5 1890-1895

Book 5 - Thos B. ELLSBERRY age 29 on 9/4/1892 to Carrie M. FOUCH age 28 by Rev. W. E. Bates

Book 7 - Charles S. LAWRENCE age 26 on 8/5/1903 to Anna Dell EWING age 26 by Rev. Geo Harkness

From the 1885 BUTLER COUNTY ATLAS page 61

JOHN FOUTCH owned 80 acres of land in Prospect Twp., T26S Range 6E, Section 6 SE 1/2 of SW 1/4

EDITORIAL

RUTH EWING BRADFORD

The light and sparkle of the Christmas season in El Dorado was dimmed by the ending which came to the beautiful life of Mrs. Ruth Ewing Bradford - yet the radiant happiness of the present festive mood reflected in marked degree the magnetic personality she had borne in this town for more than eight decades.

She was born in El Dorado's "old town," that segment of history and period of time in the late years of the 19th century, which had a graciousness all its own - much of which she absorbed in her own character. As the daughter of Charles W. and Cora B. Ewing, she shared in the vast respect accorded them. And then as the wife of Robert Hazlett Bradford, she was a leader in the town's neighborly circles after the great petroleum tide had flowed over this favored area.

There was this striking fact to be remembered about her - and that was, that though she was provincial in no degree, she had lived in El Dorado all of her long life. This was her home country, a busy town with the comely shadow of the Flint Hills upon it and - after her husband died thirty years ago - she stayed on with no desire to live elsewhere. Her wants were simple - a compfortable home - no palace - but a place that teemed with delightful memories and was warmed by the extent of her scores of friendships, and further graced by the exquisite loveliness of her garden.

No doubt, she took a more direct and deeper technical interest in that charimign spot of beauty and color than even her many friends imagined. It always shone with botanical perfection and meticulous design. The bulbs for her tulips came fresh from Holland every year; no carryovers were permitted in that fascinating spot - but its grass and trees and shrubs and alli ts blossom bearing plants were watered with her love and a throbbing devotion.

The core of her life, however, became centered in the intense awareness she gave to the needs of her home community in all its progressive phases. The charities she supported were varied and numerous. No appeals were ever refused; no instance of need was ever turned away. The total of her benefactions would make a ponderable sum by any accounting, but these were always given - if not secretly - then without any obstentation.

Her crowning gift, of course, a gfit which touched this community to the heart - was the large sum she gave in the late 1950s to provide El Dorado's first library of note. Her own mother had been a member of the struggling band which initiated the first library in 1897. Mrs. Bradford herself had been a member of the Free Public Library board, which operated the institution built by Andrew Carnegie's grant of funds in about 1910. She was keenly aware of all the structure's deficiencies - and modestly and without urging of any sort pledged the sum that brought about the modern new building in a relocated spot. This edifice now stands on South Washington, and is called Bradford Memorial Library, since it came into being in the enduring memory of her husband.

This structure, which was formerly dedicated on September 27, 1959, with Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy of the University of Kansas as principal speaker, will keep the Bradford name green in El Dorado for many future years. After thirteen years, it has become in the estimation of the community, not only a proper place for the handling of books and the dissemination of the bset in literature, but also a treasure house for much that is elegant and lovely among the town's most prized possessions. That it will continue to fill this exceptional mission in the community is most earnestly to be desired.

The grace, the charm, the refinement that were so much a part of Ruth Ewing Bradford's nature marked every act of her life. She was a winsome person, bubbling over with happiness - a gentlewoman whose long years in the land she loved were filled with kindiness and compassion for others. (There was no date on this editorial)

CITY LOSES A FRIEND

MRS. BRADFORD DIES

Mrs. Ruth Ewing Bradford, one of El Dorado's most generous philanthropists, died shortly after 11 o'clock this morning, after a long illness. Her condition had been much weakened since she suffered a stroke on December 14.

Arrangements for the funeral service are pending and will be announced Friday. The Kirby Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.

Mrs. Bradford was born August 19, 1889 and reared in El Dorado. This town had always been her home, and figured in all the major events of her life. In the yaers after her husband died, she could have lived in any other place she chose - but she preferred El Dorado over all. So she finished out her life here among familiar scenes and with the friends who loved and cherished her.

She was the daughter or Cora B. and Charles W. Ewing - two highly respected persons in the early days of this town's history. She attended the El Dorado schools and in 1913 was married to the late Robert Hazlett Bradford, who died in January, 1942.

Following her husband's death, Mrs. Bradford continued to occupy the home at 424 West Pine, where she supervised the management of a lovely garden which pleased and glorified the community at every season. She kept in close touch with the needs of the community - and her charities were immense. In these, her right hand knew not what her left was doing, and so no score will ever be kept of the abundance which she poured out over the years.

Her chief gift to the community where she spent her gracious life was a large sum of money which she gave in the late 1950's for the erection of a new library building for the community, bearing the name of her deceased husband.

Mrs. Bradford had been a member of the El Dorado Free Library housed in the old building erected by Andrew Carnegie's gift for a number of years. Along with other members, she perceived that the institution had outgrown its almost 50-year-old structure, that expansion was impossible under such conditions and that its benefits to the growing community were strictkly limited.

Hence, in a wholly voluntary and entirely modest way, she confied to two members of the board that she would be willing to provide funds for building a wing to the old building, or for a new structure - either to represent a emmorial to her husband. From that act the new building in South El Dorado resulted. The building represented an outlay of $200,000.

The board willingly accepted Mrs. Bradford's kind-hearted proposal. At her suggestion, the Winfield firm of Caton, Yadon & Potter was retained and the late Horson S. Moses - City Libraian of Topeka - was named consultant. In an exchange with the City of El Dorado, the board relinquished the premises at the corner of Star and Central, where the old library stood, for the block of ground which formerly comprised the premises of the Washington grade school.

There the structure was built in the shape of a Greek cross, and there it stands today - a temple to the culture phases of this town's life and the kindly impulses of its benefactor.

Mrs. Bradford's liberality in other relationships of the town was marked, and she never turned down an opportunity to help where she could. For example, during the time St. Joseph's Children Home was in existence, Mrs. Bradford provided individually for each child at Christmas and on special days and supported the home with solid gifts.

Her support to organized cherities such as the American Red Cross was marked and never failing. While she was not a member of any church, she was especially interested in the Trinity Episcopal Church. At the time its new edifice was erected she gave the main stained-glass window in the sanctuary in memory of her mother and father, who were communicants when the church was founded.

A memorial in the form of a trust fund for Bradford Memorial library is being established in Mrs. Bradford's name, and contributions will be accepted by any of El Dorado's three banks.

Mrs. Bradford's parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. charles W. Ewing, were ranked amonth the most highly regarded citizens of the community. Mrs. Ewing was a member of the group which established the first library here in 1897, and struggled along with it for years. For a time, its quarters were on the top floor of old City Hall. Then, in about 1910, a gfit of $10,000 was received from Andrew Carnegie which was used in erecting the building which is now the Butler County Museum.

Mrs. Bradford's only sister, Cornelia Ewing Simpson, died in 1964. Mrs. Bradford's survivors are two nephews, Charles Ewing Simpson of El Dorado, and William Tracy Simpson of Eugene, Oregon. There are three great-nieces and two great-nephews. (El Dorado Times, Thursday, December 21, 1972)

  
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