Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/40

 EWIXG

EWIXG

His son, Thomas (17S9-1S71), was the father of Hugh Boyle Evving. Hugh was educated at the U.S. military academy, and in 1849 went to Cali- fornia where he joined an expedition ordered by hi.s father, then secretary of the interior, to rescue the belated immigrants who were imprisoned in the Sierra by the heavy snows. He made the journey to California by way of New Orleans and Texas; passing through Mexico from the Rio Grande to ilazatlan on the Pacific, cro.ssing the Cordilleras on mule back ; and returning in 1853 by waj' of Panama, with dispatches for the gov- ernment. He then completed his course in law and settled in St. Louis, Mo., where he practised from 1854 to 1856, when he removed with his brother, Thomas, to Leavenwortli, Kan. In 1858 he was married to Henrietta, daughter of George W. Young, a large plantation owner of the District of Columbia, whose family was prom- inent in the settlement and history of Maiy- land. He soon afterward took charge of his father's salt works in Ohio. In April, 1861, he was appointed by Governor Dennison brigade- inspector of Ohio volunteers, and he .served under Eosecrans and McClellan in western Virginia. He was made colonel of the 30th Ohio volunteers in August, 1861, brigadier-general. Nov. 29, 1863, and major-general by brevet in 1865. In the bat- tle of South Mountain he led the assault which drove the enemy from the summit; and at mid- night of tliat day he I'eceived an order placing him in command of a brigade. Under McClellan at Antietam his brigade was placed upon the ex- treme left of the army, where, according to the report of General Burnside, "by a brilliant change of front he saved the left from being completely driven in." He .served throughout the campaign before Vicksburg, leading the assaidts made by General Slieriiian; and upon its fall was placed in command of a division. At Chattanooga his division formed the advance of Sherman's army and carried Missionary Ridge. He was ordered to North Carolina in 1865, and was planning an expedition up the Roanoke river to co-operate with the army of the James, when Lee surren- dered. President Johnson appointed him U.S. minister to Holland, where he served, 1866-70. Upon his return to the United States he retired upon a farm near Lancaster, Ohio. He is the author of: The Bl nek List ; A Tale of Early Cali- fornia (1887) ; A Castle in the Air (1887) ; The Gold Phiijue, and other works.

EWINQ, James, soldier, was born in Lancas- ter county. Pa., Aug. 3, 1736. His father came to Pennsylvania from the north of Ireland in 1734. James was a soldier in the provincial army and was commissioned lieutenant May 10. 1758. He served as a member of the general assembly of the state, 1771-75, and as a patriot was a mem-

ber of the committee of safety for York county. He was a brigadier-general of the Pennsylvania troops, being chosen July 4, 1776. In the attack on Trenton, N.J., he was prevented from taking part, being detained on the opposite bank of the river by the ice and a high wind. He was vice- president of Pennsylvania. 1783-84, a member of the assembly, 1784-89. and under the new con- stitution, 1789-95, and was a state senator, 1795- 99. He helped to found Dickinson college and was a trustee of that institution, 1784-1806. He died in Hellam, Pa., March 1, 1806.

EWINQ, James Stevenson, diplomatist, was born in Woodford county. 111., July 19. 1835. He was graduated at Centre college, Danville, Ky., in 1858; studied law in the office of John C. Bullett of Philadelphia, Pa., and was admitted to the Illinois bar, practising in Bloomington. He was apijointed by President Cleveland, U.S. en- voy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Brussels. Belgmm, in 1893, serving till the close of the administration when he returned to the practice of his profession. He was married to Catharine Spencer of Bloomington, 111.

EWINQ, John, educator, was born in Notting- ham, Md., June 23, 1732; son of Irish Presbyte- rians whose ancestors came from the north of Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania. He was graduated at the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1754, A.M., 1757, and served there as tutor, 1754r- 58. He was licensed to preach by the presbytery of New Castle; was instructor of ethics in the College of Philadelphia, 17.58-63, took chai-ge of the First Presbyterian church. Philadelphia, in 1759, and was professor of natural philosophy in the University of the State of Pennsylvania, 1763- 1803. He went to England in 1773 to solicit sup- port for the Newark academy, Del. , and succeeded in accomplishing his purpose. On his return in 1775 he resumed his pastoral relation with the First church and in 1780 was elected to succeed Dr. Smith as provost of the University of the State of Pennsylvania. When the name was changed to the University of Pennsylvania in 1791 he was continued in office, holding it up to the time of his death. He assisted Rittenhouse in his surveys of state boundaries, and was an expert mathematician and scientist. He was vice-presi- dent of the American philosophical society, hav- ing been a member from 1768. He received from tlie College of Pennsylvania the degree of A.M. in 1759, and from the University of Edin- burgh that of D.D. in 1773. He contributed to the Transaetions of the American philosophical society an " Account of the Transit of Venus over the Sun." His lectures anji a biography by the Rev. R. Patterson were published in two volumes in 1809. and his sermons with memoir in 1813. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 8, 1802.