Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-04-15
THOMAS EWING, OF OH O.

This gentleman, who has just assumed
the responsibility Of administering the af-
fairs of the Treasury department, is one Of
those selE-made men, who by their native
intellectual and virtuous energies, estab-
ish their claims to tie honor and graft
tude of their race. The following sketch
was written in 1886, when Mr.. Ewing
was in the Senate Of the Unit, States, by
Geo. Waiters,on, formerly Librarian to
Congress.
"Mr. Ewing was born in Virginia, in
1880. His father was revolutionary SOL
der, and soon after the birth Of young
Ewing, removed TO the State of Ohio.
MIR. Ewing is indebted for his elements OF
knowledge, to the care and attention ofhis
eldest sister, who taught him to read, and
the only additional education he received
till he was twen,y-three years of age, was
two quarters tuition, under two successive
teachers. But he had acquired love Of
reading, and all his leisure hours were de-
voted to it. His father being in humble
circumstances, young Ewing's life was
necessarily laborious one; but obliged
as he was TO toll daily, he nevertheless
awaited himself Of every opportunity to
improve his mind, and be what his highest
ambition then led him to bccome--a scho-
lar. But poverty seemed to oppose an in
superable barrier to his career, and he
was about yielding up to dependency,
when "a young man, who had seen some
thing of the world, and who was hired by
his father as an assistant, reused hun from
his apathy, and prevailed on him TO ac-
company him TO the kanawha SaIlnes,
where he procured employment as com
mon laborer. After an absence Of three
or four months, he returned with eighty
dollars in his pocket, which he generous
ly gave to his father, to save his land IRON
being forfeited. In the following spring,
Mr.. Ewing again returned to the Kama
wha S dimes, where he labored assiiuous-
" TIL November, and succeeded in real
zing about four hundred dollars--out 81
which, after paying a balance OF sixty
dollars, still due on his fathers property
he was enabled to indulge his favorite pro
pensity, by spending the winter at an
academy at Athens, where he was en-
couroged to make additional efforts tc
prosecute his studies, and acquire The pow
er which knowledge bestows.
lie returned once more to his former
labors, and continued at them for two
years. The severe tolls affected his
health; which, however, short residence
at home restored and he agained entered
THE academy which he had left about two
years before, aud proceeded to labor men,
tally, with the same ardor and intensity
that he had labored corporally. His pro-
grcss is said to have been very rapid but
being satisfied that his funds, which were
daily diminishing, would be insufficient tc
enable him to complete his education, he
opened school in Galiopolis. which ii
the course Of quarter. he threw up, no
liking the employment, and returned tc
his former occupation al the salt works.
He now hired furnace, and by extra
ordinary labor acquired q sum in thu
course of month, to enable him, as he
believed. TO complete his studies. Hewa:
right ard in tho spring of 1918, he
received the degree of A. B., and wa;
the first to receive that academlcal hon
or in Ohio. He was now 26 years of age
and commenced the study Of the law, in
the Office OF General Beecher, who after
he had finished his legal studies, from a
high opinion of his powers, took him into
partnership, and in his new and favorlte
profession he rose rapidly TO distinction.
As proof of his ardour and assituity, he
practlced in eight different counties IN the
State in which he lived. His flial atfec-
ton was again manifested in the purchase