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The Ewing-Weber-Dews collection chronicles the
lives of several important and influential Clark County families. The
collection spans over one hundred years beginning around 1850 and
continuing beyond World War II. The collection begins with the Ewing
family in Huntsville, Alabama, with the main focus resting on letters
written to Thomas Morgan Ewing. Tom Ewing left Huntsville to attend
college at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The
collection contains many letters from his family and friends while he
attended school and serves as a great resource for understanding
education and academic life in antebellum America.
Continuing his family’s plan of westward migration, Thomas Ewing settled
in Clark County, Arkansas shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War
and worked toward establishing a successful farm. He served as a clerk
with the quartermaster’s department during the war and provided an
account of Arkadelphia as the Union troops took over the area. Several
letters from Tom and Alex Spence are found in the letters dating from
the Civil War and it appears the men were good friends. This friendship
was further strengthened when Thomas married Mary Cook Spence, the widow
of their older brother.
The collection continues to follow the career of Thomas Ewing as he hold
several county positions and relates both personal and professional
information about the Ewing family and their place in Clark County The
bulk of the collection shifts from Thomas Ewing to one of his son’s,
William B. Ewing, around the turn of the century. William lived in
Curtis, Arkansas, where he attempted to continue farming. Many of the
letters of his courtship with Ida Weber provide a clearer picture of
relationships between men and women in rural Arkansas during this
period. Ida and Will married in 1904 and had two children, Louise
Virginia and Thomas Morgan Ewing.
The Weber family was very prominent in Arkadelphia and many letters
contain correspondence between Ida, her father, and her brother and
sisters. Ida’s sister, Margaret (Maggie) married George Dews in 1917
and the couple settled in Arkadelphia where George became very involved
in city affairs. Margaret and George had one surviving son, Charles
Weber Dews, who fought in World War II. Several letters, publications,
pamphlets, and pictures contain information about Dews’ military jobs
and other aspects of the war. The collection also contains several
pictures of Arkadelphians during the Spanish American war. Ida’s
brother, Charles Weber, son of Louis and Sue Thomas Weber, fought during
this conflict but did not settle in Clark County.
Several pictures also show economic activity in Arkadelphia in the early
twentieth century. Besides general correspondence, the collection
contains financial and legal information about the families and their
activities as well as several legal notes and deeds relating to the
Weber house, sometimes also known as the Cobb House.
Contact Us
Jacynda Ammons
OBU Box 3729
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
ammonsj@obu.edu
870.245.5332
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