Download THE HISTORICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CITY OF BAY

THE HISTORICAL CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE CITY OF BAY MINETTE, ALABAMA
AND THE FAMILY OF
GENERAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
By Sam Crosby
I.
The Death of William Tecumseh Sherman’s Father And The Act of Kindness of The
Ewing Family
Judge Charles R. Sherman, William Tecumseh Sherman’s father, was born in Connecticut in
1788. He was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1809 (the year Baldwin County came into
existence). He moved to Lancaster, Ohio, and in 1823 became a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.
In 1829 he died suddenly leaving his widow, Mary Hoyt Sherman, and eleven children with no
means of support. One of these eleven children was William Tecumseh Sherman. He was nine
years old at the time of his father’s death and his nickname was “Cump”. His father had served as a
commissary and had become familiar with the courage of the Shawnee chieftain, Tecumseh. Charles
Sherman honored Tecumseh by giving one of his sons that middle name.
After Judge Charles Sherman died, his friend Tom Ewing stepped in to help the family. Tom
Ewing was also a lawyer and, according to a Ewing family member, “Tom Ewing asked how he
could help the Sherman family. He was told, ‘take Cump and raise him, he is the smartest one’ ”. In
an act of kindness, the Ewing family undertook the nurture and education of Cump as another
member of their family.
II.
Sherman’s New Family - The Ewings
Nine year-old Cump’s new patron, Tom Ewing, served as a United States Senator from
Ohio. He was a lawyer of great ability who also served as Secretary of the Treasury in the cabinet of
President William Henry Harrison. Later when the Department of Interior was created, Ewing was
appointed by President Taylor as its first secretary.
Tom Ewing raised Cump as if he were his own son, seeing that he received an excellent
education. Cump was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point in the new
cadet class of 1836. With his bright mind, the young Sherman graduated sixth in a class of fortythree cadets.
Cump loved his foster father, Tom, and each member of the Ewing family. Tom Ewing and
his wife, Maria Boyle Ewing, had seven children in addition to their foster child, Cump. On May 1,
1850, Cump married one of Tom Ewing’s seven children, Eleanor “Ellen” Boyle Ewing, in a
ceremony attended by President Zachary Taylor and his entire cabinet.
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Ellen bore Cump eight children as he rose through the ranks in the United States Army.
III.
Parts of Sherman’s Career
In 1850, Sherman was promoted to the rank of Captain. On September 1, 1858, he opened a
law office with two other Ewing sons in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Sherman longed to be back in full time Army service and on June 11, 1861, he wrote the War
Department requesting a position. After receiving a reply, he was selected to the staff of a new
military college being established in Alexandria, Louisiana.
His military career advanced during subsequent years. In 1864, as a General in the Union
Army, he led the famous “Siege of Atlanta”. After the Civil War ended he retired from active
military service on February 8, 1884.
Several months later Sherman rebuffed an attempt to nominate him as the Republican
candidate for President of the United States. As one of Sherman’s biographers wrote, “His ambition
had always been to live and die as a soldier.”
IV.
Sherman’s Death
On November 28, 1888, Sherman’s wife, Ellen Boyle Ewing Sherman, preceded him in
death. On February 14, 1891, William Tecumseh Sherman “Cump” drew his last breath.
V.
Other Generals In The Ewing Family
Ellen Boyle Ewing Sherman’s brothers, Thomas Ewing, Jr., Charles Ewing and Hugh Boyle
Ewing, also served as Civil War generals.
Thomas Ewing, Jr. was a prominent lawyer and a staunch opponent of slavery. He was a
friend of Abraham Lincoln who was promoted to brigadier general in the Union Army on March 13,
1863. He married Ellen Cox and they had five children: Thomas Ewing, III, Maria Ewing, Hampton
D. Ewing who was born in 1866, Mary B. Ewing and William C. Ewing.
VI.
The Ewing Family and Bay Minette
Liz Duryea, formerly Mrs. Hampton D. Ewing, Jr., is the current president of Bay Minette
Land Company. Her son, Robert F. Ewing, is the current vice-president and her daughter, Leisle
Ewing Mims, is the current Treasurer. Ms. Duryea recounted the reason the Ewing family founded
Bay Minette Land Company and worked to develop the town of Bay Minette, Alabama. In her
words, “After the Civil War, General Thomas Ewing, Jr. made a trip to Montgomery, Alabama to
help set up the water works in Montgomery. He traveled to Mobile on the train and noted the natural
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beauty of south Alabama. His travels took him through Escambia County and Baldwin County,
Alabama. After he returned home he encouraged his sons to travel to south Alabama to see its
natural beauty and to invest in property in Baldwin County, Alabama and Escambia County,
Alabama. At the time Union soldiers were allowed to buy Alabama property for a meager sum.”
VII.
The Ewings Establish Bay Minette Land Company
The minutes of the incorporators’ meeting of Bay Minette Land Company reflect that the first
meeting of Bay Minette Land Company was held on August 26, 1907, in Bay Minette. The
incorporators were Charles C. Hand, Jay P. Mix, Hampton D. Ewing, Edwin W. Lancaster and
Thomas Ewing, Jr. Hampton D. Ewing was elected chairman.
The Certificate of Incorporation provided in part that the objects for which the corporation
was formed are to “own, buy and sell, lease or otherwise to deal in real estate ...... to promote
immigration to and settlement in or about the County of Baldwin, State of Alabama.”
The original officers of the corporation were Hampton D. Ewing, President; Thomas Ewing,
Jr., Vice President; and Edwin W. Lancaster, Secretary and Treasurer.
VIII.
Sherman’s Son Becomes An Early Shareholder and Director As Bay Minette’s Development
Is Assisted By Bay Minette Land Company
The minutes of the annual meeting of the stockholders of Bay Minette Land Company held
on January 13, 1908, at 627 Wall Street in New York City at the office of Ewing and Ewing indicate
that P. Tecumseh Sherman, General Sherman’s son, was a shareholder on that date.
On December 8, 1909, a special meeting of the stockholders of Bay Minette Land Company
was called in part to consider “the erection of a light and power plant at Bay Minette and, if decided,
the organization of a separate corporation therefor.”
On December 14, 1909, a meeting of the stockholders of Bay Minette Land Company was
held at the office of the company at 627 Wall Street, New York City. At this meeting the following
resolution was adopted: “Resolved: That the location of a public library at Bay Minette is desirable,
and that the company will cooperate with the Town Council in endeavoring to secure donation of a
building from Mr. Andrew Carnegie on the usual terms offered by him in such cases.”
At a meeting on January 31, 1910, P. Tecumseh Sherman was elected as a director of Bay
Minette Land Company, and he attended the meeting on that date in person. According to a January
23, 1912 notice, the board of directors of the Bay Minette Land Company met to discuss raising
additional capital and applying capital to “the institution of a light and power plant for the town and
the erection of a hotel and warehouse”.
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The corporate records confirm the fact General William Tecumseh Sherman’s descendants
owned stock in Bay Minette Land Company until approximately April, 2000, when the stock of
William T. Hamlen was purchased by the corporation.
As Baldwin County celebrates its 200th anniversary both Bay Minette Land Company and the
Ewing family continue to make important contributions to our community.
I thank God for their friendship and for the privilege of living and working in this great
county.
Sam Crosby is one of two Baldwin County
lawyers in 133 years to be elected president
of the Alabama State Bar. As president he
received the Chief Justice’s Outstanding
Leadership Award for his service to the
public.
He has authored two books and
numerous columns and articles.
Mike Shipler compiled the photographic work for the
article. He is an award winning photographer who
has authored two books. He is the owner of Leedon
Art Gallery in Bay Minette.
00075482.WPD
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