William Lee D. Ewing

William Lee D. Ewing
United States Senator
from Illinois
In office
December 30, 1835  March 3, 1837
Preceded by Elias Kane
Succeeded by Richard M. Young
5th Governor of Illinois
In office
November 17, 1834  December 3, 1834
Preceded by John Reynolds
Succeeded by Joseph Duncan
5th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
In office
March 1, 1833  December 5, 1834
Governor John Reynolds
Preceded by Zadok Casey
Succeeded by Vacant
Member of the Illinois Senate
In office
1832–1834
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Personal details
Born (1795-08-31)August 31, 1795
Paris, Kentucky
Died March 25, 1846(1846-03-25) (aged 50)
Springfield, Illinois
Political party Democratic
Profession Lawyer
Military service
Service/branch Illinois Militia
Rank Major General[1]
Battles/wars Black Hawk War

William Lee Davidson Ewing (August 31, 1795 – March 25, 1846) was a politician from Illinois who served partial terms as the fifth governor of the state and as U.S. Senator.

Ewing was born in Paris, Kentucky and practiced law in Shawneetown, Illinois. James Monroe appointed him to be a land office receiver in Vandalia in 1820. He served as a Colonel of the "Spy Battalion" during the Black Hawk War. In 1830, he was elected to serve in the state House of Representatives as Speaker. He had previously been the clerk of the House. From 1832 to 1834, he was a State Senator, serving as President pro tempore of the State Senate in 1832. In 1833, he was also named acting Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and served as Governor of Illinois for fourteen days in 1834, the shortest gubernatorial term in Illinois history.

Upon the death of Elias Kane in 1835, Ewing was appointed by Joseph Duncan to serve out the rest of Kane's term in the U.S. Senate. In 1838 he was appointed Commissioner to adjust the claims of mixed-bloods and traders at Fort Snelling for the Dakota under the 1837 Dakota treaty. His re-election campaign was unsuccessful and he returned to the Illinois State House, becoming Speaker of the House again. He died in Springfield, Illinois, and although some claim he is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery,[2] the cemetery itself has no record of this.[3]

References

  1. Ford, Thomas. A History of Illinois, from its Commencement as a State in 1818 to 1847. Chicago: S.C. Griggs & Co., 1854, 143. Google Books, 19 June 2010, .
  2. Maxwell, Scott (2002-07-20). "William Lee Davidson Ewing". Find a Grave. Find a Grave.com. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  3. Hucke, Matt (2004). "Grave Sites of Illinois Senators". Graveyards of Chicago. Graveyards.com. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
Political offices
Preceded by
Zadok Casey
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
1833–1834
Succeeded by
Vacant
Preceded by
John Reynolds
Governor of Illinois
1834
Succeeded by
Joseph Duncan
Preceded by
James Shields
Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts
18431846
Succeeded by
Thomas Hayes Campbell
United States Senate
Preceded by
Elias K. Kane
U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Illinois
1835–1837
Served alongside: John M. Robinson
Succeeded by
Richard M. Young
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