William McEwen



William McEwen was born and raised in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co., PA. He was also known to the family as Billy. His father, John McEwen first migrated to Ohio with his mother and father in 1823, but returned to Northampton Co., PA before 1828 to marry and raise his family. The only surviving heir of John McEwen, Billy was born three months after the death of his father, on July 9th 1832. I have not determined how his father John died, but believe that he is buried in the Reformed Cemetery in Centerville, Stone Church, Pennsylvania. The plot where his wife Anna is buried is marked on the cemetery map as the John McEwen plot.


Billy's mother, Anna Houck McEwen, must have returned to her parent's home for help in raising her two children, after the untimly death of her husband. The Houck's were a large family and Anna had several brothers who were close in age to little Billy. It is likely that he was thought of as just one of the Houck boys because on the census for 1850 he is listed under his mother's name as William Houck, 18 years old, shoemaker. Billy McEwen practiced the trade of shoemaker all his life.






Billy's marriage was reported in the Easton paper. December 11, 1852. Newspaper abstract - Argus - Easton, PA , Vol. I , p. 242
     "Ewen, William W. Married Sarah Rasely, December 11, 1852 Both of Lower Mt. Bethel "



Soon after their marriage, William and Sarah bought a small piece of property from Jacob Rasely, a relative, across the creek from Sarah's parents in Lower Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., PA. This home, my mother remembers as "the old house". It fell in some time around the end of the 40's, since no one had lived in it since Billy and Sarah died in the early 1900's.


Billy and Sarah belonged to the Richmond United Methodist Church in the village of Richmond, Pennsylvania. It is noted in Billy's obituary that "his home was a stopping place for Methodist ministers, where they always received a royal welcome and were bountifully cared for." Billy and Sarah are buried in the Richmond United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Sarah Rasley McEwen was the daughter of Henry and Jane Ayers Rasely. The Rasely's were the parents of a large family of daughters. Around 1872 Billy and Sarah McEwen bought the Henry Rasely property. This farm is still the home of the McEwen family today. Sarah Rasely McEwen was the mother of only one child, a son whom she named Henry to honor her father.

1. William McEwen I (8 Nov 1775 - 7 Aug 1840) & Sarah Johnson (1 Jan 1785 - 17 Sep 1842)
2. John McEwen (26 May 1806 - 23 Apr 1832)&Anna Houck (10 Feb 1807 - About 1871/1880)
3. William McEwen (9 Jul 1832 - 21 Apr 1902) & Sarah Rasley (24 Jan 1829 - 12 Jan 1919)
4. Henry McEwen (14 May 1856 - 19 Aug 1946) & Clara Illick (15 Sep 1859 - 20 Feb 1942)
5. Wm. "Homer" McEwen (10 Oct 1895 - 21 Oct 1977) & Sarah "Eliza" Long (24 Mar 1898 - 9 May 1987)

More about William McEwen I, the grandfather of Billy McEwen.

More about John McEwen, the father of Billy McEwen.

More about Henry McEwen , the son of William and the father of Homer.

More about Homer and Eliza McEwen, the grandson of Billy McEwen.

For more about other family history pages researched and created by me, please see Cynthia's Family Lines