Dillard Family Connection

 The Dillards…well, I found some credible information on the web by a man name Chris Kraft and others. They had built tremendous trees, not so much with sources, but these “world connect” trees have been taken down, I think by Ancestry. Ancestry has promised that these websites will return. It seems we live in a world where something that is good is always gobbled up by the greedy people who want to own it all. But in the meanwhile, it has disrupted my research. The Dillard line involved a marriage by a Ewing lady to the Dillard twins. When one twin died, she married the other. And I believe that there may be some double cousins. Interesting note: as I was putting this information together, I found amid the Ewing pages, some small print about Orrin Dillard. I’m anxious to go back to and review more closely. I also wondered why our William P Ewing was born in Kentucky. The notes mentioned above may show me why/how the Dillards or Ewings had land in Kentucky. I am hopeful with a new DNA connection to Patricia about the Ewing/Dillard connection.

Introduction to Malinda Dillard 1834-1880?

 Oh yes…and then there is Malinda Dillard, the first Dillard ancestor in my tree. Researchers will always tell you that there is an era of time that is difficult to trace ancestors and that is most likely those people who lived, married, had children, etc., in the early to mid-1800s. The reason being that before the 1850 census, the household only COUNTED members of a household by age. Only the head of household was listed by name. And it doesn’t help when we climb the tree, that ALL 1890 censuses burned. With that said, I will introduce you to Malinda Dillard with a little trepidation.

 I will start by saying that there have been “World Connect” Trees that have disappeared from the internet. These were well organized trees, fleshing out numerous branches. Someone has swallowed them up, most likely ANCESTRY. They have promised to put them back up in 2024, but here we are with no emergence of these trees. I DO know that the ancestors that I have found in these trees have been well researched. The Ewing family has documented many angles and options for this generation. For which I am most grateful…but it still leaves questions. From the information that I have gathered, I’m finding that many of my Dillards are interrelated. I have found proof of how they circled back to brothers, sisters, and cousins…even twins that married the same woman.

 There was a will probated in Tennessee in 1810 that has my Ladovsey Dillard, wife of James Ewing, Jr. 1758-1810, commenting on the strange family connections. I found this information in connection with the Ewing Family Association. It appears in a book titled “Ewing In Early America”. I will quote that below:

 Chapter XI John Ewing (1648-1745) of Carnshanaugh page 82

 1810, 22 September (Smith Co., Tn. Will Book 1, page 82-84 in copied will book but no page on original) It was probated in December 1810, proven by oath of Henry Dickens, Jr & James Sexton, two of the witnesses. Executors were to be John Lancaster and Thomas S. Green. James Ewing names:

“Wife, Ladovesy, sons: John, James, Ruben (a minor), William (a minor, my William), Alfred (a minor) and daughters: Ruthey Cellers (Sellers), Edy Ewing, Sally (a minor), Melinda (a minor) and Nancy (a minor) ... my desire is that my Executors shall rent out my plantation where William Sexton now lives” [See “F” below. Mary his sister had married William Sexton in Botetourt Co., VA. in 1790].

 

“James Ewing's estate was not settled until many years later. In Jan 1829 Robert Jones and Malinda Jones “(ancestors of Bobbie Jones McLane and her Jones family)” of Hardeman Co., TN appointed Orren Dillard, husband of Sarah (Sally) Ewing their Atty. in settling Estate of James Ewing father of said Malinda Jones” (Smith Co., TN Deed Book K pp 414-415). “In 1836 Alfred Ewing filed a bill of complaint against James Raulston appointed Executor on 11 Feb. 1817 upon death of John Lancaster ... Ralston as guardian kept money and entirely neglected his wards.” Descendants reported Ladovesy was a Dillard that Ruben Ewing was her “stepson” wrote from Lawndale, Logan Co., IL 9 Aug 1872 to Melinda Jones, of Clark Co., AR. re himself, wife and children and questions about Albert, your brother and sister Sally ... you have some strange kin here on your father's side you are their aunt on your father's side (Ewing) and on your mother's side (Dillard) you are their cousin. There is two of them here and two in Kansas.”

 

“James Ewing's oldest son, John Ewing, married Elizabeth Dillard. Assuming Ladovesy is her sister, Elizabeth and John's children would be Melinda's cousins and their aunt as John Ewing was her half brother.”

 I feel that I am on the right path, though, when I see that one of the lead researchers Wallace K Ewing has incorporated my information into his tree. Wallace has used my information all the way down to my daddy, Truman B Quillin Sr.. I have trusted the Ewing research for a LONG time and also the research done by Bobbie Jones McLane.  I just makes it difficult when the documentation can’t be found online for myself. Hopefully, these sources will become available.

 With all of this said, I will introduce you to Malinda Dillard, mother of my great grandfather, Frederick Short Ewing.

 NOTE: In my opinion, there are some families that have NOT kept good documentation of their family lines. I feel a great breakdown in my tree starting with F.S. Ewing. Above him on the tree, there is evidence of many interrelated relationships.