MALINDA DILLARD 1834-?1880?
History Sheet
Malinda was born to Orrin (twin) Dillard and Sarah Sally
Ewing in 1834 in Tennessee or Missouri? She was their first born child. Her
mother, Sarah Sally Ewing, had been previously married to Owen Dillard, the
twin brother to Orrin. Owen died young, at the age of 23, leaving Sarah Sally
as a young bride with their young son, Orrin Wayne Dillard. After Sarah married
Orrin, they had Malinda followed by 6 more children.
Interesting note about Malinda’s
mother (Sarah Sally Ewing 1808-1880), is that she was the sister to our William
P Ewing 1804-1864.
One thing that makes Malinda difficult to trace is that she
married young at the age of 16 in the year 1849, so in 1850 (the first year
that the census lists ALL people in the household), Malinda was already married
and in the census with her husband, James H. Ewing…yes, another Ewing/Dillard
connection.
Malinda Dillard and James H Ewing were married on 18 Dec
1849 in Cold Bath, Clark County, Arkansas. They are found in the 1850 census in
Cedar, Clark County. They do not have any children at that time. Living nearby
is Moses Mays and wife Harriet. They are parents to Leanna Mays who eventually married
Malinda's brother, John Wesley Ewing (1838-1892). Also living nearby is Malinda
(Ewing) Jones who married Robert Jones. Malinda and Robert were the ones who
settled James Ewing’s (1758-1810) estate. Malinda Jones is the sister to our Sarah
Sally Ewing Dillard and our William P Ewing.
[Sarah Sally Ewing ˃ Malinda
Dillard ˃ F.S.Ewing]
[William P
Ewing ˃ James H Ewing ˃ F.S.Ewing]
This is a confusing biography…all the more reason to believe what
Laduvsey Dillard said when settling James Ewing’s estate…That “you have some
strange family kin.”
In 1870, Malinda (Dillard) Ewing and husband James Ewing are
living in Clark County, Arkansas with 3 young sons, including our
great-grandfather Fed Short Ewing. Strange thing is…She is listed as Mary. So…I
may be missing something….maybe one day the answers will be revealed. However,
I know that the major researchers of these two lines have her as Malinda.
I am including a caution sign because there is much to absorb and
many directions from which these two families merge.
