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| | '''Robert Wilson Ewing, I''', also known as '''Colonel Ewing''' (September 27, 1859 – April 27, 1931), was a prominent [[newspaper]] [[publisher]] and a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] political figure in primarily [[Louisiana]] during the last two decades of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century.<ref name=dict/> | | '''Robert Wilson Ewing, I''', also known as '''Colonel Ewing''' (September 27, 1859 – April 27, 1931), was a prominent [[newspaper]] [[publisher]] and a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] political figure in primarily [[Louisiana]] during the last two decades of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century.<ref name=dict/> |
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| | + | ==Background== |
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| | Ewing was born in [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], [[Alabama]], to James Lindsay Ewing, a [[cotton]] merchant, and the former Martha Hunter. At the age of thirteen, he was a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph Company. At seventeen, he was a [[telegraph]]er for the [[Associated Press]]. In 1879, he helped establish and managed the Mobile division of the Union Telegraph Company. After he joined a strike of the Order of Telegraphers [[Organized labor|labor union]], Ewing was blacklisted in Mobile and therefore relocated to [[New Orleans]], where he managed the former ''Morning Chronicle,'' a journal owned by the [[conservative]] Henry J. Hearsey, who also published the former ''New Orleans Daily States.''<ref name=dict>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-e/|title=Ewing, Robert|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'': Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=October 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' bases its article on Robert on these source: Margaret Ann Martin. ''Colonel Robert W. Ewing: Louisiana Journalist and Politician,'' a 1964 master's thesis through [[Louisiana State University]]; T. Harry Williams, ''Huey Long'' (1969), and the John Ewing obituary, ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 28, 1931.</ref> | | Ewing was born in [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], [[Alabama]], to James Lindsay Ewing, a [[cotton]] merchant, and the former Martha Hunter. At the age of thirteen, he was a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph Company. At seventeen, he was a [[telegraph]]er for the [[Associated Press]]. In 1879, he helped establish and managed the Mobile division of the Union Telegraph Company. After he joined a strike of the Order of Telegraphers [[Organized labor|labor union]], Ewing was blacklisted in Mobile and therefore relocated to [[New Orleans]], where he managed the former ''Morning Chronicle,'' a journal owned by the [[conservative]] Henry J. Hearsey, who also published the former ''New Orleans Daily States.''<ref name=dict>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-e/|title=Ewing, Robert|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'': Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=October 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' bases its article on Robert on these source: Margaret Ann Martin. ''Colonel Robert W. Ewing: Louisiana Journalist and Politician,'' a 1964 master's thesis through [[Louisiana State University]]; T. Harry Williams, ''Huey Long'' (1969), and the John Ewing obituary, ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 28, 1931.</ref> |
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| − | In 1888, Ewing became affiliated with the reform, anti-machine faction of city politics. He served in the administration of Mayor Joseph Ansoetegui Shakspeare (1837-1896) as an innovative city electrician and superintendent of the police telegraphy and fire-alarm systems. He also for a time as the New Orleans municipal tax collector. Under Hearsey's tutelage, Ewing was also telegraph editor, circulation and business manager, and editor and proprietor of ''The Daily States,'' later the defunct ''States-Item.'' He was furthermore nationally prominent in the AP, having served two terms as vice president of the organization.<ref name=dict/> | + | ==Career== |
| | + | In 1888, Ewing became affiliated with the reform, anti-machine faction of New Orleans municipal politics. He served in the administration of Mayor Joseph Ansoetegui Shakspeare (1837-1896) as an innovative city electrician and superintendent of the police telegraphy and fire-alarm systems. He also for a time as the New Orleans municipal tax collector. Under Hearsey's tutelage, Ewing was also telegraph editor, circulation and business manager, and editor and proprietor of ''The Daily States,'' later the defunct ''States-Item.'' He was furthermore nationally prominent in the AP, having served two terms as vice president of the organization.<ref name=dict/> |
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| | In 1908, while still the publisher of the defunct ''Daily States,'' Ewing purchased the still operating ''Shreveport Times'' in [[Shreveport]] in northwestern Louisiana. In the latter 1920s, he bought the two newspapers in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]: the defunct ''Morning World'' and the remaining ''News Star,'' since switched to morning publication. He was hence among the two or three most influential persons in the Louisiana journalism community.<ref name=dict/> | | In 1908, while still the publisher of the defunct ''Daily States,'' Ewing purchased the still operating ''Shreveport Times'' in [[Shreveport]] in northwestern Louisiana. In the latter 1920s, he bought the two newspapers in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]: the defunct ''Morning World'' and the remaining ''News Star,'' since switched to morning publication. He was hence among the two or three most influential persons in the Louisiana journalism community.<ref name=dict/> |
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| | In 1928, Ewing broke with the Regular Democrats of New Orleans to support [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], for governor. His relationship with the Louisiana "Kingfish" was a stormy one. Ewing supported Long's [[impeachment]] by the [state House of Representatives. Long, however, was not convicted by the state Senate, finished his one term as governor, and was even elected to the [[United States Senate]]. Long accused Ewing of having attempted and failed to dictate Long's policies.<ref name=dict/> | | In 1928, Ewing broke with the Regular Democrats of New Orleans to support [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], for governor. His relationship with the Louisiana "Kingfish" was a stormy one. Ewing supported Long's [[impeachment]] by the [state House of Representatives. Long, however, was not convicted by the state Senate, finished his one term as governor, and was even elected to the [[United States Senate]]. Long accused Ewing of having attempted and failed to dictate Long's policies.<ref name=dict/> |
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| | + | ==Family and death== |
| | Ewing was twice married. In 1883, he wed the former May Dunbrack of [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]]. She died in 1904. In 1917, after thirteen years as a widower, Ewing wed the former Grace Nolan Mackay of [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]]. He had five sons and one daughter: James Lindsay Ewing, II, John Dunbrack Ewing (1892-1952) (1892–1952), Toulmin H. Ewing, Robert W. Ewing, II, Esther Ewing, and Wilson Ewing, named for Ewing's presidential favorite.<ref name=dict/> Wilson Ewing's son was Robert Wilson Ewing, III (1936–2007), a member of the ''Monroe News Star'' board of directors and a nature [[photographer]]. | | Ewing was twice married. In 1883, he wed the former May Dunbrack of [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]]. She died in 1904. In 1917, after thirteen years as a widower, Ewing wed the former Grace Nolan Mackay of [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]]. He had five sons and one daughter: James Lindsay Ewing, II, John Dunbrack Ewing (1892-1952) (1892–1952), Toulmin H. Ewing, Robert W. Ewing, II, Esther Ewing, and Wilson Ewing, named for Ewing's presidential favorite.<ref name=dict/> Wilson Ewing's son was Robert Wilson Ewing, III (1936–2007), a member of the ''Monroe News Star'' board of directors and a nature [[photographer]]. |
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