Ewing, William Lee Davidson

31 Aug. 1795–25 Mar. 1846. Lawyer, politician. Born in Paris, Bourbon Co., Kentucky. Son of Finis Ewing and Peggy Davidson. Moved to Shawneetown, Gallatin Co., Illinois, ca. 1818. Appointed land office receiver at Vandalia, Crawford and Bond counties, Illinois, by President James Monroe, 1820. U.S. surveyor of public lands, 1826–1827. Clerk of Illinois House of Representatives, 1826–1828. Married Caroline L. Berry, 3 May 1827, in Fayette Co., Illinois. Captain of Samuel Houston’s company in Black Hawk War, 1832. Member of Illinois House of Representatives, 1830; served as speaker. Member of Illinois Senate, 1832–1834; served as president pro tempore, 1832, and as speaker, 1834. In 1834, served as governor of Illinois for fifteen days, due to governor and lieutenant governor resigning to take seats in Congress, until inauguration of Joseph Duncan. Appointed to U.S. Senate to fill vacancy, Dec. 1835–Mar. 1837. Member of Illinois House of Representatives, 1838 and 1840; chosen speaker for both sessions. Clerk of Illinois House of Representatives, 1842. Appointed Illinois state auditor of public accounts, 1843, and served until his death. Resident of Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois, 1846, where he died.