Hamilton G. Ewart
Encyclopedia
Hamilton Glover Ewart was briefly both a U.S. Representative
from North Carolina
and a United States federal judge
.
, Ewart attended private schools and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina
, with his parents in 1862. He was graduated from the literary and law departments of the University of South Carolina at Columbia, receiving an LL.B. in 1876. He was admitted to the bar in 1870 and commenced practice in Hendersonville, North Carolina
, serving as a Referee in Bankruptcy
, U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina beginning in 1872, and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876.
intermittently, from 1887 to 1889, and again from 1895 to 1897, and from 1911 to 1913. Ewart was elected as a Republican
to the Fifty-first Congress (March 4, 1889-March 3, 1891). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1890 to the Fifty-second Congress and also unsuccessfully stood for election to that seat in 1904.
. He was then a circuit court judge for Raleigh, North Carolina
from 1897 to 1898. Ewart was twice unsuccessfully appointed by President William McKinley
as a recess appointment
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
vacated by Robert P. Dick
. The first time, Ewart was appointed on July 16, 1898, and served until the United States Senate
adjourned without acting on the appointment on March 4, 1899. He was reappointed to the same seat on April 14, 1899, and the Senate again adjourned without acting on the appointment on June 7, 1900.
He moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1916 and continued the practice of law until his death, in Chicago, April 28, 1918. He was interred in Oakdale Cemetery, Hendersonville, North Carolina
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and a United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Early life, education, and career
Born in Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, Ewart attended private schools and moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
, with his parents in 1862. He was graduated from the literary and law departments of the University of South Carolina at Columbia, receiving an LL.B. in 1876. He was admitted to the bar in 1870 and commenced practice in Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
, serving as a Referee in Bankruptcy
Referee in Bankruptcy
A Referee in Bankruptcy or Bankruptcy Referee is a federal official with quasi-judicial powers, appointed by a United States district court to administer bankruptcy proceedings...
, U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina beginning in 1872, and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876.
Political activities
Ewart was elected mayor of Hendersonville in 1877, serving from 1878 to 1879. He served as member of the North Carolina House of RepresentativesNorth Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
intermittently, from 1887 to 1889, and again from 1895 to 1897, and from 1911 to 1913. Ewart was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Fifty-first Congress (March 4, 1889-March 3, 1891). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1890 to the Fifty-second Congress and also unsuccessfully stood for election to that seat in 1904.
Judicial activities
From 1895 to 1896, Ewart was a criminal court judge for Henderson County, North CarolinaHenderson County, North Carolina
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :...
. He was then a circuit court judge for Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
from 1897 to 1898. Ewart was twice unsuccessfully appointed by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
as a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
The United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina is a Federal district court which covers the western third of North Carolina....
vacated by Robert P. Dick
Robert P. Dick
Robert Paine Dick was an attorney, North Carolina Supreme Court justice , and United States District Court judge . Originally a Democrat, Dick served as United States attorney for the District of North Carolina from 1853 to 1861...
. The first time, Ewart was appointed on July 16, 1898, and served until the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
adjourned without acting on the appointment on March 4, 1899. He was reappointed to the same seat on April 14, 1899, and the Senate again adjourned without acting on the appointment on June 7, 1900.
He moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1916 and continued the practice of law until his death, in Chicago, April 28, 1918. He was interred in Oakdale Cemetery, Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
.