LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 27, 1898
SENEY: (Special Correspondence)
Seney is proud of the fact that she has four brave boys who have volunteered to give their lives, if necessary, for their country. Watson Kennedy and Will Ewin went to Sheldon Thursday to enlist.
They both passed a satisfactory medical examination and were accepted. They will go to Sheldon Monday morning and will leave for Chickamauga in the afternoon. They will be mustered into company M of the Fifty-second Iowa regiment. Mark and Zip Aukema will also go to Sheldon Monday for the purpose of enlisting. These boys tried to get into the regular army about a year ago, but were rejected on account of slight physical disabilities. Mark underwent a surgical operation some time ago to remove his disability. They both expect to be accepted this time and be able to go to Chickamauga with the other boys. All honor to our brave boys, we wish them Godspeed. May they soon return to us as sound as when they leave.
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
November 3, 1898
RETURN OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY’S CONTINGENT.
The Plymouth County contingent of soldiers, members of the Fifty-second Iowa
volunteers, returned home Monday morning on a special train arrived at 3:30,
which conveyed companies H, L, and M from Des Moines. They are home this
time to stay and resume their avocations as private citizens, after having
responded to the call of their country and faithfully performed the duties
which they were called upon to undertake after enlisting. Those who returned
this morning were John Connolly, Peter Wilmes, Henry Mammen, Jos. Mohan, W.
McGillvray, L. McGillvray, A. K. Shoup, W. Kennedy, Gus Forbes, Chas. Burns
Jr, of LeMars; Henry Brandt, of Struble; Dave Langhout, H. Eberhardt, A. K.
Shoup, Merrill; Clarence Moore and H. Ewing (sic William A. Ewin), of Seney.
Of several of the boys seen, they all agreed that if Uncle Sam needed their
services again, they would be willing to step right up to the front and
their only regret was that they never had a chance to go into action.
The LeMars boys on the whole have no complaint to make and in contradiction
to reports have nothing to say in disparagement of their officers and all
speak in highest terms of Colonel Humphrey, the head of the regiment.
LeMars Sentinel, January 22, 1909
SENEY: (Special Correspondence)
Sergeant Will Ewin returned home Thursday of last week from Fort Thomas,
Kentucky. Will was one of our boys who was willing to serve his country and
enlisted at Sheldon in Company M, 52nd Iowa Infantry in the Spanish-American
war and was stationed at Fort Thomas, Ga., but didn’t get a chance to go
into battle. After nine months service was mustered out at Des Moines. Not
being satisfied with this short time as a soldier, in 1902 he enlisted in
the regulars in Company H, 21 Infantry at Fort Duchessene, Utah. In January
of 1903, he was transferred to Company I, 18th Infantry and was sent to the
Philippines. After two years of service there, returned to Fort Leavenworth,
Kan., and was mustered out in the spring of 1905. He re-enlisted in Company
E, 2nd Infantry in the spring of 1906, was again sent to the Philippines,
where he served until 1908, when he was sent to Fort Thomas, Kentucky and
was mustered out January 11th, 1909. He was promoted Corporal in 1906 and
Sergeant in 1907. His discharge papers speak of him as a good soldier,
excellent character in service, honest, faithful and true. He took the
prized, it being a silver medal, as being expert rifleman on the border of
Lake Erie at Fort Perry, Ohio. After a short visit with relatives and
friends here he expects to leave for Denver where he has work with a company
of government surveyors.
Mr. and Mrs. M. Ewin entertained relatives and a few friends at an oyster
supper at their home Saturday evening in honor of their son, Will.