Ruth Ewing

Ruth Ewing. . , Ruth Moore Ewing, born ca. 1800 in North Carolina, was one of Liberty's first citizens, coming to this area with her grandfather Andrew Robertson before it was a town. In 1824 she married neighboring farmer John D. Ewing, and together they grew flax and wove it into linen as they raised their three children, Chatham, Robertson and Margaret. , Ruth started one of Liberty's first schools, teaching her own children and those from nearby farms. She sponsored students whose families could not afford tuition. , The school building was destroyed and rebuilt three times over the years, but the school itself continued to thrive until 1950 when it was annexed by Liberty School District. Its final location was on the northeast corner of Ruth Ewing Road and present-day Claybrooke Drive, directly across the street from this park. , Ruth Ewing made another significant contribution to Liberty. She started a Sunday School in the building that housed her school. Soon she partnered with leaders of Second Baptist Church to officially form the Ruth Ewing Sunday School, which flourished for more than 100 years. In 1956 members became the founding congregation of South Liberty Baptist Church. , In her later years, Ruth became a beloved figure and was known to all as "Grandma Ewing." She passed away in 1866, leaving a legacy of resilience that was carried on by members of the community she had helped to establish. In addition to providing opportunities to learn and worship, the Ruth Ewing School served the close-knit south Liberty community as a gathering place for social and cultural events. , Along the way, folks began referring to the road that ran in front of the school as Ruth Ewing Road, and it still bears that name. Robert S. Withers, prominent Liberty citizen and former student of the Ruth Ewing School, said, "She was a woman of culture and refinement and of deep religious convictions."