Architect
Centurion, 1917–1954
Born 22 December 1872 in Washington, District of Columbia
Died 21 December 1954 in Salem, Massachusetts
Proposed by William A. Boring and C. Grant La Farge
Elected 7 April 1917 at age forty-four
Century Memorial
Charles Ewing was born in 1872. He was destined to be an architect; and in due course he arrived at the Beaux Arts, where he got to know all the contemporaries of Trilby, including Billy Delano. Everybody was young. Life was joyful. Charley lived at No. 5 rue St. Benoit, with George Chappell.
When he left Paris he made a partnership with Chappell, and for many years they practised architecture in New York. Among other things, they built the Architects’ Building at 101 Park Avenue. After Chappell died, Ewing moved to Boston and had a summer house in Maine; he did not get around to the Club very often.
Charley had gifts as a water-colorist; and he, Grosvenor Atterbury, and some other architects who liked to paint and draw, started a little club which met once a year at the [Coffee House Club or sometimes the] Century and displayed their artistic talents at a dinner-party. There was a president elected for one year’s term, who was known as the Chief Digressor and who was responsible for the club’s gatherings. Bronze medals were awarded; competition was keen; and Charley Ewing was always in the front ranks. Frank Crowninshield, who often served on the juries who passed on the contests, presented a silver cup to be given to members who wrote light verse or sang; and the winner retained possession for a year. The records of these gay meetings were unfortunately lost when George Chappell died; but “The Digressionists” are still going strong.
Charley was always much interested in the Century, and served on the Board of Management and the House Committee. He was intermittently involved with the Gallery and once got up a very special exhibition, with Charley Lay, that was designed to show that modem pictures could be used in Georgian or earlier houses. Whether or not this contributed importantly to the sum of human knowledge, it was a lot of fun.
He was a quiet and unassuming person with a disarming smile. His friends were warm and devoted, and he moved through life happy and tranquil.
George W. Martin
1955 Century Association Yearbook