Charles Ewer, son of Capt Silas and Mary (Armstrong) Ewer, was born on 4 September 1790 in Boston, Massachusetts and he died on 12 November 1853 in Portsmouth, NewHampshire. He never married.

Although he first served as an apprentice in the dry goods business, Ewer was then employed by Thomas & Andrews, booksellers. After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a book business in Portsmouth, Ewer returned to Boston in 1816 and opened a bookstore at Cornhill and Washington Street. In 1828, he also associated with Timothy Bedlington in the publishing business.

Ewer helped organize the Middling Interest Society and supported the construction of afree bridge to South Boston. "He projected and carried out almost unaided a plan for filling in the marsh lands of South cove, adding over 80 acres to the city's building area ... In 1823 he tore down his home on Washington Street and had Avon Place extended as a thoroughfare to Chauncey Street. On the new Avon Street he erected fourteen new, four-story, hammered granite faced buildings, of which the street floors were for stores, with dwellings above. Similarly, he erected along Washington Street, adjoining Avon Street, some eight more similar structures."¹ Unfortunately, these projects were not financially successful for Mr. Ewer.

Charles Ewer was one of the founders of the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, Massachusetts and he served as the Society's first president from 1845 to 1850.

1. Hill, William Carroll. A Century of Genealogical Progress: Being a History of the New England Historic Genealogical Society 1845-1945(Boston, Mass.: NEHGS, 1945): p. 21.