Early Life

Robert Douglas Ewing, who often went by his initials, R. D., was born in Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland on 2 March 1828. One day, he would become a photographer. A son of James Ewing and his wife, Jean Wilson, Robert was the eldest of their nine children. About 1854, James Ewing died and some few years later, Jean (Wilson) Ewing left Scotland with at least six of her children.

Immigration to Canada West

After arriving in Canada West, Jean, who was often known as Jane Ewing, settled in the Township of Asphodel in the County of Peterborough. In the early 1860s she lived on Concession 3, Lots 9 and 10 in the township. The children resided there with her.

R. D. Ewing married early in the year 1860. Sometime in the late 1850s, after arriving in Canada West, he became acquainted with Elizabeth Milne, daughter of Andrew and Margaret (Coutts) Milne.  The Milne family had also come from Scotland, so it is possible the families were known to one another back home. On 16 February 1860 at Cobourg, Canada West, Robert Douglas Ewing wed Elizabeth Melville Milne. Born at Cobourg in the late 1830s, Elizabeth was now a young woman in her early twenties. The newly weds, at first, made their home with Robert’s mother in Asphodel Township.

Becoming a Photographer

By the mid 1860s, R. D. Ewing had established himself in the town of Peterborough as a photographer. He had a store on Hunter Street a few doors west of Kingan’s Hardware shop. R. D. offered not only photographs, but reproductions from the well known work of William Notman.