Cornelia Keeble Ewing (March 6, 1898 – December 20, 1973) was an American socialite, clubwoman, and philanthropist who founded the

Junior League The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (Junior League or JL) is a private, nonprofit educational women's volunteer organization aimed at improving communities and the social, cultural, and political fabric of civil society. With ...

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

in 1922. She served as president of the Junior League of Nashville from 1922 to 1924 and established The Junior League Home for Crippled Children, which became the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Early life and family

Ewing was born Cornelia Keeble on March 6, 1898, in

to John Bell Keeble, an attorney who served as Dean of

Vanderbilt University Law School Vanderbilt University Law School (also known as VLS) is the law school of Vanderbilt University. Established in 1874, it is one of the oldest law schools in the southern United States. Vanderbilt Law enrolls approximately 640 students, with each ...

, and Emmie Frazer. She had one sister and four brothers, including the architect Edwin A. Keeble. Ewing was the granddaughter of Edwin Augustus Keeble, who served as the mayor of

Murfreesboro Murfreesboro is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 165,430 according to the 2023 census estimate, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010 United States census, 2010. Murfreesboro i ...

and as a member of the

Confederate States Congress The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly/legislature of the Confederate States of America that existed from February 1861 to April/June 1865, during the American Civil War. Its actions were, ...

. She was a great-granddaughter of Senator John Bell, who served as

U.S. Speaker of the House The speaker of the United States House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House or House speaker, is the Speaker (politics), presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United ...

and

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

, and a great-grandniece of Congressman David W. Dickinson.

Junior League

Inspired by the activist Mary Harriman, Ewing founded the Nashville chapter of the

, a women's volunteer organization, in 1922. The chapter was admitted into the Association of Junior Leagues that same year. It was the thirtieth chapter admitted. There were forty-six other charter members of her chapter. Ewing is reported to have said, "Nashville could use an equivalent dose of reality. They, too, could leave their antebellum homes and wisteria-draped patios and go forth to campaign for the greater good." She served as the chapter's first president and hosted meetings at her home on 2114 West End Avenue. Her cabinet included Evelyn Douglas as vice president, Elizabeth Kirkland as recording secretary, Jeanette Sloan as corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Alec Stevenson as treasurer. Ewing served two terms as president of the Nashville Junior League, from 1922 to 1923 and from 1923 to 1924. She was succeeded by Frances Marion Dudley Brown. In 1923, under her presidency, the Nashville League founded The Junior League Home for Crippled Children. They also established the Mental Health Guidance Center and the

Nashville Children's Theatre Nashville Children's Theatre (NCT) is one of the oldest continually operating professional children's theatre company in America. It is a member of the Theatre for Young Audiences, the ASSITEJ, and is affiliated with the Actors' Equity Associati ...

Personal life

She married the lawyer Andrew Ewing on June 14, 1930.http://tsla.tnsosfiles.com.s3.amazonaws.com/history/manuscripts/findingaids/EWING_FAMILY_PAPERS_1820-circa_1935.pdf They had two children, Elizabeth and Andrew. Her husband was the associate counsel of the

Home Owners' Loan Corporation The Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) was a government-sponsored corporation created as part of the New Deal. The corporation was established in 1933 by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation Act under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roo ...

in 1933 and, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, served as Chairman of the Davidson County Rationing Board. She died in 1973 and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ewing, Cornelia Keeble 1898 births 1973 deaths American socialites American women philanthropists Burials at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Nashville)

Cornelia Cornelia may refer to: People *Cornelia (name), a feminine given name *Cornelia (gens), a Roman family Places *425 Cornelia, the asteroid ''Cornelia'', a main-belt asteroid ;Italy *Cornelia (Rome Metro), an underground station on Rome Metro *Via ...

People from Nashville, Tennessee Philanthropists from Tennessee Members of the Junior League American women founders American organization founders