Prominent historian David Ewing accused of draining money from woman's trust fund

Prominent historian and attorney David S. Ewing is being sued by a woman who says he betrayed her by draining her $1.1 million trust fund, leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars of her money "missing or unaccounted."

Margaret Victoria Fort said she came to Ewing for advice during a period when she was "making poor decisions and was emotional and mentally unstable." Ewing suggested putting her money into a trust that he oversaw as trustee, according to court filings.

The trust was established in 2017. Under the arrangement, the filings state, Ewing agreed to handle Fort's money management and pay her bills, her children's tuition and other expenses.

Fort's complaint, filed on Aug. 7, stated that Ewing said "he would ensure she would never have to worry about money or finances again or fear losing her money or property." Instead, the complaint stated, numerous expenses went unpaid and Ewing would not share information about the trust.

In a response filed Oct. 2, Ewing denied many of Fort's allegations, saying "the damages complained of by the Plaintiff are the result of Plaintiff's actions." He acknowledged his role in overseeing the trust but denied wrongdoing, saying Fort's "limited funds required Mr. Ewing to make financial decisions to the best of his ability."

Fort's complaint estimated about $500,000 from the trust was spent appropriately. But Ewing "never provided any accounting to her or explained how the remaining balance, nearly $700,000, was used or spent."

Fort's complaint states Ewing "acted illegally and inequitably," and accuses him of breach of contract, breach of trust and negligence, among other claims. The complaint asks for $2.5 million in damages.

Ewing is a well-known local historian and attorney, who served as chair of the Nashville Board of Zoning Appeals and several other high-profile boards, including multiple panels dedicated to land use downtown.

State records show Ewing surrendered his law license Aug. 30, while the legal fight against him was raging in Davidson County Chancery Court. Ewing's attorney Tom White said the surrender had nothing to do with the complaint and was instead an indication that Ewing was focused on his work as a historian and tour guide.

White said there were "ongoing discussions about settling" the lawsuit.

"There's a high likelihood there will be a resolution by agreement," White said in a telephone interview. "It's unfortunate that it's come to this, but we'll just have to deal with it."

Ewing has been a prominent Nashvillian for decades, serving on the boards for Cheekwood and the Belcourt Theatre, among other institutions. He currently runs a company offering tours of historic sites in Nashville, but previously served as lobbyist for Gaylord Entertainment Co. and as an executive at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.

Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and atamburin@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.