TOWN OF ERWIN. 



297 



the 2d Regiment of United States Infantry, and he was 

 subsequently promoted to the rank of captain. 



In 1801 he married Miss Rachel Heckman, of Easton, 

 Pa., and removed from thence to Painted Post, in the 

 summer of 1803, where he resided till his death, Nov. 10, 

 1836. He maintained, throughout his long life, a charac- 

 ter for the highest respectability and integrity. 



Physically, Capt. Erwin was the ideal settler and pioneer, 

 his height being nearly six and a half feet, and his frame 

 erect and powerful. It is said that for physical vigor and 

 endurance he had no equal in the county, if in Western 

 New York. In manners he was a graceful gentleman of 

 the old school, courteous, kind, obliging, careful for the 

 wants of the sick or suffering, and a model of probity in 

 all his social and business relations. " His genial and social 

 qualities have left the most grateful recollections among 

 those who knew him in the intimacies of friendship," 



In 1806, Capt. Samuel Irwin and his brother Francis 

 were encjas-ed in mercantile business, and continued sellinjx 

 goods till 1811. From some old papers it appears that 

 Maj. Arthur Erwin was their clerk. 



GEN. FRANCIS E. ERWIN, 



the second son and third child of Capt. Samuel Erwin and 

 Rachel Heckman, was born in the town of Erwin, Steuben 

 Co., N. Y., May 3, 1803. He is one of a large and intel- 

 ligent family of ten children who grew to manhood and 

 womanhood. His educational advantages were confined to 

 the comnion schools of that early day, yet by that untiring 

 energy which has been a prominent characteristic of him 

 through life, he acquired a good practical education. He 

 was reared a farmer, which honorable business, combined 

 with that of lumbering and some minor interests, has con- 

 tinued to be his occupation up to the present time. He 

 has been successful in his financial dealings, and ranks 

 among the solid and representative men of his native town. 



Gen. Erwin has been a life-long Democrat of the Jeffer- 

 son and Jackson school. He is a firm believer in a redeem- 

 able currency, or a currency redeemed in coin at the will of 

 the holder. 



He has held many positions of trust and responsibility, 

 the duties of which he has always faithfully discharged, 

 and with satisfaction to his constituents. During the years 

 1838 and 1839 he was supervisor of his town. He was 

 elected to the State Le2;islature in 1841 and 1842, and 

 served two terms. While in the Legislature he was a mem- 

 ber of the Military committee, and during his second term 

 was chairman of the same. The general's friends urged 

 him to be a candidate for the third term, but he declined, 

 preferring the quiet of home to official honors. He mar- 

 ried Miss Sophia, daughter of Ansel McCall, of Painted 

 Post, Jan. 23, 1827. She was born Oct. 23, 1806. Of 

 this union, seven children were born in the town of Erwin, 

 five of whom are still living, and are among the most re- 

 spected citizens of the town or county. 



Mrs. Erwin died May 16, 1856. She was a lady highly 

 esteemed for her excellent traits of character, and died re- 

 gretted by those who knew her. Gen. Erwin has held all 

 the military offices in the State militia, from the rank of 

 corporal to that of general, save that of captain. 

 38 



ARTHUR H. ERWIN, 



son of Capt. Samuel and Rachel H. Erwin, and grandson 

 of Col. Arthur and Mary Erwin, of Scotch-Irish descent, 

 was born in Erwin, Steuben Co., N. Y., Nov. 26, 1805. 

 He was one of a family of nine children, all of whom lived 

 to maturity. His early advantages for an education were 

 chiefly confined to the common school of his town, then 

 known as " Painted Post." When quite a young man he 

 attended an academy at Easton, Pa., and here met Miss 

 Frances M., daughter of William and Rebecca McKeen, 

 his future wife. His boyhood was spent upon his father's 

 farm, and he was also more or less engaged in lumbering. 

 His father was engaged in the mercantile business at Painted 

 Post; hence Arthur also had more or less experience in 

 the business. He was a partner with his father in the 

 store for several years. 



He married, Feb. 2, 1828. Of this union twelve child- 

 ren were born. All are living except the youngest, who died 

 when quite young, and De Witt Clinton, who was a soldier 

 in the Rebellion, in the 50th Engineer Corps, and was 

 honorably discharged, and returned home to the farm, and 

 died Dec. 11, 1873. All of this large family were born in 

 the town of Erwin, and the larger part in the house where 

 the widow and family now reside. 



Arthur H. continued in mercantile business till about 

 1830, when his health compelled him to seek outdoor em- 

 ployment ; hence he went on his father's farm and remained 

 about one year, when he returned to Painted Post and re- 

 sumed his former pursuit, continuing till the winter of 

 1834, when he settled on the large farm, which continued 

 to be his home till his death, which occurred Aug. 1, 1863. 

 During these years he was engaged in the foundry busi- 

 ness under the firm-name, Erwin, Bennett, Brooks & Co. 

 During Mr. Erwin's lifetime he was extensively engaged in 

 lumbering, and was the owner of a steam saW-mill. Like 

 many others of this community, he was engaged as a farmer 

 and lumberman. Mr. Erwin inherited a large portion of 

 his property ; has made great improvements upon his home- 

 farm, which is one of the best in the town. This farm has 

 never gone out of the Erwin family since its first purchase 

 in 1789. 



In politics Mr. Erwin was formerly identified with the 

 Whig party, but towards the close of his life he voted the 

 Democratic ticket. He represented his town for eight 

 consecutive years as its supervisor, and was such at the 

 time of his death. 



His wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church at 

 Painted Post, and Mr. Erwin became a member a short 

 time before his death. He was always a friend of educa- 

 tion, and gave his children good opportunities for the same. 

 He was a liberal supporter of the different churches of his 

 town, and the poor found in him a friend indeed. He was 

 a good citizen, a kind neighbor, a true and devoted hus- 

 band, and an affectionate father. His name is held in 

 grateful remembrance by the members of the family. He 

 was buried in the family cemetery in Erwin, three and a 

 half miles west of Painted Post. His widow still survives, 

 and resides at the old home with her son Winfield Scott 

 and three of her daughters. 



