The Erwins, also known as Irwin, Erwine, Irvin, Ervin and Urwin, were of Scotch-Irish descent. That is not to say they were a mixture but that they originated in Scotland and moved to the northernmost province of Ireland in the 1600's and eventually to America. They then moved into PA., VA., OH, TN, NC, LA, & TX.
The Erwin line is my grandmother's Margaret Louisa Erwin
Clemons' line. This Erwin line starts with William Henry Erwin and Margaret Louise
Alexis in Ascension Parish, Louisiana in or around 1909. Margaret Louise Alexis
owned a boarding house in Sorrento, Ascension Parish, Louisiana, and William Henry Erwin
was one of her boarders. They married and had six girls and one boy all born
in Louisiana, although one girl died at age two and one was still born. Once their children
were grown and married they moved to Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida where they lived
the rest of their natural life. Only two of the five children settled in Tampa,
Hillsborough County, Florida and raised their children.
William Henry Erwin has been described as a mysterious man. However, I was always
told by my grandmother that he was a "self proclaimed preacher", but I don't think anyone
really knew what he did for a living. His children told stories of him leaving the
house everyday very early and not returning until dark. He had a make shift horseless
carriage with only one seat in it, and would never allow the children nor his wife to ride in
it. Although the children have said they saw him in town with someone riding with him,
but they never dared to ask who it was. He tended a garden that kept his family in food,
and sold some of the yield from it. There is a tale told about him coming home many
times and finding one of his neighbors mules in his garden. More than once he had words
with his neighbor over this mule, and his garden. He had tried to fence the garden in,
but nothing seemed to work. He warned his neighbor about the mule and let him know he
would shoot the animal if he caught him in his garden again. He came home one day to
find the mule in his garden again, so it was told he got his gun and shot the mule.
He then went down to his neighbors house to tell him to get his dead mule out of his
garden. He and his neighbor had some harsh words, and his neighbor pulled
a knife on him. William Henry was said to have killed his neighbor in self defense
over the dead mule. I am having trouble finding information on the Erwin line past
my great grandfather, but I have found some interesting facts on my great grandmothers line,
Margaret Louise Alexis Erwin.
Margaret Louise Alexis Erwin was first generation born American Irish. Her
mother, Catherine Cummings Alexis, was born in Ireland. Catherine's father was
thrown from his horse during a storm. After his accident he was unable to get
out of bed, and after about six months he died. After the death
of her father, her mother took Catherine at age four, and sailed to America.
Catherine's mother re-married in America. Catherine Cummings married a man by the name
of Alexis (this is all I know about him for now).
Margaret Louisa (May) "Buba" Erwin, William and Margaret's second child and my
grandmother, married Vernon Earl Clemons in Clarksdale, Coahoma County, Mississippi.
Vernon brought May back to Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, and this is where their
five children were born and raised. Eva Bertha Erwin, William and Margaret Erwin's
third child, married Vernon Earl Clemons brother, Samuel Carlton (Carl) Clemons,
in Sorrento, Ascension Parish, Louisiana, about three years after Vernon and May were
married. Carl too brought Eva back to Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida where their
four children were born and raised.
Most of the Erwin line is still living in or around Sorrento, Ascension Parish,
Louisiana. I have about 50% of the information needed on this line.
Other major lines in the Erwin line is Wynne, Melhart, and two lines of Clemons.
