"Erwin, William S., farmer and veteran of the Civil War, Caledonia Township, Boone County, Illinois.  To this prominent farmer belongs the credit not only of being a leader among his class in Boone County, but of being one of the few remaining citizens of the county who risked their lives in defense of their country in the never-to-be-forgotten conflict of the States in the years 1861-1865.  Though, perhaps, not one of the youngest, Mr. Erwin was certainly one of the younger soldiers from his part of  the  State,  and  his  service  was  in every  way  patriotic and creditable. As a farmer he has kept up to the times, adopting new methods that have appealed to him as promising improved results and discarding such as, in his opinion, have served their time and become to a certain extent impracticable."   

 "William S. Erwin was born in Caledonia Township, October 14, 1842.  His father, John S. Erwin, a native of Canada, married Minerva Wright, also of Canadian birth, and they came to Boone County in 1838 and improved a farm in Caledonia Township, on which he died, aged about sixty-two years, she being about fifty years.  The following brief notes concerning their children will be of interest in this connection.  There were seven of them.  Caroline married Orville Stevens and died in Caledonia Township.  Hannah, who became the wife of Roswell Barmore, died in Kansas.  George is living in Nebraska.  Henry died at Leadville, Colorado.  Elizabeth married Josiah Depew and died in Caledonia Township.  William S. was the next in sequence of birth.  Stephan is a citizen of Golden, Colorado."  

William Sharp Erwin