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important campaigns of the war.
He was promoted successively to be second sergeant, second lieutenant and
first lieutenant of his company, and it was with the rank of first lieutenant
that he was mustered out of the service at the end of the war.
He has kept alive memories of those days which tried men's souls by
membership of Herbert Root Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Belvidere."
"Mr. Erwin is the owner of two hundred and sixty-two acres of
valuable and productive land, provided with a fine residence, ample barns and
outhouses and the very best machinery and accessories of all kinds. He has taken much interest in township affairs and has held
the offices of township assessor, school director, highway commissioner and
thistle commissioner. While not
active in a political sense, he never fails to advocate and support most
liberally any proposition which, in his good judgement, promises to advance the
interests of the community."
"December 31, 1887, Mr. Erwin was married in Caledonia Township to
Miss Amelia Bruce. Miss Bruce was a
daughter of Timothy and Hannah (Gifford) Bruce, natives of the State of New
York, who came to Boone County in 1840, settling in Belvidere Township, where
Amelia was born. Mr. Bruce died at
the age of sixty-six years. His
wife, who survived him, lived to be seventy-nine years old.
She bore him six children: Edwin,
Amelia, Lucy, John, Charles and Ella. Edwin died in Belvidere Township. Lucy married John Ham, of Belvidere Township, and has passed
away. John is living at Belvidere,
as is also Charles. Ella married
Eugene Walker, of Belvidere Township."
"William S. and Amelia (Bruce) Erwin have become the parents of
eight children, three of whom they have buried.
The five who are living are named Melvin J., Carrie, Fred G., Cora and
Nettie. Carrie married John Dimond
and Nettie is the wife of Lewis Covey."
A note is added here by Robert Erwin, of Caledonia, Ill.
He states that William S. Erwin was wounded Aug. 20, 1864, by a gunshot
wound in the left elbow, near Atlanta, Ga.
He was hospitalized in a field hospital in Jonesboro, Ga. from Sept. 4,
1864 to Sept 29, 1864, and again Oct. 4, 1864 to Oct. 16, 1864.
The following additional note is extracted
from historical records of the Boone County area: "Public
Domain Land Sales: Land sold to an individual for the first time, Boone County,
Illinois- Price was $1.25 per acre. John
S. Erwin, 40 acres on 1 Dec. 1840 and 80 acres on 1 Jun, 1841."
William Sharp Erwin kept a diary in which he faithfully recorded many
interesting details of his life during the period from 1893 to Dec 12, 1914.
Although it is impractical to reproduce this document in its entirety, I
am including a few of the more interesting entries below: