Hezekiah Francis Erwin (abt. 1812 - 1859)

Born about 1812 in Rowan, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Johnston (Winston) Erwin — married 23 Dec 1834 in Troup Co., Georgia

Husband of Martha J. Rootes (Jackson) Erwin — married 24 Jun 1847 in Chambers Co., Alabama

Descendants

Died 7 Feb 1859 at about age 47 in Chambers, Alabama, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sarah Sharpless [send private message]

Biography

Hezekiah was born 12 Feb 1811 in Georgia,^[1] the son of Joseph Erwin and Catherine Cowan.

Hezekiah married Mary J. Winston (1817-1844) on 23 Dec 1834 in Troup, Georgia^[2] and they had the following known children:

1. Thomas Winston Erwin (1836–)

2. Sarah Ann Eliza Erwin (1838–1919)

After the first wife Mary Johnson Winston Erwin passed away, her two children were recorded living with her father Thomas Winston in 1850. In 1860 T.W. Erwin, with his wife and family, are living next to Thomas Winston and Sarah Ann Eliza Erwin is living in her grandfather's household and is recorded as S.A. Erwin.

H. F. Erwin married Martha J.R. Jackson (1822–1848) on 19 Jun 1847 in Chambers, Alabama^[3] and they had the following known child:

3. Sarah M Erwin (1848–1853)

Third, Hezekiah married Mary Willis Cobb (1828–1899) and they had the following known children:

4. Mary Willis Erwin (1852–1865)

5. Howell Francis Cobb Erwin (1855–1922)^[4]

6. Lucy Cobb Erwin (1859–1936)^[5]

He died 7 Feb 1859 at Chambers County, Alabama and was buried at Pinewood Cemetery, West Point, Troup, Georgia^[1]. He died intestate. His estate was administered by Wyche L Jackson.

Probate

See Resolution of Estate of Hezekiah F. Erwin, Chambers County, Alabama.

Slaves

In 1850, Hezekiah F Erwin held 46 slaves in Chambers County, Alabama^[6]

See Slaves of Hezekiah F Erwin

See Cookshay Plantation, Chambers County, Alabama

Research Notes

NOTE: these notes need to be divided up with the appropriate parts gong on the appropriate profiles and most of the rest going on individual Space Pages. ([Flamer-1|Judy Bramlage]] 2 Jun 2023)

Relationships of Erwin, Cobb, and Jackson Families

A look at the will of Howell Cobb from Heardfamilyresearch

Note the above link is followed by 3 parts in reference to Susan Bailey, maiden name Jackson. Those go into relationships with the Erwin, Cobb, and Jackson families among others.

Hezekiah's middle name

Added by K.A. 27 Apr 2022 (some researchers seem to disagree on the middle name of Francis vs Franklin)

Trail to Texas

Hezekiah F Erwin research of "bluebonnetgal"

Posted to Ancestry.com 11 Jun 2017 by klallman1

Quoting from research of Nanci (bluebonnetgal at comcast dot net)

The Trail to Texas^[7]

updated 2017 06 03

In transcribing the letter, I have tried to remain faithful to his punctuation and capitalization and spelling as well as where and when he ended the writing on the page.

Outside envelope

Abel Cowan Esqr.

Wood Grove

Rowan County

Wm. Sparks N. Carolina

First page:

Pleasant Hill, Troup County, Ga.

November 22nd, 1841

My uncle,

Perhaps from the first sight of this letter you may be at a loss to know what to make of it but I presume after reflecting you will understand the contents and know the writer from the Family which give him birth.-- Having learned from my Relations in Tennessee that there is a small legacy due me and my Brothers in Chambers Co Ala from my Grand Father or Mother as the case may be and you as the legal admr. of said estate and the proper person to call on for said effects, as you will see from Power Attorneys by Mr. Sparks.

You will discover the one made by my three Brothers of Ala bear date of the 14th July but at that time Mr. Sparks expected to go to S. Carolina but concluded to defer it to this time, and consequently I did not take out any letter until this time, you will find him a very Honest correct young man

he has been acting as an overseer for me the last two years. His Parents Reside in Spartanburg Dst. S.C. who he now visits and as the distance is short to where you live and understood you was anxious to wind up the concerns of the estate we have thought proper to

:(over)

2nd page

to call on you through our agent Wm. Sparks for the effects coming to us, Mr Sparks is unfortunately destitute of Education to a verry great extent, and I must ask of you to direct him in any thing connected with this business.

I have just heard from my Relations in Tennessee by Jacob Mayes (Mayer?) a Dutchman uncle James raised who is out here for the purpose of selling some land belonging to himself and uncle James. Our Friends are generally well save my sister's family. Mr. Biles, Uncle James, was gone to Mississpi, or I have considerable space I know of nothing els to write, but presume it will be of little interest to you but as you are the Brother of that dear Mother who give me birth I will take the liberty of conversing with you through letter. I was born in Rowan county and was my mother's sucking infant when she left that State, I lived with my Father in Tennessee until I was 14 and then came to this State and lived with my Brother Thomas until I married. I am now thirty years old and have been married seven years and have a very agreeable companion and two promising children, a son and a Daughter. My Bro. T. B. has four children and doing well my two other younger Brothers are both living in Chambers Co some 15 miles from me unmarried and doing very well.

3rd page

It would be a source of great pleasure to me to see my Relations in N.C. as they are numerous and Strangers to me I never have seen any my Relations by mother's side save uncle James & aunt McCorkle's Family. Should I ever pass through your State I will be certain to call on you and the balance of my Relations, you will please accept my best Respects and present the same to my unseen aunt & cousins and should you or any of your children ever pass through Ga I shall be more than glad to see them.

You will please send a statement of the affects individually by Mr. Sparks. Any attention rendered Mr. Sparks will be thankfully Recd. I will refer you to him for particulars. I am yours affectionately,

Hezekiah F. Erwin

Able Cowan

Rowan Co.

N Carolina

N.B. Please have the Powers Recorded and let Mr. Sparks bring the originals Back or some satisfactory showing.

Abstract of Will for Benjamin Rhodes

Abstract: 9/8/1838, page 83-84^[8]

To: Susan C. Rhodes, Caroline Rhodes (wife and daughter). Residue of estate to my brother, John Rhodes' children....he, the said John Rhodes, to have use of said property as guardian or trustee for his children during his life. Exrs: Samuel Gahagan, Hezekiah F. Erwin. Wits: William H. Kistler, Manly Scroggin, William Reid, G. H. Winston, C. Forbes.

Military Experience

Is this Hezekiah Franklin Erwin-not likely since he died in 1859 - a son perhaps?

Erwin Hezekiah H 12 Mississippi Infantry. Private Private Confederate

Hezakiah made a land claim at

ERWIN, H F

Land Office: TALLAPOOSA DIST Sequence #:

Document Number: 2917 Total Acres: 320

Misc. Doc. Nr.: Signature: Yes

Canceled Document: No Issue Date: August 28, 1841

Mineral Rights Reserved: No Metes and Bounds: No

Survey Date: Statutory Reference: 24 Stat. 388

Multiple Warantee Names: No Act or Treaty: February 8, 1887

Multiple Patentee Names: Yes Entry Classification: Indian Allotment General

Remarks: JOHN MILTON

Legal Land Description:

1. Aliquot Parts Block # Base Line Fractional Section Township Range Section #

1 W½ ST STEPHENS No 18N 26E 8

Hezekiah T. Erwin found in:

Land Records: AL, AR, FL, LA, MI, MN, OH, WI, 1790-1907

Document number: 2825 Description number: 1

Number of acres: 320.0800 Accession number: AL5090__.342

Patentee Surname: Erwin Patentee given name: Hezekiah T.

State name: Alabama

Volume: 5090 Page number: 342

Land office: Montgomery Aliquot part reference: W½

Section number: 31

Township: 19 North Range: 25 East

Meridian or special survey area: St. Stephens Meridian

Title transfer authority: Indian Allotment-General

Combined signature date: Dec. 28, 1842

Multiple patentees: Y Multiple warrantees: N Comments: JOHN MILTON

Signature: Y Canceled document: N Subsurface rights reserved: N

Metes and bounds: N Fractional section: N

Pinewood Cemetery Book

10/1/2002

From: Mary Anne at mamatt_cei.net:

...I received the following information from the Troup Georgia County Archives yesterday.

The information is from the Pinewood Cemetery Book. I don’t know who originally wrote the information, nor when it was written. Some – and maybe all - of this is information you already have.

"Abel Alexander, son of Joseph Erwin (1769-1846) and Catherine Cowan Erwin, was born in Rowan County, NC. On Dec. 13, 1850 he married Eliza Frances Ashford, born in Fairfield District, SC. His brother, M. L. Erwin (lot 93), married a sister of Eliza Ashford. About 1855 the Erwins moved from LaGrange to West Point. Their children were:

1. Georgia Belle Erwin (lot 82) – married E.J. Collins on Jan 21, 1872 (lot 82)

Erwin Collins - "worked at a bank in Atlanta. The young lady he was engaged to marry died from a smallpox vaccination, and he refused to be vaccinated. He contracted smallpox, died, and was buried in Atlanta."

Charlie (??) Belle Collins married Wm Campbell Lanier

2. Charles Henry Erwin - March 1, 1856 – November 29, 1881 (lot 82)

3. Thomas Cowan Erwin married Elsie Schulyer Campbell

4. Harriet Ashford Erwin married Wm J. Campbell

5. Sarah Lee Erwin married Phillip Trammell Schutze

6. Mary Elizabeth Erwin married Hubert M. Merek

7. Abel Alexander Erwin, Jr. - Nov 5, 1870 - Nov 19, 1875 (lot 82)

Abel, Sr. and Eliza are also buried in Lot 82 of the Pinewood Cemetery

"Michael Lincoln Erwin was the youngest son of James Erwin of North Carolina. His wife was Martha Ashford of South Carolina. He devoted the greater part of his life to planting, but in later days he was in merchandising and worked with his son James who was the joint agent for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad and the Western Railroad of Alabama."

1. George Ashford Erwin, 1848 - 1839, born at LaFayette, Alabama - married Laura Fuller

2. James Albert Erwin, born Cussetta, Alabama Nov 17, 1849 - married Carrie Culp in 1877. She died the following year.

3. Ella Erwin - married Frank Echols

4. Lottie Erwin - married S.O. Melton

Michael and Martha, George Ashford and his wife Laura, and Ella are buried in lot 93

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hezekiah Franklin Erwin was the son of Joseph, etc. He and his brothers, Thomas, Abel A., and M. L. were among the first settlers of West Point. He was a cotton buyer and established the first bank in the town on Oct. 31, 1853. Mr. Erwin was buried originally at Newcastle in Harris Co. Ga. His grave was in an area that was being plowed up and his grand daughter-in-law, Lillie Erwin, had his remains moved to their lot in Pinewood."

H.F. Erwin married Mary Winston, the daughter of Ann Tinsley and Thomas Winston.

1. Annie Erwin married J.W.F. Little

2. Thomas Winston Erwin married Katherine Whitaker

There is also a little information on some of the children of the children if you are interested in it....

Thanks again,

Mary Anne

From: Mary Anne at mamatt_cei.net

Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002 12:20 PM

Subject: Joseph Erwin

The only thing I have found on the death of Martha Jackson is as follows: :Devon & English Genealogy - Ancestry.com

Martha Rootes Jackson · Death: 27 Nov 1848 1

Author: Jackson

Title: Jackson and Prince Family Paper, 1784-1880

Publication: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Repository:

Name: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Wilson Library

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Page: reel 36

I realize this in nothing close to proof, but it does seem logical in light of the 1850 census. This was just about one month after the birth of her daughter.

I too think the Martha J. Jackson is Hezekiah’s mother-in-law. Her husband, Henry Jackson, was dead at this point and she did have another daughter, Sarah Maria Rootes Jackson. If the above regarding Martha’s death is correct, she would have been 26 when she died and it would seem quite possible that sister Sarah could have been 22. I can easily see how the little girl could have been listed in the households of both her father and her grandmother.

In 1852 Hezekiah married Mary Willis Cobb although to date I can find no official record of this. Hezekiah’s 2nd mother-in-law, Martha J. Jackson, had been married to a Col. Howell Cobb (related to Mary Willis) before she married Henry Jackson. I wonder if Hezekiah didn’t meet Mary Willis Cobb through this connection.

Hezekiah and Mary Willis continued to live in Chambers Co. and had three children: Howell Cobb Erwin (my Great Grandfather), Lucy Cobb Erwin, and Mary Willis Erwin (she died in 1865). They were all born in Chambers Co. Hezekiah died in Chambers Co. and (I am only guessing) Mary Willis returned to her parents home in Athens, GA. About 1866 she married a Dr. John M. Johnson from Atlanta and moved there.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The book "The Reason for the Tears" presents some information that I can’t figure out:

Joseph Erwin was a descendant of one of seven Irwin brothers (had been Irving) of Eichelfeccen, Scotland (Bonshaw Towers Family) who came to North Carolina. His name was Nathaniel Irwin (changed to Erwin) and he came from Bucks Co. PA to Mecklenburg Co. NC in 1767. He bought property and lived in Coddle Creek and Rocky River and later moved across the line to York Co. SC. He left property here to his children on file in York County Courthouse. Some members remained in NC and it is believed that Joseph Erwin was one of these removing to Alabama after 1815.

Joseph Erwin of Rowan County, NC, b Rowan Co. (later Burke), February, 1769, and died in Mississippi in 1846. His wife was Catherine Cowan, of Rowan County NC. They married in 1846. (Obviously not correct).

Their son, Col. Hezekiah Franklin Erwin, b Rowan County, b Rowan Co. NC Feb 11, 1811 , died 1860, married Mary Willis Cobb, etc..pg 271

None of this (1st paragraph) makes sense to me. My information on the Erwins is very sketchy, but this doesn’t seem to fit. I am wondering if you have any information that connects all this, or is the book simply incorrect?

Also from "Reason for the Tears"

On January 15, 1834, the "Montgomery Railroad Company" was granted a Charter by the State of Alabama, with a number of members recorded. Pg 183

Stock subscriptions were opened at $100 per share, with the following citizens shown as stockholders on the original subscription book:

Among others is H.F. Erwin, West Point, Georgia 10 shares - $1000

* * *

p. 238 is titled "Cusseta" (which is a town in the SE corner of Chambers Co - I wonder if this is where they all lived?)

Seven business houses, in addition to a temporary church used as a school, existed in the village prior to the Creek removal.

H.F. Erwin & Co.

.:..H.F. Erwin......settled in the village before the Indians were removed.

At the time I had access to the book, I didn’t realize the other brothers were in Chambers Co. so I didn’t look for them. I will be out of town late this week and on the way we will try to stop at the Shreveport library to see if there are any other Erwin references.

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I’m a little confused as to the chronology is the following close to correct?

I found Joseph in the 1800 census (on the same page w/ Thomas & other Cowans) with the correct number & ages of children. Is this the right Joseph?

Joseph on 1810 Henry Co KY census - if he took some of the children with him the ages of Thomas, Joseph II and Nancy match, but there is a female age 16 - 25 (wife of Thomas??) and another female 45 & over. Who is she?

You said Joseph left Catherine for periods of time. If Hezekiah was born Feb 1811 in Rowan Co, & Joseph is on the 1810 KY census, I would assume he left and returned to Rowan Co. at some point during this time period. So do I have the right 1810 Joseph or am I way off the track?

Catherine left Rowan Co 1811 or 1812

Abel b 1814 in TN

Joseph (& Catherine?) were in Giles Co, TN in 1819

Michael b probably Giles Co 1819

I can’t find any Joseph that seems right on the either that 1820, 1830 or 1840 census. My only access to census records is Ancestry.com and sometimes I don’t think they are all that complete. Or perhaps I’m just not all that competent in finding right census!

Joseph and Catherine (and probably some of the children) were in Giles Co or Henry Co from around 1810 until Catherine’s death in 1839.

After Catherine’s death Joseph moved to MS to the home of son James, where he died in 1846.

Sincerely, Mary Anne Erwin Matthews

H F Erwin probate on 2 Apr 1860. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVR-KGRV : 3 August 2020), Hezekiah Franklin Erwin, ; Burial, West Point, Troup, Georgia, United States of America, Pinewood Cemetery; citing record ID 25141173, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
2. ↑ "Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXJB-LSP : 7 February 2020), Hezekiah F. Erwin and Mary J. Winston, 23 Dec 1834; citing Marriage, Troup, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 310,914.
3. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKMY-RTQD : 19 February 2021), H F Erwin and Martha J R Jackson, 19 Jun 1847; citing Chambers, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,575,796.
4. ↑ "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3CF-2Y4 : 5 April 2023), H F Erwin in entry for Howell Cobb Erwin, 1922.
5. ↑ "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR4-XGPQ : 16 August 2019), Frank Erwin in entry for Lucy Erwin Hill, 13 Apr 1936; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Roanoke, Roanoke, Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
6. ↑ 1850 Census: "1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules"
   The National Archive in Washington DC; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8055 #90127823 (accessed 13 October 2022)
   Hezekiah F Erwin in District 19, Chambers, Alabama, USA.
7. ↑ http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bluebonnets&id=I06174
8. ↑ Abstracts of Georgia Wills, Troup Co, GA, Will Book A, Page 1084:
9. ↑ Probate: "Alabama, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999"
   Estate Files and Index, 1832-1915, Chambers County, Alabama; Author: Alabama. Probate Judge (Chambers County); Probate Place: Chambers, Alabama
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8799 #4837960 (accessed 5 September 2022)
   

• Troup Co., Georgia, deeds.
• The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 4 - Philip Alexander Bruce, William Glover Stanard - Virginia Historical Society., 1896 - (Google eBook)

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Elizabeth S for starting this profile.