My Genealogy Hound

James E. Erwin, merchant, Vanndale, Ark. In this brief outline of the life of this representative citizen of Cross County appear facts which are greatly to his credit, given as plainly as it is possible to put them, and without the intention of anything savoring of flattery. Mr. Erwin is a member of the general mercantile firm of Killough, Erwin & Co., of Vanndale, Ark., which business was established in 1889, and they carry a full stock of general merchandise, dry goods, groceries, clothing and plantation supplies. Mr. Erwin owes his nativity to Tennessee, and his birth occurred in 1849, and is the sixth of ten children born to W. F. and Lucinda (Tucker) Erwin, natives of Tennessee, where the father followed farming until 1856. He then came to Arkansas, settled in Hempstead County, where he remained until 1868, when he came to Poinsett County, and located near Harrisburg. He there purchased a farm of over 200 acres, cleared much of it, made many improvements and here died in 1872. The mother died many years previous, about 1855. James E. Erwin divided his time in youth between assisting on the farm and in attending the common schools where he received a good practical education. At the age of nineteen years he engaged as clerk after which he kept the books of a firm in Harrisburg. In the spring of 1873 he went to Wittsburg and became a book-keeper for the firm of D. Block &Co. until 1877, after which he bought an interest in the business and continued a member of the same until the firm closed out in 1879. On February 1 of the same year Mr. Erwin, with J. W. Killough, formed the firm of Killough & Erwin, and began business at Wittsburg, continuing there until February, 1884, when they moved to Vanndale. In February, 1884, Mr. Killough sold his interest to R. Block, and for two years after this the firm continued as Block & Erwin. In 1889 Mr. Erwin sold out to his partner and soon started in a new store as the present firm of Killough, Erwin & Co. This firm carries a full stock of general merchandise, dry goods, groceries, clothing and plantation supplies. Mr. Erwin was married in 1872 to Miss R. M. Wade, a native of Virginia, and the daughter of W. H. Wade, who came to Poinsett County in 1860. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Erwin were born three children: William F. (attending school at Searcy College), Henry Gordon, and Hugh Maitland. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Erwin is an enterprising business man and for years identified with the commercial interests of Cross County, and is always found at the head of all improvements of a public nature. He takes a deep interest in school matters and is at present director of Vanndale School.