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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Portrait and
Biographical History of
Fayette, Pickaway and Madison Counties, Ohio
Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros.
1892
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WILLIAM ERB.
When a man is known to have labored hard to make his way in
the world, it is a source of gratification to his friends to
know that he has succeeded in reaching a height that enables
him to "take life easy." This is the case with the
gentleman above named, whose career should encourage others
to renewed energy, as it was not luck but pluck that brought
a competence. For many years a prominent agriculturist
of Madison County, he is now living retired in Lilly Chapel,
where his home is supplied with all the comforts of life.
Martin Erb, the father of our subject, was a
native of Baden, Germany, while his mother, Catherine,
had her birth in the same country. She departed this
life in Missouri, when our subject was a lad, his father
dying in Harrison County, Ind., in 1862. They were the
parents of six children, of whom William, who was
born Apr. 5, 1827, in Baden, Germany, was the second in
order of birth. He was an infant of eighteen months
when his parents emigrated to the New World, and was here
reared to farming pursuits. When old enough to do for
himself, he engaged in working out for other parties and for
several years was employed as fireman on a steamboat plying
the Ohio River.
In February, 1852, Mr. Erb came to Madison
County, and for four years worked for the late John Byers.
At the end of that time, he went to Pennsylvania, where he
was married and resided for eighteen months and then
returning to this county, cultivated rented land in
Fairfield Township for five years. In the fall of
1862, he enlisted in Company C, Eighty-eighth Ohio Infantry,
and served in the Union army for two years and nine months,
being mustered out at Camp Chase, near Columbus, this State,
July 4, 1865.
On returning from the field of battle, our subject
purchased land in Jefferson Township, and after a residence
there of five years, sold out and purchased another farm of
one hundred acres in the same township, which he operated
for nine years. In the fall of 1881, he removed with
his family to Lilly Chapel, where he owns a nice brick
residence and is living retired from active work of any
kind.
The lady to whom our subject was married in Beaver
County, Pa., Mar. 20, 1856, was Miss Caroline
Gerhart, who was also a native of Baden, Germany,
having been born Jan. 22, 1838. She was the daughter
of Christian and Magdalena Gerhart,
also natives of the Fatherland, but who are now deceased,
the mother passing away in Columbus, and the father while
residing in West Jefferson. To Mr. and Mrs. Erb
has been born a family of seven children, five of whom are
living. Matilda married Samuel Sidner;
Katie became the wife of William Neff;
John married Belle Rine; Mary is
now Mrs. Frank Horn; and Maggie
became Mrs. Wesley Lilly. Our
subject and his wife are members in good standing of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and are enjoying the respect and
confidence of their many acquaintances.
Source:
Portrait and
Biographical History of
Fayette, Pickaway and Madison Counties, Ohio. Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 - Page 348 |
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