SAMUEL ERVIN
by Robert Tait Ervin III
Samuel’s grandfather, John Ervin, and his wife Elizabeth Allison were born in Ireland prior to 1720 and migrated to the Williamsburg District of South Carolina in 1730. He died March 18, 1773 and she died November 18, 1795. Samuel’s father, Col. John Ervin, was born March 25, 1754 in Cedar Swamp, Williamsburg County, South Carolina, and died May 5, 1810. His wife, Jane Witherspoon, was born January 23, 1753 and died September 20, 1790. Colonel Ervin commanded the Britton Neck Regiment of Marion’s Brigade in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. Seven children were born of this marriage, however four died young. Samuel, the first child of this union, was born on his father’s plantation July 6, 1776. His brother, James Robert Ervin, was the great-grandfather of Senator Sam Ervin from Morganton, NC, who was of Watergate fame in the 1970’s. John Ervin, after the death of his first wife, married Margaret Ervin on October 6, 1791 and had three additional children, Hugh, Mary who died young, and John.
While residing in South Carolina, Samuel Ervin married twice: [1] Sarah (Dewitt) James. Sarah and her son died soon thereafter. [2] Harriet Keith. Their three children, who were born in SC, were Amelia (b.1807), Samuel James (b.1814), and Harriet Keith (b. November 10, 1817). Harriet died in Darlington, SC, October 13, 1842.
Samuel migrated to Baldwin, County, AL after the death of his father in 1810. He was in search of more fertile land. His sister, Elizabeth, and two half brothers, John Ervin (age 14) and Hugh Ervin (age 16) accompanied him. All three later moved on to Copiah County, Mississippi. Samuel established a large plantation in the vicinity of Tensas Lake, near St. Stephens, AL. In 1812 Samuel was elected to the Mississippi Territorial House of Representatives. During the War of 1812, he served in Henry Company of the 1st Regiment of the Mississippi Volunteers. In 1813 Samuel was elected as a Delegate to Congress and Representative to the Territorial Legislature. In 1815 and 1817, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Mississippi Territorial Legislature.
In 1820, Samuel Ervin moved to Wilcox County, AL and developed a large plantation at Coal Bluff. On July 10, 1820, he married Mary Ann (Eades) Gullett in the home of her father, Capt. John Eades. Mary Ann was born February 28, 1800 in Columbia County, GA. She and Samuel had one child, Robert Hugh Ervin. Mary Ann was previously married to George Gullett and they had two children, John Eades Gullett and George Samuel Gullett.
Samuel Ervin died January 26, 1823, leaving Mary Ann to raise three small children. On April 9, 1825, Mary Ann married Dr. Squire G. Grayson. On August 26, 1831, Mary Ann died, leaving her three sons, Robert Hugh Ervin, John Eades Gullett, and George Samuel Gullett, to be raised by Dr. Grayson.
After the death of Samuel in 1823, Amelia, Samuel James, and Harriet Keith moved to Copiah County, Mississippi and were raised by Samuel’s sister, Elizabeth Ervin Ford.
Sources: Family records and official documents.
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6 September 1999 | 12 September 1999
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