Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-15
auspices of the Odd Fellows and inter

auspices of the Odd Fellows and inter
ment was made in the Odd Fellows
cemetery south Of Bourbon.
Matthew Erwin has tor many years
I cen resident of Bourbon. He was
! born about 1886 IN Starke county, Ono,
where he grew to manhood and WAS
married. 1t was about the year 1885
that lie moved 10 Bourbon and began
:he Manufacture of wagons. He fol-
lowed this but q short time, when ht
formed a partnership with u MIR. Moore
and entered the hardware business.
For years he firm prospered until Mr..
Moore died, alter which the successful
enterprise was conducted by Mr.. Erwin
alone. Having remained at this for a
few years as sole proprietor, he sold the
business and took upon himself the
duties of township trustee. During
many terms of service he attended
faithfully to the interests of the town
ship and brought credit upon himself
and his supporters.
After retiring from this office, he re-
embarked IN the hardware business to
remain but for season. Since then
he had devoted his time and attention
almost exclusively to stock, being
| buyer and seller as well as stock
raiser. However, he has been at differ
ent times connected with 9th ar business
enterprises.
He was for about year owner of the
Barnaby sawmill. A few years ago he
traded his 200 acre farm for vast tract
of land in Kansas and a large number
of sheep. He went there and lived by
himself for about year but it was
poor bargain and he returned bringing
with him about 1,500 sheep 1t was in
this deal that he lost much of the small
fortune he had acquired. At another
time he engaged in the elevator bust
ness to leave this soon after becoming
acquainted with it. He once owned
also the Sharley mill, and which while
still in his possession burned down.
From loss of this which amounted to
seven or eight thousand dollars he never
fully recovered.
He has ever been a staunch republi-
can, always attending county and state
conventions and engaging actively 10
politics. The republicans of Bourbon
town and township have several times
placed him iu public offices. Besides
being township trustee he was made
postmaster by President Mckinley
about two years ago. Having filled this
for about a year he was compelled to
resign for the aflliction which brought
him his death was already upon
him, and his daughter Daisy
was appointed to succeed him
Mr.. Erwin has been widely-known
man. His occupation of stock raising
and his taking pert in politics brought
him into contact with the representa-.
tive men all over Northern Indiana.
He was an Odd Fellow and an earn
est worker in the Masonic order, though
he was more favorably inclined toward
the former order.
His life has been one of business, full
of all the ventures which an active
business man delights to make. He
was one whose mind was made up
quickly and the thought as quickly put
into action. 1t was undoubtedly this
attribute of his nature which prevailed
during that period of arrangement and
brought his reason under subsection to
the desire of the moment. Neverthe
less, he will be remembered as strictly
moral and upright man.
He leaves a wife and several chill
dren, besides two sisters and three
brothers Mrs. Deemer, of Iowa; Mrs.
j. ID. Thayer, of Warsaw, and Robert,
William and Lewis Erwin.