The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24
The Youngest Clerk the Su.
perior Courtof BunCombe
Ever Had--And With All
One ofthe Most Pop
uIar in the State.
ELL cTED POLICE JUSTICE
In 1898 and Served With Distinction. kBril-
liant Young Lawyer, Prominent Not
Only in His Prof sson Butin
Social and Political
Movements.

The advocates of the adage that if men
have anything in them they show their
metal when young, finds additional eyi-
dence in the subject of this sketch Mar
Gus Erwin He was born III Asherille,
Buncombe county, February ., 1873.
He is proud of his parentage and he has
had the good fortune to inherit their vr-
tues, their love of freedom and their m
tellectual qualities.
His father was Marcus Erwin, one Of
the most prominent lawyers and lnilu-
entail citizens of his day. He was a
member of the General Assembly Of
North Carolina and took a very promi-
nent part in the secession movement of
his State. His mother was Catherine
Smith, daughter of B. ]. and Sarah
Ann Smith.
Mr.. Erwin was educated in the schools
of Buncombe county and at the State
University. As a boy he was ambitious
to fit himself for the practice of law. He
was clear-headed pushing, positive and
honest. When only eight years old he
lost his father. He was reared by
the Hon. ii. A. Gudger, now consul TO
Panama. Young Erwin early c0mmenc-
cd the study of law and was fortunate
enough to have as advisers and instruc-
tors such able members of the profession
as Judge III. B. Carter, Julius G. Martin
and Hon. III. A. Gudger. He also at
tended summer session of law at the
State University and was admitted TO
the bar, September, 1894 and began the
active practice of his chosen profession.
In November of this year, however. he
accompanied the Hon. H. A. Gudger,
who was attorney for United States
Indian claims to Texas, and remained
with him for a period Of seven months,
then returned to North Carolina and
resumed his practice. In 1896 he became
4 member Of the firm of Tucker, MUIR
ply a. Erwin. which lasted one year.
In February, 1897 he formed a partner
ship with Henry b. Stevens, now
Judge of the Criminal Court, but in the
meantime Mr.. Erwin had been elected
Police Justice, which position he filed
until February Z, 1899, when he resign
ed and was appointed Clerk of the SUI
perior Court of BuncomDe county. It
viii thus be seen that Mr.. Erwin has
crowded into his life great deal of
weighty responsibility for a man of his
years, but lis breezy vigor, alert mind
anu hluuiliOua NATURE HIS DetH more lldH
equal to any of his under
takings. 1t has always been
rule with him to do whatey-
err he undertook as well as any one could,
no matter what the trouble cost him.
and he has not only kept UP with events
and affairs, but in some instances has
led the way. Courageous, cheerful.
ready, clear in Judgment, alert to oppor-
tunity, untiring in labor, he owes his
success solely to his own efforts and the
qualities inherited from a vigorous an
cestry. Mr. Erwin is an Odd Fellow
and member of the Methodist Episcopal
church. South He was married October
-, 1898, to Miss Susan NJ. Hall, OF
Kensington, Georgia He is a prominent
member of the Zeb Vance Club, the
Tammany of Asheville. lie was COM
mander for two years of an organization
called Camp Johnson Pettigrew Sons or
Confederate Veterans. In politics Mr.
Erwin is a Democrat and no one knows
better than his political opponents how
we'd he can defend the principles and
traditions Of the grand old Democratic
party, and certain it is that the party