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Erwin Family Burying Ground Tinicum Township, Bucks County

Located 500 feet north of the Frenchtown Bridge on the Pennsylvania side in Tinicum Township, Bucks County along River Road lies the Erwin Family Burying Ground. This historic site occupies a small plot of land, 30' x 50' surrounded by a limestone-capped, brick wall originally with twin iron gates. It is home to 12 marked and 1 unmarked graves, with the earliest dated at 1782 and the last dated at 1846.

The Erwin Family Burying Ground facing River Road

Though the first grave dates to 1782, it wasn't until William Erwin passed away in 1836 that land was set aside officially as the Erwin Family Burying Ground.

William's will stipulated that plot of land "be reserved out of the devise of the farm to Erwin Kennedy, his grandson, and set apart for a permanent burying ground. Upon William's death, the executor's account indicates that $498.10 was expended to build the brick wall and twin iron gates.

The graves include those of Colonel Arthur Erwin, the namesake for the Town of Erwinna and four of his sons, John, Joseph, William and Hugh. William's wife, Achsah Rockhill Erwin, and three of their children: Scott Rockhill Erwin, Charlotte E. Erwin Robeson and Julianna E. Erwin Kennedy as well as Julianna's husband, Thomas G. Kennedy (who after Julianna's death married her sister Rachel). The two others buried here were Ann Rockhill (possibly Acshah's sister) and Ann Beatty, infant daughter of Dr. Reading Beatty.

The layout of the graves of the Erwin Family Burying Ground with the names of the interred and their death dates.
This is the side of the Burying Ground that runs along River Road.
Arthur, John, Joseph and William all served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and Scott Erwin served in the war of 1812.

Colonel Arthur Erwin (1726-1791)

Arthur Erwin was an Irish immigrant who came to Philadelphia on Aug. 18, 1768 on the ship, Newry Assistance with his pregnant wife and six children: John, Joseph, William, Sara, and Arthur. During the 3-month long voyage, his wife, Mary Scott Erwin, died at sea two weeks after giving birth to a baby who also died.

Colonel Arthur Erwin was often described as being larger than life, standing at 6 foot 6 inches in height.

In March of 1769, Arthur Erwin bought 944 acres in Tinicum Township, the site of the town of Erwinna on a property then known as the Red House Farmstead. On July 27, 1771, Arthur Erwin married Mary Kennedy, of Springfield Township. Over the next decade, Arthur purchased more acreage and by 1780 was the largest landowner in the entire township with 2,555 acres.

1796 map showing the Irwins Property

During the Revolution, Arthur Erwin enrolled as a Captain in the Second Company of the Tinicum Associators and was first Commissioned in 1776 as a Colonel of the Fourth Battalion of the Bucks County Militia. A year later, at the age of 51, he was commissioned as a Colonel of the Second Battalion of the militia. On Christmas Day in 1776 it is said that he provided some of the boats used in the transporting of Washington’s troops across the Delaware.

Letter from George Washington to Bucks County Colonels including Erwin, December 1776

Between 1785 and 1791, Arthur Erwin began purchasing large lots of land in the County of Luzerne. Shortly after accumulating 45,000 acres, he became victim to a border war between the settlers of Pennsylvania and Connecticut. On the 9th of June, 1791, at the age of 65, Arthur was assassinated by Connecticut Settlers who disputed his land purchases at Tioga Point in the County of Luzerne.

Assassination Proclamation, The Pennsylvania Gazette, July 13, 1791
Arthur Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
The Inscription on Arthur Erwin's Grave Stone

ARTHUR ERWIN'S SONS

Four of Arthur's sons by his first wife, Mary Scott Erwin, were buried in the Erwin Family Burying Ground: John, Joseph, William and Hugh (his son, Arthur, drowned in the Delaware River at age 4 shortly after arriving in this country and before this graveyard was established).

John Erwin (1756-1782)

In July 1776, Arthur’s eldest son, 20 year old John Erwin, enlisted as a second lieutenant in the Bucks County Battalion of the Flying Camp. He was captured by the British at Fort Washington in November of that year and was held as a prisoner of war on a prison ship off the coast of Long Island, in Wallabout Bay for over 4 years.

Interior of a British Prison Ship by Felix Octavius Carr Darley

Conditions were poor on the British prison ships, and John’s health rapidly declined. On Feb. 25, 1781, he was paroled in exchange for a British prisoner, but he never recovered, dying within the year.

John Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription

Joseph Erwin (1758-1807)

Portrait of Joseph Erwin by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin,1798

Joseph Erwin, the second son of Arthur Erwin by his first marriage, was apprenticed at 14 (1771-1775) to James Budden and William Striker who had a counting house in Philadelphia. Joseph inherited his father’s good head for business. He served as Clerk from 1776-1780 until he had enough money to invest in his own commission on a merchant trip to France. He traded in liquor, sugars and other sundries and dry goods, becoming quite wealthy as a trader and speculator during the war years. John never married. He often summered in Bucks County staying with his brother William. Even then he was always speculating on goods. He gathered 130 barrels of Winter Apples on William’s farms and sold them for $2 a barrel. From 1784-85 he served on the Pennsylvania Assembly and was appointed a Warden of the Port in Philadelphia from 1787-89. Two years after his father was assassinated, he was commissioned as a Major of the 4th regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia. Joseph Died in 1807.

Joseph Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
On the 4th day of February 1807, died Joseph Erwin aged 49

William Livingston Erwin (1760-1836)

List of General Officers of the Continental Army 1781

Arthur’s third son by his first wife, William Livingston Erwin was born in Ireland in 1760. He arrived in Philadelphia in August of 1768 when he was eight years old. William grew up in Upper Bucks County. During the Revolutionary War, he was commissioned as a captain of the First Company, Third Battalion of the Bucks County Militia on May 14, 1781, at the age of 21, and as Captain of the 8th Company of the Bucks County Militia in 1786. He also served as Wagon Master of a brigade of wagons in 1778/79. He was made Colonel in the Fourth Regiment on Aug. 1, 1793.

P14 H.W. Kennedy Map 1831 of the Pennsylvania Canal Delaware Division designating Erwin Lands in Erwinna

William married Achsah Rockhill of Hunterdon County, N.J. In 1782 and together they had five children: Mary, Rachel, Scott, Juliana, and Charlotte. They lived with William’s Father at the Red House Farmstead. When Arthur died, Joseph inherited the family homestead. However, as Joseph lived in Philadelphia, William continued living at the Red House Farmstead. Upon his death in 1807, Joseph willed this property to William.

Property Ad., The Estate of William Erwin, Bucks County Intelligencer, October 8, 1845

William served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1808 to 1816. During this time, William also served as a “Gentleman Farmer.” In 1798, William purchased an additional 126 acres of land in this area, including the land on which the Erwin Stover house still stands. He built the original south section of the house between 1798 and 1820 in the Federal Style, and leased the house to tenants who were charged with managing the 126-acre farm.

William Erwin Obituary listed in the Riegelsville Paper on June 1, 1836

William died in 1836 leaving the property to his daughter, Charlotte, who continued to lease it as a tenant farm. In 1845, William’s daughter died and the Erwin property was listed for sale in the Bucks County Intelligencer. ”

William Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
In Memory of WILLIAM ERWIN died June 16th 1836 Aged 76 years 4 months and 16 days

Hugh Erwin (1767-1846)

Hugh Erwin, the youngest son of Colonel Erwin, waited until he was 50 to marry. In 1807, he served as the first postmaster for Erwinna and again in 1809.

Hugh Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
In Memory of HUGH ERWIN who departed this life May 31st, 1846. Aged 79 years, 3 months and 23 days

WILLIAM ERWIN'S FAMILY

William married Achsah Rockhill and together they had five children. Three were buried in the family burying ground: Juliana, Scott and Charlotte along with their son in law, Thomas Kennedy.

Achsah Rockhill Erwin (1759-1807)

William Erwin married Achsah Rockhill of Hunterdon County, N.J. In 1782. Achsah was born in 1759, the daughter of Dr. John and Rachel Robeson Rockhill of Hunterdon County, NJ. She grew up in Pittstown, NJ where Dr. John had begun a medical practice in 1743. Dr. John had studied under Thomas Cadwalader of Philadelphia. He also served as Surveyor to the West Jersey Board of Proprietors and as a Justice of the Peace.

Achsah Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
1807 On the 5th day of September died ACHSAH ROCKHILL ERWIN aged 48 years

Julianna E. Kennedy

William and Achsah's daughter, Juliana, was born December 26, 1797. She was first married to John Dick in 1814. He was the first to die of Typhus in the Doyelstown epidemic of 1818. She then remarried Thomas G. Kennedy in 1819. Juliana died on May 28, 1823 at 31 years of age.

Julianna's Gravestone and Inscsription
JULIANNA KENNEDY died March 28, 1823 aged 31, 5 months and 2 days

Major Scott Rockhill Erwin

Scott was born on July 15, 1789 and married Matilda Shaffer (1801-1891). He served as a major during the War of 1812 through 1815. He died on May 27 in 1823.

Major Scott Rockhill Erwin's Gravestone and Inscription
SCOTT R. ERWIN died May 27th 1823 Aged 33 years 10 mo 19 days

Charlotte E. (Erwin) Robeson

Charlotte was born on January 9 1797. Charlotte married John P. Robeson on October 21 1818. Charlotte died September 9, 1846.

Charlotte Robeson's Gravestone and Inscription
In Memory of CHARLOTTE E. ROBESON who departed this life September 9th 1846 Aged 48 years and 8 Months

Thomas G. Kennedy

Thomas was born in 1783 and died in 1836. He first married Julianna Erwin on May 24, 1819. After she died in 1823 he remarried her sister Rachel Erwin. Thomas died May 14, 1836

Thomas Kennedy's Gravestone and Inscription
In Memory of THOMAS G. KENNEDY who departed this life March 14, 1836 aged 53 years, 4 months and 12 days

Two other persons were buried in the family burying ground. We have little evidence as to why they were buried here.

Ann Rockhill (1763-1829)

Ann Rockhill may have been Achsah's sister.

1829 died ANNE ROCKHILL aged 46 years

Ann Beatty

As to Ann Beatty, the infant child of Dr. Reading Beatty and Charlotte Wynkoop Beatty, there is some evidence of friendship between the Erwins and the Beattys as Samuel Erwin (Arthur's son by his second wife) is the Executor of Reading Beatty's father's will. In addition, both John Erwin and Reading Beatty were captured by the British at Fort Washington in November of 1776 and imprisoned on British ships in New York Harbor. John passed away in 1782 while Reading Beatty finished his medical education and continued to serve the Continental Army first as a Surgeon's Mate and later as a Surgeon.

Dr. Reading Beatty was married on April 20, 1786 to Christina, daughter of Judge Henry Wynkoop of Bucks County, PA and their daughter, Ann, was born 9 months later on January 27, 1787. She died 4 months later on May 23 and was for unknown reasons buried in the Erwin Family Burying Ground.

Ann Beatty's Gravestone and Inscription
In Memory of Ann Beatty, Daughter of Dr. Reading Beatty Born January 27, 1787 Died May 23, 1787

We are looking for VOLUNTEERS to work on the maintenance and preservation of The Erwin Family Burying Ground

The brick work needs to be repaired
Branches need to be gathered and removed
Bricks need to be scrubbed clean of algae
Stone wall caps to be reattached
The brick walls need to be repointed
Lawn needs to be maintained throughout the season
Leaves need to be raked and removed

If you are interested in volunteering for the continued care of the Erwin Family Burying Ground

email: ashollander@buckscounty.org

This Presentation was Created by Amy Hollander, Historic Property Manager for the County of Bucks, Parks and Recreation Department

Created By
Amy Hollander
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