The “Itchy-Foot Syndrome”

by Donald D. Erwin

It is a recognized fact that one of the genes coursing through the veins of many Erwins is commonly referred to as the “itchy-foot” gene, resulting in an affliction known as the “itchy-foot syndrome.” The effect is most noticeable in the male of the species, and it seems to make them believe that the grass is always greener someplace else; in fact, anywhere other than where they happen to be. Those with the affliction tend to always wonder where this or that road goes. They have an urge to follow every trail in the woods and every little meandering road, just to see what is at the end. Most don’t actually record their wanderings. Traveling really isn’t a status thing, but merely a knawing curiosity that is like an itch that needs to be constantly scratched.

This “itchy-foot” gene is more noticeable in some Erwin males than others. It was first evident in James N. Erwin (Irvine), my immigrant ancestor. It is believed that he was the only one of Alexander Irvine’s nine children to leave Scotland. Although it can be argued that most emigrants to the Colonies, as well as the later frontier pioneers, were afflicted with an “itchy-foot,” most settled down at some point. James himself settled in Pennsylvania for a time, but after about ten years moved his family to Rowan County, North Carolina. Several of his children married and remained in or near Salisbury in Rowan County, but his namesake, James N. Erwin, Jr., moved to Adams County, Mississippi. Isaac Erwin, another son, settled in Wesson County, Mississippi, while son John lived and died in Giles County, Tennessee.

My “itchy-foot” connection was to James’ grandson Joseph. This Joseph was the seventh child of Joseph, James’ first-born who came into the world in Scotland, and is referred to by some as Joseph I. James’ grandson, sometimes referred to as Joseph Erwin II, but known by most descendants as Joseph Erwin, Sr., married Catherine Nancy Cowan in 1792 in Rowan County. It is believed that Joseph and Catherine moved to Giles County, Tennessee about 1812, since Hezikiah, their eleventh child, was born in Salisbury in 1811, and Margaret Clementine, their twelfth child, was born in Giles County, Tennessee in 1813.

Sometime around 1825, however, visions of greener pastures induced Joseph, Sr. (II), as well as Joseph, Jr. (newly married and with three small children, their first-born apparently having died in infancy), to move northwest to Henry County, Tennessee. The U.S. Censuses of 1830 and 1840 finds both families in Henry County, but the census of 1850 indicates that while Joseph Erwin, Jr. is there, Joseph, Sr. is not. Further research found that Catherine Nancy Erwin, the wife of Joseph, Sr., had passed on in 1839 and was buried in Henry County. Joseph Erwin, Sr. then removed to Mayhew, Lowndes, County, Mississippi where he lived with a son until he died about 1846.

The “itchy-foot syndrome” did not affect several of the offspring of Joseph, Sr. and Joseph, Jr., for a large contingent of Erwins live today in Calloway County, Kentucky, which adjoins Henry County, Tennessee, and is just a few miles north of where Catherine Nancy Cowan Erwin is buried.

The 1850 census for Henry County also found that one of the sons of Joseph Erwin, Jr. was not there. This offspring was Thomas Johnston Erwin. In 1848 Thomas, with wife Nancy Caroline and two children, had succumbed to the “itchy-foot syndrome,” and moved southwest into Carroll County, Arkansas. Joseph Erwin, Jr., with wife Nancy Rebecca and several of their younger children, followed Thomas and Nancy Caroline to Carroll County about 1852.

There was a heavy affliction of “itchy- foot syndrome” among the children of Thomas and Nancy Caroline. Of their eight children, only Elizabeth Erwin Epley and Joseph Johnson Erwin would live and die in Carroll County. My connection is Michael Ransellaer “Mike” Erwin, the last of eight children born to Thomas and Nancy Caroline Erwin. His case of “itchy- foot syndrome,” caused him to move his family to Elk County, Kansas about 1898.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all in one’s lifetime.

Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, 1869.