The Autumn of my Family Tree

They say good things come in threes. Sometimes losses also come in threes, which undermines the first old saying. Lately, there has been a trifecta of losses to my family tree, effectuating a seasonal autumn of falling leaves.

This latest one is of an author and family historian, whom I met when he interviewed me on my branch of the Mauldin family tree, as that is the family name we share, and our branch is particularly strong due to endogamy.

Ervin Perry Mauldin was born on September 5, 1932 to Samuel D. Mauldin and Beulah Jane Lee. He grew up in the town of Norwood in southern Stanly County, North Carolina. Mathmatically, Ervin was my second cousin, three times removed, but who's counting. Genetically, he shows up a generation closer because my Mauldin Great Grandparents were first cousins.

Early in life, Ervin had developed an affinity for local history and genealogy, especially his own. With appetency and a passion, he dug into the family roots for decades, seeking out information on all things Mauldin. Ervin became my go to on anything involving the Mauldins or anything in particular concerning the southern part of the county. He was the keeper of the Green Wesley Simpson Family Bible, which revealed a great deal of the comings, goings and family ties of the families around Aquadale and Cottonville and the old Rehobeth Church. Ervin would discuss history and facts with a bonhomie that was rare in genealogical research. I had met many in the world of family research who consider their ancestors theirs and theirs alone, and not free with any information to anyone else, not taking into consideration that this ancestor could have thousands of other descendants just as interested. 

Ervin's hard work traveling to many other counties and states, countless hours spent in dusty courthouse basements and the State Archives in Raleigh, and interviews with the oldest members of different family lines, resulted in the compilation of materials into two books."Ye Mauldins",  which I proudly own, came first. Afterwards, he would publish another on the Simpson family.

Ervin,  a single man, stayed self-sufficient and self reliant into his nineties. He had several nephews that would check in on him and always close if he needed them. Sadly, on March 6th, Ervin, always a proud Norwood resident, left home to run a few errands and was involved in a horrible automobile accident. We will miss this dedicated family researcher and author. His obituary is below.

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