G. W. F. Sherwin and Jennie Moorehead

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Husband G. W. F. Sherwin ¹

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           Born: 12 Jul 1831 - near Harbor Creek, Erie Co, PA 1
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         Father: Dr. Ira Sherwin (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Sarah Wilson (1800-      ) 1

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       Marriage: 30 Jan 1861 2

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Wife Jennie Moorehead ²

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         Father: Col. James M. Moorehead (      -      ) 2
         Mother: 

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Children

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1 F M. F. Sherwin ²

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           Died: Aft 1909
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2 M James M. Sherwin ²

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           Died: Aft 1909
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General Notes: Husband - G. W. F. Sherwin

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He spent his youthful days on the home farm, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturalist. His early education was acquired in the district schools and was supplemented by study in the Erie Academy, after which he pursued a mathematical course in Kingsville (Ohio) Academy. Subsequently he took up the profession of civil engineering, turning his attention to that work in 1846. He followed it in the summer seasons, while in the winter months he engaged in teaching school. In 1850 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he engaged in surveying for the North Missouri Railroad and later for the Belleville & Alton road. He made the first soundings for a bridge over the Missouri river for the Alton & St. Louis Railroad and was chosen engineer in charge for that line. His labors in the middle west in connection with railroad building were of a very important character and brought him prominently before the public in his professional relation. In 1854 he was made assistant superintendent and paymaster of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, filling that position until 1855, when he resigned to resume the private practice of his profession, in which connection he laid out Sioux City, Iowa, and Niobrara, Nebraska. In the latter town there were two thousand Indians living at the time. Throughout the period of his residence in the west he was a factor in the substantial development and in progress along intellectual and other lines. He was chosen one of the original eleven trustees of the Iowa Agricultural College and was twice elected county judge of Cherokee County, Iowa.
Upon the death of his father Mr. Sherwin returned to Erie and remained there to settle up the estate. Here he was called to public office, being elected county surveyor, in which position he served for three years, while for five years he was city engineer and three terms water commissioner, acting as president of the board during the last year of his incumbency in that office. During his term as commissioner the department advocated and introduced many needed reforms and re-modeled the pumping station. After his retirement from office Mr. Sherwin was engaged as chief engineer in the conduct of several enterprises, the most important being the construction of the Franklin and North East water works. He also made the survey of Corry and established all the land marks and corners. He possessed marked ability in his chosen field of labor, being widely recognized as one of the most capable civil engineers in that part of the state.
He was the founder of the boys' branch of the local Young Men's Christian Association. He was also one of the earliest members of the National Historical Society and was one of the founders of the Central Presbyterian church, in which he served as an elder.

He and his wife were the parents of five children; only two of these were still living in 1909.

1 John Miller, 20th Century History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1909), Pg 231.

2 John Miller, 20th Century History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1909), Pg 232.