206 years ago, in Cheshire, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, my second cousin, 4 times removed, Erastus S. Jenks was born to John and Jane Ayers Jenks. Cousin Erastus was the ninth and final child of John and Jane, but not the most unusually named. But, they will have to wait their turn to appear.
Searching Google, I found:
“Erastus (Greek: Ἔραστος, Erastos), also known as Erastus of Paneas, is a person in the New Testament. According to the Epistle to the Romans 16:23, Erastus was a steward (Greek: οἰκονόμος, oikonomos) in Corinth, a political office of high civic status.”
So, John and Jane were religious, had high hopes for their youngest, or both.
On 23 February 1838, Erastus married Ailes Dean, daughter of David Dean, in Adams, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The couple met Erastus’ parents children quota with nine of their own: Dallas E (1839), Albert (1840), Hiram (1844), Cornelia (1846), Mary Ann (1848), Perry E (1852), Jettory (1854), Ambrose (1855), and Elmer E (1862).
As of the First of June 1900, when the U.S. Population Census was recorded for Grattan Twp, Kent County, Michigan, Erastus is listed as living with his son, Elmer E Jenks. At the time his status is widowed and age is given as 86.
Erastus died 21 September 1900, in Kent County, Michigan.
A Tree Grew in Oakland 