Erastus Wiman Junior,
The Duke of Staten Island

September 1st, 2026
D. Rollings

It was still pitch-dark and the wet snow was piling up quickly on a frightful New Year's Day morning, 1850. The wind howled as 15-year old Erastus Wiman Jr. hefted his newspaper bag down the long drive toward Elmsley Villa. Strangely for that hour, lamp light glowed through the windows of the massive house. His hat pulled low and scarf pulled high, Erastus could just see through the flying snow that there was an unusual amount of action going on beyond the windows. When the nearly frozen paperboy finally reached the door the butler answered his knock and took the delivery. Seeing that he was in obvious distress, the butler invited Erastus in for a moment to warm-up.

         Standing in the kitchen shivering and bedraggled, young Erastus suddenly found himself dropped into a whirlwind of activity. Above the din he suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of a newborn baby crying. The butler hurried past muttering “Thank God that is over”.

         Moments later, Erastus was shocked to see the Governor General himself enter the room. The Earl of Elgin took in the pathetic sight of the shivering paper boy before him. What followed was perhaps the most defining moment of Erastus Wiman’s young life; an act of generosity so profound that Wiman later cited it as the very beginning of his journey. The Governor General gave the poor boy a gold sovereign as a New Year’s Day gift for good luck before returning to be with his wife and newborn daughter. 

          Erastus Wiman Jr.’s life reads like a Hollywood script, full of remarkable accomplishments and stunning failures. He is undoubtedly the most famous and consequential person to be born in Churchville and, in spite of his social status in New York City, Wiman never let go of his ties to Churchville and Peel County.

The Wiman family came to Churchville during the community’s earliest years, settling in the isolated village amongst their fellow Late Loyalists in 1830. Anti-American sentiment was running red-hot in York (Toronto) in the wake of the War of 1812. The northwest section of the New Survey was swiftly becoming a refuge of Methodist Episcopalian settlers hailing from places like Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. 

      The Wimans were reuniting with family in the village. Erastus, a furniture maker and a veteran of the Revolutionary War who served in the New York Militia, was born in Paris, New York in 1793. His wife Theresa Amelia was the daughter of Rhoda Church and her first husband, Aner Mathews. Aner had died in Lower Canada around 1817. Rhoda and her new husband, Dr. Thomas Stoyell, had purchased almost all of the west half of Lot 15, 3rd Concession WHS in autumn 1822. A small community was emerging there now, forming around Rhoda’s older brother Amaziah’s grist and saw mills. 

      The Stoyells were leaders in the Methodist Episcopalian and business communities in York and they continued to spend much of their time there. For the Wimans, a move to Churchville would allow them to reconnect with Theresa's relatives, including the Church and Hall families. Theresa’s sister Hannah lived nearby, as did her cousins Orange, Candace, John and Elam. Her two aunts, Mary (Polly) Hyde and Orpha Blackman, had settled with their families further down the Credit River in nearby Streetsville.

      The Wimans were the first family to live at 7772 Churchville Road, where they built and operated a general store. They purchased Lot 29 from Dr. Stoyell for £30 and built the frame home which, remarkably, still stands on the site today. In 1831 Erastus published an advertisement for the new business in the Christian Guardian: 

      Erastus continued to make furniture for the settlers as well, some of which was reportedly still being used and cherished by long-time Churchville families into the early 20th Century. 

     The Wiman’s first child, James, was born on February 24th, 1832. He died three months later on May 14th and was one of the first individuals to be buried in the Churchville Cemetery, on the hill near to his great-uncle Amaziah’s plot. 

      Two years later, on April 19th 1834, Theresa gave birth to a second son and the couple named him Erastus. It seems that the family were aware that tragedy was soon to befall them again. On May 9th the Wimans purchased 100 acres of undeveloped land just east of the settlement from William Patrick for £125. Six days later they sold their home and store to William Leslie. It is unclear where the family lived from this point, though they remained in the village. Erastus Sr. died on September 19th at 41 years of age and was buried alongside his son James in Churchville Cemetery. 

      Despite owning a large tract of land in the village, Theresa and baby Erastus Jr. found themselves destitute. Extreme poverty is a theme in every retelling of Erastus Jr’s early life. Theresa’s own mother Rhoda had died the year before in 1832, leaving almost all of her substantial property to William and Jane Law, the leaders of the new Latter-Day Saints congregation in the village. By all accounts the community was concerned for Theresa and Erastus Jr. 's wellbeing, but Erastus was described as a lonely child, often in a state of near starvation. From a very young age he worked during the summer months for local farmers, turning over his weekly pay of fifteen cents to his mother. He attended an early version of Churchville Public School in the cold months and developed a strong connection with his teachers there. Academics seem to have been a source of comfort to the boy.

      Theresa married two more times in her life: first in 1836 to local tavern keeper John Dyson, with whom she had a daughter named Sarah Amelia Dyson. They were divorced and in 1846 she married Henry Weir, who died only two years later. Weir is buried in the Churchville Cemetery.

      Erastus left Churchville Public School when he turned 13 and set out to work full time in order to support his mother and half sister. During his years at the school he had demonstrated a remarkable gift for academia, but a post-secondary education would never be an option for him. It is a testament to his love for Churchville Public School that he sent money regularly throughout his adult life to support his school teacher in her retirement.

      Theresa’s older sister also lived in Peel County. Hannah had fared far better in life. She had married Daniel McDougall, a settler from Bolton who had ‘verifiable claim’ to having been the first white child born in Toronto. Daniel and his brother John had been granted land in western Albion Township and had established the small community of Macville, which they named for their family. Daniel’s son William - Erastus’ cousin - had received the benefit of an expensive education at Victoria College and had just begun practicing as an attorney in Toronto. In 1850 William began publishing a newspaper called The North American, which promoted his outspoken Clear Grit, liberal politics. Perhaps as an act of familial sympathy, he had employed his 15 year-old cousin Erastus to deliver the paper. This circumstance is what led to the remarkable scenario detailed above with the Governor General. William’s own story is just as fascinating as Erastus’ is. He went on to be elected to public office several times and was eventually made a Cabinet Minister. He was later appointed Lieutenant Governor of Rupert’s Land and the North West Territories and, along the way, befriended Abraham Lincoln. He was Lincoln’s personal guest at the famous Gettysburg Address. William McDougall was made a Companion of the Order of Bath. Along with his good friend George Brown, MacDougall is considered to be a Father of Confederation.
However, regardless of these accomplishments, he had a reputation for being a generally unlikeable person. 

     Erastus’ natural academic gifts soon combined with his familial connections to the Liberal press. As he gained experience, his talents opened more and more doors for him and he became increasingly involved in the writing and production of his cousin’s journal. In 1854 George Brown’s young paper The Globe purchased The North American, dramatically expanding 20-year old Wiman’s portfolio. Erastus was made Commercial Editor for The Globe, overseeing advertisements and developing connections with other local businesses to increase revenue. He was starting to develop a name for himself in Toronto, being recognized both for his cognitive talents, personable nature and for his strong Clear Grit leanings. He stayed in this role until 1857 when he turned 23 years old. 

     Erastus proved to be a devoted family man.  He dutifully delivered money throughout this exciting time to his poor mother Theresa back home in Churchville. While working at The Globe Erastus had decided to subdivide the lands east of the village that his father had bought back in May 1834. The plan was to create 28 new lots, located north of where Churchville Park is today located. He worked closely with his uncle, Orange Church, to manage this. You can read about this subdivision in this article. 

     Erastus came home to Churchville on August 12th, 1858 and spoke at a large picnic held in a location referred to as Hall’s Grove (likely on the south side of Hallstone Road, near Creditview). The event was surprisingly large for a Thursday in midsummer, involving performances by “the Streetsville Band, Churchville Band and Brampton Band”, who performed inspiring music. This event may have been hosted by the local Methodist Knights of Temperance, or the Cadets of Temperance youth group. Erastus was a devotee to the cause and was noted as having been involved in founding a Cadet chapter in 1851. He was the guest speaker of the day and he attended with his future bride, Eleanor “Nellie” Galbraith; daughter of Frank Galbraith, a shoemaker from Cooksville. His mother Theresa, now almost 50, must have been extremely proud of her son. He had reserved a lot in his new subdivision along Victoria Street for her to live on.

      The following year, in 1859, Erastus was elected as City Councillor for St. Andrews Ward in Toronto. This was the only time that he ran for office and he served for just one year. Wiman had already discovered his true life’s passion while working with Toronto’s business community as Commercial Editor of The Globe and was not to be tempted away. He had excelled beyond all expectations in that role, proving himself a gifted speaker and writer with a remarkable mind for business and finances. He had an easy, personable manner that enabled him to create business connections throughout the city. In 1860, at the age of 26, he was recruited to join the staff at the Toronto branch of R.G. Dun’s Mercantile Agency. This company proved a perfect fit for Wiman. They produced annual publications listing the businesses in communities across Upper Canada along with contact information and, crucially, assigning a credit rating to each. Erastus traveled across the province, expanding his contact base and developing unique insights into the nature of business and economics in 19th Century Canada West. He thrived in the new role and, despite its demanding schedule, he resolved to marry his beloved Nellie that year. In fact, it was recounted much later by their granddaughter that Erastus and Nellie were married at 5:00 AM in order that he might catch a train later that morning for an important meeting.

     Opportunity kept knocking on Wiman’s door. In 1861 he was promoted to manager of the R.G. Dun Mercantile Agency at the main office in Montreal, now overseeing all Canadian operations. He soon bought into the Canadian branch of the company as a partner and it was renamed Dun, Wiman & Co. Erastus was able to extend his contacts and knowledge of business and economics across all of British North America. He was not satisfied doing just one job, however. During the four years that he and Nellie lived in Montreal he also served as the editor of the Montreal Trade Review.

      Erastus and Nellie’s first child, William Dwight Wiman, was born on May 14th of that year. In 1863 their daughter Minnie was born, and another daughter, Martha was born in 1865. Son Harry Dunn Wiman was born in 1866. 

      Erastus Wiman Jr. was transferred again in 1867; this time to the corporate head office of Dun & Barlow in New York City. This is where he settled for the remainder of his days. His new offiyce was located on Broadway, but he and Nellie had fallen in love with Staten Island. The purchased a home for the family there, in the north shore community of New Brighton. Erastus rode the ferry across the harbour to the Battery early every morning, then walked the rest of the way to work.

      While settling into his new community on Staten Island, the Wimans seem to have abandoned their Methodist roots. The family became quite involved in the nearby Christ Episcopal (Anglican) Church. 

      Wiman spent those first years on Staten Island living in a modest home on the island. He and Nellie welcomed another son, Frank Galbraith Wiman, in 1870. The family was very engaged in community events. A devoted hunter, Erastus traveled by train between New York City and Canada and in 1873, while on a hunting excursion near Minden, Wiman claimed to have shot four wolves from his birch bark canoe. He received the $24 bounty, which he gave to his guide.

     Erastus’ mother, Theresa died on September 17th, 1874 and was buried in the Churchville Cemetery. Erastus and Nellie likely returned to the village for the funeral, and this might have been the first time that his children were introduced to Churchville. The Credit Valley Railway had not been built by this time, so the family would have had to have taken the Grand Trunk Railway from Toronto to Brampton, then a carriage west along Baseline to the village. Erastus had a handsome stone erected in the centre of the family’s plot, memorializing his parents and grandmother Rhoda Church Stoyell. 

       Erastus would have found Churchville to be quite different from the village he was born in. The grist mills had all burned down ten years earlier, taking a home, several businesses and the distillery with them. The white pine forests of his youth were almost completely cut down and the community was now leveraging the open space to establish dairy farms and market gardens on five large farms. The Church family was almost completely gone too, though the Hall and Burns families remained. The Pointers were still operating their tannery and the Wiman’s old store was still in operation, as was the tavern across the road. Erastus might have met Thomas A. Fogerty, William Hardy and Mathias Ingram on this trip.

       The Wiman Subdivision, which Erastus had set out to develop in 1855 when he was 21, had proven a bust by that point. At the time of Theresa’s death, only 50% of the lots had been sold, and none since 1865. Only two or three homes along Victoria Street had been constructed and Albert Street hadn’t been opened up. In 1878 John Reeve, who owned Whitehall, purchased of the lots from Wiman for a meager $125; about $3375 CAD in 2026 funds.

      Back on Staten Island, the Wiman family's fortune was now growing steadily. In 1878 the Wiman’s built a grand new home, which they named Tantallon, after the castle in East Lothian, Scotland. That year the first Telephone Exchange Company on Staten Island was founded, and Wiman was elected the first president. This marked his first foray into telecommunications. 

     In winter 1880 Erastus became deeply invested in developing the Staten Island Railway. William Vanderbilt had created the line in the 1850s, running along the east side of the island, but had had no luck with it. The line, including its associated ferries, declared bankruptcy and was purchased by George Law in 1872. Erastus worked with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to develop a vision for the line which included an expansion, a new southern bridge for freight access at Arthur Kills and new ferry terminals on the North Shore near his home in New Brighton. Wiman established the Staten Island Rapid Transit Company to oversee the changes. George Law donated the land where the terminal now sits with the condition that it be named for him. Wiman wittily called the terminal and surrounding areas St. George in his honour. Redevelopment of the railway and ferry terminals would continue for the next six years. 

       Wiman was a proud Canadian. He kept a map of his homeland on his desk for inspiration and he loved to host his fellow Canucks at Tantallon whenever possible. On July 21, 1880, Erastus and Nellie welcomed the Toronto Lacrosse team to their home and put on a celebratory fireworks show for the community that night.

     Only a few days later, on July 25th, Charles Barlow died suddenly, creating another opportunity for promotion at the Mercantiel Agency. Erastus was chosen to replace Barlow as Partner and General Manager. This move positioned Erastus among New York’s financial elite. Regardless of his new prestige, he continued to be very involved in his community on Staten Island. On December 15th of that same year, Erastus was elected an officer of Beacon Light Masonic Lodge No. 701. 

      On August 30th, 1881 Erastus’ business and cultural connections combined to enable him to be elected as first president of the Great Northern Telegraph Company of Canada. This company was created to connect Western Canada (Ontario & Manitoba specifically), and to challenge the dominance of the Montreal and Dominion Telegraph Companies. In actuality, it seems that this was Western Union’s way of breaking into the Canadian market. Erastus had been made a director of Western Union only a few months later, on October 12th and within a year Western Union had taken over the Great Northern Company. By purchasing and consolidating the two older telegraph companies, Western Union established a monopoly over all telegraphic communications in Canada for a number of years.

    Erastus Wiman Junior's luck was about to change, however. His first major scandal - a hint of what would eventually take him down thirteen years later - erupted almost immediately upon his joining the Western Union Board. On October 19th he was accused of bribing a clerk employed by their competitor, the Mutual Union Telegraph Company. Wiman had asked him to steal and deliver several important documents. These documents were plans for future lines, including an expansion into Canada, as well as any dirt that the clerk could provide about Mutual Union’s officers. Wiman was taken to court. The Clerk stated in a sworn affidavit that Wiman had told him that he wanted to publish scandalous information about the officers in Wall Street sections of New York’s newspapers in order to deter investors.

      Evidence, including signed letters, showed that Wiman had clearly bribed the Clerk with $250, but the laws surrounding corporate espionage in New York State were still vague and undefined. Wiman was not convicted of a crime this time. He worked hard to redeem his public persona by waging a war of words against Mutual Union in New York’s newspapers. Unfortunately, it seems that this acquittal served to change and embolden the Canadian. Years later, Wiman would begin engage in much worse criminal behaviour.

      While visiting Toronto in 1882, perhaps as a part of his efforts to redeem his public image among his fellow countrymen, Erastus paid to have a large public bath erected on Ward’s Island for the use of the general public. The building was known as the Wiman Baths. It was converted into apartments near the turn of the century and demolished around the 1950s. 

     In 1883, at the age of 49 years, Erastus Wiman began to engage more in politics. Though he was an avowed Canadian patriot, he believed that American annexation of the provinces would eventually be inevitable. He became an outspoken supporter of commercial union between the U.S. and Canada, encouraging the removal of all trade barriers between the two nations. This was a radical position that became associated with extreme left-wing, Liberal politics in Canada. Canada was still a very young nation and, while his ideas garnered some support among those who stood to earn more money from free-trade, they met with disdain from the ruling Conservatives who were trying to instill a sense of national identity and pride. 

    Wiman toured around communities on both sides of the border extensively for years, giving speeches in support of commercial union to business groups. Though his ideas never seem to have evoked public outrage, Erasus' name and image began to be used by the John A. Macdonald Conservatives  who portrayed him as a traitor to the national cause.

      In 1884 Erastus Wiman turned 50 years of age. By all accounts he was enjoying immense success in life. He had a beautiful home, a devoted wife, two daughters and four sons. Though he was described as being short and stocky, he didn’t engage in drinking or smoking. He would wake up at 4:00 AM every morning and work late. He was a leader in his Staten Island community and was constantly seeking out ways to improve infrastructure in ways that would financially benefit the island. Because of this he became known locally as the Duke of Staten Island. 

     Erastus was still working hard to develop the Staten Island Rapid Transit Company. In 1884 he was elected president of the oraganization and he successfully lobbied the US Congress to build the Arthur Kill Bridge at the southern tip of the island. By 1890 this bridge would eventually connect Staten Island and New Jersey, creating a lucrative freight corridor. Incredibly, Wiman was also still working daily at R.G. Dun & Co. in New York City. He was now taking his own company’s ferries into work each morning (one of which bore his own name). Despite all of his increasing fame and success, a visit home to Churchville on Friday, October 24th was only briefly noted in the Community News page of the Brampton Conservator. This may have been a quick stop to visit his half sisters, or to visit the Wiman family graves in Churchville Cemetery. The small flagstop station for the  Canadian Pacific Railway (recently purchased from the Credit Valley Railway) was located a very short walk north east of the cemetery grounds. 

     Back south of the border, Erastus played a key role in founding the Canadian Club of New York City on July 1st 1885. The club was located at 3 North Washington Square, and served as a gathering place for Canadian ex-pats and visitors of all types. He was, of course, elected as the first president of the club and he often spoke there about his positions on commercial union between the U.S. and Canada. 

     Wiman was determined to leverage the beauty of Staten Island's North Shore to turn it into a tourist destination. With the improvements on the ferry and railway lines progressing well, he began seeking out live entertainment that would draw New Yorkers to the New Brighton area. In December 1885 he purchased the New York Metropolitan Base-Ball team and relocated them to Staten Island. The team had been founded in 1880 and had previously played at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan. The Mets played at the St. George Cricket grounds for only two seasons. Wiman bundled their tickets with free rides on the Staten-Island ferry in order to encourage fans to make the journey. 

    The Metropolitans played poorly and did not prove to be the draw that Wiman had expected. Erastus decided to explore a novel approach with the cricket grounds: He set up a permanent 450-by-250-foot stage in the outfield, where acts like Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and several theatrical performances were staged. The American Association baseball league had to approve a special ground rule for the St. George Cricket Grounds, whereby any ball hit into the stage area occupying most of centre field resulted in an automatic single. The crowd sizes did increase dramatically, often up to around 20,000 per show, but the expenses of transporting and caring for wild animals, stage lighting and actors ate up all of the profits.
Wiman dissolved the Metropolitans in 1887 and sold their assets to the Brooklyn Dodgers for $15,000. 

    In 1886, largely due to his advocacy, Erastus was able to convince New York State to change laws so that imprisonment was no longer the punishment for debt. That same year he oversaw the building of a completely new railway station in the St. George area of Staten Island, connected to the ferry line. The station was given the name Erastina in tribute to Wiman. It is believed that Erastus managed to get Wild Bill Cody to pay for the construction of the new station in exchange for letting him put on his wild west show at the nearby cricket grounds. 

     By 1887 Erastus Wiman Jr.’s fortune was estimated to be at its peak. He was said to have a net worth of two or three million dollars. Increasingly he seemed to be interested in self-promotion and developing his personal fame. He would write flattering stories about himself for publication in newspapers and was known to send journals copies of speeches which he never actually delivered. He continued to travel about Canada and the U.S., promoting his ideas about commercial union between the two nations. 

     On Dominion Day (July 1st) of that year he enjoyed a splendid homecoming.  After taking the CPR line up to Dufferin Lake outside of Belfountain, Peel County, he delivered a speech to over 2000 cheering supporters. He was overjoyed by the reception and by trip to his hotel in Orangeville later that evening. The locals lined the streets cheering him on as he traveled in a carriage pulled by four white horses. 

    The CPR line had a stop right next to the Churchville Cemetery and it seems likely that he would have stopped by the village to visit his family plot while traveling to or from Belfountain.

     That year he also delivered speeches to business groups in Buffalo, Detroit and in the railway hub of St. Thomas, Ontario. His increasing fame and constant promotion of commercial union was starting to materialize into a problem for the federal Conservatives. In 1887 the Liberal Party of Canada actually adopted some of Wiman’s ideas about commercial union as an election platform, calling it instead ‘unlimited reciprocity’. 

    Wiman was interviewed about his thoughts on free trade by the Chicago Tribune in October 1889, and in January 1890 he was summoned to speak with a committee from the United States Senate at the Post Office in NYC about commercial union between the nations. At this meeting, Wiman clarified his views on the political union of the two countries. He stated that he believed economic unification would entice Americans to do business, and then settle, in Canada. Eventually there would be more Americans than Canadians living north of the border and political unification would occur naturally and painlessly. 

     On October 9th, 1890, Erastus’ eldest son, Will, married Anna Deere, daughter of plough magnate Charles H. Deere. 

    Wiman found himself in court on April 3rd, 1891. A Miss Henrietta Woods had charged him with libel and was suing him for $50,000. This stemmed from Wiman’s lobbying to have laws surrounding debt changed so that debtors weren’t sent to prison. He had created and distributed a pamphlet which featured a quote by someone who was imprisoned for owing money to Miss Henrietta Woods. The quote called her character into question and she had doggedly pursued the case against Wiman for years. Ultimately, a hung jury resulted in no verdict. Wiman was able to escape a conviction for a second time in his life. 

    In 1892 Erastus embarked on a  maritime province tour, speaking with business groups about his vision for commercial union with the U.S. During this time, he set himself to authoring a book. Chances of Success: Episodes and Observations in the Life of a Busy Man was published the following year. It was a collection of 107 short essays about politics, business, leadership and character development. Commercial union was a recurring topic, as was his disdain for the evils of liquor. 

   Unfortunately, Erastus Wiman Jr. did not have a chance to enjoy the fruits of his literary labours. The Panic of 1893 began to set in that February, as the United States experienced the most serious economic downturn that it had faced up to that point. Everything changed overnight. A severe depression hit the U.S. and railways were particularly impacted. Almost all of Wiman’s fortune was wrapped up in the Staten Island Railway and in real estate, the value of which seemed to evaporate. The Wimans suddenly found themselves in a dire situation and were forced into insolvency. They were ruined. Their estate, Tantallon, was seized and the family moved into a small nearby cottage that they owned. 63 creditors came forward, claiming that Erastus owed them $913,00.00. His chief tangible assets were $91,000 in bonds, but due to the economic crisis these only yielded $6900 in cash. The Wimans were forced to declare bankruptcy. 

    The family’s situation was about to become much worse. In January 1894, Erastus Wiman Jr. was arrested for defrauding the R.G. Dun Mercantile Company through forgeries and embezzlement spanning over the previous six years. The total amount that he had taken was noted as being $229,000. Erastus had forged signatures on cheques and misappropriated funds in 1888, 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1893. At 60 years of age, Erastus was apprehended without incident and locked up in the Tombs, an infamous municipal jail that stood at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan. 

    Erastus did not have enough money left to post bail and on February 24th, while his son Will lay in bed on the verge of death from pneumonia, he desperately reached out to Charles H. Deere, Will’s father-in-law, to secure a bail bond for him. Fortunately, Will recovered from the illness. 

    Erastus’ case went to trial on June 22nd, creating a sensational news story that was carried all over North America. The evidence that Dun Mercantile Co. provided proved indisputable and the jury found Erastus guilty on all counts. They recommended mercy for him, and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. A higher court reversed the ruling entirely on appeal and Erastus was sent to his small home next to Tantallon, where he lived out the rest of his days.

    Wiman finally became an American citizen in 1897. He suffered a stroke in 1901 that rendered him almost completely paralyzed for the last three years of his life. 

    Erastus Wiman Jr. died on February 9th, 1904 at St George on Staten Island, near to his home and his former railroad and ferry line. His death was attributed to his continuing paralysis. At this point the family was almost completely penniless. The very week before his death, Erastus and Nellie had been forced to auction off almost all of their furniture. The poverty that had defined his youth had now returned to define his old age. Erastus was buried in Silver Mount Cemetery in Sunnyside, Staten Island. His memorial stone is a simple design, but anyone who is familiar with the Wiman family stone located 800 kilometers away in the Churchville Cemetery will recognize a resemblance between the two.