The Samuel James Ervin (1844-1944) mentioned in posts above was a prominent lawyer in western North Carolina. He was born at Morgantown, a member of a very old American family.
Many of his papers are at the Univ. North Carolina.

His son, Samuel James Ervin Jr. (1896-1985), was an important and longtime US senator, active on committees including Judiciary, Rackets, and Watergate (a book by him on Watergate). His massive papers, over 40,000 items. are at the Univ. North Carolina. Important to the folk researcher is the collection on Burke County, North Carolina, Social Life and Customs.
He wrote several books, of most interest to folk researchers is "Humor of a Country Lawyer."
The Ervins family was interested in Genealogy, and traced their antecedents in America from the 17th century (Society of Mayflower Descendents) down through the Sons of th Confereracy.