James Ervin (politician)

James Ervin (October 17, 1778 – July 7, 1841) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from South Carolina from 1817 to 1821.

Early life
Born in Williamsburg District, Ervin was graduated from Rhode Island College (now Brown University), in 1797. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1800. He commenced practice in the Pee Dee.

Career
He served as member of the State house of representatives from 1800 to 1804 and from 1810 to 1811. He then served as solicitor of the northern judicial circuit 1804–1816. He was a trustee of South Carolina College from 1809 to 1817.

Congress
Ervin was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifteenth Congress and reelected to the Sixteenth Congress (March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1820.

Later career and death
After his tenure in Congress, he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He later served as member of the State senate from 1826 to 1829. He was a delegate to the State convention in 1832.

He died in Darlington, South Carolina, July 7, 1841 and was interred at his home.