Dilman Kinsey Erb, M.P., was born in the township of Woolwich, County of Waterloo, July. 1857.   He is eldest son of the late Isaac Erb.   His great-grandfather, Daniel Erb, emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1807, and located in Waterloo County, Ontario, near what is now the village of Bridgeport.   The family is of Swiss descent.   He was educated at the Bridgeport public school and at S. S. No. 3, Wilmot, and at the age of 18 he began life as a teacher, which profession he followed for eight years, during the last five of which he was principal of the New Dundee public school.   In 1885 he moved into the township of Downie, in the County of Perth, where he started farming.   In 1887 he was elected school trustee and secretary-treasurer in his section, which positions he has held continuously up to the present.   He was elected township councillor in 1892 and again in 1893.   The following three years he was deputy-reeve.   In 1892, when the Sebringville Flax Co. was organized, he was elected its first president, which office he filled four years.   About this time he was made a justice of the peace.   In February 1895, he was chosen by the Liberals of South Perth to be their candidate at the next Dominion general election.   He was elected to represent South Perth in the House of Commons in June 1896, defeating Mr. William Pridham of Fullerton, and re-elected at the general election in November 1900, again defeating Mr. Pridham.   In 1881 he married Phoebe, the youngest daughter of the late John S. Huber, of Blenheim township, County of Oxford.   Mr. Erb is strictly temperate in his habits, and a good public speaker, being possessed of many of those faculties requisite to a successful public man.   In Farmers' Institute work he has taken an active part, and both by precept and example has done much to encourage tree planting on the farm.   Mr. Erb is still a young man. and has many years of usefulness before him.

Source: History of Perth County: 1825-1902 by William Johnston published in 1903