The wife (Miss Harriet Sherman) died.

The evidence

• “Married Miss Harriet, daughter of Erastus Sherman, of Cortland Co., N. Y., Dec. 31, 1839 ; she died Sept. 12, 1852, leaving four children — Erastus S., Jason W., Henry W. and Ellen J. ; Mr.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/21-bios-lima.md, PDF p. 789 / book p. 793

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources