Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/508

 IRVIN

IRVINE

lature, 1S6S-72 ; a regent of the Iowa State uni- versity ; trustee of tlie Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' home; Democratic candidate for governor of Iowa in 1S77 ; and candidate for representative in congress from California in 1890. He edited the Oakimnl Timesand AUa California, San Fran- cisco, 1882-91, and was appointed naval officer of customs at San Francisco in 1894. He made a specialty of the care and training of the adult blind, and became president of the state in- stitution for that class in Oakland, Cal. He was manif.l. in 187."). to Annie Fletcher.

IRVIN, James, representative, was born at Linden llall, Centre county. Pa., Feb. 18, 1800; son of Joiin and Ann (Watson) Irvin. He re- ceived a fair elementary education, and in 1814 engaged as a clerk in his father's store and mill. He was married in 1823 to Julianna, daughter of Senator Andrew and Martha (Potter) Gregg, and granddaughter of Andrew and Jean (Scott) Gregg, and of Gen. James Potter, who served in the Revolution. Soon after his marriage he be- came a merchant and grain dealer at Oak Hall, and in 1832 he became interested with his father and brother. Dr. William Irvin, in establishing and operating charcoal blast-furnaces, rolling-mills, forges, and grist-mills at Milesburg and Belle- fonte. Centre county, which proved very profita- ble. He represented his district in the 27th and 2-8th congresses, 1841-45, and was the unsuccessful Wiiig candidate for governor of Pennsylvania in 1847. He gave generous sums of money and 200 acres of land to the Pennsylvania Agricultural college, of which he was a founder. He lost his fortune in the crisis of 1857, and accepted the ap- pointment of naval storekeeper in Philadelphia- He died at Hecla, Pa., Nov. 28, 1862.

IRVIN, William, U.S. consul, was born at Lin- den Hall. Centre county, Pa., Nov. 15, 1805 ; son of John and Ann (Watson) Irvin. His grand- father, John Irvin, with two brothers, William and Gion, came from county Tyrone, Ireland, to Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., in 178G, and crossed the mountains to the " new country " of Penn's valley, where they all became tliriving farmers, mill owners and miners. He was pre- pared for college at Canonsburg, Pa., and entered Dickinson college in the class of 1825, but did not complete the course. He was graduated at Jefferson Medical college in 1828, and at the Homeopathic Medical college of Philadelphia in 1851. In 183.3 he engaged with his brother James in tlie iron business at Milesburg, Pa., and the firm failed in 1857. He practised as a homeopathic physician at Bellefonte,Pa., 1851-54; engaged actively in the charcoal-iron business, 1854-62 ; was a clerk in treasury department, Washington. D.C.. 1862-64, meantime devoting much time to hospital work about Washington,

under the Pennsylvania sanitary commission ; and was U.S. consul at Amoy, China, 1864-65. He was married, in 1836, to i\Iartha M., daughter of Roland and Jean (Gregg) Curtin ; grand- daughter of Senator Andrew and Martha (Potter) Gregg, and a descendant of General Potter, the first white man to see Penn's valley. She was a sister of Governor Andrew Curtin, and their son and only child, Roland Clare Irvin, entered the U.S. Naval academy in 1860, was ordered in active service in September, 1863, and resigned, Sept. 26, 1866, after having attained the rank of master, to take cliarge of his father's estate. Consul Irvin died of Asiatic cholera, contracted while a volunteer physician in the hospitals, at Amoy, China, Sept. 9, 1865.

IRVIN, William W., representative, was born in Albemarle county, Va., in 1778 ; son of the Rev. William Irvin. trustee of Augusta acad- emy and Libert}- Hall, 1776-82. He was edu- cated in Virginia ; removed to the Northwest Territory ; studied law^ at Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio ; was admitted to the bar, and represented Fairfield county in the 5th and 6th general assemblies of Ohio, 1806-08 ; was judge of the supreme court of the state, 1808-15 ; a representative in the 24th, 25th and 26th gen- eral assemblies, 1825-28, serving as sjDeaker, 1825-26 ; a representative from the ninth district in the 21st and 22d congresses, 1829-33, and the defeated candidate for the 23d congress in 1832. He died in Lancaster, Ohio, April 19, 1842.

IRVINE, James, soldier, was born in Phila- delphia, Pa., Aug. 4, 1735 ; son of George Irvine, a native of the north of Ireland, who emigrated to America and settled in Philadelphia. He joined the provincial regiment, and was made ensign in Captain Atlee's company in 1760. On Dec. 30, 1703, he was promoted captain, and in 1764 saw active service under Colonel Bouquet against the Indi- ans of the Northwest Territory. He was a dele- gate to the Provincial conference at Philadel- phia, Jan. 23, 1775, and was made a captain in the 1st Pennsylvania battalion. He was pro- moted lieutenant-colonel, Nov. 25, 1775, and col- onel of the 9th regiment of the Pennsj-lvania line, Oct. 25, 1776. He served in the Canada campaign of 1776 ; was transferred to the 2d regi- ment, and resigned June 1, 1777, when a question Of rank arose. He was made brigadier-general of militia, Aug. 26, 1777, commanding the 2d brig- ade. He occupied the extreme right of the Amer- ican line at the battle of Germantown, and was wounded and made prisoner at Chestnut Hill, Dec. 5, 1777. He was exchanged, June 1, 1781 ; was appointed commander of Fort Pitt by con- gress, Oct. 11, 1781, and commissioned major- general. May 27, 1782. He commanded the Penn- sylvania militia, 1782-93 ; was a member of the