Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/518

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IRVING


IRWIN


See Life of Washington Iri'ing. by his nephew, Pierre M. Irving (4 vols., lS6"2-()3); Bryant's Ad- dress Ixfore the yetc York Jiistoric'td Society (1800); lAingfelloic's Address before the Massa- chusetts Historical Society (18GU); ^\'ashinyto)l Irving, by Daviil J. Hill (1879); Lifeof In-ing, by Cliarles Dudley Warner, in American Men of Letters series ( 1881 ) . Wasliington Irving died at Sutinyside. near Tarrytown. N.Y., Nov. 28, 1859. IRVING, William, representative, was born in N.'w York city. Au<,'. lo, 1766; son of William and Sarali (Sanders) Irving. He was employed in his fathers store and learned the business of a general trader. In 1787 he left home to trade with the Indians in furs, making his trading posts on the Mohawk river, at Johnstown and Caughnawaga. N.Y. In 1793 he returned to New York city and was married to a sister of James Kirke Paulding, U.S. secretary of the navy and one of the editors of Salmagundi. He became a contributor to that work as from the mill of Pindar Cockloft." He suggested the letters of

  • ' Mustapha," which were elaborated by his

brother Washington. He was a representative in the 13th, 14th and 15th congresses, 1813-19, serving from Jan. 22, 1814, to April 20, 1818. He was a member of the committee on commerce and manufactures and an influential representa- tive of the commercial metropolis. At the close of the first session of the 15tli congress he re- signed on account of failing health. His contri- butions to Sabnagundi gave him a place among American humorists, and had he cultivated liis talent in that direction and published his poeti- cal and other writings in book form, his place would have been acknowledged. He encouraged his brother Washington, seventeen yeai's his junior, in his literary ambition, and gave him the means to travel, and especially to make his visit to Europe in 1804, which determined his liealth as well as his literary career. William Irving died in New York city, Nov. 9, 1821.

IRWIN, Agnes, educator, was born in Wash- ington. D.C., Dec. 30, 1841; daughter of W^illiam Wallace and Sophia (Bache) Irwin; granddaugh- ter of Ricliard and Sophia (Dallas) Bache and of John and Agnes (Farquhar) Irwin. Her father was a representa- tive in the 27th congress from Pittsburg, Pa., 1841-43, and ' harge d'affaires of the United States to Denmark, 184-3-^7, and her mother was the daughter of Richard Bache, who was grandson of Benjamin Franklin, and married Sophia, daughter of Alexander J. Dallas, .MHTetary of the treasury and of war. Mis.s Irwin wa.s educated in Washingtfm and first taught in the school of Mrs. Hoffman, of New


^uj:^


York city; then conducted a private school in Philadelpliia. Pa., and was elected dean of Rad- cliffe college. Cambridge, Mass., in 1894. She was named bj' Governor Wolcott a commis.sioner from Mas.sachusetts to the Paris exposition of 1900. She received the iionorary degree of Litt.D. from the University of Penn.sylvania in 1898.

IRWIN, Jared, governor of Georgia, was born in:Meiklenl)urg county, N.C., in 1750. He early removed to Burke county, Ga.; took an active part in the Revolutionary war and later com- manded a company of Georgia militia against the Creek Indians on the frontier. He moved to Wash- ington county in 1778; was elected to the con- vention to frame the state constitution, 1789; was a member of the first legislatvire that met after independence was secured, 1790; a member of the state constitutional convention, 1795; governor of Georgia. 1796; president of the state conven- tion of 1798 that revised the constitution; again governor, 1806-09, and served almost continu- ously as state senator and president of the senate until his death. W'hile he was governor in 1796 he signed the bill revoking the notorious " Yazoo act." He spent almost thirty years in public service and attained the rank of brigadier-gen- eral of militia. He died at Union Hill, Washing- ton county. Ga.. March 1. 1818.

IRWIN, John, naval officer, was born in Penn- sylvania. April 15. 1832. He entered the U.S. navy as midshipman. Sept. 9. 1847; was graduated at the U.S. Naval academj- in 1853: was promoted passed midshipman, June 10, 1853: master. Sept. 15,

1855; lieutenant,

Sept. 16, 1855; /^^'-:^-.-;(^^

lieutenant - com- yy^<*^—~-^:*i^ mander, July 16, v. ' 1862: command- ""^:^ er, July 25, 1866; T^^^.^^ captain, May 15, f' 1875; commo- "^

dore, March 4. '^^^^ wabash.

1886, and rear-admiral, May 19, 1891. He served on the frigate Wabash at the battle of Port Royal in the civil war, and took an active part in tiie capture of forts at Hatteras Inlet, and of Forts Walker. Beauregard and Pulaski. He was later on duty in California; commanded the Asiatic squadron; was retired, April 15, 1894, on attaining the age of .sixty -two, and was prize com- missioner of Soutli Carolina in the war witii Spain, 1898. He died in Wasliington, D.C.. July 28. 1901.

IRWIN, John NIchol, dii)l<)matist, was born in Ohio. Dec-. 25. 1847: son (jf Stt-phen and Eli::;il)eth (Nichol) Irwin. He was educated in the public schools of Keokuk, Iowa, and at Miami university, Ohio; enlisted as a private in the 45tli Iowa volunteer infantry in 1804. and was graduated from Dartmoutli college in 1867. He was mayor