Maricopa County AZ Archives Biographies.....Irvine, Edward 1838 - living in 1896
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/az/azfiles.html
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 1, 2005, 9:17 pm

Author: McFarland & Poole

p. 449-450

  EDWARD IRVINE. It is indeed a rule with few exceptions that the prosperous and
representative men of affairs of all large cities are rarely natives of the
same. It is likewise a notable fact that vast numbers of the successful men who
do business in this country are foreigners by nativity. This thought is brought
about by the personality of Edward Irvine, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland,
born in the year 1838. He is now a prominent capitalist and real estate man of
Phoenix, Arizona, and one of the old time citizens. His parents, Alexander and
Jane (Johnson) Irvine, were married in Ireland and left that country for America
in about 1842. They settled on St. John's River in the province of New
Brunswick, and there passed the remainder of their lives. The father followed
various occupations, farmer, merchant, etc., and was reasonably successful.
Several children were born to this worthy couple but only one besides our
subject is now living, Mrs. Sarah Beckim, of Bloomfield, New Brunswick. Edward
Irvine was reared in New Brunswick and secured a thorough scholastic training in
the common schools and in the seminary, graduating from the latter. Following
this he taught school and also speculated on a small scale, making some money.
He subsequently went to Aroostook County, Maine, where he kept books for a
leather and shoe establishment for a few years, and then, in 1868, took the
advice of Horace Greeley and went West. Reaching California he stopped at
numerous points, teaching a part of the time, and in 1871, went to Phoenix,
Arizona, when there were about seventy-five men and one woman, a Mrs. Gardner,
in the town. Having studied law in the East he was admitted to the bar at San
Diego, Cal., before Judge Bush, and after locating in Phoenix, hung out his
shingle. For a number of years he practiced in Phoenix and then engaged in
general merchandising, in which he was successful and which he carried on for a.
number of years. He had one of the first stores in the place. Mr. Irvine has
been engaged in loaning money and in the real estate business for the past few
years and he now owns considerable property in and around the city. He has a
beautiful residence in Phoenix and owns four fine farms. He has been successful
from a pecuniary standpoint, in the conduct of his affairs, and is a liberal,
generous and highminded gentleman, whose correct mode of living has gathered
about him a large circle of friends and well wishers. He had but little capital
when he started in business in Phoenix but his perseverance and determination
have carried him along and he is now one of the wealthy men of the Territory.
For two or three terms he was justice of the peace and he was one of the
commissioners of the Insane Asylum. Mr. Irvine has never taken an active part in
politics but has attended strictly to business and this, in all probability,
accounts in a great measure for his success. In the year 1859 he was married to
Miss Deborah Rideout, a native of New Brunswick, and three children were born to
them. Two died in infancy and the other, Joseph Alexander, is a member of Irvine
Company Book Store. Mrs. Irvine died in 1863 and in 1880 Mr. Irvine was married
to Miss Izora E. Jackson, by whom he has eight children: Izora J.; Eddie; James;
Malay; Vera: Roy; Evangeline and Sylvan. Mr. Irvine is a prominent Mason, being
a Knight Templar, and is also a member of the order of Eastern Star. Politically
he is a Democrat.


Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/az/maricopa/bios/gbs12irvine.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/azfiles/

File size: 4.2 Kb