Plumas-Butte County CA Archives Biographies.....Irwin, Richard 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 4, 2006, 5:25 am

Author: Fariss & Smith (1882)

   RICHARD IRWIN was born at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen he
entered the Mexican war, and served with distinction through the campaigns on
Aztec soil. In 1849 he emigrated to California, and engaged in mining at Rich
bar on the east branch of Feather river in 1851. He frequently practiced before
the miners' courts as an attorney. In 1852 he was elected to the state assembly
from Butte county, with Charles C. Thomas, and was re-elected in 1853. In the
spring of 1855, with Robert M. Blakemore, he purchased the business of Clark,
Wagner, & Co., merchants at Rich bar—taking charge of a pack-train, while his
partner ran the store. In 1856 Plumas county sent him to the assembly, and in
1860 he was elected joint-senator from Butte and Plumas counties. Two years
after, he was defeated for the same position by Thomas B. Shannon. In 1861 he
was the democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, with John Conness at the
head of the ticket, which was defeated. Mr. Irwin was a warm personal friend and
supporter of David C. Broderick. In the spring of 1865 the firm of Irwin &
Blakemore dissolved partnership, and the former continued the business at Rich
bar until his death, which occurred February 15, 1869. He died at the age of
forty-one, leaving a widow without children, and is buried at the Rich bar
cemetery. A fine inclosure and marble slabs mark his resting-place. His widow
survived.him till 1871, when she died in Quincy, and is buried by his side.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)


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