MCMURRY, Irvian M., b 1863; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/mcmurryim.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 14, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Irvin M. McMurray A prominent real-estate and general business man in Delta county, and an active and judicious promoter of the interests of the community in which he lives, industrial, commercial and educational, Irvin M. McMurray, of Delta, is an ornament to the town and a forceful factor in all elements of its growth and advancement. He was born near Omaha, Nebraska, on July 19, 1863, the son of Richard M. and Mary (Johnson) McMurray, the former born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Indiana. The father came west to Nebraska when young and was married there. After farming in that state for a number of years he moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was engaged in merchandising for a time. Then for many years he was active in the mining, mercantile and political life of this state, conducting large and successful enterprises and representing his people at times in the territorial and state legislature. He is now living retired at Delta at the age of eighty-two. His wife died in 1886. They were the parents of three daughters and one son, the last being the oldest, and all are living. Irvin was ten years old when the family moved to Colorado and the rest of his life so far has been passed in this state, except during short absences when he was at school. He began his education in the public primary schools, attended the high school and the State Normal at Oregon, Missouri. In the autumn of 1882 he located at Delta, then a village of one hundred and fifty inhabitants, and engaged in the retail drug business, the business being conducted the first year in a tent. For a number of years thereafter he conducted the enterprise. In 1890 he sold it and turned his attention to ranching and the real-estate business, in which he has ever since been actively occupied, and very successful. In political faith he is a firm and loyal Democrat, and in the service of his party he is at all times earnest, energetic and effective. He rendered important service to the county and its people as a county commissioner for three years, and in every way has been potential in promoting and developing undertakings for the material and moral welfare of his section of the state. He is a stockholder in the Delta Flour Mills Company and connected in a leading and helpful way with other enterprises in the industrial life of the community. On April 12, 1893, he was married to Miss Lucy Yarwood, a native of Canada, where her father died a number of years ago. She came to Colorado with her mother, who died in this state in 1893. Mr. McMurray belongs to the Knights of Pythias and his wife is an active working member of the Methodist Episcopal church. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.