BIO: Samuel H. IRVIN, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 140-141. __________________________________________________________________ SAMUEL H. IRVIN, McAlevys Fort, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born at Hickley Furnace, Centre county, Pa., November 26, 1841, son of John and Elizabeth (Mothersbaugh) Irvin. James Irvin, grandfather of Samuel H., was born in Ireland, of Scotch parentage; he came to this country when a young man, and supported himself and family by general labor. He married in Mifflin county; his children were: Samuel; William; James; Joseph; John; Andrew; and Eliza. James Irvin adhered to the Democratic party. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. He died in Centre county, Pa. His son, John Irvin, had a limited education, but was quick and intelligent, as well as physically robust. He was a worker in coal and iron. In 1847 he removed from Centre to Huntingdon county, where he was engaged in the iron works at Monroe Furnace. The company failed, owing Mr. Irvin $1,000, in payment of which he was obliged to take a farm, valued at $1,100; this necessitated the payment of $100 in cash. Mr. Irvin built a dwelling and a barn, planted an orchard, and made various other improvements upon his property. He cultivated 130 acres besides raising cattle, and other live stock. He was also manager of the Greenwood furnace, in Huntingdon county. Mr. Irvin was a Democrat. His wife was of German descent, born in Mifflin county. Their children are: Abraham, killed in a railroad accident at Barree; John, deceased, was a private in Company E, Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Ninth Army Corps, was wounded and lost his leg, died May 18, 1871; James B., belonged to Company G, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was three times wounded in battle, died in 1893; William Miles, of Williamsport, Pa., employed in the railroad office, was four years in the army, first in Company G, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, afterwards in Company C, Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers; Samuel H.; David, of Company F, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was wounded in 1864, died in 1874; Martin L., a boy of intelligence and good education, enlisted at the age of seventeen in Company F, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was shot in battle; Gerard J., a soldier like his brothers, though only sixteen, was in the One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was wounded in the breast at Petersburg, Va., is now living in Virginia; Ellis, in the grocery business at Altoona, Pa.; Susanna, deceased, wife of Henry Greenawalt, of Huntingdon, Pa.; Rebecca J., deceased, wife of Clinton B. White; Annie, died at the age of nineteen; Mary J., deceased, wife of Frank Strunk; Andrew, died in Centre county, Pa.; and Jacob, died in Jackson township, aged eleven. Few family records present a story of greater devotion to the cause of their country; scarcely any of so much suffering and sacrifice as was undergone by the seven sons of this family, who freely gave their blood, their young strength, and some of them life itself, for the preservation of the Union. Just after the return of peace, the father of this family died on the homestead, September 14, 1865. he was a member of the Lutheran church, and had been active in its service. His wife survived him for fifteen years, and died November 2, 1880, at the house of her son, Samuel H., in Huntingdon. She was a kind and faithful mother, and like her excellent husband, was devoted to her church, and regular in her attendance upon its services. Samuel H. Irvin was educated in the common schools of Jackson and Franklin townships, was interested in his studies, and has by his own efforts made up for the slenderness of his advantages. From the age of ten years, he worked on the farm; he was occupied in agricultural labor at home and for neighboring farmers, until the war of the Rebellion broke out. Then, yielding to his patriotic impulses, he enlisted, August 17, 1861, under Col. W. H. Irwin and Capt. John B. Miles, in Company C, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers. From McAlevys Fort, the regiment went to Harrisburg, Pa., thence to Washington, D.C., and thence to Hall's Hill, and took part in the battles of Yorktown and Williamsburg, Va. On the 5th of May, 1862, it was attached to the Sixth Army Corps, under Brigadier General Hancock; took part in the battle of White Oak Church, also called White Church, or James' River; was at the siege of Richmond, and in the Seven Days' Fight; on the 27th of June, went to Garnet's Hill, Va., where an attack and a skirmish took place on the 28th, and several men were killed. The regiment was also in the fights at Savage Station, at White Oak Swamp, and on July 3, at Malvern Hill, where there was hard fighting. It them lay at Harrison's Landing for about four weeks; was in the battle at Antietam, in September, 1862, and in the fight at South Mountain; lay at Hagerstown for one month; took part in the battle of Fredericksburg, and of Rappahannock Station, where two thousand prisoners were taken; was in a small fight at Mine Run, and went from that place to Rappahannock Station, there they did picket duty. Here Mr. Irvin was made orderly sergeant, in March, 1864. He was in the battle of the Wilderness, May 4, 1864; in the battle of Spottsylvania, May 10, where both colonels were killed; took part in the battle of Cold Harbor; was made second lieutenant, June 4, 1864; from Cold Harbor they went to Petersburg. Mr. Irvin was in all the engagements of the army of the Potomac; he was in the army four years, and was mustered out July 26, 1865; he was at the final grand review in Washington, D. C., the second in which he took part. Although on active duty during the entire period of his enlistment, he received only a few slight wounds. He carried the colors for eighteen months. Mr. Irvin now returned to the homestead and to peaceful labor. He took a contract for wood chopping, by which he made $500 during the winter of '65-'66; then coaled for the Pennsylvania furnaces at $50 per month for two years. In 1878 he was elected sheriff of Huntingdon county on the Republican ticket, with a majority of 377 over two opponents, Know-Nothing and Democratic. He was three years in office, and retired from it with the pleasant consciousness of having done his duty faithfully and efficiently. In 1881 he embarked in the charcoal and lumber business, which he carried on successfully for several years. He bought the homestead in 1883, and now cultivates over 130 acres in Jackson township, besides two farms of 255 and 250 acres respectively, in Barree township. He has 87 acres of timber land, from which he obtains wood for the manufacture of charcoal; 300 acres near Saulsburg, and a half interest in 1,600 acres in Barree and West townships. Hard work, good business management and well-earned success - such is in brief the record of Mr. Irvin's business life. As has been intimated, he is a Republican; he has always been interested in politics. He is a member of Post No. 44, G. A. R., at Huntingdon, Pa.; also of the I. O. O. F. Samuel H. Irvin was married in Huntingdon, April 17, 1867, to Maria, daughter of George W. Glazier, of that borough. Their children are: George M., in the railroad employ at Altoona, Pa.; Cora M. (Mrs. Willard Lamberson), of Iowa; Alfred T., in the electric light company's employ at Huntingdon; Annie K. (Mrs. John Bigelow), now of Barree township; Margaret B., residing in Tennessee; John Edgar, on the homestead; Mary Bessie, at home; James H., at home; Walter, died young. Mr. Irvin has been a deacon, and is an elder in the Presbyterian church; is always deeply interested in church affairs, and is a Sunday- school worker. Knowing the difficulties that beset those who are working their way in the world, he had always been friendly to such as were in need, and has made his own enterprises serve many by giving employment to the industrious and deserving.