Eugene F. Irwin Biography This biography appears on pages 1368-1369 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. EUGENE F. IRWIN, timekeeper for the Homestake Mining Company, Lead City, South Dakota, was born in Clinton, DeWitt county, Illinois, on June 27, 1865. On the maternal side he is a direct descendant of General Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, and his great-grandfather, Hiram Smith, was an aide-de-camp on the staff of General William Henry Harrison during the war of 1812. William R. Irwin, the subject's father, is a native of Ohio and for a number of years resided in Illinois, but in 1881 removed to Missouri. where he has since been practicing law. He served five and a half years in the United States army, participated in many of the noted campaigns of the great rebellion, and after the close of the war was stationed for some time at Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, retiring from the service with the rank of captain. Mattie M., wife of William R. Irwin, and mother of the subject, is at the present time actively engaged in Grand Army and Woman's Relief Corps circles and for the past thirty years has been prominently identified with the mission work of the Presbyterian church. Eugene F. Irwin was reared in his native state, received his education in the public schools of Clinton and remained in Illinois until 1881, when he accompanied his parents upon their removal to Nebraska. From 1881 to 1883 he worked as an apprentice on the Waterloo Gazette, but the latter year quit the office and entered the railway service with headquarters at Blair, Nebraska. After spending a short time railroading he resigned his position and in 1884 resumed newspaper work as compositor on the Blair Pilot, in which capacity he continued about one year. Severing his connection with the Pilot office, he worked for some time with the Cromwell Lumber and Grain Company, at Craig, Nebraska, and on quitting that firm returned to railroading, which he followed at various places and in various capacities until 1893. While thus engaged, he filled the position of bill clerk in the Omaha freight office, was station agent at different points, ticket agent and train dispatcher, quitting the same at Chadron, Nebraska, on April 26th of the year noted to enter the employ of the Homestake Mining Company at Lead, South Dakota, with which large and wealthy enterprise he has since been identified as timekeeper. Mr. Irwin's career has been varied and active and, in the main, financially successful. He has the unbounded confidence of the wealthy corporation with which he is connected and discharges the duty of his responsible post with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned, enjoying not only the high esteem of his superiors, but the kindest regard of his associates and fellow workmen as well. Mr. Irwin is a Republican in politics and ever since old enough to exercise the right of franchise has been an active worker for the success of his party. In April, 1902, he was elected mayor of Lead City and his administration of the municipal government has been satisfactory in every way to Democrats as well as Republicans. Mr. Irwin is a zealous Mason and enjoys worthy prestige in the fraternity, having been honored with a number of important official positions. He joined the blue lodge in October, 1886; the Royal Arch degree, February, 1890;. Knights Templar, July, 1890; thirty-second or Scottish Rite degree, April, 1893; Shrine, August, 1892; Order of the Eastern Star, 1891, and' Royal and Select Masters, August. 1895. He has served as worshipful master of Golden Star Lodge, No. 9; high priest of Golden Belt Chapter, No. 35, Royal Arch Masons; eminent commander of Dakota Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar; grand junior warden and grand senior warden of the grand commandery of Knights Templar, of Sonth Dakota; grand junior warden and grand master of the first veil, grand chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of South Dakota; grand royal arch captain and grand principal sojourner of the same chapter, and grand junior deacon of the grand lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. By the foregoing list it will be seen that Mr. Irwin has held many of the most prominent positions within the power of the brotherhood to bestow, his elevation to the same attesting his capability and high standing in an order where merit and not prestige is the path to honorable station. Mr Irwin was married, in Waterloo, Nebraska, July 29, 1886, to Miss Lucy M. Royce, whose ancestors were among the early settlers of northern Vermont, and whose family has long lived in that state. Three children have been born of this union, namely: Georgie D, Helen F. and Edlth F., all living.