From the Book: "The Ancestry of Benjamin Harrison" (The genealogy is a
partial, the entirety is too lengthy.)
IRWIN.
THERE is a tradition, which I have not succeeded in verifying, that the Irwin
family in the Chart were descended from the John Irwin who received a manor
in Ireland in Cromwell's time.
Archibald Irwin, the great-great-grandfather of President Benjamin Harrison,
appears to have been born in that country. Mrs. Newcomer of Indianapolis,
among other information kindly furnished me, tells me that this Archibald
settled where his son and grandson of the same name afterwards resided, four
miles south of the site of Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pa. This was
formerly in Peters Township, Cumberland County, and a list of owners of land
in that Township in 1763 mentions an Archibald Irwin with two hundred acres,
for which the warrants had already been issued, twenty acres being cleared,
and nine sown, and with two horses and two cows. John, James, William, and
another John appear in the same list, each having more acres cleared than
Archibald. It is probable that this first Archibald, rather than his son, was
the Ensign Archibald Irwin of the Rev. John Steel's company of Armstrong's
battalion in 1756, during the French and Indian War.
The first Archibald had issue, the order of birth being uncertain:
JOSEPH IRWIN, m. Violet Porter,
JAMES IRWIN,
ARCHIBALD IRWIN, m. Jean McDowell, see below,
JOHN IRWIN, m. (???) Hage,
MARY IRWIN, m. (???) Nesbith,
JANE IRWIN, m. John Boggs,
LYDIA IRWIN, m. Moses Porter,
MARTHA IRWIN, m. George Paull,
daughter, m. (???) McConnell,
daughter, m. (???) McConnell.
ARCHIBALD IRWIN, great-grandfather of President Benjamin Harrison, was
probably born in Ireland. During the Revolutionary War, he was Quartermaster
of Col. Samuel Culbertson's battalion of Cumberland County militia. This
Archibald built a fine stone dwelling-house, and operated a flour-mill and
saw-mill, whence the place came to be called "Irwinton Mills." He is
sometimes styled "merchant" in the records. He was an elder of the
Presbyterian Church at Mercersburg. He died of palsy in the Winter of 1798-9.
Issue:
JAMES IRWIN, b. Apr. 14, 1758, m. Margaret Smith, see below,
MARY IRWIN, b. Feb. 14, 1760, m. M. Van Lear,
MARGARET IRWIN, b. Sep. 10, 1761, d. unm.,
NANCY IRWIN, b. Apr. 27, 1763, m. Wm. Findlay,
WILLIAM IRWIN, b. Feb. 5, 1766, m. Mary Smith,
ELIZABETH IRWIN, b. Aug. 24, 1767, m. Robert Smith,
JANE IRWIN, b. June 22, 1769, resided with her niece at the White
House (p. 65), d. s. p. Dec. 28, 1850, m. James Findlay, brother
of Governor Findlay, and Colonel in War of 1812, General,
Member of Congress from 1825 to 1833, Democratic candidate
for Governor of Ohio in 1834, d. Cincinnati Dec. 28, 1835,
ARCHIBALD IRWIN, b. Feb. 13, 1772, m., 1st, Mary Ramsey, and,
2nd, Sidney Grubb,
JOHN IRWIN, b. Mch. 4, 1773, drowned while a child.
JAMES IRWIN, b. in York Co., Pa., Apr. 14, 1758, eldest son of Archibald, as
above, enlisted in the Revolutionary War first as a private, and from 1778 to
1781 was Assistant Commissary for the Western Army. His father left his
brother William and himself a farm in Peters Township. He died in Cincinnati,
while on a visit there, Nov. 9, 1843, m. Dec. 5, 1787, his first cousin
Margaret, widow of William Smith, and daughter of William Piper by his w.
Sarah McDowell (see notes on McDowell family).
Issue:
ARCHIBALD IRWIN, b. Oct. 9, 1788, d. May 31, 1797,
MARY SMITH IRWIN, b. Jany. 6, 1790, m. James McClelland, see
below,
WILLIAM IRWIN, b. Nov. 24, 1791, m. Ann Hamilton, see p. 55,
JOHN IRWIN, b. Feb. 1, 1794, d. unm. Oct. 13, 1838,
JAMES IRWIN, b. Mch. 28, 1797, d. March 4, 1798,
ARCHIBALD JAMES IRWIN, b. Dec. 15, 1798, d. s. p. St. Louis,
Nov. 14, 1867, m. Mary Stuart Hunton, dau. of Charles Hunton,
MATTHEW IRWIN, b. Sep. 5, 1800, m. Florence McL. Wilson, see
p. 56,
JANE F. IRWIN, b. June 30, 1803, d. unm. Apr. 12, 1852.
MARY SMITH IRWIN, b. Jany. 6, 1790, daughter of James Irwin, above named, d.
June, 1863, m. Jany. 26, 1814, James McClelland of Franklin County, Pa., b.
July, 1776, d. Mch., 1863.
Issue:
John McClelland, d. unm. in Florida,
James Irwin McClelland, b. Sep., 1816, d. Huntsville, Ala., May
12, 1855, m. Eliza, d. Dec. 17, 1885, dau. of John Eakin from
County Derry, Ireland,
Issue:
Willie S. McClelland, d. unm. Jany. 31, 1866,
Mary Irwin McClelland, of Shelbyville, Tenn., unm.,
Sidney McClelland, d. s. p., m. her mother's first cousin Matthew S.
Van Lear (p. 57),
William Archibald McClelland, of St. Louis, m. Louisa Morris
Edgar, d. Nov. 13, 1888, dau. of Rev. J. T. Edgar, D.D., Pastor
of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tenn., Moderator of
General Assembly of 1842,
Issue:
Edgar McClelland, of St. Louis, unm.,
Mary McClelland, unm.,
Margaret Irwin McClelland, unm.,
William Archibald McClelland, d. unm.,
James Irwin McClelland, unm.,
Joseph Van Lear McClelland, unm.,
Thomas Wharton McClelland, unm.,
Frank Morris McClelland, unm.,
Joseph Grubb McClelland, d. unm. in Missouri, 1876,
Matthew Van Lear McClelland, of Wellington, Mo., m. Sarah
Elizabeth Bay, dau. of Samuel Mansfield Bay,
Issue:
Mansfield Bay McClelland, unm.,
Mary Irwin McClelland, unm.,
Virginia McClelland, unm.,
James McClelland, unm.,
Sarah Bay McClelland, unm.
Margaret Irwin McClelland, of Mercersburg, Pa., unm.
WILLIAM IRWIN, b. Nov. 24, 1791, son of James Irwin, p. 54, d. Mch. 5, 1847,
m. Ann Hamilton.
Issue:
James Irwin, d. 1859, m. Margaret Elizabeth, d. 1887, dau. of
Henry Kulp by his w. Sarah Beck,
Issue:
William Irwin, cashier of Nat. Bank of Mifflin Co., Lewistown,
Margaret James Irwin, d. unm. 1889,
Anne Irwin, of Lewistown, unm.,
Sarah Beck Irwin, of Lewistown, unm.,
John Irwin, d. 1890, m. Sarah Harrison,
Issue:
Anna Mary Irwin, m. Rev. Charles Lippincott,
Issue:
John Irwin Lippincott,
William Irwin, d. Oct., 1892,
Sarah Irwin, d. 1882, m. Abram Warder, M.D., d. 1890,
Issue:
Virginia Warder, d. s. p., m. H. Comerford,
Abram Warder, M.D., unm.,
Mary Warder, m. Marmaduke Dent, Judge of Supreme Court,
Issue:
Marmaduke Dent,
Caroline Dent,
John Irwin Warder, m. Ida, dau. of (???) Branen, Judge,
Issue:
John Irwin Warder,
Henry Branen Warder,
Ida Jackson Warder,
Margaret Irwin, of Clarksburg, W. Va., unm.,
Mary Irwin, of Clarksburg, unm.,
Anna Irwin, of Clarksburg, unm.,
Eliza Irwin, m., 1st, (???) Smith, and, 2nd, (???) Lee,
Issue:
unknown.
MATTHEW IRWIN, b. Sep. 5, 1800, son of James Irwin, p. 54, d. 1872, m. Jany.
15, 1846, Florence McLean Wilson, b. Jany. 6, 1820, dau. of David Wilson by
his w. Martha Agnew, and granddau. of David Wilson of Gettysburg by his w.
Jane Rowan (see Nevin's Presbyterian Encyclopaedia).
Issue:
Margaret Irwin, b. Nov. 12, 1846, m. Nov. 16, 1869, Joseph W. Winger,
Issue:
Matthew Irwin Winger, b. Nov. 15, 1870,
Josephine Weaver Winger, b. Sep. 28, 1872,
Florence McLean Winger, b. Jany. 7, 1874,
James Wilson Winger, b. Feb. 14, 1875,
Ralph Oberlin Winger, b. Sep. 16, 1877,
Margaret Irwin Winger, b. Sep. 16, 1879,
Mary McClelland Irwin, b. Sep. 25, 1848, m. Sep. 10, 1872,
Thomas A. Creigh, now of Omaha, son of Rev. Thomas Creigh,
D.D., of Mercersburg, by his w. Jane McClelland Grubb (sister
of Archibald Irwin's 2nd w. Sidney Grubb),
Issue:
Thomas Creigh, b. Aug. 8, 1873,
Alfred Irwin Creigh, b. Mch. 14, 1884,
Elizabeth Wilson Irwin, b. Aug. 2, 1850, unm.,
Emiline Van Lear Irwin, b. May 23, 1853, m. Oct. 4, 1876, Thomas
Harrison McGabey, now of Lincoln, Neb.,
Issue:
Mary Wilson McGahey, b. July 26, 1877,
Florence Irwin McGabey, b. June 4, 1880,
(infant son) McGahey, b. June 4, 1880, d. June 7, 1880,
Aleck McGahey, b. Mch. 11, 1883, d. Aug. 9, 1883,
Donald McGahey, b. Oct. 30, 1885, d. Mch., 1887,
Jean Elizabeth McGahey, b. 1891,
James McClelland Irwin, b. Mch. 2, 1855, of Quincy, Ill., m.
Oct. 10, 1883, Carrie, b. Dec. 17, 1858, dau. of Burr H. Polk by
his w. Eliza Anne Montgomery,
Sincerely,
Sharon Lantzy Wygant
SSchu22739@aol.com
Hi all,
It has come to my attention that the Irwin family info that I posted
yesterday was erroneus. Here is the correction, many thanks to Arlene
Gemmill :)
As a descendant of JAMES IRWIN I have to speak up. He was a JAMES.
Yes, he did have a son and a grandson named ARCHIBALD IRWIN and yes, he
was the GG grandfather of President Benjamin Harrison.
JAMES IRWIN was born about 1690 in County Antrim Ireland; he died 28
April 1778 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and is buried in the White
Stone Graveyard on Church Hill in Franklin Co.
Following is a copy of the his will, JAMES IRWIN, and a couple of bits
of info about this Patriarch of the Franklin County IRWINs.
**********************
SOURCE: "Genealogical Data concerning McClellan, Maxwell, Irwin and McCoy"
of papers read before The Kittochtinny Historical Society 1950-57. Vox XIII
p. 28
"The third family of pioneer settlers in this historic quadrangle to merit
reference is that of ARCHIBALD IRWIN, son of JAMES IRWIN and consort JEAN who
first settled in Washington County not far from Hagerstown and later brought
the family into the Upper Conococheague settlement. "Our early Irwin
plantation settler in the SW corner of this area secured his patented lands
near the Concocoheague Creek and along this creek. Here Archibald later
erected his great stone plantation house and erected his mill, known for all
time as Irwinton Mills.
"Local historians have written many pages about the youngest surviving son,
ARCHIBALD IRWIN JR. b. 1772 at Irwin Mills and his descendants...." *******
SOURCE: Frances Erwin Evans ERWINS AND RELATED FAMILIES (Georgia: RH Wolfe
Assoc. 1984)
p. 106
The Holly Leaf Chronicle , Vol. 1 #11 3rd Quarter 1978
Seven Irwin brothers were immigrants to Philadelphia in 1729: ALEXANDER;
GEORGE; DAVID, WILLIAM, ROBERT, JAMES and SAMUEL. First cousins of these
brother came over on the same ship among whom were JAMES and JOHN".
This WILLIAM was great grandson of Robert, second son of Sir Alexander, X
Laird of Drum.
******************
Wills: James Irwin, 1766: Peters Twp, Cumberland Co
Will of James Irwin
In the name of God Amen. I James Irwin of Peters Township in the County of
Cumberland and Province of Pennyslvania blacksmith being very weak in body
but of sound and disposeable mind and memory thanks be to God for the same
Calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for
all once to die do this twenty sixth day of May in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and seventy six make and ordain this my last will and
Testament that is to say principally and first I give and recommend my Soul
into the hands of God who gave it and my Body to be decently buried at the
discretion of my Executors hereafter named, and as Touching such wordly
Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I will Devise and
Dispose of them in manner following Namely First I allow all my just debts
and funeral Expenses to be paid out of my personal Estate Iem I will and
devise unto my sons Joseph Irwin and James their heirs and assigns the
plantation I now dwell to be equally divided as to quantity and as it may
best suit the Improvements allowing Joseph the side whereon he now lives and
James the other half including my old improvements the said James paying unto
my beloved wife Jean Ten pounds Yearly together with her maintenance and the
full use of the house I now live in during her natural life,
Also I give and devise unto my son James my wagon and Team still and still
vessals
Likewise I give and Devise unto my beloved wife Jean the third of all the
remainder of all my personal Estate Exclusive of her mare and saddle Bed and
Furniture
Likewise I give devis and bequeath unto my son Archibald Irwin his heirs
and assigns all my right Title and Interest in or to the plantation I
purchased from Andrew Simpson adjoining the tract I now dwell on
Also I will that the plantation whereon my son in law Aaron Tarrens and
daughter Elizabeth now lives on be sold at the discretion of my
Executors
the one third of the Value thereof be Given to my daughter Elizabeth her
heirs or assigns and the remainder to be Equally Divided amongst the children
of the said Elizabeth Born to William McConnel Decd.
Also I will and devise unto my two GrandChildren Phineas Porter and Jean
Porter their heirs and assigns a tract of land in Fannet Township for which I
obtained an order of Survey
Likewise I allow my plantation in Air Township (called the Cove settlement)
for which I obtained an order of survey for in the name of Joseph Irwin, to
be sold and Divided amongst the rest of my children in manner following Viz.
Unto my son John Irwin his heirs and assigns the sum of Ten pounds
Pennsylvania Currency and unto my daughter Jean Boggs the sum of twenty
pounds and to my daughter Lidia Porter Ten pounds and to my son Joseph and my
daughter Martha Pawl five shillings Sterling Each Likewise I will and devise
unto my son Archibald Irwin his Heirs or Assigns a Tract of Land in Awhick
(sic) which I bought of Mr. Croghan and for which I obtained and Order of
Survey out of the land Office he paying to my son in law and Daughter Thomas
and Margaret Patton their heirs or assigns the sum of Twenty pounds Currency
out of said Plantation when recovered and it is also my will that what
remains of the Price of the plantation in the Cove and my personal Estate
after all Just Debts and Legacys above mentioned be discharged shall be to
the use and behoof of my son James afsd. his heirs and assigns and Lastly I
do hereby ordain and appoint my son James together with my son in law William
Nesbit to be Executors to this my Last will and Testament to see that the
same be Executed according to the true Intent and meaning thereof.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the year and Day
above written.
The words Thomas and Margaret Patton Interlined before signing.
James Irwin
Signed Sealed and Acknowledged by said James Irwin as his Last Will and
Testament in presence of
J. Mazwell/?Maxwell
Wm. Lowery
Robt. Vance
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sharon Lantzy Wygant
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