Husband Robert Sterling Irwin 1
Born: 9 Sep 1874 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA 1
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Father: John A. Irwin (1832-1901) 1 2
Mother: Margaret F. Calvin ( - ) 1
Marriage: 4 Jun 1895 3
Wife Ada Belle Jenkins 4
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Father: Richard Jenkins (Cir 1847-1905) 4
Mother: Mary Catherine Wasson (1855- ) 4 5
Children
1 F Ruth E. Irwin 3
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2 F Rachel B. Irwin 3
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3 F Lois N. Irwin 3
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4 F Mary F. Irwin 3
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5 M George W. Irwin 3
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General Notes: Husband - Robert Sterling Irwin
He was four years of age when brought by his parents to Forward Township, Butler County, PA, and he was there reared on the farm and attended the district schools. He subsequently completed a business course at West Sunbury. His educational advantages were exceedingly limited, but he is possessed of a superior education, gained through individual research and study. He started his business career at the early age of thirteen, and as working capital had $600 which he obtained on his individual note, which he afterward paid with the fruits of his toil. He entered the oil fields as teamster, and later took up contracting and drilling, running four strings of tools. He followed contracting successfully until 1906, and thereafter was a producer. He had an undivided interest in the home farm of 133 acres in Forward Township, on which oil was developed. There were eight wells on the farm, each of which averaged five barrels per day.
He was a broad-gauged, liberal-minded man, who gave much study to questions of importance to county and state. At one time he gave support to Republican principles, voting for McKinley and Roosevelt for president. A study of the temperance question made him an avowed Prohibitionist, on both moral and economic grounds. In 1906, he was made the candidate of that party for the State Legislature, but owing to the demands of his business he gave no time in making a canvass, letting the election go by default. He was again nominated for that office in 1908, and in support of his candidacy has advanced arguments showing that the saloon, prima facie affording relief to the tax payers through the license it pays, is in fact an additional burden to them through the increased cost of prosecutions in crimes directly attributable to drink. He advocated a local option law which would be effective in county and state, and his activity won many supporters to the cause. He was never in the field to buy votes, believing that he who buys a vote will also sell his own. At the close of the election he was shown to have received 1,268 votes - more than four times the amount ever polled before. He was a man of excellent personal habits, never used tobacco nor tasted liquor; he was interested in the cause of Prohibition since he was a boy, having signed the pledge under Burwell, “the boy orator,” in his youthful days. He was a member of the Anti-Saloon League for more than ten years. He served several years as a member of the school board, and during that time visited the schools 250 times; he was ever a friend to the cause of education, and did much to improve the school system. At the Butler County Directors Institute, he was the only one of thirty directors from the county to be called upon to address the gathering. In religious attachment he and his family were members of the M. E. Church of Evans City, of which he was treasurer. He addressed the congregation from the pulpit on eight different occasions, being a speaker of unusual ability. Fraternally, he was a member of Evans City Lodge No. 817, I. O. O. F. [HBC 1909, 1221]