James Adrian Irons and Margaret Quinn Srodes
Husband James Adrian Irons 1 2 3
Born: 12 Jan 1837 - Woodlawn, Beaver Co, PA 1 3 Christened: Died: 1 Apr 1910 3 Buried:
Father: John Irons (1811-1851) 1 2 3 Mother: Ann Moore ( -1851) 1 4
Marriage: - Moon Twp, Beaver Co, PA
Wife Margaret Quinn Srodes 3 5
Born: 1839 - Beaver Co, PA 3 Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: John M. Srodes ( - ) 3 5 Mother: [Unk] Quinn ( - )
Children
1 M John E. Irons 1 3 5
Born: Christened: Died: 8 Oct 1861 3 Buried:
2 F Anna E. Irons 1 5
AKA: Anna L. Irons 3 Born: Christened: Died: when eighteen years old Buried:
3 M James Clyde Irons 1 3 5
Born: 4 Dec 1863 3 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Mary Hamilton ( - ) 3 Marr: 28 Dec 1888 3
4 M Will Burt Clifton Irons 1 3 5
Born: 17 Sep 1873 6 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Margaret Wilison ( - ) 6
General Notes: Husband - James Adrian Irons
He was born in Hopewell township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on the river bank, the site being washed away by the flood.
He was a blacksmith before and during the Civil war. He was assistant engineer and blacksmith on the Mississippi flotilla, on the ram, "Lioness," operating on the lower Mississippi. After the destruction of the rebel fleet at Memphis the town was surrendered to Captain John M. Shrodes, of the ram "Lioness." After the war, Mr. Irons returned to Phillipsburg where he followed his trade at times, but was engaged principally in the real estate business. He was justice of the peace beginning in 1883, and filled multiple terms of office as burgess. He was a member of the Equitable Aid Union, and of Rochester Post G. A. R. In 1870, while in Virginia, he was a local minister of the Methodist church, a position he filled three years. While in Washington, in 1873, he was a sub-contractor on the James Creek Canal, where he was engaged six months. [HBC 1888, 853]
His preparatory education was obtained in the public schools of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Moon township, and he subsequently became a student at Beaver College for a time, where he was a classmate of Senator Quay. He learned the trades of a blacksmith and a wagon builder, then followed river occupations for some time, holding the position of second engineer. During the Civil War he was in active service for a time, and after the war was a prominent figure in the community in which he resided. He was a justice of the peace at Monaca for a period of thirty-five years, was a constable at one time and in office as a burgess. He was the first man to formulate a bill to keep out foreign pauper emigration, while affiliating with the "Knights of Labor," later taking this up before the legislature.
He attended the public schools until he was thirteen years of age, when he became apprenticed to the blacksmith's trade, under George Denny and Mr. Couch. He then followed the trade at intervals for a period of eight or ten years, and in 1856 he entered Beaver College, which he attended for two years. From 1857 to 1862, he worked on the river, and in the latter year, on the 28th of April, he enlisted as a blacksmith and assistant engineer in the navy, on the steam ram Lioness. He participated in the fight which resulted in the destruction of the rebel fleet at Vicksburg, and had the distinction of being the first Union man to set his foot in Memphis at the time of its capture. He had many interesting relics of the war,-one of them being an old boarding pike in excellent condition, which he intended presenting to the Carnegie museum. After his discharge, he took up contracting, in 1867, and during the oil excitement, went to Oil City and engaged in that business. Subsequently he became interested in gas lands, and leased three hundred acres in Moon and Hopewell townships. Upon drilling for gas he made one of the two best strikes in the county, and its roaring could be heard seven miles away. The company disposed of this property to the Bridgewater Gas Company, of which he was secretary and treasurer, and it yielded him handsome returns.
Mr. Irons, after establishing his residence at Monaca, exerted a significant influence in public affairs, and fought with his utmost vigor for many public improvements. When a system of water works for the town was proposed, its supporters succumbed to determined opposition, one by one, until Mr. Irons alone stood as its champion. Realizing the great benefit it would be to the citizens, he would not yield, but fought to the bitter end, and had the satisfaction of seeing it established. Although for a time he was harshly denounced by the opposition, he was later accorded the respect of his gratified fellow citizens. Similar were the conditions in his fight for grading and paving, and for the telephone line. He purchased the line, and having it in good condition, disposed of it to the telephone company. He was a Republican and served as burgess for three terms, and in May, 1898(?) received his fifth commission as justice of the peace. He was a member of the G. A. R. [BOBBC, 356]
1 —, History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Chicago: A. Warner & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 853.
2 —, Book of Biographies, Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899), Pg 355.
3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 1070.
4 —, Book of Biographies, Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899), Pg 356.
5 —, Book of Biographies, Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899), Pg 359.
6
John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 1071.
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