John Irvine ¹²

  General Notes:

John Irvine, a capable and prosperous farmer of Posen precinct is a
worthy representative of a family which has been prominent in the
agricultural affairs of Howard County the past forty years.
Mr. Irvine is a native of Roxburyshire, Scotland, born August 15, 1853.
He grew up there to the age of twenty years, then came to America with
his father and mother and brother Archie, landing in this country in
June, 1873, and coming directly west to Howard county, Nebraska, where
two brothers, James and George, (whose sketches appear in another part of
this volume) were already located. Henry, another brother of our subject,
was also in Howard County, and still another brother and sister - William
and Christine, respectively - came here in June 1874, so that the entire
family were finally all living near together. John Irvine homesteaded on
section eighteen, township fourteen, range eleven, proved up and sold his
claim. He then located on section seven, and still occupies this tract,
having a fine home and well-equipped farm. During the early years he
passed through every sort of frontier life, and while having a hard time
at first to get along, gradually became prosperous, constantly adding to
his original farm until he is classed among the well-to-do citizens,
successful agriculturists and prominent old-timers of his section.
Mr. Irvine was married on July 9, 1883, to Miss Isabelle Gordon, who is a
native of the north of Ireland, who emigrated to Canada in 1878, and
locating in Howard county in 1882, with a sister. They were married on
the Irvine homestead, the ceremony being performed by Mr. James Baxter,
justice of the peace in Kelso precinct, he being a brother-in-law of our
subject. Mrs. Irvine still has one sister living in Ireland, and one
brother in California, all the other members of her family now being dead.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Irvine, two of whom are living:
Isabelle, who is married to Albert Obermiller, they being the parents of
four fine children, and living on a farm adjoining Mr. Obermiller's
father's place; Mary Alice, the other daughter of our subject, is the
wife of Peter Larson. They reside on their farm near Farwell, which is
situated on the southwest quarter of section six. Three children died in
infancy; Alice, when but four months old, Janet at the age of four years,
and John, a babe of six weeks.
Mr. Irvine and his brothers are widely known through the entire country
in which they reside as being about the first actual settlers in that
section of the state, and it can truly be said that they have helped in a
large measure to build up Howard county in every way - commercially,
educationally and socially.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration.

• Immigration, Jun 1873, USA.

John married Isabelle Gordon on 9 Jul 1883 in Howard County, Nebraska. (Isabelle Gordon was born in Northern Ireland.)