John N. Irwin
Encyclopedia
John Nichol Irwin was an American businessman, politician and diplomat. Among the positions he held were Mayor of Keokuk, Iowa
, Governor of Idaho Territory
, Governor of Arizona Territory
, and U.S. Minister to Portugal.
, to Stephen and Elizabeth Martha (Nichol) Irwin. His family moved to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1856 and he was educated in public schools in both Ohio
and Iowa
before attending Miami University
in his birth state. His education was interrupted by the American Civil War
, when Irwin served with the 45th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
, and reached the rank of sergeant
. Following the war he returned to his studies and graduated from Dartmouth College
in 1867. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity.
After graduation, Irwin returned to Keokuk and studied law at the firm of Miller and Rankin. He additionally studied for a time at the University of Michigan Law School
. On June 6, 1871, he married his mentor's daughter, Mary Love Rankin. The couple had three children, Alice, Elizabeth, and John R.
Despite his legal training, Irwin spent most of his efforts working at the family dry goods
business. Performing occasional legal work, he also became a founder and director of the Keokuk Building and Loan Company. He served five terms as mayor of Keokuk and two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives
.
, Irwin was nominated as Governor of Idaho Territory by President Chester A. Arthur
and commissioned on March 5, 1883. Arriving in the territory in April, he took a brief tour with Theodore F. Singiser before returning to Keokuk to handle personal business and prepare his family to move to the territory. At the end of a 60-day leave, he requested and received a 60-day extension. In August, news reached Idaho that Irwin had developed problems with his eyes. By October, the new governor was expressing his desire to soon return to his duties while at the same time expecting to undergo surgery to correct the problem with his eyes. Citing "personal reasons", Irwin submitted his resignation on December 20, 1883. During his tenure of over nine months as governor, he had spent less than one month in the territory.
An unusual aspect of his tenure was Irwin returning most of his salary, claiming he could not in good conscience accept the unearned pay. This action received widespread newspaper results due to its rarity – most political appointees of the day took all monies they could collect without question. It also created a problem for the Treasury Department which was unsure how to handle the situation. They initially attempted to place the returned money in the Conscience fund
, but this resulted in a protest from Irwin who did not wish the returned salary to be associated with monies returned by guilt-ridden criminals. The returned funds were eventually credited to the public debt.
as Governor of the Arizona Territory, President Benjamin Harrison
took over a month to choose a replacement. Upon the recommendation of U.S. Senator William B. Allison
, Irwin was nominated for the governorship on September 29, 1890, and confirmed on October 4, 1890. The new governor was however delayed in assuming his new position, being quarantine
d in his home after his son was diagnosed with scarlet fever
till January of the next year.
Irwin was sworn into office on January 21, 1891. By this time the 16th Arizona Territorial Legislature was already in session. Secretary Oakes Murphy
, as Acting Governor, had already given the session's opening address, so Irwin made his wishes felt through use of his veto. To help control the territorial deficit the governor vetoed an "outrageous" appropriation bill
, forcing the legislature to pass a less ambitious spending plan. Irwin was however convinced to sign a twenty year tax exemption
on newly constructed railroad lines.
Among the other actions of the 16th legislature was an act calling for a constitutional convention
. In response to this act, Irwin called a special election to choose delegates. A constitution was written by the convention and approved by Arizona voters in 1891, but the document never received serious consideration by interests in the U.S. Congress due to its provisions supporting Free Silver
, state control of rivers and canals, and state aid to railroads and other businesses.
On June 15, 1891, Irwin left for the East Coast. At the time of his departure the territory's bonds
were selling for below par
and the governor wished to negotiate with New York financial interests about the territorial debt. He also used the visit to extol Arizona's virtues during a July 28, 1891, dinner. Following his stay in New York he returned to Keokuk to continue his work of refinancing the territorial debt.
While in Keokuk, Irwin found his mother had taken ill. This prompted him to extend his stay and he did not return to Arizona until November 9, 1891. Irwin's mother became ill again in April 1892, prompting the governor to return to Iowa. Following his mother's death, Irwin submitted his resignation on April 18, 1892, to deal with resulting family business concerns.
. Irwin resigned his diplomatic appointment in June 1901.
Irwin's death occurred on December 22, 1905, in Hot Springs, Arkansas
. He was buried in Keokuk's Oakland Cemetery.
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, Governor of Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
, Governor of Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, and U.S. Minister to Portugal.
Background
Irwin was born December 25, 1844, in Butler County, OhioButler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
, to Stephen and Elizabeth Martha (Nichol) Irwin. His family moved to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1856 and he was educated in public schools in both Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
before attending Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in his birth state. His education was interrupted by the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, when Irwin served with the 45th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
45th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 45th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war...
, and reached the rank of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Following the war he returned to his studies and graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1867. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity.
After graduation, Irwin returned to Keokuk and studied law at the firm of Miller and Rankin. He additionally studied for a time at the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
. On June 6, 1871, he married his mentor's daughter, Mary Love Rankin. The couple had three children, Alice, Elizabeth, and John R.
Despite his legal training, Irwin spent most of his efforts working at the family dry goods
Dry goods
Dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and sundries. In U.S. retailing, a dry goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores, though "dry goods" as a term for textiles has been dated back to 1742 in England or...
business. Performing occasional legal work, he also became a founder and director of the Keokuk Building and Loan Company. He served five terms as mayor of Keokuk and two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
.
Idaho Territory
Following the removal of John Baldwin NeilJohn Baldwin Neil
John Baldwin Neil was an American military officer and politician who served as Governor of Idaho Territory from 1880 to 1883.-Earlier life:Neil was born in Columbus, Ohio on July 28, 1842. The son of Robert E...
, Irwin was nominated as Governor of Idaho Territory by President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
and commissioned on March 5, 1883. Arriving in the territory in April, he took a brief tour with Theodore F. Singiser before returning to Keokuk to handle personal business and prepare his family to move to the territory. At the end of a 60-day leave, he requested and received a 60-day extension. In August, news reached Idaho that Irwin had developed problems with his eyes. By October, the new governor was expressing his desire to soon return to his duties while at the same time expecting to undergo surgery to correct the problem with his eyes. Citing "personal reasons", Irwin submitted his resignation on December 20, 1883. During his tenure of over nine months as governor, he had spent less than one month in the territory.
An unusual aspect of his tenure was Irwin returning most of his salary, claiming he could not in good conscience accept the unearned pay. This action received widespread newspaper results due to its rarity – most political appointees of the day took all monies they could collect without question. It also created a problem for the Treasury Department which was unsure how to handle the situation. They initially attempted to place the returned money in the Conscience fund
Conscience Fund
The Conscience Fund is one of three gift funds maintained by the United States Department of the Treasury and is used for voluntary contributions from people who have stolen from or defrauded the United States Government. The fund was created in 1811 and received US$5 during its first year and over...
, but this resulted in a protest from Irwin who did not wish the returned salary to be associated with monies returned by guilt-ridden criminals. The returned funds were eventually credited to the public debt.
Arizona Territory
Following the resignation of Lewis WolfleyLewis Wolfley
Lewis Wolfley was an American civil engineer who served as the eighth Governor of Arizona Territory. He is commonly regarded as the first territorial governor to be a resident of Arizona at the time of his appointment and was the only bachelor to hold the position.Wolfley's political career was...
as Governor of the Arizona Territory, President Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
took over a month to choose a replacement. Upon the recommendation of U.S. Senator William B. Allison
William B. Allison
William Boyd Allison was an early leader of the Iowa Republican Party, who represented northeastern Iowa for four consecutive terms in the U.S. House before representing his state for six consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate...
, Irwin was nominated for the governorship on September 29, 1890, and confirmed on October 4, 1890. The new governor was however delayed in assuming his new position, being quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
d in his home after his son was diagnosed with scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
till January of the next year.
Irwin was sworn into office on January 21, 1891. By this time the 16th Arizona Territorial Legislature was already in session. Secretary Oakes Murphy
Oakes Murphy
Nathan Oakes Murphy was the fourteenth Governor of Arizona Territory.Born in Jefferson, Maine, Murphy attended the public schools.He taught school in Wisconsin....
, as Acting Governor, had already given the session's opening address, so Irwin made his wishes felt through use of his veto. To help control the territorial deficit the governor vetoed an "outrageous" appropriation bill
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
, forcing the legislature to pass a less ambitious spending plan. Irwin was however convinced to sign a twenty year tax exemption
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
on newly constructed railroad lines.
Among the other actions of the 16th legislature was an act calling for a constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
. In response to this act, Irwin called a special election to choose delegates. A constitution was written by the convention and approved by Arizona voters in 1891, but the document never received serious consideration by interests in the U.S. Congress due to its provisions supporting Free Silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
, state control of rivers and canals, and state aid to railroads and other businesses.
On June 15, 1891, Irwin left for the East Coast. At the time of his departure the territory's bonds
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
were selling for below par
Par value
Par value, in finance and accounting, means stated value or face value. From this comes the expressions at par , over par and under par ....
and the governor wished to negotiate with New York financial interests about the territorial debt. He also used the visit to extol Arizona's virtues during a July 28, 1891, dinner. Following his stay in New York he returned to Keokuk to continue his work of refinancing the territorial debt.
While in Keokuk, Irwin found his mother had taken ill. This prompted him to extend his stay and he did not return to Arizona until November 9, 1891. Irwin's mother became ill again in April 1892, prompting the governor to return to Iowa. Following his mother's death, Irwin submitted his resignation on April 18, 1892, to deal with resulting family business concerns.
Later life
After leaving Arizona, Irwin made his home in Keokuk. He remained there till 1899 when he was appointed Minister to PortugalUnited States Ambassador to Portugal
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal.Bilateral diplomatic relations between the United States and Portugal date from the earliest years of the United States. Following the Revolutionary War, Portugal was the first neutral country to recognize the United States. On February...
. Irwin resigned his diplomatic appointment in June 1901.
Irwin's death occurred on December 22, 1905, in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
. He was buried in Keokuk's Oakland Cemetery.
See also
- John N. and Mary L. (Rankin) Irwin HouseJohn N. and Mary L. (Rankin) Irwin HouseThe John N. and Mary L. Irwin House in Keokuk, Iowa, United States is an historic house that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. The house was originally built by James Daugherty who bought the property from Judge Charles Mason in 1856. John N...
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in IowaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, IowaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Iowa.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Lee County, Iowa, United States...