 PAGenWeb McKean County, Pennsylvania
Irvine Family
Ostin Peter Irvine
....1838 - 1901....
William A. Irvine, Ostin's father was born in 1802 in Quebec, Canada. William's
father William had just landed in Quebec from Glasgow, Scotland. At this time very little
has been researched about either William. Their exact location in Quebec is still
speculation, but Matilda Labare (possible LaBarre) William's wife was a native of
Montreal, we suspect that the Irvine's lived in the Eastern Provinces of Quebec. This area
had a fairly large population of Scotsmen. As a skilled craftsman, a saddlemaker, William
would not have been far from a major population area.
We know nothing of the years the Irvine's spent in Quebec other than William and
Matilda married in about 1824. One of the biggest mysteries still to be solved is how
many children did Matilda and William have? Since they were married in 1824 and the
oldest known child is Ostin, born in 1838, how many children were born between 1825
and 1837. It is quite possible that Ostin has seven or eight older siblings. After living his
whole life in Quebec, William, in late 1853 or early 1854 uproots his family or a portion of
them and moves to the United States.
Ostin at the time of the move is 15 or 16 years old, his sister Alphonsine is
probably 13, Arthur Thomas is 12, Ivo is barely 9, Albert is 7 and the baby Ephrim is 4 or
5. Ostin's mother, Matilda does not make the journey. Could her death combined with
hard economic times been the reason William would, after spending his whole life (52
years) in Quebec, head for Boston. The trip was most likely the single biggest event in the
children's lives. They probably traveled by land from their home outside of Montreal 125
miles northeast to Quebec City. In Quebec City, they boarded a ship bound for the port of
Boston in the state of Massachusetts.
William stayed in Boston and resumed his trade as a saddlemaker. The family
lived at 101 Fourth Street. Ostin signed on as an apprentice mechanic in Lawrence
Massachussetts. Ostin's apprenticeship was for three years and when it was over he
worked in Boston. After a short stay in Boston. Ostin moved to Rochester, New York. He
made this move probably in 1857. William and his remaining children also moved to
Rochester arriving sometime between 1857 and 1860. By 1860, William is settled and
shows up in both the Federal Census and in the Rochester City Directory. Employed now
as a carriage finisher, he is still working with tools and leather and is still a skilled
tradesman. The family is living on Oak Street, west of the Genessee River and north of the
Erie Canal, in the area of modern day state Street and the Kodak Office complex. William
is employed on Canal Street, which no longer exists.
The Canal Street area was the hub of old Rochester, teeming with commerce
arriving on the canal and by wagons loaded with local goods bound for the East and
Buffalo. Interestingly enough, about this same time, we have also found in the Rochester
City Directory a man by the name of Tellsford Irvine, a machinist born in Canada. Could
this be a brother of William? Is that how Irvine's came to move to Rochester? Further
research will enable us to determine who Tellsford is and what happened to him and
William.
To date we have not located Ostin in Rochester, so we suspect that by 1859 he has
moved further West to Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, New York. Sometime in 1859
Ostin marries Mary Young of Dunkirk, but formerly of Schenectady, New York. Mary is
also of Scotch descent and the first of several children are born over the next 20 years.
Dunkirk is a fishing town in 1860. Located 28 miles south east of Buffalo and
about half way to Erie, Pennsylvania. Dunkirk is right on the shore of Lake Erie. Ostin,
now called O.P., is working as a machinist/toolmaker. He is an upscale blacksmith who
has left the animals behind and is concentrating on the tools of the industrial age.
O.P. and Mary's first child, William Andrew is born April 14, 1860. Their first
daughter, Addie E. is born September 16, 1861. In 1864, O.P. is employed by the U.S.
Government and he temporarily moves to work in Nashville, Tennesee, leaving his family
behind. While we have no records of O.P. serving in the Civil War, his employment by the
U. S. Government in 1864 was most certainly war-related. The stay in Nashville is not
long and soon O.P. returns to his family in Dunkirk.
Fred G. is born in 1864 and Mary Ellen is born in 1866. Then after a gap of four
years with no reported children, the Irvine's face a tragedy of immense emotional impact.
On Christmas Day, 1870, at the age of four, little Mary Ellen dies. This surely was a bitter
winter. On February 1, 1871 Albert is born and on February 5, 1875 Mary is born.
Dunkirk in the post-war era never develops and O.P. and a fellow machinist Sidney
Morgan (who arrived in Dunkirk from Erie Pennsylvania in 1870) were hearing more
and more about the oil boom in northwestern Pennsylvania. As the prospects of growing
success in Dunkirk are slowly slipping away, the newspapers are filled with the oil
business. After the first strikes outside of Titusville, the number of producing wells just
continues to grow and grow. By 1875, O.P. and Sidney were making plans to move to the
oil fields and make their fortune. In 1876, they did just that. The moved to Oil Springs
along Oil Creek, in the heart of the Venango County oil fields. Their skills as experienced
machinists gave them immediate work, creating tools and parts for the region's oil wells.
Little did they know that the oil boom in Venango County was almost over.
Vowing not to be left behind this time, Sidney and O.P. moved east to McKean
County and in 1878 they settled in Duke Centre. Duke Centre was fast becoming the
center of the McKean County oil fields. The former timber lands just north of the village
along the three branches of Knapp's Creek became know as Oil Valley. Together they
opened a blacksmith and machine shop in Duke Centre know as "Irvine & Morgan".
They were very successful traveling all over Otto Township and much of McKean County
to repair or manufacture parts and tools for the oil wells.
In 1879, O.P. and Mary's youngest daughter, Isabelle, was born in Duke Centre.
Business was booming. Sidney and O.P. opened a second operation just over the New
York border in the town of Bolivar, in Allegheny County. Bolivar was the center of the
New York oil fields. Just when life was wonderful, tragedy struck this family a second
time. In the winter of 1881, O.P. and Mary face the death of not one, but two children. On
March 13th, their oldest son, William Andrew, one month shy of 21, dies, then just 8 days
later on March 21st Mary dies, just 44 days after her six birthday.
O.P. and Sidney are expanding their operations. They have leased lands and
started drilling for oil. We have yet to verify the number and the locations of the Irvine
wells. In the "History of McKean County" published in 1890, there are two producing
wells in Tuna Valley owned by "Irvine Oil Co." Also in Tuna Valley, there are four dry
wells:
- Irvine, State Line Oil Co.......1 well
- Irvine, Deluce, Palmer & Co.....1 well
- Irvine, Hammerwright & Co.......1 well
- Irvine, Fredrick & Co......... 1 well
There is also four wells that are shown as abandoned under the name of Irvine,
Van Vleck & Mitchell. A final producing well is shown in Foster Creek under the name of
Hunt, Irvin, Davis & Co. This may be unrelated or it may be a mis-spelling. The book
gives biographies of both O.P Irvine and Sidney Morgan. Both are reported to have wells
not only in McKean County, but also in Allegheny County, New York.
In 1881, O.P and Sidney are listed as charter member of the newly formed Norther
Star Lodge, F. & A. M. At 43, O.P and Sidney were probably members of the masons
while they lived in Dunkirk.
Little is know of O.P. from 1881 to 1901 except that financially -- he faired well. By
1901, O.P. has left his business operations in McKean County and moved to
Cannonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Cannonsburg is located south and
west of Pittsburgh. O.P.'s oldest living child, Addie E. Irvine Potter is also living in
Cannonsburg, as is an Albert Irvine. At 63, O.P. is probably in poor health and has
moved into his daughter's house for support. Albert is most likely his younger brother, but
could also be his son Albert.
On May 11, 1901 at 6 in the morning, Ostin Peter "O.P." Irvine dies intestate at the
age of 63. Albert Irvine of Cannonsburg is appointed administrator of his estate. In May
of 1902, a year after his death, F.G. (Fred) Irvine of Marietta, Ohio (O.P.'s son) receives
$9,965.17 from the estate. Addie E. Irvine Potter of Cannonsburg, Pa. receives $11,871.64
and Isabelle Irvine Sievert of Dunkirk, NY receives $9,965.17. In 1902, $31,801.98 was a
very large estate, indeed.
Arthur Thomas Irvine
January 13, 1842 - October 17, 1907
In May of 1996, when Christine Irvine started to record the known history of her
family, the first mystery she faced was what was her great-grandfather's name.
Christine's father Richard Irvine did not know for sure if his grandfather was Albert Irvine
or Arthur Irvine. The confusion was compounded when a headstone was found in East
Aurora, New York (outside of Buffalo) that clearly said Arthur, however the 1900 Federal
Census showed an Albert Irvine married to Amelia T. Beach. Amelia was Christine's
great-grandmother, but was her husband Albert or Arthur? This issue was resolved when
Christine received Arthur Thomas Irvine's death certificate.
Arthur was born in Quebec in 1842 and was four years younger that O.P.. The
trip from Quebec to Boston must have been a grand adventure, but assimilation into
American culture must have been quite a shock. At 12, and after spending his whole life in
a Scottish and a French Canadian culture. Arthur is plunged into the Irish-American life
of Boston in the late 1850's. The potato famine is filling the Boston streets with newly
arrived Irish.
By 1860, Arthur, age 18, is living with this father in Rochester, New York and
working as a wagonmaker's apprentice. It is very likely that he is working for the same
man as his father. At age 18 in 1860, it seems very possible that Arthur may have served
in the civil war during the early 1860's. We lose track of Arthur until 1870 when he
surfaces in 1870 in Chautauqua County, New York.
In November of 1869, Arthur father's a child, Charles A. Irvine. We do not know if
Arthur was married to Charles' mother. By 1874 Arthur marries Amelia T. Beach of
Arkwright, Chautauqua County. Amelia was born on December 12, 1846 in Fort Erie,
Ontario, Canada. According to Federal Census records she emigrated into the Untied
States in December of 1846, the same month she was born. Amelia's parents were
William A. Beach from Boston, Massachussetts and Adeline Palmer from Canada.
By 1879 (and probably as early as 1876), Arthur and Amelia moved to Oil Creek,
Crawford County, PA. Oil Creek township is just northwest of Titusville. Arthur's brother
O.P. and his wife, Mary and children are living in or around Titusville, quite possibly in
Oil Creek. Arthur is very likely working for O.P. and his partner Sidney Morgan refining
his skills from a wagonmaker into a machinist. In 1880, Arthur and Amelia are still
living in Oil Creek while O.P. has moved on to Duke Centre in McKean County. In
December of 1881 Amelia gives birth to a second daughter, Edith B. Irvine. Edith's birth
location is unconfirmed but Oil Creek and Duke Centre are the most likely possible
locations.
In 1884, George Beach Irvine is born on April 2, 1884 in Duke Centre, McKean
County, Pennsylvania.. Arthur is now a machinist working either with his brother O.P. or
as an independent repairman. In May of 1886, Henry Irvine is born in Duke Centre.
Little has been researched for the time period from 1886 to 1900.
About 1897, Arthur's son, Charles (27) marries Mira Babcock (26) and in 1898
they have their first child Pauline. In February 1900, Charles and Mira have their 2nd
daughter, Isabell and lived in Duke Centre in their own home. Charles is listed as a
laborer and may be working for his father or uncle O.P. By June 1900, Arthur and
Amelia are living on a farm on Oil Valley road, north of Duke Centre. They own the farm
free and clear and they have 113 animals. Arthur is still working as a machinist.
On October 17, 1907 Arthur Thomas Irvine dies, from heart problems, in Duke
Center. Amelia lived to be 76 years old. In 1910, Amelia is still living on the farm as an
employer and head of household. Living with her is her son George Beach Irvine, his wife,
Clara Rose Snyder and their oldest child Katherine, just a few months old. By 1920
Amelia now 73 has sold the farm and is living at 318 Bryant Street in Buffalo, Erie
County, New York with her unmarried daughter Edith. On October 24, 1923, Amelia T.
Beach Irvine dies of genital cancer.
But as we started with Arthur, we end with yet another mystery. Where is Arthur
buried? Arthur has a headstone in East Aurora, Erie County, New York. The headstone
is next to his wife Amelia T. Beach Irvine and his oldest daughter's - Florence Irvine
Chandler and Florence's husband Lyman Chandler. However, when Christine's father
Richard Irvine visited the cemetery in the summer of 1995, the caretaker of the cemetery
could not find any record of Arthur's actual interment. The caretaker suspected that all
that was there was a headstone and that Arthur's body resided elsewhere. A letter to the
Oaklawn Cemetery Association of Bradford Pa. in the fall of 1996 located Arthur's final
resting place as the Duke Center Cemetery lot 179.
George Beach Irvine
April 2, 1884 to December 24, 1955
After Arthur's family moved to Pennsylvania from New York, Florence was born
in Oil Creek, Crawford County. Edith, Arthur's 2nd daughter was born in December of
1881. We have not traced Edith's birth place, but it is very likely that she to was born
along Oil Creek. George Beach Irvine was born on April 2, 1884 and he is the first of
Arthur's children to be confirmed as born in McKean County.
By 1884, Duke Centre, was a thriving village of over 2,000 inhabitants. There were
two large hotels, an opera house, two full time churches and a thriving economy. Like his
father and uncles, young George was skilled with his hands. It is very easy to see him
after school playing around the forge. You can bet that he took many trips out to the oil
fields as the Irvine's transported parts to the various drilling operations outside of Duke
Center.
The McKean County oil boom provided many of the early residents a chance to
become very wealthy. George's uncle, O.P. Irvine made his fortune in just in a little over 10
years. By the dawn of the 20th century, McKean County's economy is falling apart. The
lumbering that formed the foothold in the mid-1800's is forever gone. Now the oil reserves,
once though to be endless are disappearing. The oil magnates of the 1880' and 1890's are
settling back into the life of wealthy farmer. Those still in their prime are moving to the
Texas oil fields. All of the industry that grew up around the oil fields has crumbled. For a
young machinist, like George Irvine, the outlook is bleak.
Even though the work is hard, George still finds time to meet Clara Snyder from the
neighboring village of Coleville. Clara's parents Henry Snyder and Katherine Hoover
have both spent most of their lives in western Pennsylvania. Clara is a few years younger
than George and while she may never be called a beauty, she comes from sturdy German
stock and George knows she will make him a good wife.
George and Clara Rose were married on April 29, 1909. George's father and uncle
O.P. had already passed away, but George's mother, Amelia was there to help the young
couple. George and Clara Rose move into the Irvine farmhouse now owned by Amelia.
Amelia runs the farm with the assistance of hired help. George is working as a machinist
but with work hard to find he is often gone for weeks at a time working in the distance
corners of the county. George and Clara quickly has two daughters. Katherine is born on
January 14, 1910 and she is quickly followed by Mary Genevieve born July 16, 1911.
With George often away from home rasing the two girls falls to the Irvine women,
Grandma Amelia and Clara Rose. Shortly after Mary's 1st birthday she becomes very ill
and dies on October 30, 1912. This is the third time that heaven has claimed a young
Mary Irvine. George knows that his future in Duke Center is over. His mother is getting
older and soon will no longer be able to manage the farm. The last thing George wants to
do is be trapped living on the farm. George encourages Amelia to sell the farm and move
up to Buffalo, New York and live with her unmarried daughter, Edith. Amelia knows
George is right and after selling the farm, she leaves McKean County and heads north.
George's roots are too deep to go far. He moves just 30 miles away to Mt. Jewitt. Mt. Jewitt
is a railroad town. The town has a large switching yard and work for a talented
machinist is good. George and Clara settled into city life. This must have been a real
change for Clara who had lived her whole life on the farm, before the move to Mt. Jewitt.
George and Clara's first son, Jack is born in Mt. Jewitt on December 15, 1915. For
a long time it seemed like this was to be the end of George and Clara's family. George is
still trying to find work following the railroad, but the automobile is rapidly making the
train obsolete. George has been riding the backside of both the oil boom and the railroad
era. Work is so hard to find that Clara is self-employed selling hats whileGeorge tries
selling insurance, but he knows in his heart that his future, as that of the Irvine's before
him lies with his hands.
After living in Duke Center for the 1st 28 years of his life, George now cannot seem
to take root. In the early 1920's George and Clara move to Kane, PA. Kane is also a
railroad town. Second son, Kenneth is born in Kane, on January 10, 1923. Kane does
not pan out any better than Mt. Jewitt, so the Irvine's move north to the largest city in
McKean County, Bradford. Bradford in the 1920's is not New York, Chicago or Boston,
but it is not Duke Center either.
In 1924, George, still living in Bradford, opens a small machine shop back in his
old hometown of Duke Center. George's mother Amelia dies in October of 1923, and we
suspect that the property or the money to buy the machine shop came from her estate. In
1926, George and Clara's last child is born in Bradford. Richard George Irvine is born on
April 11, 1926.
George is unable to hold on to the machine shop in Duke Center. Family lore has
the shop lost to real estate swindle. It is said that George was not much for keeping records
and when he is unable to produce a clear title, he loses the property to a "Quit Claim" deed
This appears to be the final blow to George and he uproots his family again and moves
this time to Hudson Falls, New York. Emma Snyder, Clara's older sister is living in
Hudson Falls. By 1930, George and Clara are running a small bakery on Walnut Street.
The depression is in full swing and George and Clara are barely making ends
meet. In the summer of 1934, George moves his family back to the McKean County area,
this time settling just over the New York border in Olean. Katherine and Jack have moved
out of the house. Katherine left to attend the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New
York. The younger boys, Ken and Richard attend St. Mary's grade school.
On May 7, 1940 Clara passes away, leaving George with Ken and Richard still living at
home. Ken is 17 and Richard is 14. Tragedy is ready to strike the Irvine's again, as
George is diagnosed with tuberculosis in October of 1940, just five months after their
mother dies. George is sent to a sanatarium in Geneseo, NY and the boys are moved into
a boarding house in nearby Dansville. George's stay in Geneseo is short and he is moved
to Rocky Mountain sanatarium back in Olean. Later he is moved to Liberty, NY. and the
Bernard McFadden Health Camp. Ken and Dick are moved to Webster, New York,
outside of Rochester to be near their older brother Jack and his new family. The are still
living in a boarding house just half a block from Webster High School. In 1942, George is
in remission and returns to Hudson Falls, New York. where he works in a liquor store.
Ken has entered the U. S Coast Guard. Dick, now left alone, is moved out of the roaming
house and moves in with his brother Jack to finish high school.
After Dick graduated from Webster High School, he moved up to Hudson Falls to
be near his dad. Dick moved in with his aunt, Emma Snyder. He worked at W. T. Grant's
in the stock room for six months, but then decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy rather than be
subject to be drafted into the Army.
Ken and Dick both returned to Hudson Falls after there stints with the military.
Shortly after Ken and Dick returned, George fell ill again, this time he was placed into a
"Cure Cottage" on the shores of Saranac Lake in the Adirondack mountians. The accepted
cure for TB at that time was to get plenty of fresh mountain air. George never recovered
from this last battle with TB. He died on Christmas eve in 1955, in Saranac Lake, Essex
County, NY..
This history is submitted by Christine Irvine, some of the information
was obtained from the book "History Of The Counties Of McKean, Elk, Cameron and
Potter, Pennsylvania", by Michael A. Leeson, published 1890
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