Irvine, William, 1741-1804

<p>William Irvine (November 3, 1741 – July 29, 1804) was an Irish-American physician, soldier, and statesman from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine as a ship's surgeon for the Royal Navy before he sympathized with the American Revolution and fought against the British during the American Revolutionary War. As tensions escalated between the American colonies and the British government during the 1770s, Irvine sympathized and allied himself with the revolutionary cause. He subsequently served as a brigadier general in the American Revolutionary War and served in the western theater. After the war he served in the Continental Congress, and later played an active role in ending the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania. He also served two terms in Congress representing Pennsylvania, and was also active in the state's other public affairs.</p>

<p>Irvine came from a Scots-Irish, Presbyterian family, born near Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh, Ulster, in the Kingdom of Ireland. His Scots-Irish ethnicity and Presbyterian religion would at first prove to be an obstacle in the English-dominated social worlds of colonial America. He graduated from Dublin University where he studied medicine and classical literature under Doctor George Cleghorn who would later vouch for Irvine's competency and knowledge of medicine. Thereafter he was admitted to practice where he served as ship's surgeon on a British man-of-war during the French and Indian War. In 1763 he immigrated to the British colonies in America and settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. That year he became a delegate to the State Revolutionary conventions held in 1764–1766. In 1772 he married Ann Callender, daughter of Robert Callender, a prominent citizen of Carlisle whom Irvine held in high regard and named his first son after. Irvine had two brothers, Andrew who was an officer in the Continental Army, and Matthew, who was a physician and a surgeon in General Charles Lee's division. His son, Callender, was born in 1774 and became a captain of artillery and engineers in 1798. Callender would later manage his father's estate at Brokenstraw when Irvine's political appointment required that he move to Philadelphia. His second son, William, enlisted in the army as a captain of light artillery in 1808, and later fought in the War of 1812. Irvine's youngest son, Armstrong, also served in the War of 1812, as Adjutant General of the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Throughout his military career Irvine was an avid letter writer and, aside from his military correspondence, corresponded regularly with his wife Ann and children.</p>

<p>Irvine served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and served under General George Washington, with whom he frequently corresponded. Irvine represented Pennsylvania in both the Continental Congress (1787–88) and after the war, in the United States House of Representatives (1793–1795). He served as a ship's surgeon and settled in Carlisle. He was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly which granted him a colonel's commission in January 1776 for the purpose of raising the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment. On June 16 of that year he was captured, along with a large number of his fellow officers and men, in Canada at the Battle of Three Rivers during the Lake Champlain campaign and was not exchanged until May 6, 1778. In May 1779 he was promoted to brigadier general of the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment and arrived in Pittsburgh in November.</p>

<ul><b>RACES</b>
<li> 02/16/1797 PA US Senate Lost 40.43% (-19.15%)</li>
<li> 10/11/1796 PA District 09 Lost 31.95% (-21.82%)</li>
<li> 10/14/1794 PA District 9 Lost 30.90% (-3.68%)</li>
<li> 02/28/1793 PA US Senate Lost 1.22% (-53.66%)</li>
<li> 10/09/1792 PA At-Large Won 7.45% (-0.30%)</li>
<li> 10/11/1791 PA District 7 Lost 28.86% (-42.27%)</li>
<li> 11/26/1788 PA At-Large Lost 5.58% (-1.90%)</li>
<li> 12/31/1787 PA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li> 12/31/1786 PA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
</ul>

IRVINE, William, a Delegate and a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in County Fermanagh, Ulster, Ireland, on November 3, 1741; pursued classical studies and was graduated from the Dublin University; studied medicine and was admitted to practice; served as surgeon on a British man-of-war; immigrated to the United States and settled in Carlisle, Pa., in 1763; delegate to the State Revolutionary conventions 1764-1766; colonel of the Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment in the Revolutionary Army; captured in Canada June 16, 1776, and remained a prisoner of war until exchanged May 6, 1778; appointed brigadier general May 12, 1779, and served until the close of the war; Member of the Continental Congress 1787-1788; commanded the State troops during the Whisky Rebellion in 1794; elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the Third Congress (March 4, 1793-March 3, 1795); moved to Philadelphia, where he was superintendent of military stores 1801-1804; died in Philadelphia, Pa., July 29, 1804; interment in Gloria Dei (Old Swedes) Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Pa.