The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-13
death OF {. 4. IRVINE
One Of Montana's Pioneers
Passes Away.
HIS WAS A BUSY LIFE
One OF the Founders OF the College
OF Montana-A Man OF Indomitabie
Energy - Failure Never
Discouraged Him.

+. III. Irvine. one OF the best known
old-timers in the state. and for years a
respected citizen and resident Of Butte.
died at his home shortly after 5 o'clock
yesterday morning at the s of 81
years. Mr.. Irvine was taken i'll with
kidney trouble up In the Fort Steele
country two months ago and immedi-
ately came home. lie grew slowly
worse and fingered until yesterday
morning. Mr.. Irvine was connected by
marriage with a number Of the most
prominent families OF Butte. and he
leaves a widow and six children, OF the
latter four being girls and two boys.
One Of the daughters is the wife OF
Rev. Mountjoy and is matron of the
State Orphans home at Twin Bridges;
another Is the wife Of Rev. Gaien
Wood. who was formerly pastor OF the
Christian church. and now resides al
Cripple Creek; the third is the wife OF
DR.. w. H.. Haviland and the other is
| married to Attorney J. o. Bender OF
this city. The sons are Forbes r. Irvine
and Shelby Irvine. the latter living In
t0ullG III III ~
and. Forbes Irvine was with his father
for some time during his illness, but on
Sunday night was called home by the
serious illness of one OF his children.
! Mrs. Mountjoy was also at the HON OF
her parents up TO last evening, when
she was compelled to cave Butte at the
Urgent advice of her physician, as she
was about to succumb to the sulphur
smoke and was threatened with sick
| ness. and she will not be able TO at
tend the funeral. which will be held
from the Christian church this after
noon. Mrs. Irvine is also very i'll, and
was found bed-fast by the husband
when he returned from Fort steele, and
IL has only been her wifely devotion to
| him that kept her up since. when she
should have been in bed. Mrs. 1rvine
IL q sister of the wife Of Rev. j. r..
Russell and. of the mother of John r.
and James w. Forbis.
Edwin Hart Irvine was born near
Richmond. Ky, Oct. IL, 1887. He grad
uated from Bethany college in West
Virginia.: the college was instituted by
Alexander Campbell, the founder OF the
Christian, or as IL used to be known,
the Campbellite church. DR.. Campbell
was president OF this institution at the
time Mr.. Irvine was a student there.
His parents emigrated from Kentucky
TO Missouri when Mr. Irvine was "A
| lbhIk IVY flt AiiaAtAfh III SoiANH As''f
Miss Ann Eliza Forbis in Missouri.
Shortly after marriage they removed TO
Atchison, Kas, and later went back 20
Missouri. where they resided until May.
1864. when they started across the
plains to Montana. arriving in Viz
GINA City in due time.
In 1856 they moved to Race
Track. Deer Lodge county, and active
ly engaged ia placer mining. Mr.. Irvine
made Deer Lodge county his home I'M
til his removal to Butte in 1851. where
ne has since resided. He was one OF
the best known and successful placer
miners in western Montana. having
| been engaged in that industry during
all OF those years. MFR. Irvine inRugur-
ated and had charge of some of the
largest placer mining enterprises in the
old placer mining days of Pioneer and
Yam Hill. He was so well known as a
placer miner that he vas a recognized
authority on all matters pertaining to
this industry. Mr.. Irvine was largely
instrumental in instituting the Deer
Lodge college. having. his friends say
spent n fortune on hat institution. II
being at hat time under the manage
ment of the Christian church. put they
not being able to IL were COM
PEELED to sell II and IL is now In the
hands of the Presbyterian church. Mr..
Irvine had been unfortunate in some Of
/ MS buSlItNN NNiAuItN tnt ldAltT part VI
his life. which necessitated his going
out into the mountains again as when a
younger man. The last two summers
he spent in the Fort Steele country.
British Columbia, where he had ac-
quired some mining property which
gave promise of again placing him in
| comfortable circumstances. IT was
there that he was stricken, just two
months ago. with the illness that re
s,llted I'm his death. He came home and
at oncc went to bed and never left IT..
Mr. Irvine was a nan OF indomitablC
energy. and though cast down. he new
or gave up n was of a very hopeful
| disposition.
Mr.. Irvine was n man of deep relig-
ious convictions, and in remarks on hts
death IL may be heard on every side
that he was a thoroughly good man.
From his early boyhood he was a
member OF the Christian church and
was the leading spirit and most promi-
nent layman Of that church in Mon
tana. II is no reelection on others who
assisted in il TO say that the church
owes to Mr.. Irvine more thar 10 any
one r. the erection Of their beautiful
church ediice.
Although eligible Mr.. Irvine never be-
longed to the society of Montana Pio-
neers. and II Is believed he never was
a member OF any secret organization.