His mother, who was half Sioux, died of an illness when he was four, and Drederick raised him with the help of Irving's aunts.
Nëna e Irving, Elizabeth, e cila ishte Sioux, vdiq nga një sëmundje kur ai ishte katër vjeç, kështu që Drederick e ngriti atë me ndihmën e hallave të Irvingit.