Irvine, William, 1741-1804

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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.

Born in County Fermanagh, Ulster, in the Kingdom of Ireland, Irvine pursued classical studies and graduated from the University of Dublin where he studied medicine and classical literature. 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 from 1764 to 1766. 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 became a member of the Continental Congress in 1786 and was selected with John Kean and Nicholas Gilman for settling the accounts of the U.S. Government with the several states. Irvine was elected as a U.S. Representative in the 3rd Congress from Pennsylvania's at-large congressional district, serving from December 2, 1793 to March 3, 1795. In 1797 he was sent to Pennsylvania as a commissioner to resolve the disputes involving the Whiskey Rebellion. When he failed in that effort he was assigned as commander of the militia troops and ultimately brought an end to the Whiskey Rebellion. The rebellion would be Irvine's final active military service, though he continued working with the military. In 1801, he was appointed superintendent of military stores in Philadelphia.

Irvine died in Philadelphia and was buried in a graveyard near Independence Hall. He was reburied in 1833 at the new Ronaldson's Cemetery. When it was closed in the 1950s, the graves of a few Revolutionary War officers such as Irvine were identified by the rector of Old Swedes' and reburied at Gloria Dei Church cemetery.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Papers, 1777-1780 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn United States War Department Records, 1794-1848 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Irvine family. Papers, 1777-1869. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn United States. Army. Orders, 1794. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Draper, Lyman Copeland, 1815-1891. Collection of Lyman Copeland Draper Manuscripts, 1735-1890. Library of Congress
referencedIn Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800. Family papers, 1768-1877 Houghton Library
referencedIn Irvine-Newbold families papers, 1776-1956. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Draper manuscripts: William Irvine papers, 1776-1834. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
creatorOf Rhees, William Jones, 1830-1907. Papers of William Jones Rhees, 1744-1907. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Copies from the papers of Brig. Gen. William Irvine : rel. to the history of S.W. Pa., etc., 1778-1785 (bulk 1781-1783). University of Pittsburgh
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Letter : United States Arsenal near Philadelphia, to Joseph Clay, n.p., 1802 Apr. 15. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Brodhead, Daniel, 1736-1809. Draper manuscripts: Daniel Brodhead papers, 1775-1846. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. ALS : Carlisle, Pa., to Alexander James Dallas, 1800 Oct. 12. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Letter, 1788 Mar. 17. The Filson Historical Society
creatorOf Tilghman, Edward, 1750-1815. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1791-1798. University of Pennsylvania Library
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Letter : United States Arsenal near Philadelphia, to Joseph Clay, 1802 Apr. 15. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Great Britain. Army. Brigade of Guards (1776-1783). Orderly books, 1776-1779. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Veech, James, 1808-1879. James Veech copybook of the papers of General William Irvine, 1778-1822 [electronic resource]. University of Pittsburgh
referencedIn Irvine family. Papers, 1778-1843. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. ALS : Carlisle, Pa., to Alexander James Dallas, 1801 Jan. 19. Rosenbach Museum & Library
creatorOf Andrew, John A. (John Albion), 1818-1867,. Lee family papers [microform] 1652 [1769-1870] 1890. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Harmar, Josiah, 1753-1813. Josiah Harmar papers, 1681-1937. William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Draper, Lyman Copeland, 1815-1891,. Draper manuscripts: Pittsburgh and Northwest Virginia papers, 1768-1854. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Irvine family papers, 1791-1842. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Autograph letter signed : to Joseph Reed, 1781 Dec. 8. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. Letter, 1790, 1794. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Josiah Harmar papers 1681-1937 Harmar, Josiah papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Irvine, William, 1741-1804. William Irvine correspondence, 1780. Library of Congress
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Armstrong, John, 1717-1795. person
associatedWith Armstrong, John, 1758-1843. person
associatedWith Bayard, Stephen, 1700-1757. person
associatedWith Brady, Samuel, 1756-1795. person
associatedWith Brodhead, Daniel, 1736-1809. person
associatedWith Butler-Gunsaulus Collection (University of Chicago. Library) corporateBody
associatedWith Butler, Richard, 1743-1791. person
associatedWith Butler, William, d. 1789. person
associatedWith Chambers, James, d. 1805. person
associatedWith Clark, George Rogers, 1752-1818. person
associatedWith Clay, Joseph, fl. 1802. person
associatedWith Cook, Edward. person
associatedWith Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805. person
associatedWith Craig, Isaac, 1742?-1826. person
associatedWith Craig, Thomas. person
associatedWith Crawford, William, 1732-1782. person
associatedWith Dallas, Alexander James, 1759-1817, person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Draper, Lyman Copeland, 1815-1891, person
associatedWith Duncan, David. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Evans, John, 1738-1834. person
associatedWith Finley, John, ca. 1722-1769. person
associatedWith Gibson, John, 1740-1822. person
associatedWith Great Britain. Army. Brigade of Guards (1776-1783) corporateBody
associatedWith Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786 person
associatedWith Grier, David, d. 1790. person
associatedWith Hampton, Richard. person
associatedWith Harmar, Josiah, 1753-1813. person
associatedWith Harmar, Josiah, 1802-1848 person
associatedWith Hay, Samuel. person
memberOf Irvine family. family
associatedWith Kenton, Simon, 1755-1836. person
associatedWith La Luzerne, Anne-César, chevalier de, 1741-1791. person
associatedWith Marshal, James. person
associatedWith Mifflin, Thomas, 1744-1800. person
associatedWith Pennsylvania. Militia. Regiment, 7th. corporateBody
correspondedWith Reed, Joseph, 1741-1785 person
associatedWith Rhees, William Jones, 1830-1907. person
associatedWith Rosenthal, Gustavus Henri de. person
associatedWith Shepherd, David, 1734-1795. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
correspondedWith Stewart, Charles, 1729-1800 person
associatedWith Sumter, Thomas, 1734-1832. person
associatedWith Tilghman, Edward, 1750-1815. person
memberOf United States. Congress. House corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Army corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Army corporateBody
memberOf United States. Continental Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. War Dept. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Dublin (active 1576-1751) corporateBody
associatedWith Veech, James, 1808-1879. person
associatedWith Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796. person
associatedWith Williamson, David, 1752-1814. person
associatedWith Ziegler, David, 1748-1811. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Carlisle PA US
County Fermanagh NIR GB
Philadelphia PA US
Dublin L IE
Subject
Fur
General
Hides and skins
Indians of North America
Occupation
Army officers
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Physicians
Representatives, U.S. Congress
Surgeons
Activity

Person

Birth 1741-11-03

Death 1804-07-29

Male

Americans,

Britons

English

Information

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