John N. Irwin

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. John Nichol Irwin (December 25, 1844 - December 22, 1905) was an American businessman, politician and diplomat. Among the positions he held were Mayor of Keokuk, Iowa, Governor of Idaho Territory, Governor of Arizona Territory, and U.S. Minister to Portugal. Irwin was born December 25, 1844, in Butler County, Ohio, to Stephen and Elizabeth Martha (Nichol) Irwin. His family moved to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1856 and he was educated in public schools in both Ohio and Iowa before attending Miami University in his birth state. His education was interrupted by the American Civil War, when Irwin served with the 45th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and reached the rank of sergeant. Following the war he returned to his studies and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1867. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After graduation, Irwin returned to Keokuk and studied law at the firm of Miller and Rankin. He additionally studied for a time at the University of Michigan Law School. On June 6, 1871, he married his mentor's daughter, Mary Love Rankin. The couple had three children, Alice, Elizabeth, and John R.