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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOHN F.
IRBY, postmaster at Ritzville, Washington, was born on December 30, 1869,
at Aurora, Missouri. Reared principally in Lawrence county, of that
state, his education was obtained in the district schools, supplemented
by a two years' course in the Baptist college at Pierce City, Missouri.
After acquiring his education Mr. Irby worked for two years in the employ
of a hardware merchant, after which he entered the lead and zinc mines
of his state where he worked as shift boss and prospect driller.
Later he and his father owned the Hays City mines, which they operated
with success for a number of years. In all, Mr. Irby was engaged
in mining nine years, then came to Washington, an in 1898 he made his advent
in Ritzville. Since coming here he has followed the business of well-drilling
and has also farmed. He took a homestead upon coming to Adams county,
but later commuted it. He now owns two and three-fourths sections
of land, nine hundred and fifty acres of which he had cropped to wheat
in 1904.
On March 18, 1903, John
F. Irby was appointed postmaster to succeed George Sinclair, Sr., and has
proven to be an able and obliging official.
Mr. Irby numbers among
his ancestors some of the foremost and most historic characters of this
country. His father was Isham Irby, born in Missouri, January 12,
1842, and his parents,--grandparent of our subject-- were from Virginia,
being members of the old southern Irby family which settled in Virginia
during the seventeenth century. It was a family of marked distinction
throughout the south, and one member, J. L. M. Irby, was a United States
senator from North Carolina for six years. Mr. Irby's mother was
born in Tennessee, from which state her parents also came, and was one
of the old and historic Thomas family, her name being Anna (Thomas) Irby.
She was married to Isham Irby in the state of Missouri, and died in Aurora,
June 27, 1895. Isham Irby now lives at Springdale, Arkansas, where
he conducts a farm, and is a man of great influence and friends almost
without number.
John F. Irby has four
brothers and two sisters living: Nathan E., an Adams county farmer, near
Cunningham; James W., a miner of Galena, Kansas; Spencer S., a well-driller
of Ritzville; Charles T., a base ball player, of Ritzville; Lillie M.,
wife of Frank Windle, in Galena, Kansas; and Anna M., wife of Ray A. Treadwell,
of Cunningham.
On August 23, 1890 at
Aurora, Missouri, occurred the marriage of John F. Irby to Hester E. Benward,
born in Clinton, Illinois, and daughter of John M. and Elizabeth M. (Stoops)
Benward. Her father was a native of New Jersey. Mrs. Irby has
two brothers and the same number of sisters, whose names are: Charles F.,
a Ritzville drayman; Frank B., a Cunningham farmer; Nettie, wife of Elmer
Lemasters, who operates a farm for Mr. Irby, near Cunningham; and Annie,
wife of William Ludwick, a farmer of Beaumont, Kansas.
To Mr. and Mrs.
Irby have been born four children, Edith G., John C., and Bernice E., aged
respectively ten and seven years and five months; and Charles C., deceased,
who was the third one born.
Mr. Irby is a member
of the Modern Woodmen, and both he and Mrs. Irby are members of the Baptist
church.
In politics Mr. Irby
is a stanch Republican, and his name is inseparably connected with the
history of his party in Adams county during recent years. He is now
chairman of the county central committee, and has been a delegate to county
and state conventions. He has also attended conventions of his party
in Missouri as a delegate, and has always been an active party worker.
Mr. and Mrs. Irby are prominent socially and are accorded the friendship
and respect of a large circle of acquaintances.
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