Draft:John Irvin (soldier)

John Irvin (May 24, 1830 – June  29, 1903) was an American Civil War veteran, businessman, and politician.

Early Life
John Irvin also known as John Erwin or John Ervin was born on May 24, 1830 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania to Benjamin Irvin and Prudence Elizabeth Dunbar. He had two sisters, Mary and Emeline. He also had four brothers: Samuel, William, David, and James, all of whom went on to serve in the Civil War. In the war, all of the five brothers were injured and James, the youngest of the five, died.

Career
After the age of 21, he became involved in lumbering and later opened a store in Ogdensburg, Pennsylvania, which he owned until 1861. On January 1, 1855, at 24 years old he married Betsy Ann Barker. Betsey was the daughter of Ambrose Barker and Mary Ann Terry, a descendant of Mayflower Passenger and Former Governor of Plymouth Colony, William Bradford. He went on to have five daughters with her.

On August 29, 1861, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army to fight in the Civil War. He was first the 2nd Lieutenant of Company D, where he served alongside his brothers, William, David, and Samuel, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant of Company D, and made Captain of Company L. Following his injury in Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, he was made a Brevet-Major and discharged on the October 6, 1864.

After he was discharged he ran a store and sawmill in Ogdensburg until 1891 when he was elected Sheriff of Tioga County, Pennsylvania for a three-year term. When his term as Sheriff ended he purchased a farm in Lawrence Township which he named Oakdale where he spent the remaining years of his life.

Death
He died on the June 26, 1903 in Ogdensburg, Tioga County, Pennsylvania at the age of 73.