Alexander Irvin

Alexander Irvin (January 18, 1800 – March 20, 1874) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania’s 24th congressional district from 1847 to 1849. His single term in Congress took place during a period of significant national change in the mid-nineteenth century, and he participated in the legislative process as part of the Whig Party, representing the interests of his constituents in western Pennsylvania.

Irvin was born on January 18, 1800, in Penns Valley, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools of the area, receiving a basic education typical of rural Pennsylvania in the early nineteenth century. In 1820 he moved to Curwensville, Pennsylvania, and in 1826 he relocated to Clearfield, Pennsylvania, communities that would remain central to his personal and professional life.

In Clearfield, Irvin engaged in mercantile and lumbering pursuits, reflecting the economic foundations of the region at the time. He soon entered public service at the local level, serving as treasurer of Clearfield County from 1828 to 1830. His growing prominence in county affairs led to further responsibilities, and he became increasingly involved in state and local government.

Irvin advanced to state office as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 13th district from 1837 to 1838. In 1842 he was appointed prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas, a key administrative and clerical position within the county judiciary. During the same period, from 1842 to 1844, he also served as recorder of deeds and register of wills of Clearfield County, overseeing important legal and property records and further consolidating his role as a leading public official in the region.

Building on this record of local and state service, Irvin was elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 24th congressional district. His term extended from March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1849. As a member of the Whig Party representing Pennsylvania, he contributed to the legislative process during one term in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by issues such as territorial expansion and the Mexican–American War, and he participated in the democratic process while representing the interests of his constituents. Irvin was not a candidate for renomination at the end of his term.

After leaving the House of Representatives, Irvin continued in federal service when he was appointed United States marshal for the western district of Pennsylvania. He held that post from January 17 to September 3, 1850, when he resigned. He subsequently returned to private life in Clearfield, resuming his involvement in mercantile pursuits that had characterized his earlier career.

In his later years, Irvin remained active in political affairs as national party alignments shifted in the years before and after the Civil War. Reflecting the realignment of many former Whigs, he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1872. He continued to reside in Clearfield, engaged in business, until his death on March 20, 1874.