In approximately 1874, Adam Irving, his wife Elizabeth and their young family made the long trip from Ontario to British Columbia, where they were recorded with their seven surviving children in the 1881 census in the north section of New Westminster District.
In 1891, the Irvings were listed in the census in Maple Ridge. Elizabeth died in Maple Ridge on August 29th 1903, at the age of seventy-one. Adam Irving died on March 16th 1908 in Maple Ridge, just before his eighty-first birthday. He was survived by five daughters and one son.
His body was taken by train to the Sapperton Station where it was met by the funeral party and taken to the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
James Irving, Adam’s son, applied for his own grant of Crown land in Maple Ridge on September 14th, 1893, that was located just north of Port Hammond. By 1919, all this land had been subdivided and sold off.
James married Catherine Ann McCrackin at the age of thirty-three, and they had six children all born in Maple Ridge. James inherited his father’s estate in 1908, but in 1913 lost both his youngest son, James, and his wife.
In 1914 James married widow Annie Matilda Trembath, nee Calbick. They had one child together, Gertrude Frances Irving, and James passed on in 1928 in Port Hammond.
Annie’s daughter by her first marriage, Marjorie Edna Trembath, married James Irving’s eldest son, Robert Bruce Irving. They left BC to set up home in Wisconsin.
Together they had two children, James Bruce Irving and Marian Claire. Marjorie did not survive the birth of Marian, and Robert settled in Powell River with a new wife.
Daughter Annie Irving gained a measure of notoriety in 1882 by marrying her recently former school teacher, James Sinclair. As he had taken the teaching job at the age of 17, the two were not that far apart in age – he was 24 and she was 18. They were married for more than 60 years.
Unfortunately, we have no photographs of the Irvings or their home. We would love to have some so please contact us at the museum if you have any to share.